monkey business

Happy Sunday and thanks for taking the time to visit the charmed life blog.

It has been so cold here in the "Burgh the past week.

But, the good news is the days are getting longer. Today at 6:00 it wasn't completely dark.

My middle grandson, Aidin, had a basketball game this evening.

During the warm-ups he took the ball and started doing some fancy dribbling. Then he looked over where I was sitting and smiled.

He put on a little show for his Grandma. He learned how to do that last year at a basketball camp he attended.

It's just so fun going to all their sporting events. I so glad that I am retired now and can go whenever I want. They like it when their family comes to watch them.

So now onto my card for today. I made this on Saturday evening for the inspiration challenge on splitcoaststampers. This week we visited the Espe site.

Their was lots of great color combinations and designs. The site has wallets and purses.

I found a wallet that had the cutest little monkey peaking out from behind the grass. I posted a picture of the wallet I used for my inspiration as well.

So I decided to use that to create my card.

I bought some safari type rub-ons several months ago and knew they would work well on this card. I cut the grass out of card stock. I added the monkey business sentiment at the top and basically that's my card.

I thought this could be a kid's birthday card. It's a clean and simple card.

Then, this morning On the clean and simple thread at splitcoaststampers, I noticed that Bev Gerard (texasgrammy on SCS) chose my card as one of the favorites of the week. I was so honored.

Well, its a wrap for today my friends. Sending hugs & blessings from charmed life land.

card recipe:

paper: su ww, wild wasabi, pumpkin

accessories: dcwv safari kids rub-ons

perfect pair

Happy Thursday and thanks for taking the time to visit the charmed life blog. My contractor wasn't here today so I took that as an opportunity to get some stamping time in.

We went out tonight to the lighting store to pick a chandelier for the dining room.

We narrowed it down to 3 choices. We didn't want something to fancy because it wouldn't go with our decor and nothing too informal.

I am so excited that this project is taking shape. I think I mentioned in previous posts that we are changing rooms around on our first floor.

I have also picked the paint color for the dining room. We are lifting the carpet in that room to refinish the hardwood floor.

It will seem like a new home once we finish. I like adventures!!

So now onto my card for today. This is actually for 2 challenges.

1. for Thursday's challenge on splitcoaststampers we were to pull out our fabrics, burlap or whatever we wanted and have some creative fun mixing textiles with paper for our ways to use textiles challenge.

I am not a sewer so I don't have any fabric. This sent me looking through my stash to see if I had anything that would work. I found some fabric applique iron-ons. They were all fruit appliques. So I have some ideas for other cards now.

I picked the pears and decided to make an anniversary card for my friends Karen & Mark. Their anniversary is on Valentine's day. Isn't that romantic!!

I thought of my designer paper from stampin-up that had these pears on it. So I was on my way.

2. my card layout was for mercy kerin's tuesday sketch challenge. I haven't been able to play along with that one for awhile. The layout she provided worked well for my card idea.

I used my Martha Stewart lace doily border punch and added some pearls. I computer generated my sentiment.

I don't know if anyone makes a stamp with these words. I don't have one anyway.

Well, it looks like its a wrap for today in charmed life land. Stay warm!!

card recipe:

paper: su kiwi kiss, choc chip, good morning sunshine dsp
accessories: fabric iron-on applique, su choc chip ribbon, hero arts pearls, word window punch, ms lace doily punch

great dreams

Hello and happy Tuesday to all who are visiting the charmed life blog today. I woke up to snow today. Not much just a dusting, but it was cold and blustery here in the "Burgh.

Our remodeling is continuing. We had to order some special size doors to replace the ones in our bedroom and hall. Well, they came in with the wrong finish on them. We will have to wait another 2 weeks to get those.

No problem with me the other stuff we are getting done is taking shape.

We are moving rooms around downstairs. So there is painting and refinishing one of the hardwood floors. The contractor is doing such an excellent job. The Lord has sent us a man that knows what he is doing and does it skillfully. What a blessing!!

Even though he was here working today, I managed to finish a card that I started yesterday.

My card was for the mojo monday sketch from the verve site.

This week we could do the sketch either as a round or a square card.

The layout was an easy one to work with. So thank you Teresa Kline for providing it.

I ended up doing the standard 4.25 x 5.5 but other than that I kept true to the sketch.

I wanted to make a card for a young woman who has a dream that is starting to take shape for her. She is so excited in the fall of this year to be opening her own pre-school.

I had the perfect stamp to use. It has not seen ink and I have had it for over a year.

It's the "dreams du jour" set from stampin-up.

I found this designer paper in my stash and decided to use it on this card. My felt flower is from hero arts and I added some black rhinestones. That's my card!!

It looks like the sun has gone down in charmed life land, and it is now time to put a wrap on another day.

See you next time. Come back and visit often and feel free to leave me a comment, a prayer request or a blessing.

My blog does offer free subscriptions delivered right to your in-box every time I post.

card recipe:

stamps: dreams du jour
paper: su black, ww, bazzill lemon yellow
ink: memento tuxedo black
accessories: hero arts flowers, darice rhinestones, prismas & gamsol, ribbon

karen's cupcake

Happy Sunday and thanks for taking the time to visit the charmed life blog. It was a rainy, damp day here in the 'burgh but after church I did get to stamp. So that was good.

My middle grandson (Aidin 11 yrs) had a basketball game this evening. They lost by 1 point to their rivalry. It was a good game.

He was disappointed after the game but it never lasts long.

At his age he just moves to the next thing. I like his attitude.

Now onto my card for today. I made this one for the featured stamper challenge on splitcoaststampers. This week Karen Barber was honored. If you have never visited her gallery, you should go and take a peek. She is one talented stamper for sure. She does this amazing technique called black magic. I have never tried it, but it's something I want to. She really makes some gorgeous cards using this technique.

I chose her cupcake card. The idea of this challenge is to find a card and change at least 2 things. I kept her layout and cupcake theme.

My changes: different designer paper, ribbon, stamp set, brads instead of flowers, stickles instead of beads. I paper pieced the cupcake.

I made this for a little 6 year old girl in our church who just graduated to the next Sunday school class. She is so cute and bubbly. I like talking to her and she with me. I want to bring her over to stamp with me sometime. I just need to set aside the time.

Anyway, it looks like it's a wrap from charmed life land for today.

I leave you some inspiration from

Psalm 24:1

The earth is the LORD's,

and everything in it,

the world, and all who live in it;

card recipe:

stamps: mse little birdie, hero arts
paper: su choc chip, ww, american crafts dsp
ink: memento tuxedo black
accessories: su choc chip ribbon,heart brads, stickles
techniques: paper piecing

feel better

Happy Saturday and thanks for taking the time to visit the charmed life blog.

It's been a week again since I posted any cards.

We are still in the middle of our remodeling project and there is not time while the contractor is here to pull out my stamps. He will probably be here for another 2 weeks is my guess.

But, he didn't come today and I managed to get some stamping in. whoo-hoo!!

My card today is for 2 challenges:

1. Saturday's inspiration challenge on splitcoaststampers. this week we visited the online store echo. Lots of colorful inspirations there. I chose this paisley beach bag as the inspiration to create my card.

2. my layout is from the sketch provided by Cindy Haffner on ccee stampers. It was fun and easy to work with.

I used a new stamp from mft. It's their pure innocence line. This one is called "my umbrella". I think these little girls are so sweet. I colored her using prismacolor pencils and gamsol.

My paper is some old stuff I had in my stash from paper salon called petite paisley. It worked out great for the inspiration challenge.

I wasn't happy with how the photo turned out. I have some new software and I really don't know how to use it. It's photoshop elements 8. I may have to take a class at the local community college. There is so much you can do with it but I don't know what I am doing.

Well, I am wrapping up my day. Thanks for stopping by. If you have any pointers on pse 8, let me know.

God Bless

card recipe:

stamps: mft my umbrella
paper: su vv, paper salon petite paisley dsp
ink: memento tuxedo black
accessories: prisma pencils & gamsol
techniques: paper piecing

birthday celebrations

Happy Saturday and thanks for taking the time to visit the charmed life blog.

It was a great day here in the 'Burgh. My husband & I went to the Univ of Pitt basketball game this afternoon.

A friend of ours gave us tickets. What a blessing and the seats were great.

I really like going to the games. We usually get there about 3-4 times during the season. But, only if someone gives us tickets. You have to be a season ticket holder and the waiting list is forever.

The atmosphere is charged in the center. The band, cheerleaders, students all lend to the excitement. We won in overtime today so that made it an even better game.

Well, onto my card for today. This is for 2 challenges actually.

1. The Saturday inspiration challenge on splitcoaststampers. This week we visited the Nell Hill site. When I saw these black silhouettes prints I knew I had the perfect stamp to use.

2. The crazy for challenges blog had a sketch challenge this week. So I used that for my layout. Thanks to Lori Boyd for a great sketch.

I was pleased with how the card turned out.

I used kraft & black bazzill cardstock. My designer paper is from bobunny. I added some black rhinestones and ribbon and my sentiment as that's my card.

Well, it's a wrap for today from charmed life land. Blessings and hugs to all my blogger friends!!

card recipe:

stamps: great impressions, su upsy daisy
paper: bazzill kraft, black, gina k white, bobunny unforgettable stripes dsp
ink: memento tuxedo black
accessories: ribbon, rhinestones, su punches

garden collage

Happy Friday and thanks for taking the time to visit the charmed life blog.

It's been a week since I have posted a card. I haven't even made a card for a week. I was so missing my stamps and blog.

We have some remodeling going on in our home. We replaced all the interior doors-13 to be exact. I wanted the 6 panel doors and we had been talking about it for several years. The contractor had time open for us since it was right after Christmas. So we took the plunge and did it. I love the look of the doors.

I am amazed at how much of a difference it made.

The doors are all installed but not painted yet. That's for next week. We are doing some other work as well so for the next several weeks the house will be a bit topsy-turvy.

I don't know where I will be with my stamping. It's hard to stamp when the contractor is here.

Oh well, I am not complaining. I love to get new things. Who doesn't (lol)??

So onto my card for today. I made this for 3 different challenges.

1. the tuesday color challenge on splitcoaststampers

2. the timeless tuesday challenge from flourishes was a sketch challenge this week.

3. the thursday ways to use it challenge was to find ways to use birds in your card.

The color challenge was rich razzleberry, pretty in pink and choc chip. I really liked this color combo. Although, the rich razzleberry doesn't photograph so well for me. Its definitely a rich color. I used the same color designer paper and ribbon.

My image is an old stampin-up set called garden collage. I stamped it in rich cocoa ink and colored with prismacolor pencils and gamsol.

This is where I used the pretty in pink color and more rich razzleberry for the flowers.

I added a stampin-up rub-on and some pearls as well.

I also really liked the sketch layout from flourishes.

Silke Ledlow provided the sketch. It was an easy one to work with.

I also like using bird images on cards so the Thursday challenge was good.

Well, its a wrap for today my friends.

I leave you with some inspiration from:

psalm 84:

Even the sparrow has found a home,

and the swallow a nest for herself,

where she may have her young

a place near your altar, O LORD Almighty, my King and my God.

happiness is.....

Happy Friday and thanks for taking the time to visit the charmed life blog.

We had more snow in the 'Burgh today, but oh well it's winter.

In fact, its coming down right now as I post. When I looked outside I thought how beautiful and peaceful is God's creation in this snowfall.

We went to the cirque dreams illumination show last night. Wow, what a performance. The people that are a part of this show are incredible.
There was so much going on at times on stage, your eyes just couldn't take it all in.

If you have the chance to go, take it. It's well worth the money. We received the tickets as a Christmas gift, and our seats were great.
The show is filled with beautiful costumes, acrobatic moves, balancing on wires, dancing, singing and so much more. We thoroughly enjoyed it.

Now, onto my card for today. There was a limited supplies challenge over at splitcoastampers.

for today we were to:

1. Limit our colors to pinks, reds, black and white (we didn't have to use them all, but just keep it in this color scheme)

2. Incorporate polka dots into our creation somewhere (they can be stamped, embossed, used on ribbon, etc.)

So for my card I used all the colors except pink.

I had this great bobunny dsp-forget me knots-for the polka dots we had to use.

For my center piece I used the nestabilities fleur de lis die. It's something I purchased to use at Christmas but never got around to it.

My sentiment is a stampin-up rub-on. It fit perfectly in the circle I cut from my nestabilities die.

I added a few rhinestones and that's my card.

We were to make a card for someone we love. So I made this valentines card for my husband. I will have to get to his email before he does since he subscribes to my blog (lol). I want it to be a surprise after all.

Well, its a wrap for today my friends. Thanks again for dropping by. Stay warm and have a great week-end.

card recipe:

paper: su black,ww, bazzill marschino, bobunny dsp (forget me knots)

accessories: nesties, su rub-ons, rhinestones

hugs & kisses

Happy Thursday and thanks for taking the time to visit the charmed life blog. We are expecting another snowstorm here in the 'Burgh today. I think we are supposed to get 2-4" of snow. In fact, it is starting now as I am preparing my blog post.

So, tonight we are going downtown for the cirque dreams illumination show. We just may take the trolley instead of attempting to drive. The station is very near our house so we can park there and then not have to deal with parking downtown. The stop in town is within 2 blocks of the theater.

I heard this show is great so I will give you the scoop tomorrow.

Now, onto my card for today. I made this one for the mojomonday sketch challenge.

I really liked working with the layout that was provided. I also wanted to start my valentines cards.

I decided to use a stamp set from stampin-up called cheep talk. I had this idea to stamp the 2 birds from the set and then add the words hugs & kisses.

I used the cuttlebug hearts embossing folder and the fiskars heart border punch.

My designer paper is from the bobunny line. I only had scraps left so I don't know the name.

Some heart ribbon and a few rhinestones and that completes my card.

Well, it's a wrap from charmed life land for today. Talk to you next time!!

card recipe:

stamps: su cheep talk, lasting impressions

paper: su real red, ww, bobunny dsp

ink: su close to cocoa, celery, old olive, real red

accessories: nesties, ribbon(michael's), rhinestones

hello there

Happy Wednesday and thanks for taking the time to visit the charmed life blog.

I have had 2 busy days with yesterday being the day I spent with my grandsons.

I meet their school bus on Tuesdays and stay with them until my son or daughter-in-law comes home.

The boys were so cute yesterday. They live on a cul-de-sac and the school bus stops at the top on the main road. I can see the bus from their front porch and that's when I walk up the street. Well, yesterday they didn't realize I saw them so they hid behind a bush in one of the neighbor's yards.

They waited until I walked by and came out the back side and asked me where I was going. I just love their little games. I wish I could keep them this age forever but.......

So onto my card for today. I made this card for 2 challenges. The 1st is the color challenge on splitcoaststampers. We were to use stampin-up's colors of bermuda bay (teal), certainly celery, and hunter green. Plus, Betty added an option to use pink on the card but no cardstock.

These colors were going to stretch me again. So, I decided to take a different route. I colored my image with the colors of the challenge. I colored with prismacolor pencils and gamsol.

Then, I decided to use the bermuda bay color as my card base and ribbon embellishment.

I framed my image with the nestabilities labels 8. and used the martha stewart lace doiley border punch to finish the card off.

For the pink option, I added 2 basic grey glazed pink brads in the corner. I used a generic sentiment in the left corner. That way I can make this whatever type of card I want, simply by stamping any greeting on the inside.

The 2nd challenge is a new one I found on the hope stamps eternal blog. It's an inspiration challenge. I thought the colors of the cupcakes fit right in with my card.

Well, it's a wrap from charmed life land for another day. Blessings and hugs to all my readers.

card recipe:

Stamps: a.m. shower(whipper snapper)
Paper: su bermuda blue, ww
Ink: hunter green
Accessories: prismas & gamsol, su ribbon, ms lace doiley punch, basic grey glazed brads, nesties labels 8

my raspberry chickadee

Happy Monday and thanks for taking the time to visit the charmed life blog. Its been quite a frigid, snowy day here in the 'burgh. Only 17 degrees right now as I am getting this post ready.

We are having a video series at church for 9 weeks on Monday nights. It was so cold in the church that I had trouble concentrating on the video. No one else seemed to mind including my husband. So maybe it was just me.

The series we are having is about receiving God the Father's love. We are in week #4 right now, and I think its been a great series. I may have to watch tonight's video again. There was so much to take in but I was cold.

Oh well, onto the card for today. I made this one for the featured stamper challenge on splitcoaststampers.
The idea is to look through the stampers gallery find a card and then remake it. You are to change several things on the card.

I chose her holly chickadee card. Her card was done for Christmas.
I wanted a spring looking card since we are in the heart of winter now.

I just bought this new stamp set. I really like the bird image in it so I thought I would ink it up.

I kept her layout but used different colors, image and ribbon.
I decided on razzleberry lemonade designer paper from stampin-up and I paired it with crushed curry and melon mambo card stock and ribbon. These colors are definitely bright and spring like.
I stamped my image in raspberry ink.
I liked how the card turned out. I may use it as a birthday card.

Well, my friends it's a wrap in charmed life land for today. Stay warm!!

card recipe:
stamps: wings of friendship
ink: raspberry from odbd
paper: su vv, crushed curry, melon mambo
acccessories: su ribbon

challenge cards

Happy Sunday and thanks for taking the time to visit the charmed life blog. It is so frigid here in Pittsburgh-it's only 13 right now.

But, the good news is our Steelers beat Miami today so our playoff hopes are alive for a bit.

We also had a great service at church today. The worship team was exceptional.

Our pastor did something a little different with his message.

He had the 2 associates with him and asked them several different questions to allow us to hear their opinion. The questions were great as well as their answers.

I actually have 2 cards to post today. I made them for 2 different challenges on splitcoaststampers.

My 1st one is Thursdays ways to use it challenge.

We were to find ways to use TIME as part of the theme for our project today.

I chose to make a masculine birthday card for my brother who celebrates Jan 15.

So this challenge was timed perfectly for me (lol).

I used the staampin-up calendar kit and an epoxy sticker pocket watch from k & co.

Stampin-up's soft suede paper coordinates with this kit. I also used the autumn traditions designer paper. I was pleased with how it turned out. I think my brother will like it as well

For my sentiment, I used part of a stamp-from bella's bloom- and a rub-on to get what I wanted to say on the card.

card recipe:

stamps: bella's bloom

paper: su soft suede, ruby red, autumn traditions dsp

ink: printworks black

accessories: su calendar kit, rub-ons & ribbon, k&co epoxy stickers,

My 2nd card today covers 3 different challenges.

The 1st is Saturday's inspiration challenge on splitcoaststampers. We visited the design spirit studio site to find our card inspiration.

I chose the pink heart recycled as my card inspiration.

This is also for Saturday's crazy for challenges-where we were to have some polka dot fun. I used the stampin-up polka dot punches stamp set for my heart and the the heart punch.

My background stamp is from hero arts. I also added 2 button hearts here on the background.

And, last but in no way the least is from our creative corner where we are to make a clean and simple card. I decided to make this a get well card since you never know when you will need one.

Well, my blogger friends its a wrap in charmed life land for today.

I leave you today with the words from

Psalm 3:8

Salvation belongs to the LORD.

Your blessing is upon Your people

card recipe:

stamps: curvy verses, hero arts raindrops & swirls

ink: printworks black

paper: su pretty in pink, black

accesories: buttons