Monday Montage #201

The holidays have struck me hard ... right smack dab in the middle of my forehead! I have put Halloween decorations up and down, put Thanksgiving decorations up and am already thinking about putting up our Christmas tree ... what in the freakin' world has come over me??? I am NEVER this much in denial as to the fact that not only are the holidays coming, they are HERE!!! My surgical scar is still inflamed and giving me grief (in the middle of another round of steroids to try to get things righted again!)!! Well, why should this year be ANY different anyway?? Seems that 2020 has struck again and just made everything seem weird and unnormal! Sigh ...

Using a sample from the catalog as inspiration, I built this little fall number to get myself in the mood away from Halloween and into Thanksgiving! Leaves are great for that, don't you think?

Stamps: Gorgeous Leaves, Elegantly Said (sentiment)

Paper: Cinnamon Cider, Very Vanilla, Early Espresso, Cajun Craze, Crumb Cake

Ink: Crumb Cake, Bumble Bee, Cinnamon Cider, Early Espresso

Accessories: Macrame Embossing Folder, Scalloped Contours Dies, Intricate Leaves Dies, Linen Thread, Champagne Rhinestones

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
Cheryl Curtis - Pomp and Sustenance
Dani Dziama - Dani's Thoughtful Corner - NOT PARTICIPATING THIS WEEK

Elizabeth Price - Seeinginkspots

Julie Warnick - Julie Warnick Stampin' Up! Blog 
Melissa Stout - NOT PARTICIPATING THIS WEEK

 Click "Next" to see Bree Renwick... and "Back" to visit Julie Warnick!! Brilliant either direction you go!

Fab Friday #212

The One Where Wendy Is Losing Her Mind. Yup ... that's me this week. Can't seem to keep my brain in focus. Welcome to Fab Friday ... where I not only used a WRONG COLOR in my creation (which I had done on TIME), but where I also went to bed and fell asleep and FORGOT to make my blog post. Sigh ... I blame the pandemic ... and 2020 ... and my dumb Achilles Tendonitis ... and garden gnomes ... because my husband told me that it is a F'RILLS news story that the world is suffering a TERRIBLE shortage of garden gnomes right now ... and that has my brain VERY concerned! Sigh ... it happens ...

I actually had fun making this card, and I really LIKE how it turned out, despite the fact that my Flirty Flamingo looks a LOT like the Calypso Coral I used instead! Makes me wanna be on a sandy beach somewhere ... ANYwhere ... with a good book and a slushy fruity drink in my hand and a HUGE umbrella overhead to protect me from the sun! Doesn't that sound AWESOME??!!??? 

Stamps: Timeless Tropical
Paper: Crumb Cake, Soft Sea Foam, Old Olive, Terracotta Tile, Calypso Coral, Whisper White
Ink: Old Olive, Terracotta Tile, Early Espresso, Versamark
Accessories: Stitched Shapes Dies, In the Tropics Dies, Painted Texture 3D Embossing Folder, Frosted Epoxy Droplets, 3/16" Braided Linen Trim, Whisper White Embossing Powder

So just pretend that my Calypso Coral is actually Flirty Flamingo and you will be GOOD to GO!!

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

Progress ... finally ... at least a little bit!! Achilles seems to finally taking an upturn! I got to run on a zero G treadmill yesterday and it was AWESOME! I felt as heavy as a brick when they turned it off, though. It was very funny! Science is SOOO cool! Here's hoping I am as good as new before too much longer!!

Monday Montage #176

I KNOW I have mentioned this before ... but don't ya just LOOOOVE it when one season just SLAMS into another one (NOT!)??!?? Welcome to life in Utah ... where it can be 72 degrees one day and 28 degrees with snow on the ground the next!!! I would really LOOOOVE it if we could have a little bit of fall going on here instead of skipping it and going straight from summer into winter!!! SHEESH!! Good thing I got to stay inside and keep cozy while playing with some paper and stamps!! Welcome to another round with the Monday Montage girls!!

The Plaid Builder Dies ... I want them to live FOREVER as a current product in the catalog!! I really enjoy playing with them and putting different color combos together!! And I'm weird ... I absolutely LOVE sleeping in a tent!! It is just very peaceful and relaxing for my mind and body (thanks to the wonderful super-awesome air mattresses we own!)!! The Campology Stamp Set just makes me long for another river trip and setting a tent up on the banks of some-such place like the Flathead River in Montana!! Slice of HEAVEN!!!


Stamps: Campology
Paper: Old Olive, Cinnamon Cider, Early Espresso, Bumblebee, Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla

Ink: Old Olive, Early Espresso
Accessories: Celebration Label Dies, Plaid Builder Dies, Stitched Shapes Dies, Cinnamon Cider Ribbon, Metallic Pearls, In Good Taste Elements

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 - SITTING OUT THIS WEEK 

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!!

Any of y'all ever struggle with Achilles tendonitis??? Man oh MAN ... I've been suffering with a bad bout of it on my left foot/ankle since about last February/March!! Stupid COVID-19 ... I choose to blame it for all my woes!! HA!! I've started a new regimine of self massaging, stretching and icing. I THINK it's working (at least a little bit) ... if you have any suggestions on something that would help, I am ALL EARS!!

Click "Next" to see what Bree Renwick ... and "Back" to check out Melissa Stout ... LOVE these women and their beautifully-creative ideas!

Fab Friday #198

So here we are again ... how is it that the weeks have gone by so quickly this year??? Or is it that they are going slowly? This year is just SOOOO weird!! At least the temperatures are starting to come down a little ... I can feel fall in the air, especially in the mornings and evening. The leaves starting turning colors a few weeks ago, but now they are really being show offs ... I LOVE the smells and colors of fall! Thanks for joining us for another fun Fab Friday Stampin' Challenge. The colors this time aruond are SUPER fun!!

I actually CASED myself on this one ... I was looking back through my blog at some cards from about 5 years ago and came across one similar in layout to this one. I love little banners, don't you?? The Banners Pick a Punch is a staple you all NEED in your stash. I am finding myself reaching for it more and more ... I hope it sticks around in the catalog for a looooong time!

Stamps: Love of Leaves
Paper: Misty Moonlight, Seaside Spray, Gray Granite, Whisper White, In Good Taste DSP, Plaid Tidings DSP, In Color DSP
Ink: Misty Moonlight
Accessories: Bumblebee Gingham Ribbon, Tasteful Textile Embossing Folder, Banners Pick a Punch, Champagne Rhinestone Basic Jewels

I LOOOOVE this 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

I ended up taking my doggie to the vet yesterday. She hasn't been eating and shows NO interest in her food or any of her doggie snacks! The vet said she had no fever and wasn't dehydrated, but she couldn't get her to eat anything, either. So now we are waiting for her to ... um ... leave us a sample so we can take it back to the vet for testing. And, of course, because we WANT her to leave us a "sample" she isn't cooperating!! UGH! I made her a little bowl of chicken broth and she actually ate that ... then she nibbled up a little doggie treat we gave her. Hoping this means she is on the mend ... and maybe there will be something waiting out in the backyard for us in the morning. HA! Isn't pet ownership SO MUCH FUN???

In Color Highlights with the Freaks!

This month the Control Freaks are playing with any/all of the current In Colors. Did you like what you saw from my bestie,Bree Renwick??? Clever, right??? I decided to do two takes on the same basic layout ... and I used one "old" In Color and one "new" In Color on each creation. Check it out!

First off ... I Freakin' luuuuuurve Just Jade and Pretty Peacock together. Holy WOWSERS, you guys!! Don't they just look SUPER RICH and YUMMY???? I think so!!

Stamps: Ridiculously Awesome, Swirly Frames
Paper: Just Jade, Pretty Peacock, Soft Sea Foam, Whisper White
Ink: Just Jade, Pretty Peacock
Accessories: Stitched Stars Dies, Stitched Rectangles Dies, Just Jade Gingham, Old World Paper Embossing Folder, Flowers for Every Season Gems

This one is all about the blues ... Misty Moonlight and Seaside Spray. I think this combo is also pretty dang pretty!! I added a few pieces of bling and a stream of ribbon (which I think kinda looks like a shooting star). Both of these cards were quick and easy! What do you think??

Stamps: Ridiculously Awesome, Swirly Frames
Paper: Misty Moonlight, Seaside Spray, Whisper White, Vellum
Ink: Misty Moonlight, Seaside Spray
Accessories: Layering Circles Dies, Stitched Stars Dies, Flowers for Every Season Gems, Metallic Pearls, Seaside Spray Scalloped Linen Ribbon, Tasteful Textures Embossing Folder


My birthday is coming up next week ... and this will be the first birthday in about 9 years that I have NOT been in Disneyland to celebrate!! SIGH ... one day I WILL be back again. This year I am gonna eat lots of homemade Disney snacks and watch Disney movies in one of my fun Disney outfits (probably the dress I made for myself LAST year!)!!!

Next up??? The ever-talented ... Melissa Davies!! A-MAZ-ING as always!!

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Monday Montage #171

When you have been blogging for over 13 years you feel like you have said about all there is to say about crafting. Does anyone ever even READ what I write any more??? I suppose people do (I have a LOT of friends who still paper craft and blog about it!)! I sometimes just feel like I write the same old boring stuff over and over again!! Maybe I do ... sometimes ... but I guess it is what it is! I don't have any plans to stop papercrafting OR blogging at this point, so I guess I will just have to keep on writing what I write!

For anyone who has followed my blog for ANY amount of time, I have made it more than abundantly clear that I LOVE FALL more than other time of year. It has long been my fave!! So creating this card was my first step in acknowledging that summer will be over before ya know it. To be honest, I am ready for 2020 to just slink back into the dark hole from whence it came. How about YOU??

Stamps: Love of Leaves
Paper: Crumb Cake, Old Olive, Cinnamon Cider, Bumblebee, Rich Razzleberry, Plaid Tidings DSP
Ink: Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive, Bumblebee, Cinnamon Cider
Accessories: Stitched Leaves Dies, Stitched Rectangles Dies, Bumblebee Gingham Ribbon, Antiqued Corners & Slides, In Good Taste Elements, Metallic Pearls

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 - NOT PARTICIPATING THIS WEEK
Melissa Stout - The Stamp Doc
Wendy Weixler - Wickedly Wonderful Creations - YOU'RE ALREADY HERE!!

We are supposed to hit an all-time record HIGH temperature tomorrow ... could get as hot as 106 ... so it will be somewhat akin to living on the surface of the sun!!j UGGGHHHH!!! I will probably come home from work and fill the kiddie pool and laze in the shade with my doggie!
Click "Next" to see what Amy O'Neill ... and "Back" to check out Melissa Stout ... you KNOW they are always going to hit it out of the ballpark!

Monday Montage #170

What a weekend!! Record-setting high temperatures made going outside nearly unbearable (104 degrees F)! And cleaning for hours and hours at my mama's condo wore me out, made me feel accomplished and made me NOT want to do anything else!! But when you must, you must ... so I sat at my craft table and created a card for this week's Monday Montage Blog Hop!! YAY ME!

As I sat and was struggling to come up with ANY idea of what to make, I decided to troll through the catalog and see if I could find a layout for inspiration!! TA-DAAA! I found one and used it and was able to create something in not too much time. Whew!
Another to-do checked off my list!!

Stamps: Monogram Messages
Paper: Whisper White, Pretty Peacock, Just Jade, Soft Sea Foam, Forever Fern Greenery DSP
Ink: Pretty Peacock, Whisper White
Accessories: Stitched So Sweetly Dies, Frosted Epoxy Droplets, Hammered Metal Embossing
Folder, Celebration Labels Punch, Just Jade Gingham
Ribbon, White Embossing Powder, Sewing Machine

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 - NOT PARTICIPATING THIS WEEK
Cheryl Curtis - Pomp and Sustenance
Dani Dziama - Dani's Thoughtful Corner - NOT PARTICIPATING 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!!

Our house turned 100 this year ... so it's seen a lot of history. And it has the same AC and furnaces (there are two of them) for over 50 years! This year, the AC gave up the ghost. The weather this whole lake week has pushed to 100 and above ... like 104! UGGGggghh! We broke down on Saturday and bought a super nifty window AC unit ... which cools about half of our upstairs to WAY cooler temps that our central AC every has! It's a great temporary solution to a bigger problem we are more than likely going to have to face in the next couple of years ... replacing all heating and central air equipment. Ahhhh the JOYS of home ownership!

Click "Next" to see what Amy O'Neill ... and "Back" to check out Melissa Stout ... WOW oh WOW!! You will LOVE their beautiful creations!

Fab Friday #195

Arrrrgghhhh!! I HATE it when somebody "moves my cheese"!!! I have been blogging since 2007 ... and Blogger has decided to entirely revamp it's interface!!! POOOOEY!!! I am old enough (and nerdy enough) to actually know html. I used to design intranet pages for the local gas company. And the new interface is designed to NOT let me do it the way I want to ... URRRRGGGHHH!!! I HATE HATE HATE it!!! I was finally able to revert back to the "old school" interface, but it will only be available through August 24. Color me UNHAPPY!! At least I got to play and make a card with the Fab Friday Team!!

Now that I have done my pouting ... I want to say how much I am IN LOVE with the "Ridiculously Awesome" stamp set AND the "Plaid Tidings" DSP (which will be available to all y'all in the Holiday Catalog on August 4!!)!! EEEeeeep!!! I want alltheplaid allthetime!!!

Stamps: Ridiculously Awesome
Paper: Seaside Spray, Mango Melody, Whisper White, Plaid Tidings DSP
Ink: Rich Razzleberry
Accessories: Celebration Labels Dies, Stitched Triangles Dies, Seaside Spray Scalloped Trim Linen Ribbon

Very simple, with LOTS of options to add to/change it up!

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

How's the weather where you are?? It is HOT-HOT-HOT in Salt Lake City! It must be some sort of DESERT or something!!! I wouldn't mind as much if our air conditioning weren't having issues. I am SOOO happy we have a nice, cool basement with some fans ... they are saving my life!!

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!!

Control Freaks - 2020 Preorder Preview!

We are BACK!!! Holy COW!!! The Control Freaks are here to show you what we all got in our DELICIOUS boxes of Stampin' Up's 2020-2021 Idea Book and Catalog!! I. CAN'T. EVEN! This is going to be SUCH a fun year!!! Touring through, you should just have come from the marvelous blog of Melissa Davies ... she is costing me $$$!!! (Because, of course, she used products that I did NOT preorder ... and now think I HAVE to HAVE!)

I have a friend with a daughter who is graduating from high school this year ... 2020 ... sigh ... what a CRAZY year those seniors are having!!! She has asked friends from different states to send grad cards to her daughter (in an attempt to get as MANY cards from as MANY states as possible)! I jumped on the chance to represent the good ol' State of Utah. I used the new Jar of Flowers Bundle to create this little "congrats" bouquet in a jar. I stamped the jar image in Smoky Slate onto some vellum. I continued with the Smoky Slate to make an outline of the bouquet itself ... colored using the Stampin' Blends listed below. And don't get me started with the Tasteful Textile Embossing Folder ... I LOOOOVE IT!

Stamps: Jar of Flowers, Beautiful World (Sentiment)
Paper: Whisper White, Vellum
Ink: Mango Melody, Old Olive, Flirty Flamingo, Bermuda Bay, Highland Heather, Balmy Blue, Smoky Slate
Accessories: Jar Punch, Lovely Labels Pick a Punch, Tasteful Textile 3D Embossing Folder, Stitched So Sweetly Dies, Champagne Rhinestones, 3/16" Braided Linen Trim

This card came about when I was stamping via FaceTime with my bestie, Bree Renwick. She was inspired by a card made by another one of our good friends, Kaitlyn Zumbach (who just so happens to be a Concept Artist with SU). After having Bree show me Kaitlyn's card, I also found inspiration and created something ... Bree and I didn't show our cards to each other until we had both finished! I really enjoy making something from the inspiration I get from so many other talented stampers. We are DEFINITELY going to do this "experiment" again. Three cheers for the "World of Good" Suite for helping me create this fun card!

Stamps: Beautiful World
Paper: Whisper White, Real Red, Pacific Point
Ink: Real Red, Pacific Point, Crumb Cake, Whisper White
Accessories: Trio Corner Punch, Tasteful Textile Embossing Folder, Flowers for Every Season Combo Pack, Lovely Labels Pick a Punch, Whisper White Embossing Powder

I played "Great British Baking Show" with my niece again today. We made Shichttore (which means "layer cake). NINETEEN little bitty layers baked one at a time ... one on top to the other. We need to try it again with WHITE flour (we used wheat flour because of what we could find in the store ... thank you COVID-19). It turned out SOOOOO fun!! Can't wait until we get together to do it again!

Next up??? Truly Terrific ... Tami Hewlett!! I didn't order the bundle she used, either ... and MAN ... I am RUINED!!