Monday Montage #66

What an AWESOME weekend!!! And what makes it even MORE awesome is that the Monday Montage crew is sharing their creativity with us all once again! I had SO much fun making this card ... and have all SORTS of ideas about ones that I want to make that are similar ...

I was the Challenge Hostess on Splitcoaststampers on Friday ... this was a sample I made for my challenge. I called the challenge "One Plus One". The idea was to use only ONE color and ONE neutral to make a card. I wasn't sure even I could pull it off!!! All the textures and shapes on this card make me happy!

Stamps: A Dozen Thoughts, Timeless Textures
Paper: Calypso Coral, Whisper Whit
Ink: Calypso Coral
Accessories: Bontanical Builder Thinlits Dies, Small Oval Punch, Project Life Corner Rounder Punch, Chevron Border Punch, Pearl Basics

And the training continues! I did a 19.2-mile run on Saturday! WHEW!!! My knees and calves were SO mad at me by Saturday evening ... but I am SUPER glad to report that I woke up Sunday morning feeling pretty dang good. China is getting SO close ... and I'm STILL kinda freaking out about doing a marathon on the Great Wall. My biggest hope is that I finish (which I know I have said before). When one does an item for their Bucket List, one wants to make sure that it is done RIGHT!! (And for the curious ... the kanji symbol at the beginning of this paragraph means "love" ...)

Click "Back" for Melissa Stout and "Next" for Amy O'Neill ... super amazing projects, as usual!! (Like you'd expect anything LESS??!!??)

Monday Montage #65

It's Monday Montage time again!!! And that means I have blogged for THREE WHOLE DAYS IN A ROW!!! What the HECK??!!?? Nothing like good ol' blog hops to get my rear in gear ... and now my craft room is a mess again!! Seems I can't ever keep on top of it lately!!

I have NEVER been accused of not having anything to say ... seriously ... and for those of you who have met me in person you will KNOW that it seems IMPOSSIBLE that I can be at a loss for words ... but after blogging for three days straight I just don't have anything FUN or INTERESTING to share (my life really is NOT that exciting ... except when I'm at Disneyland!)!! I am feeling lots of different muscles in my legs today after my VERY long run yesterday. I guess this is all GOOD kinda pain, right??? What doesn't kill ya makes ya stronger ... or so they say ...

This is a card I made for our most recent Control Freaks card swap. We were asked to create something "Flat and Fabulous" ... which just equates to "it can be easily mailed without jamming up the sorters at the post office!" I had originally done the "happy" in white, but it got lost, so I changed it to Wisteria Wonder.

Stamps: Number of Years, Timeless Textures (this is my new most FAVE set ... HOPING it makes it way into the big catalog!!)
Paper: Wisteria Wonder, Pool Party, Melon Mambo, Crushed Curry, Whisper White
Ink: Wisteria Wonder, Pool Party
Accessories: Hello You Thinlits Dies, Petite Petals Punch, Owl Builder Punch (for the flower centers), Chevron Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Project Life Corner Rounder Punch, Bermuda Bay 1/8" Stitched Ribbon

I really should go for a nice long walk around the neighborhood and see if I can't work out some of the kinks in my legs ... OR I could find a bowl of ice cream and watch Netflix ... hmmmm ... choices, choices!!

Click "Back" for Melissa Stout and "Next" for Amy O'Neill ... you will LOVE what they have to share!!

Freakin' SPRING!

Oh how happy I am that SPRING is really here!!! Our weather has been kind of unpredictable (because, you know, that's how spring IS). However, we have had a LOT of sunshine and blue skies (even if the temperatures are sometimes a bit nippy). I am seeing signs of spring EVERYwhere (flowers are even sneaking out!). SO much to be happy about!! Speaking of happy ... did you see Connie Babbert's awesome SPRING-y projects??? She always does so many wonderful things!!!

Thanks to my amazing and talented friend, Kaitlin Zumbach, I had some inspiration for the color combo on this one (thanks, girl!)!! Do any of the rest of ya feel like you use the SAME colors OVER and OVER???? I know that I DO!!! I actually challenged myself to do some things for my projects today ... FIRST, I wanted to use a color that had been long neglected in my stash (hence, the Rose Red ... SUCH a good color!)!!!

Stamps: Botanical Blooms, Honeycomb Happiness (SAB)
Paper: Whisper White, Mint Macaroon, Blushing Bride, Basic Black, Rose Red, Perfectly Artistic DSP (SAB)
Ink: Rose Red, Blushing Bride
Accessories: Bontanical Builder Thinlits Dies, Blushing Bride 1/4" Cotton Ribbon, Scalloped Tag Topper Punch, Linen Thread, Bitty Banners Thinlits Dies

I actually did a DOUBLE challenge for myself on this one. My SECOND challenge for these projects was to do a base layer that really was only ONE layer. You have NO IDEA how much I struggle doing this!!! (And you have NO IDEA how badly I wanted to add another layer before I started added the "cute" stuff!) But I did it!!! Still trying to decide how I feel about it ... My THIRD challenge was to use a stamp set that had been long-neglected for newer things ... which is why I used Flower Shop.  I seriously have ADORED this set since the day it came out!!! I really need to use my "older" stuff more (and I'm sure YOU do, too!!)

Stamps: Flower Shop, Sunburst Sayings, Timeless Textures
Paper: Whisper White, Pool Party, Crushed Curry, Basic Black, Sahara Sand
Ink: Basic Black, Pool Party, Crushed Curry, Black Sharpie
Accessories: Circle Framelits Dies, 2 3/8" Circle Punch, Pansy Punch, White Perfect Accents, 5/8" Chevron Ribbon, Decorative Dots Textured Impression Embossing Folder, Mini Stapler

Another update on my running stuffs (because, you know, you guys are just on the edge of your seats wanted to hear ALL about it!!)!!! Our trip to China has been BOOKED!!! Our flights have been RESERVED!!! And TODAY I ran over 18 miles!!! (Not gonna lie ... it kicked my booty ... and yeah, things are hurtin'!!)  TWO MONTHS TO GO!!! It's getting REAL!!

Next up??? The amazing and talented Deb Henderson!!! BEAUTIFUL things to see!!!

Fab Friday #83

I'm hot, I'm cold, I'm in between!!! The one thing for SURE about spring weather is that it is unpredictable!!1 (It's sunny and gorgeous this morning ... we've had snow about THREE TIMES this week as well!)! And Daylight Savings??? UGH!!! Don't EVEN get me started!!! WHY-OH-WHY do we even DO it??? Not only does it through off my sleep, but the light at different times of day is too unpredictable (I typically know when I "can" go outside and take a photo of what I've made ... but I'm SO off right now!)!!! Anyway, it IS Fab Friday, so I DO have something to share!!

The Botanical Builders dies are A-MAZ-ING!!! And I absolutely ADORE the color combos that you can make with the help of the Designer Series Paper and Washi Tape (I didn't use the paper here, but used the colors for inspiration). Makes such a PRETTY flower!!

Stamps: Botanical Blooms, Greatest Greetings
Paper: Whisper White, Crumb Cake, Cajun Craze, Mint Macaroon, Hello Honey, Mossy Meadow, Basic Black
Ink: Mossy Meadow, Hello Honey, Cajun Craze
Accessories: Botanical Buildings FramelitsChalk Talk Framelits, 1" Square Punch, Botanical Gardens Designer Washi Tape, Mini Stapler

Here's the sketch we are working from ... SO much fun for me!!!








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
Justin Krieger
Amanda Mertz
Brenda Myers
Pam Steckman
Jan Tinklenberg

And OHMYGOSH!!! It's OFFICIALLY OFFICIAL!!! Not only have I actually REGISTERED for the Great Wall Marathon (yes, as in CHINA!!), but we booked our flights yesterday as well!!! I think I am literally in FREAKOUT mode!!! I want to FINISH this race SO badly (don't care HOW long it takes!) ... but ALL races DO have a time limit ... sigh ... Also, I hope I don't DIE in the process ...

Monday Montage #63

I canNOT get over how much MORE FUNNER it is to create something in a CLEAN crafty space!!! OhMyGoodness!!! It's been SOOOOO very long ... and I always make a pact with myself that I'm going to "clean as I go" ... so far I've made THREE cards since the clean up and have kept on track!!! It makes it WAY much easier to tap into ANY sort of creativity in a sparkly and shiny space!!! AND it's time to play with the Monday Montage girls once again ... SOOOOO good!

Also ... I seem to be "stuck" again ... I'm stuck on the same color combos OVER and OVER!!! There are certain folders in my drawers of cardstock that have been VERY neglected!!! I need to start trying to do something different for a while!!! Between Whisper White, Very Vanilla and Crumb Cake I seem to be in a rut ... I add little bits of color to them, but I'm seriously in need of trying something NEW!!

Stamps:  Party With Cake, Writing Notes
Paper: Crumb Cake, Real Red, Tempting Turquoise, Whisper White
Ink:  Crumb Cake, Real Red, Tempting Turquoise
Accessories:  Mini Treat Bag Thinlits Dies, Itty Bitty Accents Punch (Star), Fun Frames Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, 1 1/4" Circle Punch, Rhinestone Basics, Linen Thread

Took an amazingly beautiful and invigorating snowshoe hike yesterday up to a place called Donut Falls ... the BEST part (other than the GORGEOUS views of the mountains, trees and blue skies) was the AWESOME cave at the top of the hike. You climb down in and see a most EXCELLENT waterfall coming through a hole in the top of the cave (hence the name, Donut Falls!)!! And the sound of the wind ... the peaceful sound of wind rusting through the trees ... ahhhhhhhhh ... my cup is FULL, I tell ya!!

Click "Back" for Melissa Stout and "Next" for Amy O'Neill ... you ARE gonna want to see what they have created!! ALWAYS full of great ideas and inspiration!!

Time to Sale-a-Brate!!! Control Freak Style!!

Today is a GREAT day!!! Not ONLY is the sun SHINING and the sky BLUE, but it is ALSO time to look at what the Control Freaks have done with the Sale-a-Bration goodies!! And it's an AFTER-CHRISTMAS MIRACLE ... I FINALLY cleaned up my craft room!! Holy-moley!!! I found some things I had been missing (I haven't done a good cleaning since mid-December) ... and it made it WAY so much more fun to create things!!! If you've been hopping around our Blog Tour you should just come from the blog of the very talented Connie Tumm!!! Such AMAZING things come from her brain and out the tips of her fingers!!

I scream, you scream, we ALL scream for ICE CREAM!!! When I saw this fun Perfectly Artistic DSP in the Sale-a-Bration catalog it just looked like ice cream swirls to me!!! So how COOL is it that there's a cute stamp set with an ice cream cone in it ALSO available for SAB???? Now I want a cone ....

Stamps: Honeycomb Hapiness
Paper: Tip Top Taupe, Blushing Bride, Whisper White, Perfectly Artistic DSP
Ink: Top Top Taupe
Accessories: Decorative Dots Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Tip Top Taupe Lace Trim, Blushing Bride Sequin Trim, Simply Scored, Washi Label Punch, Sewing Machine

Hel-LO????? I LOVE this stamp set!!! My fave part??? The little sentiments that go along with the big ol' "Hello" ... so very SWEET!!! It just makes me happy!!

Stamps: Hello (SAB), Timeless Treasures
Paper: Blackberry Bliss, Calypso Coral, Old Olive, Whisper WhiteWildflower Fields DSP, Silver Glimmer DSP
Ink: Blackberry Bliss, Hello Honey, Calypso Coral
Accessories: Botanical Gardens Designer Wshi Tape, Project Life Paper Clips Thinlits Dies, 1/2" Circle Punch, Rhinestone Basics

Next up??? The super-talented and super AWESOME Cindy Elam!!! She is just about one of the kindest people I know ... AND she is so very creative!!! LOVE her in so many ways!!!

Fab Friday #81

What a crazy-awesome week!!! The weather has been all OVER the map!! (From hail and snow to 62 degrees and sunny!) I am beginning to believe that Punxsatawny Phil MAY have been right about an early spring ... much warmer than we usually are at this time of year!!! It's making me really FEEL THE NEED to stamp flower-y things!!! Thank heavens for Fab Friday!!

Stamps: What I Love (SAB), Timeless Textures
Paper: Bermuda Bay, Melon Mambo, Whisper White, Love Blossoms DSP, Perfectly Artistic DSP (SAB)
Ink: Bermuda Bay, Pool Party, Pink Pirouette, Blush Blossoms
Accessories: Extra Large Oval Punch, Banner Punch, Bermuda Bay 1/8" Stitched Ribbon, Bermuda Bay Sequin Trim

I've decided I love this sketch!!! LOTS of possibilities!!










Excited to see what all of our challenge players come up with!!

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
Justin Krieger
Amanda Mertz
Brenda Myers
Pam Steckman
Jan Tinklenberg

I did my longest run EVER this week (15.4 miles!!)! And to think, a marathon is ONLY 11 miles more than THAT!!! I also got to go to a King's Singers concert with my son (it was SOOOO very good!), and I'm planning on doing some snowshoeing this Saturday ... SUCH a GREAT week!!

Stamp Review Crew - Sale-a-Bration Edition 2016!

It's cold ... it's gray ... and it MAY last me for the rest of my life!!! We have had a HORRIBLE inversion hanging over Salt Lake City for the past week ... and it has made it SO hard to feel "sunny"!!! Good thing I have theStamp Review Crew! I needed something to brighten my day!!!

I'm not quite so sure WHY I have had the HARDEST time cleaning up my craft room ... NOT kidding!!! It's been a mess since about mid-December (NOT kidding!)!! I'm sure I would be blogging and posting a LOT more than I have been ... maybe I will do that after I finish typing up this blog post??? Wouldn't that be AWESOME???

Stamps: Botanicals for You (SAB)
Paper: Basic Gray, Whisper White, Perfectly Artistic DSP (SAB)
Ink: Basic Gray
Accessories: ZigZag Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Silver Sequin Trim, Rhinestone Basics, Botanical Builder Framelits

I have always struggled with super LARGE sentiments ... but I absolutely ADORE this one ... and the smaller sentiments and bitty flowers that go with it!!









Still running ... a LOT!! But this past week has been SO hard because of the inversion ... ugh!!! Saturday I ran a 10K with some of my running besties! I actually set a personal best for myself ... in SPITE of air that was practically CHEWABLE!!!

The "previous" button will take you to the ever-so-talented Adriana Benitez, and the "next" button to super-awesome Holly Krautkremer!!

Monday Montage #62

I just got back from Wis-CAHN-sen ... Had such a GREAT time!! (And before any of y'all ask, I was there with my hubby doing some training for EAA Officers - Experimental Aircraft Association - my husband's version of Stamp Club). It was COLD (it's a whole different type of cold there!)! Talk about your Midwestern accents!!! We made MANY new friends and there may or may NOT have been a peanut fight in the local Texas Roadhouse Restaurant ... but I digress ... we stayed in a GREAT lodge. There was a fireplace and a HUGE window looking out over the beautiful snow and hangars at the Oshkosh airport ... made me wish SO BADLY that I had my stampin' supplies with me ... and about a WHOLE WEEK of uninterrupted time with nowhere to go and nothing to do!!! I could have made Monday Montage cards that would have lasted me for MONTHS!!!

Once I had some time this afternoon to play with my "stuffs" I just sat ... and sat ... and sat ... nothin'!!! My mojo, alas, must have been left in Oshkosh yet!!! (I LOVED how so many sentences spoken by my new Midwestern friends ended with the word "yet" ... not quite sure what it means but it's fun to say it!)

I have a little grandnephew AND a little second cousin who BOTH turned ONE in the past few weeks. I am behind on my birthday card mailings this year, so I decided to do a TWOfer with this particular card. Wink of Stella Brush??? It's my new love!!! SO much prettier in person than in is in a photo!! I sent a preliminary photo to my bestie, Cheryl, when I had finished to see what she thought of these (like, none of you EVER do that???). She said they looked like "Cat in the Hat" cards, so I'm going with that!!!

Stamps: NONE!!
Paper: Crumb Cake, Whisper White, Real Red, Bermuda Bay, Pool Party, Fresh Prints DSP (Retired)
Ink: NONE!
Accessories: Party Pop-Up Thinlits Dies, Large Numbers Framelits Dies, 2 1/2" Circle Punch, Banner Punch, Large Dots Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Softly Falling Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Bermuda Bay 1/8" Stitched Ribbon, Bermuda Bay Sequin Trim, Silver Sequin Trim, Wink of Stella Brush

And I DID go running whilst in the land of the Midwest ... one morning I got up and ran in the dark and cold. Since we stayed on the airport property I had lots of beautiful things to look at. At one point I was running down the road toward the control tower and all I could think of was that I KNEW there were people up there who could see me ... a lone runner out on a snowy road ... and I just PRAYED that I wouldn't fall and make a fool of myself!!! (I didn't!!) WHEW!!

Click "Back" for Melissa Stout and "Next" for Amy O'Neill ... beautiful, wonderful, amazing and FUN stuff from these ladies!!

Monday Montage #61

One of these days I'm actually going to clean up my craft room ... again ... f'RILLS!!! I haven't cleaned the flat surfaces off since somewhere around the first part of December! Sigh ... Isn't the rule that as long as you have about a 6"x6" space to work in that you're good to go??? Sigh ... I have even less than that and I can't find all my ink pats, glue dots and dimensionals!!! At least I was able to find all the bits and pieces I needed to make a card for this week's Monday Montage!

And it's been SNOWING!!! I'm glad that we have had a series of rain/snowstorms to keep the air around here pretty clear. Salt Lake City often has the WORST air quality in the entire US of A due to the inversions we get during the winter ... this year has been (thankfully) much better than the last few ... for SURE!

Here I go again ... whine-whine-whine ... it's SO hard to come up with "dude" cards ... and I guess that the washi tape I added to this make it the TINIEST bit "girlie" but I don't care!!! I saw an ad in the sidebar on my Facebook feed ("Big Brother!") for some really COOL funky furniture. There was an AWESOME dresser pictured with some eclectic drawers, and THAT was the inspiration for my card. I LOVED the blues/greens/browns/blacks together!!

Stamps: Timeless Textures
Paper: Lost Lagoon, Mint Macaron, Tip Top Taupe, Soft Sky, Basic Black, Whisper White
Ink: Lost Lagoon, Mint Macaron, Tip Top Taupe, Soft Sky, Basic Black
Accessories: Washi Label Punch, Tags & Labels Framelits, Candy Dots (Neutrals), Botanical Gardens Designer Washi Tape, Lucky Stars Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, It's My Party Enamel Dots, Burlap Ribbon

I know I keep mentioning all the running I have been doing, but I now am happy to admit that I kinda LOVE running in the cold weather! I think I'm starting to "toughen up" when it comes to temperature (at least as far as running goes). My new "record" cold temperature for a run is between 7 and 10 degrees!!! Brrrrrrr but GREAT!

Click "Back" for Melissa Stout and "Next" for Amy O'Neill ... AWESOME ALL THE TIME, these women!!

Love is in the Freakin' Air!

I know, I know ... don't FAINT!!! I am actually posting on my blog more than ONCE this week!!! SHOCK! GASP!!! I am even surprised myself!!!  Did you see Mary Brown's projects for the ones she loves??? I have to admit I have used her wonderful creations for inspiration more times than I can count!!!

I also realized that it has been a little while since I have used the burlap ribbon ... which is, by far, my most fave embellishment!!! I actually am surprised by that because I thought it was MUCH too wide when I first laid eyes on it ... but then ... I used it ONCE and have been FOREVER hooked!!! This heart framelit die is ALSO gorgeous!!! I see it getting a LOT of use at my house (especially during the next month!)

Stamps: Bloomin' Love
Paper: Crumb Cake, Whisper White, Real Red, Love Blossoms DSP
Ink: Real Red
Accessories: Bloomin' Heart Thinlits Die, Subltles Candy Dots, Washi Label Punch, Burlap Ribbon, Linen Thread

I am pretty sure I have mentioned before that I WISH WISH WISH we had glitter paper AND sequins in EVERY FREAKIN' COLOR that SU makes (see how I was able to sneak that "Freak" reference in there??? Sometimes I surprise even myself!)!  I love all things SHINY and SPARKLY!!!

Stamps: Hello Life
Paper: Blushing Bride, Basic Black, Whisper White, Blushing Bride Glimmer DSP, Silver Glimmer DSP
Ink: Basic Black
Accessories: Sunburst Thinlits Die, Gently Falling Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Sweetheart Punch, Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack (small heart), Silver 1/8" Ribbon, Blushing Bride Sequin Trim

True Confession Time ... I went to the opera with a friend last night.  I have only ever been to an opera once before (when my oldest son was singing in BYU's production of "Die Fledermaus" during the holidays a couple of years ago).  I was MUI-biased during that production because my son was in it ... We went to see "The Merry Widow" last night.  It was SO delightful!!! My friend had never been to the opera.  This particular opera is more like a "musical" with opera music (there was MUCH more dialog than I was expecting).  The costumes were great, the music was entertaining and the sets were fabulous.  And now my friend and I feel quite sophisticated and cultured and refined ... as was mentioned on the way home ... we are "full of it!"  Bwahahaha!!

Next up??? The super-clever Connie Babbert!!! You will Freakin' Love her projects, too!