Sunday, October 28, 2018

Monday Montage #127

It was 75 degrees Sunday afternoon ... SERIOUSLY??!!? Our weather has been ALL OVER THE MAP, I tell ya!! I guess that's what you call fall?? MAYBE?? I can't seem to know WHAT to wear when I get up in the morning. I keep thinking it's going to be COLD, or even CHILLY. NOPE! I took my puppy for a walk and realized too late that I was wearing WAY too many layers! Then I came home and made a card for this little Monday Montage hop. I was hoping that a "Christmas-y" card would cool me off. No luck, but at least I got to play with some paper!

In my head I knew where I was going with this card ... and then I started to try to get the image from my head to the paper. Why is it that somehow the image gets lost in between??? I still like the finished product well enough, but I had a hard time finishing it off. The gold thread came to the rescue (finally!)!

Stamps: Farmhouse Christmas
Paper: Whisper White, Mossy Meadow, Soft Suede, Cherry Cobbler, White Velvet DSP, Festive Farmhouse DSP
Ink: Cajun Craze, Crushed Curry, Pumpkin Pie, Early Espresso, Gray Granite, Basic Gray
Accessories: Farmhouse Framelits Dies, Snowfall Thinlits Dies, Swirls & Curls Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Gold Thread

Here's a blog roll just in case you get "stuck" trying to hop around ...

Monday Montage Hoppers
Amy O'Neill - Amy's Paper Crafts
Breelin Renwick - Craft-somnia Momma
Cathy Casey - Sugar Shack Designs
Dani Dziama - Dani's Thoughtful Corner
Elizabeth Price - Seeinginkspots
Julie Warnick - Julie Warnick Stampin' Up! Blog
Kaitlyn Zumbach - Create with Kaitlyn - NOT PARTICIPATING THIS WEEK
Melissa Stout - The Stamp Doc
Wendy Weixler - Wickedly Wonderful Creations - YOU'RE ALREADY HERE!!

Can't believe I was in DisneyLAND two short weeks ago and that I will be in DisneyWORLD in less than two weeks. I certainly have been blessed this year with opportunities to do fun things. Next year may seem boring in comparison!

Click "Back" for Melissa Stout and "Next" for Amy O'Neill ... I get to see BOTH of these amazing women in about 10 days and I canNOT wait!!


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Friday, October 26, 2018

Fab Friday #149

Welcome to Fab Friday #149! I'm really glad we had a sketch challenge to do this week ... I haven't stamped for several days and I needed to get my mojo in gear. I also needed to do some cleaning in my craft room (let's be honest, don't we ALL??). So I was able to do a little crafting and a little cleaning!

This candy cane combo got me rolling. I think I mentioned how much I LOVE the snowflakes thinlits the last time I posted. I am SERIOUS, you guys!!! You NEEEEED these in your life. They are just THAT GOOD!!! And the white velvet DSP??? Oh. My. Word. It embosses SOOOOO beautifully! I luuuuuuurrrve it!!

Stamps: Snow is Glistening
Paper: Whisper White, Santa's Workshop Specialty DSP, White Velvet DSP, Red Glimmer Paper
Ink: Real Red
Accessories: Swirls & Curls Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Stitched Labels Framelits, Snowfall Thinlits, Trio Corner Punch, Clear Epoxy Droplets, Whisper White 1/8" Sheer Ribbon









You don't have to copy the layout EXACTLY ... it's just a point of inspiration! I came pretty close, but added a sentiment panel ...










Here's a link to the Fab Friday Challenge Blog so you can play along:

Fab Friday Challenge Blog

Check out the Fab blogs of my fellow Fab Friends:

Mindy Backes
Cindy Beach
Heather Heroldt
Brian King
Amy Koenders
Justin Krieger
Amanda Mertz
Brenda Myers
Jan Tinklenberg

Today is the great Halloween Carnival!!! I've been doing these for over 20 years ... Halloween IS my favorite holiday, after all!!! And getting a chance to dress up and play games with kids in our neighborhood is THE BEST!!!

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Friday, October 19, 2018

Happy Fall from the Freaks!




I got home Thursday night ... or should I saw Friday MORNING after having spent three days at The Happiest Place On Earth ... aka DISNEYLAND ... with my BFF Cheryl. We laughed, we ate, we rode rides, we talked to little kids about their day ... it was a SUPER good time! And to be honest, I'm WIPED OUT! Did you check out what my incredibly talented friend, Dawn Olchefske made to help you feel the FALL???!! She always inspires me!

I was out of town, I received a lovely box of pretty things to play with from Stampin' Up. Have y'all SEEN the Snowflake Sentiments Bundle that is on it's way to being offered to you??!!?? NOVEMBER, my friends ... NOVEMBER!!! You are gonna NEEED this in your life. The Snowfall Thinlits dies also pair BEAUTIFULLY with the Happiness Surrounds stamp set (also available with this limited release). SERIOUSLY??!!??? I am IN LOVE!

I decided to make my backdrop look like a barn door ... too much fun!

Our theme this month is "Happy Fall" ... so I had a GREAT time putting together things that make me feel like fall. The colors and these dies and stamps are A-MAZ-ING!!!

Stamps: Happiness Surrounds
Paper: Whisper White, Early Espresso, Mango Melody, Pumpkin Pie, So Saffron, Mossy Meadow, Crumb Cake, Merry Merlot, Festive Farmhouse DSP
Ink: Pumpkin Pie, Mossy Meadow
Accessories: Snowfall Thinlits, Crumb Cake Classic Weave Ribbon, Stamp Punch (retired ... sorry ... I couldn't resist it!)


Using the same dies and stamps, I created another card! I can see myself playing with this suite of things a LOT!!! Since fall is my most favorite time of the year, I'm going to have a really good time!

Stamps: Happiness Surrounds, Burlap
Paper: Crumb Cake, Cajun Craze, Pear Pizzazz, Wood Texture DSP
Ink: Crumb Cake, Pear Pizzazz
Accessories: Stitched Shapes Framelits Dies, Seasonal Layers Thinlits Dies, Corrugated Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Galvanized Clip


Next up???  ... super Connie Babbert!! Her projects are DIIIIIVIIIINE!!

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Sunday, October 14, 2018

Monday Montage #126


Happy Monday Montage Day!!! The weekend was fun ... and over in a wink! Why do Mondays and Fridays seem SOOOOO long ... whereas Saturdays and Sundays seem to zip by before you know it??? Sheesh!! At least I got a lot done ... AND I got time to get crafty! I guess I don't have much to complain about, right??? Just wish I had another day "off".

I am pretty sure it's hard to make an ugly card using the Buffalo Check background stamp. I have seen SOOOO many cute things made with it. I hope it NEVER retires!!! It goes with just about EVERYthing ... kids cards, girl cards, boy cards, kid cards ... it's simply the BEST, don't you think??

True confessions ... as much as I loved creating this card, it was one of those that everything went wrong with while I was working on it. I have two Painted Harvest sets (the one with the sunflower). One of them doesn't stamp well, and the other one does. I even have them marked (not sure why I"m keeping the not-so-good one). I had some trouble with my Cajun Craze ink pad ... pretty sure I need a new one!! When I finally got it stamped, I realized I was using the funky stamp set. So I had to stamp it again with the better one. THEN, when I finally got it how I liked, I started to fussy cut it out. Then I realized I hadn't cleaned my fingers and I smudged Early Espresso ink all over my lovely sunflower! Stamped it a third time ... was good to go, then!!! (This was, of course, after I had stamped the Buffalo Check background and realized I was having issues with my ink pad ... so I stamped that three times as well!). Moving on to the leaves behind the flower. I wasn't quite sure what I was going to do for a sentiment, so I kept messing with the placement of the leaves and berries ... took me three times to get that how I wanted it, too!! Sheesh!!! I was DETERMINED to get this card done! It just took me MUCH longer than I had planned.

I cut the sentiment out using one of the Stitched Shapes oval dies ... then I used the criss-cross border die from the Stitched Labels thinlits to "frame" it in on the top and bottom, which I then trimmed above and below to end up with the shape I used for the sentiment.

Stamps: Painted Harvest, Buffalo Check
Paper: Gray Granite, Crushed Curry, Whisper White, Cajun Craze, Festive Farmhouse DSP
Ink: Cajun Craze, Crushed Curry, Pumpkin Pie, Early Espresso, Gray Granite, Basic Gray
Accessories: Stitched Shapes Framelits Dies, Stitched Labels Framelits Dies, Braided Linen Trim, Linen Thread

Here's a blog roll just in case you get "stuck" trying to hop around ...

Monday Montage Hoppers
Amy O'Neill - Amy's Paper Crafts - NOT PARTICIPATING THIS WEEK
Breelin Renwick - Craft-somnia Momma
Cathy Casey - Sugar Shack Designs
Dani Dziama - Dani's Thoughtful Corner
Elizabeth Price - Seeinginkspots
Julie Warnick - Julie Warnick Stampin' Up! Blog
Kaitlyn Zumbach - Create with Kaitlyn - NOT PARTICIPATING THIS WEEK
Melissa Stout - The Stamp Doc
Wendy Weixler - Wickedly Wonderful Creations - YOU'RE ALREADY HERE!!

It's that time of year again ... fall ... Halloween ... you know what I mean!!! So I am heading off to the Happiest Place On Earth for a few days this week with my BFF, Cheryl. I am getting SUPER excited!!! Just hope I can get myself together before it's time to go!

Click "Back" for Melissa Stout and "Next" for Bree Renwick ... I end up spending more money on supplies by looking at what THEY have made!!! They are AMAZING!


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Friday, October 12, 2018

Fab Friday #148

The inside of my house is decked out ... the outside of my house is decked out ... so I guess I have officially given in to Halloween/Spooky season!!! Honestly, this is my favorite month of the year. I absolutely LOVE Halloween ... and fall ... and costumes ... and decorating!!! The Fab Friday folks are playing around this week with a color challenge ... and it just SCREAMED Halloween at me, so I just went with that!

Isn't this little witchy hat just the CUTEST??? The brim is made with two circle punches (or framelits), and the pointy part is made with the old (retired) Tree Punch. You can just as easily make the pointy part from a rectangle and trim down the sides ... I just went with the easier approach!

Stamps: Trick or Tweet, Gallery Grunge
Paper: Whisper White, Gorgeous Grape, Pumpkin Pie Glimmer Paper (retired), Basic Black Glimmer Paper (retired)
Ink: Gorgeous Grape, Pumpin Pie, Basic Black
Accessories: 5/8" Burlap Ribbon, Black/Pumpkin Bakers Twine (retired), Basic Black Bakers Twine, Faceted Dots, Classic Label Punch









See what I mean???? PERFECT Halloween combo!










Here's a link to the Fab Friday Challenge Blog so you can play along:

Fab Friday Challenge Blog

Check out the Fab blogs of my fellow Fab Friends:

Mindy Backes
Cindy Beach
Heather Heroldt
Brian King
Amy Koenders
Justin Krieger
Amanda Mertz
Brenda Myers
Jan Tinklenberg

I have had a VERY busy week ... and will have a VERY busy weekend! Sometimes I need to be cloned ... at least some of the things I'm doing this weekend are going to be FUN (we're meeting some friends for breakfast tomorrow morning, which will start the weekend off GREAT!)!!

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