Friday, August 31, 2018

Fab Friday #145

We are already to FRIDAY this week!!! I can't complain ONE BIT!! I have had a fantastic week ... I used to think that birthdays just weren't fun for grown-ups, but I have so many wonderful friends and family members who have made sure that my entire WEEK has been a great celebration!!

The Fab Friday folks are at it again. The sketch this week is pretty simple ... and everyone on our team has come up with their own version of amazing using the same sketch!!! I love to see how different everything comes out starting with the same thing for inspiration ... you guys should play along!!

Stamps: Making Every Day Bright, Gorgeous Grunge, Itty Bitty Greetings
Paper: Whisper White, Crumb Cake, Wood Textures DSP
Ink: Early Espresso, Bermuda Bay, Coastal Cabana, Crumb Cake, Pool Party
Accessories: Corrugated Dynamic Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Linen Thread, Crumb Cake Baker's Twine, 3/8" Burlap Ribbon, Stitched Shapes Framelits, Christmas Bulb Builder Punch







LOTS of possibilities with this one ... go for it!








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

Just when you think that life is going to get easier, something else jumps onto your radar!! I thought this weekend was going to be great for some "down time" ... but my daughter and her hubby just got a new apartment, so I guess we are part of the moving team this Saturday. And so it goes ...

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Wednesday, August 29, 2018

I LOVE BIRTHDAYS!!

Happy Birthday to ME!!! Actually, my birthday was YESTERDAY ... and I spent the entire day at Disneyland with my sister in law. The day was PERFECT ... small crowds, good food and beautiful weather!! I came home to a cake that my husband had baked for me ... and there was a piece missing since I didn't get in until after midnight and I guess it is hard to wait when a beautiful and yummy cake keeps calling your name!

I made this card (and contrary to the blog title, it's not actually a "birthday" card!) when I was up in Walla Walla last weekend visiting my friend, Bree Renwick, and her family. It's sooooo much fun to have a stamping buddy ... we have often dreamed of living next door to one another ... and having a tunnel connecting our two houses ... IF ONLY!!

Stamps: First Frost
Paper: Whisper White, Blackberry Bliss, Soft Sea Foam, Frosted Floral Specialty DSP, Vellum
Ink:  Blackberry Bliss, Soft Sea Foam, Mossy Meadow
Accessories: Frosted Bouquet Framelits Dies, Subtle Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Braided Linen Trim, Frosted & Clear Epoxy Droplets



Isn't my puppy just the caYOOTEST little thing EVER???!!?? She is so smart and so sweet ... and she owns me already!! I have also been calling her "June-bug" and "Junie" ... not quite sure which version of Juniper is going to fit her the best. Mostly I just call her "sweet puppy" and love on her all the chances I get. I am smitten!

This has been a pretty great week so far ... and it's only Wednesday!!! My daughter and son in law just found an apartment up closer to us YESTERDAY (for his new job!) ... so we will be helping them move in this weekend ... it will be great having them a little closer to "home" ...

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Sunday, August 26, 2018

Monday Montage #123

What a FANTASTICAL way to spend the weekend leading up to my birthday!! I got to go spent a few days with my BFF and fellow-Monday-Montager, Bree Renwick!! We laughed and played ... stamped and played ... had a red-neck swamp people party ... and Bree found me a new puppy!! I had NO idea when I left my house that I would be coming home with the most adorably CUTE puppy dog!!! I luuuuurrrrve her!

Eeeeeep!!! That's all I have to say about the Buffalo Check Background Stamp ... I want to use this baby on seriously EVERYthing!!! EEeeeeep!!!

It was also SUPER fun to get to play with some of Bree's toys that I don't currently own! THAT was FUN!! Bree's 7-year-old son, Owen, stamped a card with me side by side ... and he kept saying, "Thanks for letting me make a card with you, Wendy!" Best Stampin' Buddy EVEH!!!

New stamps ... new colors ... new trims ... I am ONE HAPPY CAMPER!

Stamps: Country Home
Paper: Whisper White, Blueberry Bushel, Mango Melody
Ink:  Gray Granite, Mango Medley, Highland Heather, Poppy Parade, Mint Macaron, Blueberry Bushel
Accessories: Corrugated Dynamic Textured Impressions Folder, 5/8" Burlap Ribbon, Linen Ribbon Cord

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!!

And when ya drive ALLTHEWAY from Salt Lake City, Utah to Walla Walla, Washington to be part of the party at your BFF's house when they are celebrating a birthday, the end of summer AND roasting an ACTUAL GATOR for dinner ... you gotta dress up ... like a redneck ... with your bestie ... because ya just do!! And people keep telling ya you look like sisters (my shirt was covered by my overalls, but it says "LOVE BUBBA" on it) means that a photo MUST happen, right??? So here are me and my sister, Bree!! LOVE this woman!!

Click "Back" for Melissa Stout and "Next" for Amy O'Neill ... more of our SISTERS from another MISTER!!



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Sunday, August 19, 2018

What's Up, Freaky Dude?!??



Honestly?? My life is just NOT that interesting!! I think I have posted to my blog FOUR times this week ... and I have nothing "new and cool" to tell you! But the GOOD NEWS is that I am going to share what I made with you for this month's Control Freaks Blog Tour. I am on a ROLL lately!!! Probably because I have so many NEW and LOVELY things to play with!!! We are celebrating the "dudes" in our life this month by creating masculine projects. Did you just come from the blog of my friend, Melissa Stout??? She is SOOOOOO SOOOOOO good!!!

So I posted a photo here the first part of last week of the collage I made for my hubby's hangar wall. I had a BUNCH of pictures blown up (enlarged??!??) to frame and add to the collection. This scrapbook page was from an 8x10 that I ended up NOT using ... and it looks like it was MADE to go with the Best Route Suite, don't ya think??? The colors in the sky and the sign (and even from my t-shirt!) match the colors in the DSP sooooooooo perfectly!!! I couldn't resist!! And I think the new Corrugated Dynamic Impressions Embossing Folder is going to be VERY well used at my house ... it's DA BOMB!

Stamps: Best Route
Paper: Early Espresso, Crumb Cake, Gray Granite, Whisper White
Accessories: Stitched Shapes Framelits, 1/2" Circle Punch, Classic Label Punch, Corrugated Dynamic Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Night of Navy Bakers Twine, 5/8" Burlap Ribbon, Stars Framelits (ok ... sorry that these are RETIRED ... but I couldn't help it on this layout ... it just NEEDED some STARS!)


This is what you call a "$100 card"!! I used so many different things on it, that I am SURE it is "cheaper to make your own card than to buy one in the store!" Hahaha ... we have all been there, haven't we??? I just kept going as thoughts were popping into my head while I was making this ... what can I say??? I LOVE my toys (TOOLS!!)!!

Stamps: Itty Bitty Greetings, Tree Rings
Paper: Very Vanilla, Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Cajun Craze, Soft Suede,
Ink: Early Espresso
Accessories: Stitched Shapes Framelits Dies, Seasonal Layers Thinlits, Pinewood Planks Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Woodland Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Nature's Twine, 5/8" Burlap Ribbon


Next up???  ... incredible Kelly Acheson!! You are just gonna LOVE what she has made!!

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Saturday, August 18, 2018

Crisp, Clean Air!

Strange things are afoot at the Circle K!!! (For those of you who "get" this ... you are my tribe! For those of you who DON'T ... you should Google it ... and then make sure you see the movie I am referencing!)!! I just gave my blog a VERY badly-needed facelift (It's been WAAAYYYY too long!) ... and I made something with the LUSCIOUS new Nature's Poem DSP!!! Oh how I LOVE fall ... and ALL the colors!!

With all of the CRAZY out-of-control fires in the Western US (especially poor California!), the air quality in Salt Lake City has been absolutely RETCHED for the past three weeks. I'm talking about air you can CHEW, guys! It's been soooo hot ... and with the air being so thick it kills your lungs and your eyes!! On Friday morning I saw the first glimpse of blue sky I had seen in FOREVER ... and I went outside for an early-morning run ... it was AMAZING! So, between being able to run AND being able to craft something for fun within the same 24 hours, I am pretty stoked!!

This ornament ... how stinkin' caYOOT, right??? I should have taken pictures as I was making it to show you "how to" at every stage. However, I never expected it to turn out so fun, so I was NOT preparing ahead of time! I will do my very best to try and describe what I did.

I ended up cutting out eleven 2-1/2" circles and eleven 2" circles (you can use either your circle punches or the Layering Circles Framelits to accomplish this). I also cut out an extra 2-1/2" circle from the same DSP, and an extra 2" circle from one of those cardboard inserts that come in your new packages of DSP ... you now which one I mean, right??? The cardboard circle serves as a base for the ornament, and the extra 2-1/2" circle will cover the cardboard on the back of the ornament when you are all done. Ya with me so far??? GOOD!!






Take the 22 circles you have punched and make them into little "ice cream cone" shapes. Wrap them so that each one makes a little point at the bottom ... I used a glue dot to secure them together (placement shown by arrow in picture). When you are all done making the little cones, you are going to make two miniature "wreaths" ... one with the "big circle" cones and one with the "little circle" cones. (I reversed the paper on the small cones to the other side that I exposed on the large cones ... adds depth and dimension!! You could also wrap them all the same way for more uniformity!)







If you start with the large circle cones, take two of them and lay them next to one another so that they are touching from the pointy tip to the part of the cone that opens up ... I used a glue dot (or two!) to stick them together (again, use picture to reference for glue/glue dot placement). Keep putting them together in this fashion until you have made a "wreath" with the large cones and then repeat with the small cones. I HOPE this makes sense!!! Once you have both wreaths completed, you are ready to assemble!

Place the larger of the two wreaths onto the cardboard circle you punched earlier ... you can either use glue dots or some Multipurpose Liquid Glue to adhere it. Next place small dots of glue (or the glue dots) to position the smaller wreath directly on top of the larger wreath ... now you will have a double-decker wreath and will just need to add a "hanger" and the center of your newly-formed "flower" ornament.

I used some Crumb Cake Bakers Twine to make the hanger for my ornament. I single crochet a long strand of it until I got it to the desired length (I didn't even use a crochet hook ... just did it with my fingers!). I then attached the ends of the "hanger" to the cardboard disk on the back of the ornament and then proceeded to cover the back, to hide the cardboard circle, with the extra 2-1/2" piece of DSP I punched earlier.

For the center, I used the very smallest scalloped circle from the Layering Circles Framelits. I rubbed some glue onto the top of the circle, then proceeded to spiral a piece of bakers twine to make the center ... I did a smaller layer on top of that one with an additional piece of bakers.

If you have any questions so that I can clarify this, just shoot me an email (my email link is in the sidebar). Overall, this is SUPER easy to make and didn't take much time! I want to make a BUNCH more to hang from my fireplace mantle as soon as the weather cools off a bit! (And wouldn't these be SO PRETTY with some of the new CHRISTMAS DSP???)

Stamps: NONE
Paper: Nature's Poem DSP
Ink:  NONE
Accessories: Nature's Twine, Layering Circles Framelits Dies (or circle punches ... 2-1/2" and 2"),

The next couple of weeks are going to be a whirlwind ... one road trip and one day-trip to Disneyland will be happening!!! Happy Birthday to ME!!!

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Friday, August 17, 2018

Fab Friday #144

I should be exercising ... or doing laundry ... and there's always my bedroom that could use a good once-over! INSTEAD ... I am typing up this blog post because it's more FUN!! Especially since I got to play with some paper today (AFTER I spent half the day at my mama's house helping her with some cleaning). I really am liking having a clean craft room ... it's FUN!

Which brings me to this week's Fab Friday Challenge ... and a challenge it WAS (at least for me!!)!!! The colors were screaming "CHRISTMAS" ... and I'm just not quite ready to go "all in" just yet. So I tried to do something that looked UNChristmas-y!! I haven't used the Eastern Beauty stamp set NEARLY as much as I should have ... It's kind hard to screw it up! You just keep stamping and stamping and stamping ... and everything looks pretty in the end!

Stamps: Eastern Beauty
Paper: Whisper White, Lemon Lime Twist, Vellum
Ink: Call Me Clover, Lemon Lime Twist, Calypso Coral, Poppy Parade
Accessories: Eastern Medallions Framelits, 1/2" Circle Punch, 1/4" Circle Punch, Trio Corner Punch,  Banner Duo Punch, 5/8" Polka Dot Tulle Ribbon





This also looks like a watermelon ... kinda ... don'tcha think??? (Of COURSE I can see that NOW!!)






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

Come back over the next few days ... I actually have MORE things to share with ya!!! I almost don't even recognize myself ... I'm working AHEAD of schedule instead of BEHIND!!! Go figure!

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Wednesday, August 15, 2018

Sweet Treats!

A day OFF!! A DAY OFF!!! I can't remember the last time I had an ENTIRE day where I did NOT have to leave the house! I could just STAY HOME!!! Which I did ... and it was GLORIOUS!!

As I was putting some things away in my crafty cupboard (ok ... yeah, I have TWO of them!) ... so as I was putting some things away in ONE of my crafty cupboards I came across my little Gift Bag Punch Board. And I just stared at it ... "How long have I had this???" "Why haven't I ever actually USED this????" Well DANG!!! So last night I looked up a "how-to" video on youtube to make sure I could figure out what I was doing ... and I made this fun little bag!!! How stinkin' caYOOT is THIS??? It was easy to make ... and I'm pretty sure after making a couple of them you could put yourself in mass-production mode for those Christmas neighbor treats you're gonna make this year, right??? I used the SUPER adorable "Festive Farmhouse" stamp set for the sentiment (and the framelits, too!)! This is going to be a GREAT holiday season ... I can already tell!! But it's STILL nearly 100 degrees outside ... and August ... so I'm not quite ready to dive in YET!

Stamps: Festive Farmhouse
Paper: Whisper White, Night of Navy, Red Glimmer, Under the Mistletoe DSP
Ink:  Night of Navy, Old Olive
Accessories: Stitched Shapes Framelits, Farmhouse Framelits, Sprig Punch, Night of Navy Baker's Twine, Striped Burlap Ribbon, Gift Bag Punch Board

Back to work today ... sigh ... at least my craft room is STILL CLEAN ... and awaiting my next visit!!

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Tuesday, August 14, 2018

Just Because I CAN!

I got home from work last night, found something to eat and then settled back to watch some Netflix (after the last couple of weeks, I was SOOOOOO in need of a "decompress" kinda night). Then it hit me ... I have NEW stamps and a CLEAN craft room ... and NOWHERE ELSE I have to be!!! When does this happen???? Like EVER???? So I did what any good crafty person would do ... I picked up my iPad and headed down to ye ole craft room and made a card!!! Look at me GO!!! Hahaha ... I need to do this more often!

Playing with new things is FUN! (DUH??!??) I hadn't intended on making a "baby" card per se ... but when all was said and done, that is what I ended up with! I am LOVING the cute little Twinkle Building punch (even the NAME of it is ADORBS!)! A moon and some stars ... simple and amazing! Stars just make me happy. And this DSP???? A-MAZ-ING!!! It's SOOOOOOO pretty!! This Night of Navy background with the little stars on it was ALMOST too pretty to cut into ... ALMOST!!! It is my favorite pattern in this particular pack of paper, so I just went for it!!!

Stamps: Little Twinkle
Paper: Whisper White, Balmy Blue, Crushed Curry, Vellum, Twinkle Twinkle DSP,  Sparkle Glimmer Paper
Ink:  Balmy Blue
Accessories: Twinkle Builder Punch, Stitched Labels Framelits Dies, Stitched Framelits Dies, Maps Etc. Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Silver Ribbon

So ... back to what I posted yesterday (was that just yesterday??). I have had an idea in my head FOREVER as a gift for my hubby. He does SO much for everyone else and ALWAYS puts himself last. I have to DRAG him to do things for himself sometimes!! Anywho ... many of you already know that he has his private pilot's license AND built his own plane (an experimental ... and RV-9A to be exact). It is stored in a hangar out at a tiny little airport in North Salt Lake. Hangars are HUGE, people!! The walls are wide and HIGH ... and up until this weekend the walls at the hangar were EMPTY!!

We have been collecting aviation "stuff" for quite a while. I have been wanting to hang it up in some sorta collage for a very long time. And now I have COMPLETED it!! I couldn't be happier with the results ... and my hubby could NOT have been MORE surprised for his birthday last Sunday!!! He had NO clue what I was up to ... but by Sunday morning he was going a little crazy as he figured I was doing SOMEthing!!! He just had no idea WHAT!!! Don't ya just LOVE when you have an idea and it turns out even BETTER than you imagined it??? It was exhausting but VERY worth it!

I have NO other blogs to link you to today (weird, isn't it??)!! I crafted because I COULD ... and it was FUN ... and it was GOOD ... and all is right with the world!

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Sunday, August 12, 2018

Monday Montage #122

GEEEE WHIZZZ!!! This past week was SOOOOOO very crazy-busy in my life!!! Between work, helping out my mama, attending events for family and friends and working on a project for my hubby's birthday, I am WIPED OUT!!! Luckily, I had enough energy left to create a card for this week's Monday Montage Blog Hop!

If it looks ANYthing like an airplane ... or ANYthing like something that will fly?? Yeah ... I'm-a buy that!!! Which is why the Best Route Suite that came out in this year's catalog was at the TOP of my list of things I needed to get ... like RIGHT NOW!!! Since my hubby has his private pilot's license and spent 10 years building is own airplane, you could say that aviation is a big deal at my house. We spent a good chunk of the day last Saturday doing what is known as a Young Eagles Fly-In. We round up pilots from our local EAA Chapter (Experimental Aircraft Association). They volunteer their time, their planes and their fuel to fly kids between the ages of 8 and 17. The primary goal is to get the next generation pumped up about aviation. It worked brilliantly ... FIVE pilots flew 135 young eagles!!! It was a long, hot and exhausting day ... and TOTALLY worth it!!!

Which brings me to this little gem of a card. Between the Young Eagles rally and the collage I created for my hubby's birthday to hang on the wall in his hangar (stay tuned ... I'll share photos in my next blog post), I have airplanes on the brain!

Stamps: En Route
Paper: Whisper White, Blueberry Bushel, Best Route DSP
Ink:  Gray Granite, Pineapplej Punch, Mango Melody, Blueberry Bushel
Accessories: 3/4" Circle Punch, Stitched Shapes Framelits, Trio Corner Punch, Maps, Etc. Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Night of Navy Gingham 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
Dani Dziama - Dani's Thoughtful Corner
Elizabeth Price - Seeinginkspots - NOT PARTICIPATING THIS WEEK
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!!

This week looks to be MUCH more manageable!!! Is it too late to plan a nap??? Hahaha ... if ONLY I could find the time to do THAT!!!

Click "Back" for Melissa Stout and "Next" for Amy O'Neill ... their projects are FLYING HIGH!!


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Friday, August 3, 2018

Fab Friday #143

Hey Howdy and Happy Fab Friday!!! I cannot even BEGIN to tell you how much FUN I had creating this card today!!! I have a bunch of lovely-pretty new stamping things that I have not had the chance to play with ... YET!!! The stamp set I used for this card was one of the FIRST things I knew I was going to HAVE to HAVE in my collection!!

This treehouse!!! I mean, SERIOUSLY??!??? It's soooooooo cute!!! I love all the little pieces in this stamp set that you can pick and choose to make your own fun little treehouse scene. Also ... even though I don't actually have the Tropical Chic Stamp Set yet (notice I said YET!), I have been LOVING everything in that suite!!! The DSP I have in the background and as the stripe on this card??? They are from the Tropical Escape suite!!! It was the PERRRRFECT background for this!! I am totally in love!!! How fun is it that the cloud shapes from the Up & Away Thinlits Dies set work with the leafy bits on this treehouse set???? I am in LOVE you guys!!

Stamps: Treehouse Adventure
Paper: Blueberry Bushel, Luscious Lipstick, Whisper White, Tropical Escape DSP
Ink: Granny Apple Green, Balmy Blue, Blueberry Bushel, Luscious Lipstick, Pineapple Punch, Crumb Cake, Early Espresso
Accessories: Layering Circles Framelits, Up & Away Thinlits Dies, Classic Label Punch









Sweet and easy card sketch to inspire ya ...










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

Family Reunion is Saturday ... my mama's side of the family. I LOVE getting together with all of my cousins, aunts and uncles! Ahhhhhh, SUMMER!! LOVE IT!

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