Jolly Snowman

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

 

It's hazy, hot and humid again today and a perfect day to post a snowman card. There are Christmas in July sales and celebrations everywhere. Qvc -my favorite shopping channel has promos all month, and in Blogland there are lots of challenges. Not that I am wishing the summer away but it's a perfect cool down card (lol!).

 

I made this card for the Christmas in July theme and the color challenge #746 on Splitcoaststampers. Jeanne was the hostess and she chose granny apple green blushing bride and melon mambo. Optional was to use stripes.

granny apple green, blushing bride, melon mambo

With these non-traditional colors, I thought a snowman with a hat and scarf would work. For my card I used the CottageCutz die "jolly snowman" die. I cut my happy snowman's hat and scarf in the challenge colors and to cover the dessert option I gave him a striped hat and scarf.

For the snowy background I used an MFT snow stencil and embossing paste with a little added glitter. I carried the glitter theme through to the snowbank and the snowflake that landed on the snowman by using white glitter cardstock.

My Merry Christmas sentiment is a stamp set from Lawn Fawn. I stamped in granny apple green. To complete my card, I added a couple of melon mambo glitter enamel dots, and my first Christmas card of 2019 is done.

 

Well that's it for me for this post, so until next time...….God bless! Enjoy your summer weekend!

 

card details:

Stamps: winter scripty sayings (Lawn Fawn)

Paper: melon mambo, whisper white, granny apple green, blushing bride, soft suede, basic black, granny apple green dsp (Stampin'-Up), white glitter paper (Recollections)

Paper Size: 4 1/2" x 5 3/4"

Ink: granny apple green (Stampin'-Up)

Accessories: jolly snowman die (CottageCutz), flag banner die, snowfall stencil (MFT), glitter enamel dots, dazzling diamonds glitter (Stampin'-Up)

Techniques: stenciling

I am also entering:

1.  Cut It Up has a Christmas in July challenge using die cuts.

2.  CRAFT has a Christmas challenge.

3.  Crimbo Crackers has an anything goes Christmas challenge.

4.  Sweet Stampin' Christmas has an anything goes challenge.

5.  The Male Room has a Christmas in July challenge.

Hugs For You

Hello Blogger Friends! Thanks for taking the time to stop and visit with The Charmed Life. Hazy, hot and humid is our weather for today and with 87degrees temps not much outdoor activity in our neighborhood. 

 

We had a follow up appointment with the Orthopedic Dr this morning to check my hubby's fingers. He had a lawnmower accident on the 4th of July and cut a couple of fingers on his right hand and broke the fingertip bones in those fingers.  

He required stitches in those fingers and today the stitches were removed. The soft tissue is still healing but the Dr. is very pleased with the results so far.

 

His next visit is the 29th of July and we are looking for another good report. In the meantime he is not allowed to be out working in his garden. The Dr said there is a lot of bacteria in dirt and if it gets in the wound it could cause an infection. So I am being a policeman and making sure his orders a re carried out. This hasn't been easy for my hubby because he spend 4-6 hours daily in his flower and vegetable gardens and sometimes longer.

 

A friend came over and helped him out the other day and will come back again to help. Plus our next door neighbor who is just as avid in the gardens has helped out. Lots of others offered but my hubby is fussy about his gardens and won't allow just anyone in to help. I totally understand that.

 

Now let's move onto my card for today. This one I created for the color challenge #743 on Splitcoaststampers. Barbara was the hostess and she chose old olive, mint macaron and calypso coral for her color trio. Optional was to use designer paper.

 

For my card I used some of the elements from the Stampin-Up May 2019 Paper Pumpkin Kit and made an alternative card design. The nest image and leaves are a card base in the kit. I cut it (3 ½" x 5" ) and added some color to the image by coloring the leaves and the eggs. This is my designer paper optional.

I used mint macaron, old olive and calypso coral Stampin Blends to add the color. The old olive markers were from the original alcohol marker release from Stampin'-Up and they are really dark on the crumb cake paper. The color looks more like mossy meadow, so I layered a piece of mossy meadow (neutral) cardstock (2" x 5 ¼") to complement the coloring. Here is a link to all the neutral colors we are using for the color challenge team.

Layered my image panel with soft suede (neutral) (3 5/8" x 5 1/8") and the card base is calypso coral (3 7/8" x 5 ½"). Added some calypso coral ribbon for interest. The sentiment label came in the kit as did the "Hugs" and "For You" words.

 

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

 

card details:

Stamps: Hugs from Shelli (Stampin Up May 2019 Paper Pumpkin Kit)

Paper: calypso coral, mossy meadow, soft suede

Paper Size: 3 7/8" x 5 1/2"

Ink: calypso coral

Accessories: princess & rose die (CottageCutz), Paper Pumpkin May Kit, calypso coral ribbon, stampin blends (Stampin Up)

I am also entering:

1.  Polkadoodles has an anything goes challenge.

2.  Aud Sentiments has a sentiment + bingo challenge. I used ribbon-stamp and die cut.

3.  Stampotique Designers Challenge is all about Friendship this week.

Gnome Sending Birthday Wishes

Hello Blogger Friends! Thanks for taking the time to stop and visit with The Charmed Life Blog today. Hope all my US visitors had a great 4th of July celebration.

 

Ours was a bit crazy. My hubby had a freak accident and cut the tips of his two fingers on the lawnmower. We went to the emergency room to find out that the bones in these fingertips were broken. They cleaned the wound, gave him a tetanus shot, stitches and a prescription for an antibiotic.

 

We were referred to an orthopedic surgeon. We did manage to get into see the orthopedic Dr yesterday. He confirmed the broken bones but said he will not have to do surgery and he did not splint the fingers. He said right now it's all about wound care. He was adamant that hubby needs to stay out of his gardens. He said there is bacteria in the dirt and if it gets in the open wound could cause an infection. That could lead to more serious problems.

 

Hubs tried to get around the Dr's orders but he wasn't relenting. I will be a policeman for the next month or two while this heals. My hubby is such an avid gardener. He spends lots of hours in his gardens. All his efforts pay off because we have such a beautiful yard and a bountiful vegetable garden. So many friends have offered to come and help him. I am not a gardener but  I will do whatever he instructs me to do.

 

The dressing has to be changed every day and that made me a bit nervous but my neighbor who is a nurse came up this morning and helped me out. She let me do most of it. I feel more confident now to change it alone.

 

Now onto my card for today. This one I made for my weekly DT post on the CottageCutz Blog. It didn't come together so easily because my hubby was on my mind as I was creating. So lots went wrong and my design changed at least 4 times (LOL)!

 

I used the Gnome on a Tree Stump die to create this card. My idea was to give the illusion he was standing on the letter "S". The Wish phrase is cut from the Stitched Alphabet die. The heart balloon is from the Fairytale Birthday die.

 

My background designer paper is from Stampin'-Up a soft seafoam green. It's a subtle pattern and perfect for this design. The sentiments are from 3 different Lawn Fawn sets.

 

Added the heart balloon and birthday streamers to complete my card. That's it for me for this post. So until next time...….God bless.

 

dies I used to crate card:

 

 

I am also entering:

1.  Crafty Friends has a things beginning with "B" challenge. I used Birthday sentiment & Balloon.

2.  Crafty Catz has an anything goes challenge.

3.  Simply Create Too has an anything goes with optional.

4.  Creative Knockouts has a birthday wish challenge.

5.  Cute Card Thursday is anything goes.

 

 

July 4th

Happy Birthday America!

 

Hello Blogger Friends! Thanks for taking the time to stop and visit with The Charmed Life Blog today. We are celebrating the 4th of July here in the US. It's a day of celebration with cookouts, parades and fireworks. Hope whatever your plans are, it will be a day of relaxation.

 

My card for today was created using the colors from the Splitcoaststampers color challenge #745.  I was the hostess and the color trio I chose was real red, blueberry bushel and white. Optional was to make a patriotic card.

real red, blueberry bushel, whisper white

I used the swirly scribbles framelits die for the background. Thanks to my teamie Chris for helping me out there. I didn't have this die but she did.

I decided to place my stars in a circular fashion and use 13 stars for the original 13 colonies.
The July phrase is cut in blueberry bushel cardstock from a CottageCutz die. To finish of my card I cut a couple of larger stars and added the 4 to the center.

I sent this off to my nephew to thank him for his military service. And that completes this post. So until next time...….God bless.

 

card details:

Paper: real red, whisper white, blueberry bushel (Stampin'-Up)

Paper Size: A2

Accessories: swirly scribbles thinlits, star framelits dies (Stampin'-Up), starry die (Verve), stitched numbers, calendar months dies (CottageCutz)

 

I am also entering:

1.  Stinkin' Inkers has a stars and /or stripes challenge.

2.  Addicted to Stamps and More has a holiday challenge.

3.  Fab 'n" Funky has a stars and/or stripes challenge.

4.  Simon Says Wednesday has a stars and/or stripes challenge.

5. 

Make Gnome Mistake

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

Another weekend is upon us. We have a busy day today. First, we have my niece's graduation party to attend. Then there is a special fundraiser we will also be attending.

The fundraiser is for a little boy who was in my Pre-School class. In October he was one of the 6 children in the Pittsburgh area who was hit with AFM. It's a polio like virus that left him unable to walk.

There have been plenty of hospital stays in the ICU. He will be undergoing surgery in the next couple of months. A Dr in St Louis has pioneered a nerve transplant surgery for kids with AFM. She has had great success with the surgery. Kids have been able to walk again. Here is a link that gives more info about Sam.

Now onto my card for today. This one I created for my weekly DT post on the CottageCutz Blog. I used the Gnome on Tree Stump die to create a birthday card for my son. The inside will have the birthday greeting.

I started my card with the sketch #755 from Splitcoaststampers. I already had the designer papers in mind that I wanted to use so this sketch worked out great for me.

I bought a paper pack from Hobby Lobby that had a nice selection of watercolored background papers. The blue looked like a sky so I went with that one for element 1 of the sketch. I also had some paper that had a rainbow on it. So I used that for element 2, 3, 4 and the circle shape.

I cut the gnome in different colors of cardstock. I used the packaging photo because the colors would coordinate well with my designer papers. 

The sentiment is from a stamp set by Sweet Pea Designs. It's all about gnomes. I stamped directly on the designer paper using blueberry bushel ink (Stampin'-Up). 

The gnome is attached to the circle using dimensional adhesive.

I finished off my card by adding a few glitter enamel dots. Well that's it for me for this post. So until next time......God bless. 

dies I used to create card:

I am also entering:

1.  Daring Cardmakers has a cut it up challenge. We are to use pretty designer paper. 

2.  Aud Sentiments has an anything goes + a sentiment.

3.  Time Out Challenges has a "to be funny" challenge. 

4.  Through the Purple Haze has a guy challenge. 

   

Teacup Bouquet

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

 

I am enjoying summer break from Pre-School. Have been getting lots of things done around my home that there isn't time for during the school year.

It's Spring cleaning for me even though it's summer time. I still have not managed to get into my craft room yet to do some reorganizing. But hopefully next week I can get that started.

 

Doesn't look like we are going to get to the beach this year. My hubby said there is too much going on in his gardens that we cant take a week away. But, we are going to get to go to San Francisco in September. Even though my son lives at the beach, it's just not the same as the East Coast beaches.

 

Oh well, I am not going to dwell on it so let's move onto my card for today. This one I created for the sketch challenge #752 on Splitcoaststampers. Cathy was the hostess and she provided a great sketch for our cards.

 

I started my card by picking the designer paper. I used the Stampin'-Up "floral romance specialty" designer paper. The pattern I chose is a vellum paper so I used some powder pink as the under layer.

For element 2 of the sketch I used pear pizzazz ribbon. 

My floral image is from the CottageCutz "Spring Teacup Bouquet" die. I will send this to my friend for her July birthday. She loves teacups and has quite a collection.

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

die I used to create card:

 

I am also entering:

1.  Creative Moments has an anything goes challenge.

2.  Mod Squad has a flower challenge.  

3.  Simon Says Stamp has an anything goes challenge.

4.  Sisterhood of Crafters has an any occasion challenge.

5.  WordArt Wednesday has an anything goes challenge.

 

Get Well Wishes

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

I hope you are enjoying your summer so far. We have been having some great warm and sunny days. Our flower gardens are blooming profusely and the vegetable garden is coming along nicely. 

So far just zucchini, lettuce, sweet peas and garlic scapes. But soon the banana peppers will be ready and sometime toward the end of July we should start getting tomatoes. 

The local farms are already starting to sell corn. We love it and pick it up regularly during the summer. I went to the farmers market last week and picked up eggs and sausage. I missed the rhubarb this year again. I wanted to try making a rhubarb and strawberry pie but that will have to wait until next year. 

Anyway, onto my card for today. This one I created for a group DT post on the CottageCutz Blog. I used the new Wishing Well die to create my card. I love the detail in this die. Notice the woodgrain scallop roof and the grout lines in the well base.

I used a sky patterned paper from Paper Studio for my background. I built my well and then added the flowers at the base. When I saw this die I thought of a get well card as a takeoff on the well itself. The sentiment is from the Stampin'-Up "perfectly penned" set. The "wishes phrase" is from another CottageCutz die. 

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

dies I used to create card: 

I am also entering:

1.  Path of Positivity has an anything goes challenge with optional of encouragement. 

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

3.  Love To Craft has an anything goes challenge.

4.  A Gem of a Challenge has an anything goes challenge.  

5.  Inkspirational has a garden challenge. 

Sending Fairy Kisses

Hello Blogger Friends! Thanks for taking the time tostop and visit with The Charmed Life Blog this Sunday In June.

 

Well, it's official summer has arrived. Pittsburgh is celebrating with 3 days of sunshine and warm temps. We have had so much rain so a little sun is needed to dry things out a bit.

 

My hubby's veggie garden is doing great. We already harvested our basil twice and the other day we picked a big zucchini. I made pesto with the basil, and we will enjoy it tonight for dinner along with smoked mozzarella ravioli and a salad.

 

The zucchini I stuffed with a combo of hot and sweet Italian sausage. We enjoyed that the other day. I went to the farmers market and picked up a couple more and then I was able to share dinner with my next door neighbors.

 

Now onto my card for today. This one I made for a group post on the CottageCutz Blog. There was just a new release of dies and the DT is showcasing them for the next week.

 

For my card, I used the Sweet Fairy die. I just bought a Hero Arts stamp set that had the fairy kisses sentiment and fairy dust. Since I wanted this to be a birthday card with an inside sentiment of …...and birthday wishes, it all coordinated perfectly for me.

 

For my image background, I used some rainbow designer paper. Framed the image panel using the Stitched Wide Rectangle die in purple posy cardstock. It's one of the new Stampin'-Up colors. I like how it blends so nicely with the highland heather cardstock.  Love the new shades of purple they have introduced.

 

Finished off my card with a few purple sequins. Well, that's it for me for this post. So until next time...….God bless.

 

dies I used to create card:





I am also entering:

1.  2 Sisters on the Blog has a things with wings challenge.

2.  Crafts Galore Encore is anything goes.

3.  Creative Craft Cottage has an anything goes challenge.

4.  Happy Little Stampers has an anything goes with dies.

5.  Crafty Friends has a fairies & fantasy challenge.