Christmas Light

Happy Tuesday and thanks for taking the time to visit the charmed life blog. I am out in San Francisco with my sweet granddaughter Phoenix Daisy this week. The nanny my son & daughter-in-law uses had a family emergency and they had no one to take card of the baby while they are at work. So guess who got the call. Oh yes, I jumped right on that airplane and flew out here on Sunday.

We had a sweet reunion on Monday morning. She was asleep when I arrived on Sunday night. It's been 2 months since I have been here but she remembered me. Well there is also the technology of Face time from Apple computer that helps as well. We have a video call on our IPADS every week.

Loved our day today. Just taking care of her and loving her makes my heart happy. We walked at the beach for an hour. Well I pushed her in her stroller but she loves being out in the sunshine. We are going to have some great weather this week so our walks will be every day.

So now onto my card for today. I didn't make it here obviously. No way to bring stamping supplies with me-I would need a suitcase just for that (lol)!! I made it at home on Saturday for the color challenge on Splitcoaststampers.

cherry cobbler

early espresso

Pool party

Betty Wright is our hostess this week and she chose the beautiful color trio of pool party (light blue) early espresso (deep rich brown) and cherry cobbler (rich red).
I thought the colors screamed Christmas so that's the direction I headed.

I used the new stamp set from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps- Christmas Light. There is a matching die so the image is super easy to cut out.
I colored the candle image with Stampin-Up ink and an aqua brush. I added some glossy accents to the candle wax and berries.

I used a new die from Cheery Lynn designs called deco lace light border die. This is also available through Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps.

My patterned paper is from Stampin-Up's "deck the halls collection". It is last years Christmas paper.

Well it's late and time to dim the light in charmed life land for another day. I need all my energy for Phoenix Daisy tomorrow. So until next time God bless.......

Some other challenges:
1.  The corrosive challenge wants us to use punches or dies. I used dies on my card.
2.  Tickled Pink Blog has a combo challenge.  Ichose paterned paper and lace. The lace was made with my new die from card stock.

Season of Change

Happy Wednesday and thanks for taking the time to visit the charmed life blog. We had a beautiful fall day here in Pittsburgh. Sunny and pleasant was the order of the day. I would like to put in my order for lots more days like this in September and October.

My card for today is one that I made for Thanksgiving card giving. I am also anticipating the upcoming gorgeous fall leaf display in Western PA. We will have incredible leaves of red, gold, mustard, browns and greens mixed with all these colors.

That's what I tried to recreate with my leaves. My stamp set if from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps. It's the "season of change" set and it has a matching die. So it makes it super easy to cut the leaf image out. I love the pattern in this leaf set.

I stamped them in Stampin-Up's peach parfait and mellow moss then sponged with cherry cobbler and cajun craze.
I also used a Cuttlebug embossing folder "autumn type" for the vanilla background. Just for a bit of texture and to continue my fall theme.

My card base is early expresso a deep rich brown and the middle panels are peach parfait and cajun craze. I think these colors make a great fall combo.

My thankful sentiment is a rub-on and my leaf ribbon is from May Arts.

The layout for my card is the Wednesday sketch challenge on Splitcoaststampers.

That's my card for today. So until next time.......God bless

Some other challenges:
1.  Crafting for all seasons blog has a fall colors challenge.
2.  I Brake For Challenges blog has a "fallin for you" challenge.
3.  Little Red Wagon has a "repeat after me" challenge. I used leaf stamps to repeat the image-a cuttlebug embossing folder and repeated the words on my 3 panels-as well as my leaf ribbon is repeated across the card.
4.  Paper Pretties has an inspiration challenge-with fall being the inspiration.
5.  Simon Says Stamp has a "dies to die for" challenge. I used a metal die to cut out my leaf images.
6.  Raise the bar has a "leave" summer challenge.

A bountiful harvest

Happy Tuesday everyone and thanks for taking the time to visit the charmed life blog. I had a great weekend. It was my birthday on Saturday. I loved all the cards, Facebook and email greetings I received. Just makes a girl feel special if you know what I mean.

My hubby took me out to dinner on Friday night to a restaurant I have been wanting to go to. It was a surprise. He just told me we had reservations for 6:30 and I didnt know where until we pulled up in front of the restaurant.

Then on Saturday night my daughter-in-law and one of my grandsons took me to another restaurant that I have been wanting to go to as well. The guys were at a golf outing so we had a birthday outing. We all really enjoyed what we had to eat. The manager even sent over an appetizer since this was our first visit to the restaurant.

So I was treated royally for my special day.

Now onto my card for today. I made this one for the color challenge on Splitcoaststampers. Vicki Dutcher was our hostess and she chose the color trio of Pumpkin, Olive and Turquoise. Since I was making a fall card,  I decided to just use touches of the turquoise.

I used a cuttlebug folder & die for the pumpkin. I layered it in the spellbinders #16 die and stamped some swirls in the turquoise color.


My designer paper is from Stampin-Up’s prints collection. I used some olive satin ribbon to divide the 2 papers and added turquoise twine over the ribbon.
The sentiment is from Verve’s “bountiful harvest” set. I used 2 turquoise buttons to frame the sentiment and a turquoise swirl in the top corner. Nor sure about the swirl but it’s on the card now.

That’s my card. It's time to slose this post and call it a day in charmed life land. So until next time.....

Some other challenges:
1.  Heart Song Inspirations blog wants us to use the color orange and buttons.
2.  Kaboodle Doodles Blog wants us to use lots of layers.
3.  Ooh La La Creations was us to use punches/dies.
4.  Paper Pretties blog wants us to use buttons.
5  The Outlawz greetings challenge is to use dots.

card recipe:
stamps: bountiful harvest (verve)

paper: su old olive, pumpkin pie, ww, prints dsp
ink: tempting turquoise
accessories: cuttlebug ef, satin ribbon, turquoise twine, buttons, spellbinders labels #16

My Challenge Card

Happy Friday and thanks for taking the time to visit the charmed life blog. What a temperature change here in Pittsburgh. Our overnight temp was 39 degrees. It is a bit early to drop this quickly.

It seemed strange to see people with light jackets on in the store tonight. Just 2 short weeks ago our air conditioner was still running. It is supposed to warm up in the next few days. I really do  like the warm days and cool nights of fall. Just not near freezing temps.

Time to move on to my card for today. This one I made for the challenge I am hosting for Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps. Korin released the new Christmas stamps on Thursday night. If you missed all the fun you can get all the chatty details here.

There are 3 challenges running and there is still time to play along to win one of the new stamp sets.
My challenge is to make a Christmas card. Get all the info here on what you need to do to play along.

There are 2 other challenges along with the one I am hosting. Taylor has a recipe challenge  and Janette has an edge challenge. Check those out as well. Lots of new stamps to be won.

I called my challenge "lets get festive".  For my sample I made a square card. I wanted the sentiment to be the focal point so I stamped it on a circle and then used some white ribbon underneath the circle.

I worked the swirly ribbon around the circle. This was the first time  I worked ribbon this way and I really liked how it turned out.

I layered this on a doily die that I cut in a teal shade using a die from Cherry Lynn designs. Korin is now carrying these dies in her store.

I added a pearl snowflake button to my bow to complete this card. I have the best tool for cutting off the button shank. It makes a smooth back so you can use it on your cards.

That's my card for today. I hope you will join along in this challenge.

Some other challenges:
1.  Inspire me Fridays has an anything goes.
2.  Phindy's Friday challenge blog has a Christmas challenge.
3.  The Crafters Companion blog has a Christmas Challenge.
4.  The Bloggers Challenge this week is to add a button to your card. I used a pearl snowflake button.

September Sweet Peek

Happy Thursday and thanks for taking the time to visit the charmed life blog. Well, today is sweet peek #8 and #9 of the Christmas release for Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps. This month it's all about Christmas-the most wonderful time of the year.

The design team has been showing samples of the new sets all week long. You can check those out at the Sweet 'n Sassy blog. The team has outdone themselves this month with some fabulous Christmas cards.

Or you can come to our release party tonight on Splitcoaststampers. We will be in this forum showing the full reveals of all the new sets, a few challenges and there are prizes to be won.

I am hosting a challenge tonight so drop by Splitcoaststampers tonight from 8:00-10:00 pm. It will a lot of fun and chatting.

Now onto my card for today. I used 2 of the new sets on this. The Christmas Light set with a matching die-how great is that!! No more fussy cutting. This set has the candle image plus 3 sentiments and was designed by Dina Kowal. She has joined Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps as an illustrator.

I also used the Light of Christmas background stamp.

I colored my image with prismacolor pencils and gamsol and then used the matching die to cut it out on my Big Shot machine.

Well that's it for me today. Hope you can join us today for the release party.

card recipe:
stamps: christmas light and light of christmas (sweet 'n sassy stamps)
paper: stampin-up cherry cobbler, kraft, nennah white, deck the halls designer paper
ink: memento tuxedo black, cherry cobbler
accessories: sweet 'n sassy die, fiskars holly border punch, spellbinder circle die, kraft taffeta ribbon, fabric button, rhinestone flourish

Some other challenges:
1.  Catch the Bug blog wants us to use punches or die cuts. I used a die to cut my doily.
2.  Pile it on challenge blog-wants us to use layers. The more the better.
3.  Fab 'n' Funky blog has a bingo challenge. I used embellishments-snowflake button and-stamped image

Creative Belli Challenge #126

Happy Wednesday and thanks for taking the time to visit the charmed life blog. It's time for another Creative Belli Challenge. This 2 week period the design team would like you to use string on your project.

You can use string in a button, make a bird's nest out of it, stem for flowers, tree branches, roof of a house, etc......what ever your little heart desires!! Remember, the spirit of the Belli challenges is to encourage you to use your OLD and FORGOTTEN embellishments!

On my card I used bakers twine on my banner sentiment. Sp it doesn't have to be a complicated design to participate in our challenge.

I found this sunflower die-cut and give thanks sentiment in my stash and decided it would make a great card for Thanksgiving. After all  the idea behind the Belli Challenges is to use old and forgotten embellishments.

My designer paper is from the retired Stampin-Up collection "autumn traditions". I kept my layout simple to focus on the sunflower and banner.

That's my card for this challenge. Hope you will join in with us. Check out what the rest of the design team has done with this challenge. It will give you lots of creative ideas.

Check out this sweet picture of my precious granddaughter, Phoenix Daisy. She is 9 months old now and this is her first riding toy.
 
Her shoes just crack me up.
 
Drop by tomorrow I will have a peak of a new Christmas stamp set being released by Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps this month.
 
Until next time.....God Bless.

Inspiration Challenge and Blog Hop Winner

Happy Monday and thanks for taking the time to visit the charmed life blog. Hope you all had a good weekend. We spent much of it watching all the memorial programs dedicated to the September 11 terrorist attack. It stirred up a lot of emotion in both my husband & I.

On Sunday after Church we went to watch our grandsons play football. It was a long day because they both lost their games. But it's family time and the boys love us coming to watch.

The card I am showing today is one I made for the new inspiration challenge being sponsored by Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps on splitcoaststampers.  Taylor is the challenge hostess and she provided us with this great photo to use as our inspiration.

My flower images are from the Sweet 'n Sassy Set- "your friendship".
I colored the balloon flower images with prismacolor pencils and gamsol.
My patterned paper is from Stampin-Up's- "ski slope" collection.

I added a red button, a  punched brown border and some bakers twine to complete this card.

Regarding my blog candy: I picked a winner last week, Michelle Crandall and had no response from her. There was no link to her when she left me a comment. So I have no way to contact her and for that reason I am choosing a new winner.

I am again using the service from random.org to generate the winner.

True Random Number Generator#62 is Bernie. Here is what she said:


Min: 1

Max: 63

Result: 62

Bernie said...

Rhubarb is absolutely adorable and you have made the sweetest card with him.
Thanks for the chance to win this amazing candy.
Blessings Bernie

September 7, 2011 3:18 AM

She also went over to Julia Aston's blog and let Julia know that I sent her. Here is her entry on Julia's blog:

Bernie said...

Mary Marsh sent me and I'm so glad she did. Your card is fabulous. Hope you had a superb birthday.
Blessings Bernie

September 7, 2011 3:21 AM

So congrats Bernie. I do have a way to contact you so you will be hearing from me shortly.

Some other challenges for my card:
1.  Craft your passion has an "f" challenge. They want us to use flowers, felt, flourishes, etc. I used flowers on my card.

2.  Crafty Boots blog has an anything goes challenge.
3.  The Outlawz has an "inspired by a song" challenge. You are my sunshine is my song.

That's it for this post. So until next time............

BLOG HOP WINNER

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

I have a winner of my blog candy. I used the service from random.org to generate the winning number.

Drum roll please:............


True Random Number Generator

Min 1:

Max 63:

Result: 45

Powered by RANDOM.ORG

#45 is Michelle Crandall. Here is her entry:

Michelle Crandall said...

What a great card! It's so put together, I really like the ribbons, embossing and the stamp, it just goes together.

September 6, 2011 1:30 AM

She also went over to Julia Aston's blog and let Julia know that I sent her. Here is her entry on Julia's blog:

Michelle Crandall said...

Mary Marsh sent me! I really love your card, the background is beautiful!

September 6, 2011 1:32 AM

Michelle, I don't have a way to contact you so send me an email with your address so I can get the goodies out to you.

Thanks again to all that visited my blog during the blog hop. I hope you will visit again. I will have more candy later this month to celebrate my 2nd year blog-a-versary.

So until next time...................God bless

.

Harvest Blessings

Happy Thursday and thanks for taking the time to visit the charmed life blog. Today was about me. I had my 3 month visit to the dentist office and time with the hygienist. All is well just a cleaning. Then I was off to my hairdresser for a cut and color. Oh, its so easy to wash that gray right out of my hair (lol).

I did some grocery shopping and then home to make a salmon dinner for hubby & I. He liked it-me not so much. Some recipes are keepers some not.

Oh well, lets move onto my card for today.

This one I made for the sketch challenge on splitcoaststampers. Roxie was our hostess and she gave us a great layout to work into a card. I will probably use this one again.

I decided to make a Thanksgiving card and use no patterned paper. I stamped the background with the "season of change" set from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps.  My ink colors are cherry cobbler, more mustard and old olive.

The middle panel is cardstock and lace. I added a seam binding bow with button. I also stamped a leaf and cut it out and popped it up. I sponged the colors on the leaf and then stamped it. A little hint from my paper doll friend, Betty Wright.

Oh yes, this card was also picked as one of the top 5 faves on Meljens Design blog. Whoo-hoo!!

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

Some other challenges:
1.  Craft Us Crazy blog has an autumn challenge.
2.  The Outlawz twisted Thursday challenge is to use punches or dies. We can use pencils or die inks on our creations. I stamped my images in dye inks.
3.  Crafts and Me challenges wants us to use buttons & bows.

Abundant Blessings

Happy Wednesday and thanks for taking the time to visit the charmed life blog. We have had rain & cooler temps here in the Pittsburgh area since Sunday. Feels like fall but I know we are not done with warmer days just yet.

My grandsons started back to school on Tuesday. They complained only slightly about things at school and about their teachers. I encouraged them to look for the good qualitites about their teachers and concentrate on that.
I reminded them that their teachers are an authority over them in school. And, God wants us to be respectful and obedient to those in authority over us.

It was a good conversation and they listened. I love being able to be a positive influence in their lives.

So now onto my card for today. I created this one for the color challenge #339 on Splitcoaststampers.

Yours truly was the hostess of the challenge this week. I chose the fall colors of always artichoke, so saffron, and cajun craze. It was well received and that's always good.

For my card, I used the Verve stamp set "bountiful harvest". I love this cute little turkey. I decided to paper piece him with designer paper. I used so saffron for his body and cajun craze for his feathers, beard and beak.

On my background panel I used the cuttlebug embossing folder "autumn type". I love all the fall & thanksgiving words in this folder. My card layout is an old sketch from Verve that I modified somewhat.

My designer paper is from Stampin-Up’s "so saffron & always artichoke collection". I punched a few leaves from the designer paper to complete my card.

In closing, I am offering blog candy through Thursday night. Check out this post for the details.

So until next time..........God bless

Some other challenges:
1.  The paper shelter blog wants us to use any kind of embossing.
2.  Lexi's Creations has an autumn challenge.
3.  Stamp with fun also has an autumn challenge.

Fall Fun Blog Hop & Giveaway Here

Hello and welcome to the Fall Fun Blog Hop! A group of online buddies decided the holiday weekend in the US would be a GREAT time to get inky together, and so we've put together a fall themed blog hop to inspire you as the autumn approaches.

As you meet our stampy bloggers today, you may discover that some have goodies for you, so be sure and visit everyone on the list. We have hoppers from all over the globe today, and they are amazing artists.

Thanks for visiting us - grab yourself a nice fall beverage and enjoy!

I am one of the bloggers offering some goodies today. To be eligible to win here all you have to do is:

• leave a comment on this post
• hop to the next blog (Create with me -Julia Aston) and leave her a comment and tell her Mary Marsh sent you.
• I will hold these goodies open until Friday, September 9 and then draw a winner
• check back here on Friday to see if you won

My image is a digi from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps. It's from the Rhubarb collection - Rhubarb punkins.

My goodie pack includes:

• clear stamp set from Inkadinkado "Baby Animals" collection
• 40 sheets 6 x6 designer paper from Cloud 9 - Cinnamon Stick collection
• 2 packages of chipboard stickers from Cloud 9 - Cinnamon Stick collection
• 40 sheets of 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 Bazzil card stock & 40 layering sheets
• 3 spools of ribbon & white beading lace
• sizzix scallop frame die

Your next stop on the blog hop is my friend Julia Aston

Thanks for stopping by .....until next time God Bless

Here is the full list of our blog hoppers today:

Lydia Fiedler

Libby Hickson

Kim Williams

Michelle Single

Lee Murphy

Sara Henton

Yapha Mason


Lisa Adametz

Jimmi Mayo

Jeanne Streiff

Bev Gerard  

Dana Keith

Joan Ervin

Maren Benedict

Teresa Kline:

Hannah Clark

Dina Kowal

Wanda Cullen

Korin Sutherland

Taylor Usry

Monika Davis

Harriet Skelly

Kim Schofield

Cathy McCauley

Mary Marsh

Julia Aston

Bridget Finlay

Alison Habetler

Leslie Hanna

Sue Farrant

Michelle Hanway

Misti Oblander

Judy Rozema

Jenna Barber

Tammy Hershberger

Eva Dobilas

Kerri Michaud

Cheryl Navarrete

Neva McMullen

Marianne Baugher

Samantha

Cindy Wallach

Take Heart

This is my second post for today. Well now that's something I haven't done in awhile. Did you ever make a card that you were very happy with the outcome? Of course you have. We all have moments like that. This card I am posting is one of those. I was very pleased with the outcome.

Everything just came together for me. I was happy with my coloring on the bird and also the designer paper that I chose.

The image is from a newly released set at Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps- the peace of God. I really like this sweet titmouse image. I believe I have said before in a post that it looks just like the ones that come to our feeder.

I colored the image with prismacolor pencils and gamsol (odorless mineral spirits).

The layout for the card is this weeks sketch at splitcoaststampers. My design sister from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps, Taylor Usury, was our hostess. I really like working with tilted panels as well.

My designer paper is from Basic Grey, the Indian Summer collection and the brown dotted paper is from Stampin-Up-the soft suede pattern pack.

On my white panel I used a cuttlebug embossing folder and sponged it with soft suede ink.  I added ribbon in soft suede and used a button for my center to complete my card.
That's it for this post. So until next time.....God bless.

Some other challenges:
1.  The Clearly Inspired blog has a patterned paper challenge #35.
2.  Cute Card Thursday blog wants us to use at least 1 punch. I used 2 circle punches for my sentiment.

3.  DYSU challenge blog has a friendly critters challenge. My little bird is very friendly.

4.   Dutch Dare card challenge blog has a color/photo inspiration challenge. These colors are picked up in my designer paper.

Blog Award

Happy Friday everyone and thanks for taking the time to visit the charmed life blog. I received this blog award from a sweet blogger buddy- Monika Davis from the M.A.D. Stamper blog. It just took me awhile to get it on my blog.

She sent it while I was on my whirlwind August vacations. So thank you Monika for thinking of me. I was really honored.

I have to share 5 things about myself. Well here goes:

1.  I have a beautiful new granddaughter, Phoenix Daisy

2.  I have 3 grandsons-who make my heart happy-Austin, Aidin & Ethan

3.  I come from a large family-8 brothers and 3 sisters

4.  I love to cook and take cooking classes

5.  I have read through the complete bible about 8 times

Some other news: This Monday I am part of a blog hop with some stampers from Splitcoaststampers.

So drop by because I will have some blog candy up for grabs.

peace & strength

Happy Thursday and thanks for taking the time to visit the charmed life blog. Our summer heat is returning to Pittsburgh. We are going to have temps up around 90 with high humidity. I will keep the hot weather for as long as possible.

So not ready for shorter days and cold nights. Although I do love the fall season. We have such beautiful displays of vibrant color on the trees in Western Pa. It's time to put away my summer decorations and bring out the autumn.

My card for today is one that I made for the color challenge #338 on splitcoaststampers.

Karen Barber was our hostess and she chose quite a challenging trio for us to work into a card. We were to use cherry cobbler, calypso coral and more mustard with neutrals of our choice.

I used vanilla and chocolate chip as my neutrals. Karen also challenged us to make our own patterned paper.

These colors seemed to speak of fall and leaves to me. So that's the direction I decided to go. My leaf image is is a newly released stamp set from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps. This clear stamp set is the "season of change".  This set was designed by the amazing Dina Kowal. I love the pattern on the leaves.

I stamped the leaf images as my background on the top par of the vanilla panel and then on the bottom I used a cuttlebug embossing folder. I stamped a bigger leaf and cut it out and popped it up on the rectangle panel. I also used the cuttlebug embossing folder on this panel.

I added some calypso coral ruffled ribbon and a corduroy button to the center. That completed my card.

The layout for my card is this week's sweet stop sketch #123.

That's it for today so until next time.......God Bless

Some other challenges:
1.  The Ai Factory challenge blog wants us to use buttons & bows.
2.  The Fab 'n Funky blog wants us to "go mad with embossing". I used a cuttlebug embossing folder on my card.

3.  Passionately Artistic blog has a linking party. Join in its fun