Fab Friday #164

Rain, rain, rain ... holy COW!! This has been the RAINIEST spring we have seen in Utah for years and years. I think we have hit a record for snowfall in the mountains this winter/spring. The ski resorts are STILL OPEN and LOVING IT!! They don't call Utah "The Greatest Snow On Earth" for nothing, I tell ya!! And GREEN!!! Everything here is SO lush and SO green ... you would SWEAR you were in Seattle or something!! It's INCREDIBLE!! Our Fab Friday friends are creating with a really fun and VERY spring-looking color combo! I LOVE this one!

I knew as soon as I saw this color combo a while back that I was going to do something flowery with it. I am VERY happy that the "Abstract Impressions" stamp set is carrying over for another catalog cycle. I used the Flirty Flamingo for all three stages of the rose image ... I stamped off twice for the lightest color, once for the medium shade, and not at ALL for the darkest shade. This stamp set is so much fun to play with!

Stamps: Abstract Impressions
Paper: Flirty Flamingo, Soft Seafoam, Pear Pizzazz, Whisper White
Ink: Flirty Flamingo, Soft Seafoam, Pear Pizzazz, Wink of Stella
Accessories: Trio Corner Punch, Stitched Labels Dies, Decorative Ribbon Border Punch, Pearl Accents

Do ya feel the inspiration coming from this??? You should!! It's a gorgeous combo!







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

Fab Friday Challenge Blog

Mindy Backes
Heather Heroldt
Brian King
Amy Koenders
Amanda Mertz
Brenda Myers

It was my daughter's birthday yesterday ... and for the first time in a VERY long time we both have the day off and will be in the same city on the same day TODAY ... so we are going to go shopping and get mani-pedis!!! It's going to be a good day, even if it rains and rains (which it is scheduled to do!)!

Monday Montage #139

Stamp-stamp-stamp!!! I have made THREE cards today ... which for me is VERY good!! The Monday Montage Girls are hopping today ... did you just come from Melissa's blog??? Did you think she was INCREDIBLE (as always)??? Yeah??? ME TOO!

I have been meaning to use this cute little stamp set since I won it for Prize Patrol at OnStage last month. I KNEW I wanted to use the little mailbox image, but I couldn't decide just what I wanted to do with it. I have a feeling I will be using this set a lot as the images are fun and it will make a bunch of great birthday cards!!

Stamps: Celebrate With Cake
Paper: Whisper White, Blueberry Bushel, Come Sail Away DSP
Ink: Blueberry Bushel, Lovely Lipstick, Early Espresso
Accessories: Stitched Shapes Dies, Decorative Ribbon Border Punch, Happiness Blooms Enamel Dots

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 - SITTING OUT THIS WEEK
Cathy Casey - Sugar Shack Designs
Charlet Mallet - Painted Orange
Cheryl Curtis - Pomp and Sustenance
Dani Dziama - Dani's Thoughtful Corner
Elizabeth Price - Seeinginkspots
Julie Warnick - Julie Warnick Stampin' Up! Blog
Melissa Stout - The Stamp Doc
Wendy Weixler - Wickedly Wonderful Creations - YOU'RE ALREADY HERE!!

I ran the Ogden Half Marathon last Saturday. We got rained on for MOST of it (it didn't really stop until between miles 9 and 10). I LOVED the temperature, though!! The good news?? I woke up on Sunday morning and had NO pain or soreness ANYwhere!!! LOVE that!!

Click "Next" to see what Amy O'Neill has created ... and "Back" to check out Melissa Stout's ... CUTE-CUTE-CUTE stuff!

Goodbye, Old Friends!

The Control Freaks are at it again!!! We're coming close to the release of the new Stampin' Up Catalog ... so we all decided to play with some of our favorite RETIRING sets/supplies ... they will be gone in two weeks' time, so you better jump on them if they are on your "wish list" Did you see what Melissa Davies made??? Her creations are ALWAYS wonderful!

Citrus ... yep! I'm a California Girl at heart (born and raised in the Bay Area!)! We had oranges and tangerines growing right outside our back door ... and my neighbors had lemons! Oh how I took for granted how fortunate I was to have them in my yard!! What I wouldn't give for an orange or grapefruit tree in my yard NOW (but Utah winters will NOT allow that!)!! So the "Lemon Zest" stamp set is REALLY going to be missed by me!! Which is why I chose to showcase it this month!

Stamps: Lemon Zest
Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black
Ink: Whisper White Craft, Daffodil Delight, Granny Apple Green, Flirty Flamingo, Mango Melody
Accessories: Petal Pair Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (which is ALSO retiring!), Pretty Label Punch, Granny Apple Green Grosgrain Ribbon, 1 3/4" Circle Punch, Whisper White Embossing Powder, Wink of Stella

This color combo is just SO striking and fun ... and I LOVE the Granny Apple Green Grosgrain Ribbon (which is ALSO retiring!). Add to that the retiring Tropical Escape DSP ... I am going to miss having these in the catalog, aren't you??

Stamps: Lemon Zest
Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black, Granny Apple Green, Flirty Flamingo, Mango Melody, Daffodil Delight, Tropical Escape DSP
Ink: Whisper White Craft, Daffodil Delight, Granny Apple Green, Flirty Flamingo, Mango Melody
Accessories: Petal Pair Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (which is ALSO retiring!), Pretty Label Punch, Granny Apple Green Grosgrain Ribbon, 1 3/4" Circle Punch, Whisper White Embossing Powder, Wink of Stella, Stitched Rectangle Dies

Next up???  ... the delightful Dawn Olchefske!! Check it out!!

Flowers for Mom

I think daisies and lilacs are my most favorite flowers. The smell of lilacs just sends me back to my childhood (we had oodles of them in our backyard!)! Plus ... they just smell DIVINE, don't they??? And daisies?? Well dang, friends!! Daisies just make me plain ol' happy! Which is what inspired me to make these cards for my mama and mother in law for Mother's Day.

True confession ... I haven't used a non-Stampin' Up set of ANYthing to make a card in, like ... FOREVER!! My bestie, Cheryl, made a card with this set from Simon Says called Folk Dance (and I didn't actually use the stamps from the set, just the background and sentiment dies). I also realized that I NEEEED to buy me the large (and small - as soon as it is released in June) Daisy punches from Stampin' Up. I resorted to cutting these daisies out with my Cricut (to the rescue!!)! The paper, inks and flower center embellishments are all from my Stampin' Up stash!


Stamps: Itty Bitty Greetings
Paper: Whisper White
Ink: Melon Mambo, Petal Pink, Mango Melody, So Saffron
Accessories: Simon Says Folk Dance Dies, Cricut Daisy, Classic Label Punch, Perennial Essence Floral Centers

Same card, different color scheme. I honestly had these creations in my head before I started ... and they came out as nicely as I had them pictured. That almost NEVER happens!!

Stamps: Itty Bitty Greetings
Paper: Whisper White
Ink: Gorgeous Grape, Highland Heather, Mango Melody, So Saffron
Accessories: Simon Says Folk Dance Dies, Cricut Daisy, Classic Label Punch, Perennial Essence Floral Centers

TOMORROW is the Ogden Half Marathon for me!!! The weather forecast is showing some rain, so I am gonna carb up tonight and bring all my wet weather gear for tomorrow! Wish me luck!!

Fab Friday #163

I have to laugh at myself ... again ... which is becoming all too common for me any more!! I made this card last night, took a photo of it, edited the photo, started typing my blog post and then ... I fell asleep!!! With my laptop in my bed right next to my head!!! Didn't even realize I didn't start OR finish until this morning!! I really must have needed the sleep!!! So it's going to be a Fab Friday anyway, right????

I mixed some of the "outgoing" with the "incoming" (I used the Best Route DSP, which I am going to be sad to say goodbye to!) and the "A Good Man" stamp set ... which will be available to all-y'all in June!! YAY!!! How EXCITING IS THAT???

Stamps: A Good Man
Paper: Sahara Sand, Daffodil Delight, Watercolor, Best Route DSP
Ink: Black Memento, Daffodil Delight, Night of Navy, Pool Party, Ivory, Granite Gray
Accessories: Trio Corner Punch, 1 1/4" Circle Punch, Impressions Embossing Folder, 3/8" Crumb Cake Classic Weave Ribbon, Night of Navy/Sahara Sand Baker's Twine

I like this sketch surprisingly MORE than I thought I would!! I will DEFINITELY be using it again!










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

Fab Friday Challenge Blog

Mindy Backes
Heather Heroldt
Brian King
Amy Koenders
Amanda Mertz
Brenda Myers

Tomorrow morning is our LAST training run as a team (Huntsman Heroes!) before we head up to Ogden next weekend before the half/full marathon events!! I am soooo excited for this one! I feel ready ... which is a good thing! Just hoping that the weather cooperates because the course is BEAUTIFUL!!! Happy Mother's Day!!

Monday Montage #138

Not gonna lie ... I am SOOOOO sore today!!! We did an 8-mile training run yesterday, four miles of which were very DOWNhill!!! Then, I went with one of my dear friends and her doggie on a hike up to Ensign Peak last night. When I went to walk my doggie earlier this evening I could DEFINITELY feel the downhill bits (I live on a hill ... my whole dang neighborhood is hilly!)! What doesn't kill ya makes ya stronger, right??? TWO WEEKS until the Ogden Half Marathon, so this was a good training weekend!!! And now the Monday Montage girls are hopping ... and if you are following us all the way around you would have just come from Melissa Stout's blog (you should really click next on all the posts and make it to all the blogs ... all the creations are SOOO fun!) \

This is what ya call a $200 card. I haven't done one of these in a looooooong time!!! I used FIVE stamp sets, a sets of dies, two punches ... and a partridge in a pear tree!!

Stamps: Butterfly Gala, Beauty Abounds, Pocketful of Sunshine, Burlap, Buffalo Check
Paper: Whisper White, Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Daffodil Delight
Ink: Early Espresso, Crumb Cake, Daffodil Delight
Accessories: Pocket Framelites Dies, Butterfly Duet Punch, Tailored Tag Punch, Happiness Blooms Enamel Dots, 5/8" Burlap Ribbon

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
Charlet Mallet - Painted Orange
Cheryl Curtis - Pomp and Sustenance
Dani Dziama - Dani's Thoughtful Corner - SITTING OUT THIS WEEK
Elizabeth Price - Seeinginkspots
Julie Warnick - Julie Warnick Stampin' Up! Blog
Melissa Stout - The Stamp Doc
Wendy Weixler - Wickedly Wonderful Creations - YOU'RE ALREADY HERE!!

You know that "sweet spot" during your time-between-haircuts when your hair does really well ... for about THREE DAYS??? Well ... I passed that spot about three weeks ago!! HAHAHAHA!!! I have a haircut appointment on Tuesday morning and I am SOOOO excited (which tells me that I must REALLY be overdue). Simple things sometimes make me the happiest!

Click "Next" to see what Amy O'Neill has created ... and "Back" to check out Melissa Stout's ... I'm SO GLAD to have these girls as my friends and sources of inspiration!!