Merry Monday Christmas Challenge

Welcome to the brand new Merry Monday Challenge blog! We are excited to start off this year right! Remember, you are welcome to use any product and you can combine us with other challenges...but combining us with 50 other challenges is kinda extreme so please use your discretion! Thank you!

This is the start of a new month and so I would like to welcome

our Featured Designer for January, Kay Miller!!!

Kay Miller

Hi, I'm Kay Miller. I live in the middle of the Ozark mountains with my sweet hubby, two fabulous kids, and quite an assortment of furry friends. I've been stamping and making cards for almost 20 years now, ever since I wandered into a stamp store in Anacortez, Washington, while visiting my Grandfather. I spent all of my travel money there, and then got into serious trouble for staying too long. From that day forth, I have been hopelessly in love with stamps.

For our first challenge, we are looking for

Ribbon or Twine

on your Christmas project!

Each week there will be a brand new challenge posted on Monday at 5am (PST).
The challenge will be either a theme, an inspiration photo, or a colour combo.
Each participant is encouraged to comment on 3 cards in the Gallery. (Who doesn't love comments!)
Have fun!
Follow the weekly challenge closely.

Kay Miller

Wendy Aungst

Lesley Croghan

Karen Davis

Nina Forsyth

Kristie Goulet

Debbie Henderson

Karren Johnson

Sue Joyce

Bonnie Klass

Margaret Moody

LeAnne Pugliese

I have never had the chance to properly introduce the team before...so without further ado...here is the Merry Making Design Team of 2014.

Lesley Croghan

(Challenge Creator)

My name is Lesley and not only am I an avid card maker; I seem to be an avid challenge creator as well!! I love to make Christmas cards and I am continually inspired by this awesome team! I teach Grade 1 and I am happily married to the bestest fella. We have 2 furbabies...Rolley the Rocket dog and Penney the Princess puddy. I have been actively paper crafting since 2008.

Karren Johnson

Hi, my name is Karren Johnson and I live in Christchurch, New Zealand with Pete, my fiancé of 22 years (yes, 22 years!) and our two boys, Matthew, 16 and William, 11. I work full-time as a Regional Finance Manager for CourierPost - the best courier company in NZ.

My mother introduced me to rubber stamping in about 1999. She has been stamping for years and I decided to see what the attraction was, so I took a day off work and spent the day with her making Christmas cards. It was fun, but I wasn’t immediately hooked. However, when I was on maternity leave in 2002 with my youngest, I got bored so borrowed a few of Mum’s supplies. And you can guess the rest... In 2012, I started ablog and quickly got addicted to the challenge blogs!

I’m so pleased to be on Lesley’s Merry Monday team with so many talented stampers.

Karen Davis

Hi, my name is Karen Davis and I live in Auckland, New Zealand with Graham,my husband of 20 years, three dear old cats and one darling rabbit.

I have always worked with fabric, first as a dressmaker and later as a quilter. Seven years ago, I started a business designing and making quilts, bags and softies for patterns and teaching.

While I had dabbled in paper crafting for a short time seven years ago, it wasn’t until the end of last year that I had a little spare time to start card making again, and to start a blog, Karen Creates Cards.

I am so delighted to become one of Lesley’s Merry Monday girls and look forward to creating alongside this very talented design team.

Kristie Goulet

Hi, my name is Kristie Goulet and I live in Groveton, NH. I have been blessed with 4 amazing children, Noah, Hannah, Leah & Jonah. I am married to my high school sweetheart, Todd. I love creating cards, especially Christmas cards, when I am not busy homeschooling our children. I started my blog Kreative Kristie and am amazed at the amazing bond that card makers have and the friendships I have made.

I am beyond excited to become one of Lesley's Merry Monday girls and look forward to creating alongside this very talented design team.

LeAnne Pugliese

Hi! I am LeAnne Pugliese, I live in beautiful southeastern Pennsylvania on farmland that belongs to my family. I am married to my sweet DH John, and have a daughter, Dana, and a granddaughter, Cassidy, who many of you know from my blog, WeeInklings! I was introduced to stamping in 2000 and became a Stampin' Up! demonstrator in 2002. I love making cards and sending them out to my friends and family! I have many other crafty hobbies too, including cross stitch, sewing, and creating home decor. I am proud to have taken part in several of Lesley's blogging adventures and am thrilled to be creating with the Merry Monday design team!

Debbie Henderson--Debbie's Designs

Hi Everyone! My name is Debbie Henderson and I am from Hodgdon Maine. What an honor to be able to design for Merry Monday and work with a wonderful team of girls! I am approaching my 5th year as a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator and love every minute of it! I have been married to Dave since July 2008 and have two grown children Jessica 28, Greg 26 and one granddaughter Kaitlynn who is 5 and is a joy to have around! We own two kitty cats named Abigail and Katie whom were both acquired through our local animal shelter. Dave and I are self-employed business owners so we are on the road a lot. I have always been crafty, even attending college to earn an art degree but decided to get married and start a family a year after I attended college. Stamping is something I’ve always stuck with as it never gets old. I haven’t purchased a store bought card in over 15 years! I hope you will enjoy my submissions and I look forward to sharing with all of you!

Bonnie Klass

Hi, I’m Bonnie Klass. My husband and I have been married over 40 years and we have 3 grown daughters, 3 sons-in-law and 5 grandchildren. We take care of 2 of our grandsons during the week. They keep us hopping! I snatch any free moments I can to get inky!

I’ve loved crafts all my life, but card making has become my passion. I've met so many wonderful people through card making and blogging and I’m honored to be a part of Lesley’s Merry Monday Design Team.

Nina Forsyth

Hi, my name is Nina Forsyth and I live on Vancouver Island in British Columbia. I was introduced to card making when a friend had asked me to go to a stamping workshop in 2006 and I was hooked! I look at each and every card as a miniature canvas and if I can inspire someone to create, then I am happy. My blog introduction was a gift from my sister in 2008; it is a journal of sorts for my cards. I love being a part of Merry Monday Design Team.

Wendy Aungst ~ WeeBeeStampin4fun

Hello! My name is Wendy Aungst and I live in Red Lion, Pennsylvania. I'm a stay at home mom & wife. Married for 23 years to my awesome husband, Shawn. We have 3 grown children, Kirsten, Ryan & Kelsey and recently adopted 2 cute little pooches (Gigi & Bailee) from Operation Paws for Homes. We are not empty nesters with 2 of the kids still living with us and now 2 doggies! My son Ryan was born with Cerebral Palsy and has been thru many challenges in his life. He certainly keeps me on my toes!

I was introduced to Stampin Up! by my best friend, Deb back in 2001 and as they say, the rest is history! I started my blog WeeBeeStampin4funback in the summer/fall of 2010 as we moved halfway across the country to Joplin, Missouri. That was a life changing experience after the tornado went thru! A year later we packed up and moved back home and I can't tell you how happy I am to be back home with my family & friends!

I joined Lesley's Merry Monday DT in 2012 and have enjoyed the friendships i've made as well as making Christmas cards each week! You'll see on my blog that I do Christmas all year long and I hope you will stop by for a visit! :)

Margaret Moody

Hello, Merry Monday followers! I'm Margaret Moody and I'm thrilled to be part of Lesley's team at Merry Monday! I'm a native Texan and the mother of two beautiful daughters who are students at The University of Texas at Austin. I've taught in public schools for 30 years and currently work as a reading specialist for a local school district. In addition, I've done graphic design work for individual clients, churches, schools and clubs for the past 25 years, designing t-shirts, logos, signs, menus, brochures and banners.
I've been smitten with everything paper from an early age, when a very special aunt would take me to stationery and card shops during our many shopping trips together. The fascination continued into adulthood and I started scrapbooking when my girls were younger, eventually moving into card marking. I currently serve on the design team for Pals Paper Arts and create the sketches for the PPA Sketch Challenge each month. I am so honored to share my cards with you and hope you find them inspiring!

Susan Joyce ~ Cat's Ink Corporated

Hi Stampers, I am Susan Joyce from Moora, Western Australia. My Husband Graham and I have 3 adult children Natasha, Mark and Fiona, all married and they have delighted us with 4 gorgeous Grand daughters Kaela, Jessica, Keira and Jenna and 1 very cute Grandson Curtis. Maisie is our fur baby although she is almost 14 years old.
I was introduced to Paper Crafting by a friend in 1999 when I took some lessons and have developed a passion for all things paper, rubber and bling. I joined Stamping Up! in 2006 when they came to Australia and created my blog Cat's Ink Corporated in 2008. I have worked with Lesley for a few years on different Design Teams. I love creating for Merry Monday and knowing I will have a stash of cards ready to give by the end of each year.

Pages

Monday, January 13, 2014

Merry Monday #91 {Snowman or Snow People}

Merry Monday Weekly Winner & Honorable Mention

Monday, January 6, 2014

Merry Monday #90 {Ribbon or Twine}

Merry Monday Winner for our last challenge in December 2013!

Sunday, January 5, 2014

Meet the Merry Makers for 2014!