Monday Montage #180

And just like THAT, Christmas has come and gone once again. And it was weird. And it was wonderful. And I can't wait until we have a more traditional and (dare I say) NORMAL-ish holiday season NEXT year!! I looooveed being able to be with those I love the most ... even if we did a lot of things virtually. It was different, but it was still great! As much as we SWORE we were taking time "off" for the holiday season, the Monday Montage girls were all ITCHING to play with some of their new toys, so we decided to give you guys a peek!

The ocean is my happy place (or at least one of them!). I was born and raised in California. Though I didn't live right next to the beach, we were close enough that it wasn't a huge deal to drive and spend a day. The sights, the smells, the sounds ... it is all just a peaceful slice of heaven for me. This "Friends are Like Seashells" suite of goodies is the BESTBESTBEST!!! I love the detail you can get from the lovely 3D Embossing Folder. I kept this rather simple, but I love how it turned out!

Stamps: Friends are Like Seashells

Paper: Very Vanilla, Balmy Blue, Petal Pink

Ink: Balmy Blue, Petal Pink
Accessories: Seaside Seashells Dies, Seashells 3D Embossing Folder, Stitched So Sweetly Dies, 3/8" Fine Arts Ribbon, Linen Thread, Clear Epoxy Droplets

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
Charlet Mallet - Painted Orange - NOT PARTICIPATING THIS WEEK
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!!

Although I know that when the clock strikes twelve on New Year's Eve that we won't be magically transported into the Land of No Covid or Politics, I have hope and faith in humanity. I beleive in science. I believe that most people are good and kind and hardworking. I beleive that things WILL be better this next year. But I also know that it will still take some time. We've made it this far, my friends ... I see the light at the end of the tunnel (even if it seems a little far off at the moment!! HANG IN THERE, BABY!

Click "Next" to see what Bree Renwick ... and "Back" to check out Melissa Stout ... could they BE any MORE fabulous??? I think NOT!

Freakin' So Sparkly!

Sigh ... yeah ... that's how my whole week has been going!! First off, I am going to apologize right off that I only have ONE project to share with you for this month's Control Freaks Blog Tour (didn't you just LOVE what my bestie Melissa Stout did??)! I seriously need a VACATION!! Don't we ALL???? Second ... I have a few retired things on my card ... because I actually kinda forgot to make something specifically for this blog tour ... and decided to just share this year's family Christmas card ... which I have been working on for over a dang MONTH!!! So there ya go! I'm sure many of you can relate!!

Here's the outside of my card.  It is actually is made from Mellow Moss green cardstock.  And, of course, my photo looks VERY Old Olive green ... despite all the work I tried to do to adjust it!  Yeah ... what else is new???  I knew as soon as I saw this particular sentiment  in the "Christmas Means More" stamp set that it WAS going to be on my Christmas card.  "It's a Wonderful Life" has long been my favorite Christmas movie ... and this just HAD to happen!! Cutting out nearly 500 silver embossed jingle bells??? Yeah ... I went there, too!! But the Red Velvet paper also had to happen! The little bitty silver sequins, the ribbon accents, the twine and the red sparkly glitter I used for the holly berries are ALL retired (but still 100% Stampin' Up)! Sometimes it's ok to use retired things, right??? Tying knots in the baker's twine and gluing each and every dang jingle bell to the knots with individual glue dots was a PAIN in the NECK!! But I liked how it look so well I just went ahead and did it!!

Stamps: Christmas Means More
Paper: Mellow Moss Whisper White, Red Velvet
Ink: Versamark
Accessories: Silver Embossing Powder, Old World Paper Embossing Folder, Sweetest Borders Dies, Very Vanilla/Silver Baker's Twine, Fun Christmas Ribbon (can't remember the name of it!), Real Red Dazzling Diamonds Glitter

Here is our socially-distanced family photo for this year's Christmas card.  And for those of you who are wondering ... YES I DID use My Digital Studio to create it (except for now it is called My Memories Suite).  I am STILL a fan!!

Two more weeks and 2020 will be in the rearview mirror, my friends!! And I KNOW 2021 has a bunch of wonderfulness in store for ALL of us!!

Next up??? Super beautiful and brilliant Bree Renwick! Miss her face in person, but so happy to see what she is creating online!

Monday Montage #179

A little snow this weekend and we are officially feeling more Christmasy! I hope it snows every dang day from now until the end of the year. I'd love to stay home, take cozy naps in front of the fireplace, watch old movies, read ridiculously good books, and take long walks in the snow with my doggie and my hubby! Sounds like a little slice of Heaven, doesn't it?? Throw in some Zoom game sessions with my kids and it would be just about perfect!

And there are now officially 12 days until Christmas ... and I am NOT ready ... and I am NOT motivated ... and I am going to keep hammering through and I will somehow get done with everything and then be glad in the end I did it all. Sound familiar? This year is just SUPER weird, so I'm going to give myself a bye for the rest of the season and call it cool! At least I already had a card in the hopper to share with y'all on this Marvelous Monday Montage Hop!!
I made this card for a core color card challenge ... which means we were challenged with picking one color from each of the core color families and then create something with it. I used a card in the catalog as inspiration and then went with it in my own way. I do like this color combo ... it's rich and bright and lovely all at the same time!

Stamps: Butterfly Gala, Jar of Flowers

Paper: Pool Party, Bermuda Baby, Soft Suede, Blackberry Bliss, Vellum, Copper Foil Sheets

Ink: Whisper White
Accessories: Jar Punch, Butterfly Duo Punch, 3D Lace Embossing Folder, Forever Greenery Trim Combo Pack, Whisper White Embossing Powder, Metallic Pearls, Frosted Epoxy Droplets

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'm feeling grateful more than anything right now. Grateful for a healthy family (so far), grateful for a stable source of income, grateful for a house to live in and a car to drive, and grateful for family and friends who continue to make attempts to connect in ways that are new to most of them. My people are my universe ... and I consider all of you in the category of "my people". It's the lovely art of papercrafting that has brought us together and put us in each others' paths ... isn't that NEAT??!? I am counting my blessings every day!

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