Birthday Mugs and Kisses

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

I can't believe it's been a month since I posted on my Blog. January was such a busy month and then we had the opportunity to spend some time in Florida at our friend's winter home. It was just so nice getting away and enjoying the sunshine and warmer weather. 

But now it's back to reality and the winter weather of Pittsburgh. We had snow a couple of days ago and this weekend the temps are to be bitter cold.

Tomorrow I am having a Galentine party at my home with some of my girlfriends. I had one last year and it was so much fun I decided to do it again. This year I decided to have the girls make a Valentine card for their hubby's. 

The January Paper Pumpkin Kit from Stampin' Up is all about Valentines. The cards are simple enough to make because I have a group of non-stampers coming.  

I have lots of appetizers and I am also going to serve some Butternut squash soup and a salad. The soup recipe is amazing and so delicious. 

Now onto my card for today. This one I created for one of my nieces who has a January birthday.  I used the colors from the Splitcoastampers color challenge #929. We were to use mint macaron, sweet sorbet and early espresso for the color trio. Optional was to use  something sweet. I am claiming the option since I have whipped cream on my mug!

early espresso mint macaron sweet sorbet

The dies I used are from CottageCutz - .happy birthday w/shadow, cup of love, and double stitched rectangle dies.

The background paper is from the Stampin' Up "pattern party" collection. I stamped my sentiment in early espresso on a flag cut in mint macaron.

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

card details: 

Stamps: hug in a mug (MFT)

Paper: mint macaron, sweet sorbet, white, pattern party dsp (Stampin' Up)

Paper Size: A2

Ink: early espresso (Stampin' Up)

Accessories: happy birthday w/shadow, cup of love, and double stitched rectangle dies (CottageCutz), flag stax die (MFT)

I am also entering:

1.  Seize the Birthday is anything goes w/option of candles. 

2.  Little Red Wagon has a warm drinks challenge. 

3.  A Place to Start has an anything goes challenge. 

4.  Cupcake Inspiration has a polka dot challenge. 

5.  Lil Patch of Crafty Friends has an anything goes. 

Silent Night

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

January is off to a good start. Our weather here has been very mild. No sunshine and it's been raining for a couple of days but nothing like the temps over Christmas when it was bitter cold. 

I still have all my Christmas decorations up and probably won't start taking them down until next week. I do a little at a time because the takedown process is something I don't really like doing. Wrapping and placing everything carefully in containers is very time consuming. Although it's worth it because nothing gets damaged this way. 

Something else I decided this year is that I am going to make Christmas cards throughout the year. That way I won't be in a scramble at Christmas. I think I may say this every year but this year I am determined to follow through. I have some CottageCutz dies that I didn't get to use in 2022 and also some Stampin' Up Paper Pumpkin Christmas Kits that I want to use. 

So, these 2 cards that I am showing today are some easy designs. I used the CottageCutz Silent Night Forest die. I cut in white and then used designer paper for my background. 

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

I am entering:

1.  Merry Little Christmas Challenge is anything goes.

2.  The Crafting Challenge has a "snow write" challenge.  

  

Peace and Joy Wreath

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

It's a late-night post for me. My son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter are here visiting for Christmas. The days seem to go by so quickly with other family visiting and just spending time with my granddaughter. Everyone is in bed now so I thought I would get this post in. I am still showing this season's Christmas cards. 

This one I created for the Splitcoaststampers 2022 Falliday Fest. This challenge we were to make a card or project that uses pines... trees or cones... or both!! 

I chose the pinecone option, and they are featured in my designer paper. The designer paper is from the "Painted Christmas" collection from Stampin' Up.  

My wreath is a new die from CottageCutz. It's the Peace and Joy Wreath. I cut it evening evergreen and real red cardstock also from Stampin' Up. 

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

card details:

Paper: soft succulent, evening evergreen, real red, basic white, painted Christmas dsp (Stampin' Up)

Paper Size: 4 1/2" x 5 3/4"

Accessories: Peace and Joy Wreath (CottageCutz)

I am also entering:

1.  As You Like It challenge is anything goes for Christmas. 

2.  C.R.A.F.T. Challenge #662 is anything goes. 

3.  Krafty Chicks challenge is anything goes. 

4.  Crafty Gals Corner is anything goes. 

5.  The Paper Funday Challenge is anything goes with optional of Holiday Time. 

Peaceful Christmas

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

It's the day after Christmas so hope all of you survived the day. Our Christmas celebration was such a wonderful one. My son and his family that live here in Pittsburgh were here for dinner. I made chicken parmesan, stuffed shells, stuffed banana peppers (in freezer from hubby's summer garden) and a tossed salad. Then lots of Christmas cookies for dessert. Everyone loved the meal. That always makes me happy. 

And we will have another celebration when my son and his family arrive from San Francisco on Tuesday. So, looking forward to seeing my precious little granddaughter. 

This morning we went to the mall to see what was on sale. This is an annual tradition for my hubby & I. I picked up a calendar for my craft room and a personalized Christmas ornament for my granddaughter. Now I am home just getting everything straightened up from yesterday. 

Onto my card for today. This one I created for the color challenge #926 on Splitcoaststampers. We were to use gorgeous grape, tahitian tide and parakeet party for our color trio. Optional was to add sparkle. 

For my card I used a card base from the Stampin' Up October 2021 Paper Pumpkin kit- "Peaceful Christmas". The kit came with these beautiful card bases. It jsut reminded me of a blizzard. I colored the trees with alcohol markers in granny apple green. The markers are from Stampin' Up.

I cut my Merry Christmas phrase in granny apple green. It's a die from CottageCutz- Merry Christmas w/Snowflakes. It's currently on a 50% off sale in the CottageCutz online store.

To get the tahitian tide color in I added a few blue birds to the pine trees. My card base is smoky slate and I used a silver metallic paint pen and edged the card.

The sentiment banner came in the kit- I edged it with the granny apple green marker. Cut a flag in gorgeous grape and added a few gorgeous grape enamel dots to finish off my card.

That's it for me for this post. I will be back tomorrow with another of this year's Christmas cards. So until next time.......God bless.

card details:

Stamps: Peaceful Christmas (Oct 2021 Paper Pumpkin)

Paper: basic gray, granny apple green, gorgeous grape (Stampin' Up)

Paper Size: 4 1/2" x 5 3/4"

Ink: gorgeous grape (Stampin'-Up)

Accessories: Stampin' Blends (Granny Apple Green), glossy enamel dots (Stampin' Up), Merry Christmas w/Snowflakes die (CottageCutz)

I am also entering:

1.  A Place to Start is anything goes w/optional of Happy Holidays. 

2.  Crafting Happiness Challenge is Christmas. 

3.  Use Your Stuff is anything goes Christmas edition. 

4.  CHNC Challenge #626 is anything goes Christmas. 

5.  Sweet Stampin' Challenge is Christmas creations. 

Tis the Season

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

Well, it's 2 days before Christmas. Hope you plans are going according to schedule. I finished up my baking yesterday. Today my plan is to run the sweeper, dust and clean the bathrooms. Then I will be wrapping gifts. 

We are having a very cold and blustery day here in Pittsburgh. Just a bit of snow but I think that's finished for today.  I don't have to go out since I did all my food shopping last night. 

Now let's move onto my card for today. This one I created for the color challenge #921 on Splitcoaststampers. We were to use bermuda bay, melon mambo & granny apple green for our color trio. Optional is a snowman. And if you take the option you can add pumpkin pie. A snowman without a carrot-colored nose just wouldn't do!

I started my card by stenciling snowflakes on the designer paper. It's from the "oh so ombre" collection by Stampin' Up. I used an icicle embossing powder and then the snowflakes turned clear. In hindsight, I should have used white embossing powder to make them standout. I did use clear wink of stella for a bit of sparkle.

The snowmen are from the Snowman Friends die from CottageCutz. Their scarves & hat are cut in the challenge colors.

I cut the "tis the season" phrase in melon mambo. It's also a new die from CottageCutz. Used some dazzling diamonds glitter on the snowbank to complete my card.

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

card details:

Paper: bermuda bay, basic white, melon mambo, granny apple green, black, soft suede, pumpkin pie, oh so ombre dsp (Stampin' Up)

Paper Size: 4 1/2" x 5 3/4"

Ink: white craft ink (Stampin' Up)

Accessories: snowman friends, tis the season dies (CottageCutz), dazzling diamons glitter (Stampin' Up), peaceful pines stencil (Taylored Expressions, icicle ep (Brutus Monroe)

I am also entering:

1.  As you Like it Challenge is anything goes for Christmas. 

2.  Cardz 4 Galz has a fun in the snow challenge. 

3.  Creative Knockouts has a "tis the season challenge.

4.  Crafty Gals has a "tis the season" challenge.

5.  Paper Funday is anything goes w/option holiday time.  

Jolly Santa

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

Well, it's 3 days before Christmas. Hope all your plans are going according to schedule. I am making more cookies today and then off to the grocery store to pick up supplies for Christmas dinner. Tomorrow its gift-wrapping time. Then Christmas Eve we will be going over to my son's home for dinner. 

Then Christmas I have everyone here for dinner. My menu is a lot different this year. I kept going back and forth with what to make. Then I decided on wedding soup, stuffed banana peppers, stuffed shells and a tossed salad. I will have a charcuterie board for appetizers and Christmas cookies for dessert. I hope it goes over well with everyone. We will see. 

Now onto my card for today. This one I made for the color challenge #924. I was the hostess and chose crumb cake, cherry cobbler and shaded spruce for my color trio. Option was to use snowflakes.

My card is using elements from the Oct 2022 Stampin' Up Paper Pumpkin kit. This kit is just too cute and there are 3 different card styles to make.

I stayed pretty much true to the design of the card in the kit. I added some plaid designer paper and shaded spruce rhinestones.

I covered the optional item with 3 iridescent snowflakes that came as part of the kit. And that's my card for today. So until next time......God bless

card details:

Stamps: HoHoHo (Stampin' Up PP Kit Oct 22)

Paper: cherry cobbler, shaded spruce, crumb cake, wrapped in plaid dsp (Stampin' Up) plaid

Paper Size: A2

Ink: earl espresso

Accessories: Paper Pumpkin Kit Oct 2022, shaded spruce rhinestones (Stampin' Up)

I am also entering:

1.  As you Like It Challenge is anything goes for Christmas. 

2.  Creative Knockouts has a tis the season challenge. 

3.  Moving Along with the Times has a Christmas challenge. 

4.  Crafty Gals Corner has a tis the season challenge. 

5.  Fab 'n' Funky has a last minute Christmas challenge. 

Polar Bear Trio

Hello Blogger Friends! Thanks for taking the time to stop and visit with The Charmed Life Blog today. Hope your weekend is going well. 

We attended a Christmas Party last night. It was a very nice evening with friends and good food. 

We started Sunday off with church and then my hubby and I were teaching Sunday school. We have the K-2nd grade kids. Our lesson was on the Shepherds watching their sheep and then being visited by the angels. The kids were attentive and cooperative which is sometimes hard right before Christmas.  

Now it's Sunday afternoon and I am finishing up addressing my Christmas cards. Some of them are going across country so hopefully they will arrive by next Saturday. I will get them to the post office by tomorrow morning.

Now onto my card for today. This one I created for the color challenge #923 on Splitcoaststampers. We were to use fresh freesia, balmy blue and pacific point for our color trio. Optional was to use your favorite pink. I chose polished pink.

I created a slimline Christmas card for my sample this week. I started with the background designer paper. I just bought this new pack of Christmas themed slimline card fronts from Divinity Designs. The patterns are so pretty and perfect for creating outdoor scenes. This snowy scene is perfect for my polar bears. 

I used the new Polar Bear Trio & Igloo die from CottageCutz. Used the challenge colors for their hats & scarves. For the North Pole sign, I used balmy blue and then merry merlot (an allowed neutral) for the pole. It is a candy cane after all. Not wild about the shade-just a bit dark.

The Season's Greetings sentiment phrase is also a die from CottageCutz. I cut that in pacific point cardstock. Added a few more pine trees in white and that's my card.

Time to get back to my Christmas card addressing so until next time.......God bless. 

card details:

Paper: basic white, pacific point, fresh freesia, polished pink, balmy blue, merry merlot (Stampin' Up), Christmas Slimline designer papers (Divinity Designs)

Paper Size: 8 1/2" x 3 1/2"

Accessories: polar bear trio & igloo, season's greetings dies (CottageCutz)

Techniques: slimline card

I am also entering:

1.  52 Christmas Card Throwdown challenge is snowflakes. I had the perfect designer paper. 

2.  Allsorts Challenge is anything goes. 

3.  Alphabet Challenge is "S" is for snow.

4.  Beyond the Blue has a snowflakes challenge. 

5.  Critter Crazy Challenge is anything goes with a critter.   

Peace and Joy Wreath

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

It's getting to be crunch time for Christmas now. So today, finally, I will finish up my handmade Christmas cards. I hope to get a lot of them addressed and mailed. Some of them are going out of town so they will be addressed first. 

I also send some boxed cards to friends & family who don't really care if the card is handmade. You know too much work goes into these handmade cards, so I am particular about who I send them to. So let's move onto my card because I have to get back to making them (lol)!!!

This card I made for the color challenge #920 on Splitcoaststampers. We were to use merry merlot, garden green and polished pink for the color trio. Optional was to choose another color. I chose blue and used balmy blue and pacific point for my bird image.

I used the challenge colors to create the wreath. I sponged garden green ink on the same cardstock for a deeper shade on the holly.

The grapevine wreath image is cut in kraft cardstock, and I sponged tea dye distress ink for shading. This die is the Rustic Wreath die from CottageCutz.

The "Peace and Joy" phrase is from the die of the same name. It's a new one also from CottageCutz.

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

card details:

Paper: merry merlot, smoky slate, polished pink, garden green balmy blue, pacific point, soft suede, kraft, bloom where you are planted dsp (Stampin' Up)

Paper Size: A2

Ink: tea dye distress ink (Ranger), balmy blue (Stampin' Up)

Accessories: rustic wreath, peace and joy wreath dies (CottageCutz), enamel dots (Stampin' Up)

I am also entering:

1.  Cut it Up has a Christmas project challenge that includes a die cut.

2.  Jingle Belles has a wrap it up Christmas challenge. 

3.  Winter Wonderland has an anything goes Christmas. 

4.  Most Magical Time of the Year has a magical florals challenge.  

5.  Die Cut Divas has an anything winter or Christmas themed challenge.

Joy to the World

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

I had plans to start getting my Christmas cards addressed and in the mail today but last night out of nowhere both my hubby and I started not feeling well. I just laid around on the couch most of the day and slept for a couple of hours in the afternoon. Once I woke up, I had a bit more energy but not enough to get into anything. I am hoping whatever this is gone tomorrow because I have lots to do. But who doesn't this time of year?

So onto my card for today. This one I made using the colors from the Splitcoaststampers color challenge #CC905. We were to use pool party, poppy parade and pear pizzazz as her color trio. 

For my card I used a new to me cutting plate from Taylored Expressions - Blooming Holiday. I cut it in basic white cardstock and then placed it over a panel of pear pizzazz.

It just didn't pop so I decided to do a die inlay technique. I cut again in pool party and poppy parade and filled in some of the areas of the die.

The sentiment image is a die from CottageCutz - "Joy to the World Tree". I cut that in poppy and faux ornaments in pear pizzazz. I added a gold star to the top. In hindsight, I think I should have cut the tree in pear pizzazz and used poppy for the ornaments. Oh well (lol)!!!

Well that's it for me for this Blog post. Short and sweet- so until next time God bless.....

card details: 

Paper: poppy parade, pool party, pear pizzazz, basic white, gold (Stampin' Up)

Paper Size: A2

Ink: pool party (Stampin' Up)

Accessories: joy to the world tree (CottageCutz), blooming holiday cutting plate (Taylored Expressions)

Techniques: die cut inlay

I am also entering:

1. Shopping our Stash has a Holly & Ivy - Christmas greenery challenge. 

2.  Beyond the Blue has a Winter Holidays challenge. 

3.  Crafty Catz has an anything goes w/option last minute Christmas

4.  Cut it Up has a winter challenge using a die cut.

5.  Jingle Bells has a wrapping up Christmas challenge. 

Whimsy & Wonder Christmas

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

Wow- it's been some time since I have posted on my Blog. Life has just been busy since Thanksgiving and now it's 2 weeks until Christmas.  I have been busy working on my Christmas cards, decorating and baking. I haven't started any of my Christmas chocolates as yet but that will happen soon.

I also haven't mailed any of my Christmas cards and that's a whole other process. It usually takes a couple of days to get them addressed, select which card goes where and then actually mailed. I don't make multiples of cards so all of mine are one of a kind.

Now onto my card for today. This one I created using the colors from the Splitcoaststampers color challenge #903. I was the hostess, and I chose mint macaron, mossy meadow, misty moonlight and a favorite shade of pink for the color combo.

favorite pink, mint macaron, mossy meadow, misty moonlight

For my Christmas card, I did a split panel fun fold. Usually on this fold you stamp a sentiment on the open panel, but I liked it with a die cut after seeing this card from Judy May. I used dimensional adhesive to pop up the 2 angled panels. I also added a border of polished pink cardstock to each edge.

I used the "whimsy and wonder" designer paper from Stampin' Up- it contains all the colors I selected. My favorite shade of pink is polished pink. I love the bright and bold color.

The Merry Christmas sentiment is a die from CottageCutz. I cut it 3x to give it some dimension. As a background for the die cut, I used another pattern from the same designer paper collection. This one is in the mint macaron shade.

To finish off my card, I scattered a few polished pink enamel dots. That's it for me for this post. I will be back tomorrow with another Christmas card. 

card details:

Paper: polished pink, misty moonlight, whimsy & wonder dsp (Stampin' Up)

Paper Size: A2

Accessories: merry christmas w/snowflake die (CottageCutz), in-color enamel dots (Stampin' Up)

Techniques: split panel card

I am also entering:

1.  Crafting Happiness Challenge is Christmas. 

2.  Use Your Stuff #473 is anything goes - Christmas edition. 

3.  A Gem of a Challenge is anything goes. 

4.  CHNC is anything goes Christmas w/optional of quick and easy. 

5.  Taylormadecards4u has an anything goes Christmas.