Monday, March 18, 2024

Spring Bunny Car

Hello Blogger friends! Thanks for taking the time to stop and visit with The Charmed Life Blog today. 

Hope you had a great weekend and did something fun or crafty. I did get some crafty time in on Saturday. I am in the process of making card for Easter right now. It's a bit earlier this year so I need to get moving. 

Sunday was a laid-back day for me. I stayed up later than I should have Saturday night and then got up early for church. But I did go to bed earlier last night. So I feel rested today. 

My hubby only wanted a chicken salad for dinner instead of what I was planning on making. He even made the salad himself. I just made one of my Paleo desserts- a chocolate lava cake. We both loved it and there was no processed sugar or flour. 

Then I watched The Way Home on the Hallmark channel. It's a mini series about time travel. This is the 2nd season and only 2 more episodes remain. I wasn't sure at first but then you know how those mini-series grab your attention (LOL.)

Now onto my card for today. This one I made for the color challenge #989. We were to use shaded spruce, lemon-lime twist, pale papaya and berry burst for the color combo. Optional was  designer paper. I took some liberty with the option. I used designer paper from the Stampin' Up "fresh as a daisy collection" for my clouds even though it wasn't one of the colors. 
pale papaya, berry burst, lemon-lime twist, shaded spruce

My bunny car is cut in the challenge colors plus some neutrals. For the car body I used designer paper from the Stampin' Up "pretty prints" collection- it's a lighter shaded spruce color.
For the carrot I cut from pale papaya cardstock and then used the same color of ink to get a deeper shade.

I added the Easter Wishes sentiment in the clouds and stamped another sentiment in berry burst on the card front to complete my card. Well, that's it for me for this post. So, until next time.....God bless. 

Card Details:

Stamps: some bunny (Great Impressions Stamps)
Paper: white, shaded spruce, pale papaya, lemon-lime twist, berry burst, black, smoky slate, pretty prints dsp, fresh as a daisy dsp (Stampin'Up)
Paper Size: A2
Ink: berry burst, pale papaya, lemon-lime twist
Accessories: Spring Bunny Car, Easter Wishes, Slimline clouds dies (CottageCutz), slimline road border die (Lawn Fawn)


I am also entering:
1.  The Cutie Pie Challenge is Easter/Mother's Day. 
2.  Crafty Animals is anything goes with an animal. 
3.  Daisy Chain Challenge is animals. 
4Die Cut Divas has an anything goes challenge. 
5.  Four Seasons Challenge is Spring. 

Friday, March 15, 2024

Masculine Birthday

Hello Blogger Friends! Thanks for taking the time to stop and visit with The Charmed Life Blog today. 

It's the start of the weekend. So, I hope you have some fun plans that include some crafting. Or maybe you are celebrating the St. Patrick's Day holiday. We have a big parade downtown tomorrow morning. We don't go because it gets a little rowdy with all the partying that goes on. 

There is also a home show that has been going on since March 8. We did speak with a contractor about doing some updates on our deck. It was on the house when we bought it and the wood now needs replaced. We are going to replace the wood with composite. We are excited for the new look we will have. Looks like work will be started in May.  I will take photos of the completed work and post them here. 

Now onto my card for today. This one I made for my brother for his birthday. I like how it turned out. An outdoor scene makes for a great masculine card. 

I used dies from CottageCutz to create this card. From the Christmas 2023 collection I used the Pine Tree Full, Pine Tree Slim and the Winter Deer dies. The Happy Birthday sentiment is also a die from CottageCutz. I thought cutting it in white cardstock would make it standout on the background designer paper. 

When I assembled the pine trees I splattered a little white acrylic paint. I was after a snowy look. The background designer paper is from Stampin' Up it's a sand shade. 

I think my brother will like this card. He always compliments the cards I send him. Well that's it for me for this post so until next time......God Bless.

I am also entering:
1.  Addicted to Stamps & More has a birthday challenge. 
2.  I Spy with my Little Eye has a something with a "B" challenge. 
3.  The Paper Funday is anything goes w/optional twist of dies. 
4.  Unicorn Challenge is for the boys/men. 
5.  Gem of a Challenge is anything goes. 
   
 

Wednesday, March 6, 2024

Santa Card

Hello Blogger friends! Thanks for taking the time to stop and visit with The Charmed Life Blog today.  

Seems like we might be having an early Spring here in Pittsburgh. Our temps have been very mild for the past several days and the Spring flowers are blooming. The deer are already starting to nibble at my hubby's tulips. 

He has a deer repellant spray that he uses that keeps them away, but it has to applied every few days. Today we had rain, so he won't be using any until tomorrow. So hopefully the deer will stay away from our yard tonight. What he uses is actually a fertilizer for the plants, but the deer don't like the smell of it. 

Anyway, onto my card for today. You might be wondering why I am featuring a Christmas card in March. Well, I always intend to make Christmas cards all year round so there is no rush in December, but it never seems to happen. 

Now that I am no longer on the CottageCutz design team I have some extra time on my hands. I am trying to use up the contents of some older Stampin' Up Paper Pumpkin kits. This one is from the October 2022 Ho Ho Ho Kit. 

Everything you need to complete the card comes in the kit. This kit has the Santa, snowflake and Merry phrase die cut pieces. I usually don't follow the kit ideas but for this one I did. It made for such a sweet card, and I can make several others just like it. I thought it would a cute one for several of my nieces with small children. 

Well, that's it for me for this post. So until next time......God bless. As an update on my Feedblitz issues- I have heard nothing yet on the resolution. So, if you're subscribing to my Blog through them, that's why you aren't receiving anything in email. It's frustrating and has been going on for months. 

I am entering:
1.  Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday challenge is anything goes.  
2.  The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge is anything goes. 
3.  Christmas with the Cuties has a Santa or Snowman theme challenge. 
4.  Merry Little Christmas Challenge is anything goes. 
5Jingle Belles has a die cut challenge. 

Sunday, March 3, 2024

Thanks For Your Hospitality

Hello Blogger Friends! Thanks for taking the time to stop and visit with The Charmed Life Blog this first Sunday in March. 

It's a beautiful Spring like day here with temps hovering around 64°. We just came back from a 2-mile walk and I thought I would get a Blog post in before it's time to start dinner. I am planning on a salmon dish I made before. It's really delicious and here is a link to Pinterest if you are interested in the recipe.  

I am still having trouble with my FeedBlitz account and this has been going on since October. Customer service has once again escalated to their billing department so I will just have to wait and see what happens.

Now onto my card for today. This one I made as a thank you to send to my neighbor who invited us down to their Florida home for a week's stay. It was a wonderful week of sunshine and warm temps.

I tried a technique I have seen on Pinterest and YouTube. It's called the Fractured Card technique. It's a fun and easy technique. I followed this YouTube video from Lisa Curcio. She gives the measurements to use for each cardstock and designer paper piece you need for this card. Here is the link

I used the colors from the Splitcoaststampers color challenge #988. The colors were blueberry bushel and white. Optional was anything goes. I chose to use green for a 3rd color.


The designer paper is from the Stampin' Up "berry delightful" collection. The blueberry images are from the "berry blessings" stamp set. It's a 2-step stamp set, and I think it gave the blueberries a watercolor look. My neighbor does water coloring so she will like this card. 

The sentiment is also Stampin' Up - it's from the Paper Pumpkin "Welcome Inn" kit from June 2023. 

Well, that's it for me for this post. So, until next time......God bless. 

Card Details:
Stamps: berry blessings, Welcome Inn (Stampin' Up)
Paper: blueberry bushel, white, berry delightful dsp (Stampin' Up)
Paper Size: A2
Ink: blueberry bushel, night of navy, garden green, granny apple green (Stampin' Up)
Accessories: stitched square die (CottageCutz)
Techniques: Fractured Card
I am also entering:
1.  Die Cut Divas has an anything goes challenge. 
2.  Crafts Galore Encore is anything goes. 
3.  Polkadoodles has an anything goes challenge. 
4.  Creative Fingers has an anything goes challenge. 
5C.R.A.F.T. Challenges is female. 

 

Wednesday, February 21, 2024

Sunflower Birthday Wishes

Hello Blogger friends. Thanks for taking the time to stop and visit with The Charmed Life Blog today. 

Hope your week is going well. I just came home from my workout at the gym. I see a trainer every Wednesday and work with him for an hour. He has given me a routine to do at home with the equipment I have here. So, I do that one 2 days a week. I just want to stay healthy and fit as I get older. 

Tonight for dinner I am making a creamy broccoli bacon soup. I made it a few weeks ago and my hubby and I really enjoyed it. Plus it's very healthy. I am on a Paleo lifestyle plan and this soup fits in with my diet plan. Here is a link to the recipe if you are interested. 

Fo my card today I am featuring one I made for the color challenge #983 on Splitcoaststampers. We were to use granny apple green, crushed curry and pumpkin pie for her color trio. Optional was to use sunflowers on your card. 
crushed curry, pumpkin pie, granny apple green

My card started with my background paper. It's from the Stampin' Up Sweet Sunflowers Paper Pumpkin Kit from August 2022.

It has a sunflower, but the other flowers were in crushed curry and melon mambo. So, I cut smaller sunflowers in crushed curry cardstock, a bee, butterfly and some hearts and placed them over the other flowers.

I inked the edge of my flowers with spiced marmalade distress ink to cover the pumpkin color. My card base is the granny apple green color.

Stamped my sentiment on a tag from the kit and added some crushed curry enamel dots.

This one will go to my good friend in Virginia who has a July birthday, and the sunflower is her favorite flower.

Well, that's it for me for this post. So until next time.......God bless.  

Card Details:

Stamps: beyond the horizon (Paper Pumpkin March 2022)
Paper: granny apple green, crushed curry, choc chip (Stampin' Up)
Paper Size: A2
Ink: choc chip (Stampin' Up), spiced marmalade distress (Ranger)
Accessories: Sweet Sunflowers PP Kit - August 2022, Crushed Curry Enamel Dots (Stampin' Up), Harvest Cornstalk, Fall Scarecrow, Fresh Strawberry Patch dies (CottageCutz)

I am also entering:
1.  A Perfect time to Craft has an anything goes challenge.
2.  Beautiful Blossoms Challenge is anything goes with Flowers + optional mood board. 
3Crafts Galore Encore is anything goes. 
4.  Daisy Chain Challenge is anything goes. 
5.  Triple B Challenge is anything goes with a Bird, Bloom or a Butterfly. I have a Butterfly and Blooms. 

Sunday, February 18, 2024

Gate Fold Masculine Birthday

Hello Blogger friends! Thanks for taking the time to stop and visit with The Charmed Life Blog this Sunday in February. 

It's been a cold and blustery weekend in Pittsburgh. We had snow on Friday night and Saturday morning. The sun is shining today so that's always good but very cold. 

I had to make a quick stop after church at the grocery store and the wind was blowing pretty fiercely. But I am home now with dinner in the crockpot. We are having some comfort food with a roast, mashed potatoes and roasted cauliflower. 

Now onto my card for today. My friend asked me to make a card for her son who loves to ride his motorcycle. I am also entering it into the Featured Stamper challenge #889 on Splitcoaststampers. My card is a gatefold style with a belly band. So let's get started with the card details.

Design Steps:
I started by preparing the card base and the layering panels.
Card Base - 8 1/2" x 5 1/2"I scored both panels at 2 1/8" on each side.
White Layers - 5 3/8" x 2"
Designer Paper Layer - 5" x 1 7/8"
Belly Band -11" x 1 1/2" - scored at 7 3/8" & 3 1/8". 
I cut the pieces for the motorcycle. I used red and black since that's the color of her son's bike. I cut a circle using the 3rd largest Stitched Circle die. Sponged some clouds using Tumbled Glass distress ink and Mowed Lawn distress ink for grass. Attached the motorcycle image with dimensional adhesive.
I wanted a sentiment on the front but I didn't have any stamps that would work. So, I used the letters from the CottageCutz Cinema Drive-In Sign and Fifties Phrases #2 dies for the "Ride On" phrase. I attached the image on the belly band and slid it over the card front.
 
I finished the inside of my card using the CottageCutz Happy Birthday w/ shadow die. I also stamped a sentiment. It's from an old Verve set. 


Well, that's my card for this post. So, until next time......God bless. 

I am also entering:
1.  Lil Patch of Crafty Friends has an anything goes challenge. 
2.  Creative Creases Challenge #76 is anything goes with a fun fold. 
3.  Craft Rocket Challenge has a birthday challenge. 
4.  Creative Inspirations #11 is anything goes.  
5.  Time Out Challenge #257 has a birthday challenge. 











Friday, February 16, 2024

Valentine Love

Hello Blogger Friends! Thanks for taking the time to stop and visit with The Charmed Life Blog today. 

Another weekend is upon us, so I hope you have plans for something crafty. We are expecting a snowstorm here in the Pittsburgh area. In fact, as I type this post it's snowing. We haven't had a lot of snow this winter so having a snowy weekend is ok with me. 

I made a big pot of chili for dinner. It's nice to have comfort food when the weather is cold and snowy. My hubby really enjoyed it - even though it was a bit spicy. Tomorrow I will make taco salads for dinner. I love it when a meal extends to a couple of dinners.

Now onto my card for today. This is the last of this year's Valentine cards. I usually make several cards and then let some of our friends pick one for their wives. This one was the last one picked. 

A friend stopped over on Tuesday and really liked this card. The inside sentiment read "Love is just a word until someone comes along to give it meaning". The sentiment really touched him, so he picked this card. 

I also sent him home with some stuffed banana peppers. I had a lot of them in our freezer from last summer's harvest. He really enjoys them. 

Now onto my card for today. I used the colors from the Splitcoasstampers color challenge #986. I was the hostess, and I chose real red, gorgeous grape and garden green for the color trio. Optional was anything goes.
real red, gorgeous grape, garden green

I decided to make a Valentine card using some non-traditional colors. This one is created with elements from the Stampin' Up January 2024 Paper Pumpkin Kit.

For the option I added a 4th color of highland heather. The background designer paper, lavender and greenery are part of the Paper Pumpkin Kit.

I used a panel of highland heather cardstock and embossed with a hearts folder. Die cut a love phrase, stamped the Valentine sentiment and added a real red bakers twine bow to complete my card.

Well that's it for me for this post. So until next time......God bless. 

Card Details:
Stamps: key to my heart (January 2023 Paper Pumpkin), lovely lavender (January 2024 Paper Pumpkin)
Paper: gorgeous grape, highland heather, real red (Stampin' Up)
Paper Size: A2
Ink: gorgeous grape (Stampin' Up)
Accessories: Paper Pumpkin Kit January 2024, Heart Epoxy Droplets (Stampin' Up)
I am also entering:
1.  Crafty Catz has a Valentine or Love challenge. 
2.  Creative Fingers Challenge Blog has an anything goes challenge. 
3.  Cut It Up has a have a heart challenge.
4.  Creative Inspiration Challenge has an anything goes challenge.
5.   Moving Along with the Times has a Love Hearts challenge. 







Thursday, February 15, 2024

I Only Have "Fries" For You

Hello Blogger Friends! Thanks for taking the time to stop and visit with The Charmed Life Blog today. 

It's the day after Valentine's Day but I still have 2 cards to post that I made for this Holiday. This one I gave to my hubby as his card. I decided to try these non-traditional colors for a Valentine card. My Valentine sentiment is on the card inside. 

He likes fries, and I thought this would be a perfect card for him. Although when I make fries for him I either bake or air fry no deep-fried ones. 

My card started with the colors from this weeks color challenge #987 on Splitcoaststampers. Our colors were poppy parade, lost lagoon and copper clay for the color trio. Optional this week is any 4th color. I chose yellow. 

lost lagoon, copper clay, poppy parade


The fries die is from the CottageCutz "Circus" collection. I stamped a face, arms and feet with a stamp from MFT. It's from the same set as the sentiment.

For the fries I used poppy parade for the container and cut the fries in yellow cardstock and then shaded it with wild honey distress ink. Cut the "fries" phrase in copper clay cardstock.I added a few hearts to complete my card.

Well, that's it for me for this post. So until next time......God bless.

Card Details:

Stamps: we make a great combo (MFT)
Paper: cpoppy parade, opper clay, lost lagoon, so saffron (Stampin' Up)
Paper Size: 4 1/2" x 5 3/4"
Ink: copper clay, black (Stampin' Up), wild honey distress (Ranger)
Accessories: build a burger die (CottageCutz), blueprints 15, little letters dies (MFT)

I am also entering:
1. Crafty Gals Corner challenge to add a heart. 
2. Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday challenge is anything goes.
3.  I Spy with My Little Eye challenge is hearts or roses. 
4Little Red Wagon wants us to show some love. 
5.  The Male Room challenge is a Valentine/Use a heart.    





Tuesday, February 13, 2024

Hugs & Kisses

Hello Blogger friends! Thanks for taking the time to stop and visit with The Charmed Life Blog today. 

It's the day before Valentine's Day so I thought I would share another of the cards I created for this holiday. This one I sent to my precious granddaughter out in California. 

She loves getting mail from me and saves the cards I send her.  I packed up a little box with Valentine candy and of course some cash because what kid doesn't like getting money in a card. 

I liked how this one turned out. So here are some card details. 

I used the colors from the Splitcoaststampers color challenge #985. We were to use polished pink, tahitian tide and lemon lolly for the color trio. Optional was to use something that starts with the letter "B". I used a Lawn Fawn border die.
tahitian tide, lemon lolly, polished pink

I thought I would try and make a Valentine using non-traditional colors. With the Lawn Fawn Candy Hearts die I accomplished my mission, especially since candy hearts come in these colors. Making Valentine cards in non-traditional colors is always a fun challenge for me. 

My background paper is from the Stampin' Up "bloom where you are planted" collection and the color is gray granite (neutral). My card base is also gray granite.

I cut the hearts in the challenge colors. My hugs & kisses phrase is a border die from Lawn Fawn  and I cut in polished pink cardstock. The sentiment is from the Lawn Fawn "Love Letters" set. To finish off my card I added some polished pink jewels and a couple of polished pink hearts cut from cardstock.

Well, that's it for me for this post. So until next time......God bless. 

Card Details:
Stamps: love letters (Lawn Fawn)
Paper: polished pink, tahitian tide, lemon lolly, gray granite, bloom where you are planted dsp (Stampin' Up)
Paper Size: A2
Ink: polished pink (Stampin'-Up)
Accessories: candy hearts die, hugs & kisses border die (Lawn Fawn), in-color polished pink jewels (Stampin' Up)
I am also entering:
1.  Try It On Tuesday has a hearts or Flowers challenge.
2A Perfect time To Craft is anything goes. 
3.  Ally's Angels has an anything goes challenge.  
4.  Crafts Galore Encore is anything goes. 
5.  Aud Sentiments Challenge is dies or love or both plus a sentiment.



Monday, February 12, 2024

We Go Together

Hello Blogger Friends! Thanks for taking the time to stop and visit with The Charmed Life blog today.

It's been a couple of weeks since I have posted a card but for good reason. We were away in Florida visiting a friend. My friend and her husband bought a home there and spend the winter months enjoying the milder temps and sunshine. 

They invited us down last year as well. The weather was perfect averaging between 60°-72°. It was sunny every day that we were there except one day it rained. When we left Pittsburgh, we hadn't seen the sun for 5 days in a row. So getting many days of sunshine was perfect for us. 

We are home now and having milder temps here as well. I think our winter weather is returning in the next couple of days. 

I have made several Valentine cards and wanted to get them posted before the day comes and goes. This one I made for the color challenge #984 on Splitcoaststampers. We were to use melon mambo, very vanilla and pecan pie for her color trio. Optional was anything goes.
melon mambo, very vanilla, pecan pie

I decided to try a Valentine card using these non-traditional colors. And for the optional, I added a 4th color with fresh freesia.

My background is the Blooming Hearts cutting plate from Taylored Expressions. I cut it in pecan pie, melon mambo and fresh freesia. Used the die inlay technique and added hearts in melon mambo and fresh freesia.

My cute images are from the "little bits - pb & j" dies also from Taylored Expressions. I cut the peanut butter from pecan pie cardstock and the jelly from melon mambo. The sentiment is from the "we go together" stamp set (Taylored Expressions) and stamped on fresh freesia in pecan pie ink.

I usually make extra cards and let the men from church pick one for their wife. This one however I gave to one of the trainers at my gym to give to his wife. 

Well, that's it for me for this post. So, until next time......God bless. 

Card Details:
Stamps: pizza my heart, we go together (Taylored Expressions)
Paper: melon mambo, very vanilla, pecan pie, fresh freesia (Stampin' Up)
Paper Size: A2
Ink: pecan pie (Stampin' Up)
Accessories: blooming hearts cutting plate, pizza my heart dies (Taylored Expressions), pierced rectangle stax (MFT)
Techniques: die cut inlay
I am also entering:
1.  Die Cut Divas has a non-traditional Valentine card challenge. 
2.  Lil Patch of Crafty Friends has an anything goes challenge. 
3.  Allsorts Challenge is hearts w/option of anything goes. 
4.  Crafty Calendar Challenge is to add a heart. 
5.  Inkspirational Challenge is hearts. 



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