Monday Montage #167

We are 3/4 of the way through JUNE people ... J U N E!!! How on EARTH did THAT happen???? This year has seemed both SLOW and FAST!! I am VERY ready for things to go back to "normal" (which I KNOW is not going to be for quite some time). I feel like we entirely SKIPPED spring altogether. Sigh ... at least we are healthy and happy. I have so many things to be grateful for (which I am). Grateful for my Monday Montage friends and the chance I get to associate and "play" with these beautiful ladies on a regular basis. In FACT ... I am sitting behind our family's beautiful home in Rockville, Utah (5 minute drive from Zion National Park), listening to the crickets chirp, feel a slight breeze and appreciating the opportunity we have to be here with our BFF's, the Renwicks. What great adventures we are going to have this week!

I made this card right after I received my catalog preorder. I actually "CASED" a card I found in the new catalog (page 169). I flipped the orientation and changed up the embellishments a bit. It's SO great to be able to be inspired by the genius of others!

Stamps: Lovely You
Paper: Whisper White, Rich Razzleberry, Pool Party, Calypso Coral
Ink: Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive, Pool Party, Mango Melody, Shaded Spruce
Accessories: Lovely Labels Pick a Punch, Flowers for Every Season Ribbon Combo Pack, Stapler





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
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 am really looking forward to hiking, playing in the water, reading, relaxing and just enjoying the company of friends ... my heart and soul have needed this!!!

Click "Next" to see what Amy O'Neill ... and "Back" to check out Melissa Stout ... holy COW!!!

Freakin' New Catalog GOODNESS!

There are SOOOO many FUN and GORGEOUS things in the new Stampin' Up 2020-2021 Catalog (which went life on June 4) ... and the Control Freaks are here to show you some of what is in there!! Hold on to your seats, friends!! Did you see what the magnificent Melissa Stout made??? Yeah-yeah-yeah ... things I didn't know I NEEDED that I now HAVE to HAVE in my life!!

This is one of those cards that just kinda happen ... I really wanted to use some sort of pink as the base of this card, but none of the "light pinks" SU has really match well with the Magenta Madness (I used the new In Color DSP for the band behind the "Chocolate"). So I went with the great ol' staple, Crumb Cake. This is a very "easy peasy" card for me. Not a lot of frills and frou-frou (which is my norm). Not even a little bit of twine or ribbon!! Not gonna lie ... I freakin' LOVE how this one turned out. Probably because I freakin' LOVE me some chocolate!

Stamps: Nothing's Better Than
Paper: Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Whisper White, 2020-2022 In Color DSP
Ink: Early Espresso, Whisper White
Accessories: Detailed Bands Dies, Love You More Than Dies, Trio Corner Punch, Whisper White Embossing Powder

I am a GONER when it comes to "cute fruit" stamps. How CONVENIENT that the name of the set I used on this is "Cute Fruit". If it has a watermelon or pineapple in it, I'm SUNK!! I wasn't sure I was going to like the Magenta Madness color (from photos it just looked toooo pink to me!)! Obviously, I was VERY wrong about that as BOTH of my cards have a bit of MM in them!!!

Stamps: Cute Fruit, The Right Triangle (little splatters)
Paper: Whisper White, Granny Apple Green, Vellum
Ink: Magenta Madness, Granny Apple Green, Black Memento
Accessories: Trio Corner Punch, Flowers for Every Season Ribbon Combo Pack (white ribbon), Rectangular Postage Stamp Punch, Stapler

I HATE packing ... I mean I REALLY hate it!! (Mostly food items and such.) Getting all the shopping done, making anything ahead you need to, making it all fit in the limited space allowed in our cooler(s) ... AND somehow getting it ALL packed up without forgetting ANYthing!! Urrrrggghhh!!! But days and days of hiking and relaxing in Southern Utah await ... and we MUST go!!

Next up??? Crazy & creative ... Connie Babbert!! LOOKIE WHAT SHE DID!! She always makes the mostest FUNNEST things!!

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Fab Friday #192

It's Fab Friday!! HOOOORRAAAAYYY! I got to play with some of my new "goodies" ... it seems that no matter how much I have, I can always find a reason that I "need" more! HA! I'm quite sure I have enough stuff that I could make different cards every day for the rest of my LIFE!! (I'm pretty sure that is NOT an exaggeration!)

Man oh man ... I was driving the STRUGGLE BUS in order to create this card ... at first I thought I was just "riding" that bus ... but I was FULL-ON DRIVING it!! I would go down to my craft room and stare at my stuff ... and then just get discouraged and go do something else. To be honest, I've been trying to make this card ALL DANG WEEK! I was in SUCH a slump!! When I finally had at least SOME sorta idea on what I wanted to do, I discovered that I had FORGOTTEN to add the triangle dies to my order to go with the stamp set I bought and was planning on using. UGGGGHHHHH!! So I had to go BACK to the drawing board. Again. And I thought I would NEVER come up with ANYthing. I was ecstatic that I finally finished something that I actually kind of LIKE! YAY me!1 There is a reason we call these things a "challenge", right??? I cheated and used the retired "Little Letters" dies because I haven't purchased the "Playful Alphabet" dies ... YET ... which I guess I can do soon since I have to order the triangle dies anyway, right???

Stamps: Monogram Messages
Paper: Whisper White, Misty Moonlight, Just Jade, Bumblebee, Cinnamon Cider
Ink: Misty Moonlight, Just Jade, Magenta Madness
Accessories: Best Plaid Builder Dies, Stitched Nested Label Dies, Little Letters Dies (retired), Just Jade 1/4" Ribbon, Bumblebee 1/4" Trim

This color combo was SOOO hard for me!! I think it all came down to the fact that I was trying to make a "masculine" sort of Father's Day card ...






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

Getting SUPER excited to spend the next week with my bestie, Bree, and her family!! They are coming to Utah and we are all going down to southern Utah and Zion National Park to do some hiking and relaxing!! It will be SOOOO much fun to hang out with "people" ... and we will be social distancing with the rest of the world while we are together!!

Monday Montage #166

Happy Monday Montage Day!! With everything else that has been going on in the world, the temperature swings in Salt Lake City over the last few days have been INSANE!!! On Friday we were up to 99 degrees (VERY high for the first week of June) ... and by Sunday we had dropped to 42 degrees!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME??!!?? My brain and body are SO confused!! Somewhere in between would be VERY nice!!!

This DSP!! Oh my!! Isn't it just YUMMY??!!?? I have always been a sucker for pinks/blues together, too! This combo just makes me happy! And feathers ... they go with EVERYTHING!!!

Stamps: Tasteful Touches
Paper: Whisper White, Night of Navy, Calypso Coral, In Good Taste DSP
Ink: Blushing /bride, Night of Navy, Gray Granite, Crushed Curry
Accessories: In Good Taste Elements, Tasteful Labels Dies, Forever Greenery Gold Trim, 2020-2022 In Color Enamel Dots, Metallic Pearls, Tasteful Textile 3D Embossing Folder, Trio Corner Punch

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 - NOT PARTICIPATING THIS WEEK
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!!

We actually had most of our family together for Sunday dinner. It was my #2 son's birthday over the weekend. We Traeger'd some ribs and chicken wings and made some potato salad and some DELICIOUS chocolate cake!! Not only the birthday boy came over, but my oldest son and his girlfriend were also here. My daughter and her hubby (who both work in a lab and are VERY cautious about exposing ANYone to them and vice versa) did a curbside pickup!! So I really got to see all my kiddos, even if we didn't all get to be in the house together. I will be SO happy when it is safe for all of us to be together again!

Click "Next" to see what Amy O'Neill ... and "Back" to check out Melissa Stout ... new goodies for MUCH inspiration!!!

Fab Friday #191

How are y'all doing, my friends?? Hanging in there?? Cooking?? Cleaning on overdrive?? Exercising?? NOT exercising??? CRAFTING?? Times sure are weird right now! Welcome to Fab Friday! As I am waiting and anxiously anticipating my first order from the NEW CATALOG, I got to take some time to play with the Under My Umbrella Stamp Set and Builder Punch ... which I borrowed from my BFF, Cheryl, while she is out of town!! YAY!

I was really sad to see that we aren't getting any new "gingham" DSP this time around. I have a SERIOUS addiction to ANYthing gingham when it comes to crafty supplies! Luckily, the Buffalo Check background stamp is still available! I have used that baby to PIECES!! And I plan on continuing using it to PIECES!! It's just so versatile!

Stamps: Under My Umbrella
Paper: Whisper White, Bermuda Bay, Daffodil Delight
Ink: Black Memento, Poppy Parade, Bermuda Bay, Daffodil Delight
Accessories: Tasteful Textile 3D Embossing Folder, Stitched So Sweetly Dies, Umbrella Builder Punch, Flowers for Every Season Ribbon Combo Pack (white ribbon), Stapler

I think I kinda went with the "more is more" version of this sketch!











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

What's your favorite family "go-to" dessert recipe??? I actually have a good collection, but I'm always looking for something else!! My son's birthday is this weekend and I need to come up with something AMAZING!! Or I may just go with good ol' strawberry rhubarb pie, since it is one of MY favorites, and the rhubarb in my garden needs to be picked!! Have a great weekend!

Just Know That You are Loved ...

Sigh ... this last weekend was emotionally exhausting. With all of the protesting (which I support) behind the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers, some people have decided it is ok to get violent and destructive (which I do NOT support). I realize that those participating in all the crazy and lawless activity are not affiliated with the actual peaceful protestors, but it is saddening to watch. I live just over one mile from where things got out of control in a downtown Salt Lake City protest. All things started out well. Then they took a turn. I was very proud and amazed at how well local law enforcement and National Guard members were able to diffuse the situation and disperse the crowds after HOURS of unrest. What is the answer? I can honestly say that I don't really know ... but I DO know that love does much more for better outcomes than hate. Which is why the sentiment I put on this card just resonated so strongly with me, especially right now. Spread love, my friends. Not EVERYone is as privileged as a lot of us are ... who have family and friends that express love to them on a daily basis. Smile more. Be kind. Be patient. Every little gesture can add up to a LOT of good. Not the absolute solution, but it's a good start.

I love sunflowers. Sunflowers and daisies are my favorites. Like Meg Ryan says in "You've Got Mail" ... "Don't you think daisies are the friendliest flower?" Yep ... yep I do!! And I would include sunflowers in that as well.

Stamps: Celebrate Sunflowers
Paper: Whisper White, Pear Pizzazz, Old Olive, Mossy Meadow, Daffodil Delight, Mango Melody, Early Espresso, Crumb Cake
Ink: Mossy Meadow, Pear Pizzazz, Daffodil Delight, Mango Melody
Accessories: Sunflowers Dies, Old World Paper 3D Embossing Folder, Stitched Rectangle Dies, Flowers for Every Season Ribbon Combo Pack (white ribbon), Metallic Pearls

JUST KNOW THAT YOU ARE LOVED!!! Stay safe, stay healthy and STAY STRONG!