More Christmas Cards

using Stampin-Up ornament dies

card from our card club meeting

made with Echo Park Christmas papers

Happy Sunday and thanks for taking the time  to visit the Charmed Life Blog. The holidays are on the wind down side now.

But, I am not anywhere near ready to take down the Christmas decorations.
Seems like they just went up and the process of packing and putting away seems to take forever. So not for another week at least will I even attempt anything.

We had about 5 " of snow yesterday. It was so perfect watching from inside my home.

My hubby went out and built a snow woman. He wanted to send a picture to our sweet 2 year old granddaughter.

So he put a scarf and purse on her and took a photo. She is back home in California after being with us for Christmas.

Our neighbors are probably laughing and wondering what he was up to. But we are just some of those grandparents that love their grandkids sooo much.

So onto my cards for today. These are some more of my Christmas cards. I love making handmade cards for Christmas. Some of my friends told me they save my cards and use them for decorations each year. I was so blessed to hear that. Makes the effort of making so worth it.

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

Some other challenges:
1.  Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas challenge wants us to share any card not shown before. I have 3 new ones here.
2.  Card Crafters Circle has an anything goes challenge.
3.  Card Makin Mama's has a happy holiday challenge.
4.  Craft Us Crazy has a "merry christmas" challenge.

2013 Holiday Hugs

Happy Friday and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. Well the hectic place of Christmas is over.

My son and daughter-in-law and granddaughter have gone and my home is quiet. No more patter of little feet or her bursting into my bedroom looking for me. We loved having them and playing with Phoenix Daisy for hours on end.

I didn't get everything done that I wanted to but somehow it didn't matter. Family doesn't care about the stuff being done. It was a good lesson learned for me this year.

I did get to make cookies with my 2 year old granddaughter. It was so much fun.  I bought her an apron and she loved wearing it.

In fact, she liked it so well that it didn't come off until bedtime. Here is a photo of the both of us in our aprons. My hubby caught us both saying "cheese". I created a memory for the both of us.

Well, onto my card for today. This one I made for my post on the Great Impressions Blog. I needed a card to give to my neighbor along with some of my home made Christmas candy.  So, I decided to make a New Years card.

To start my card I stamped my background with the Great Impressions Stamp - "Fireworks & Stars G303" in black ink and then I wet embossed. I layered that on a opal metallic paper.

My 2013 is cut from a Sizzix alphabet set in the same silk opal metallic card stock. Layered that on black card stock and punched a few stars. My sentiment is "holiday hugs A143".

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

Some other challenges:
1. Simon Says Stamp has an anything goes challenge.
2. Card Crafters Circle has an anything goes challenge.
3. CraftyMess Blog wants us to show some sparkle/bling.

Frosty Friends

Happy Friday and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. Christmas countdown continues and it now is just 11 days away. I made a big dent in my preps yesterday. Today I plan on getting my 2nd tree decorated and then I will be finished in that area. Hopefully today I can start on the gift wrapping. Check back tomorrow for my progress report (lol)!!

My card today is one that I made for my regular Friday post on the Great Impressions Blog. I wanted to experiment with some Tim Holtz distress markers and a water brush. I saw a video on the Deconstructing Sketch blog and thought I would give it a try.

This super cute snowman stamp - "frosty Friends G289 was the perfect stamp to use.
I paired my image up with patterned paper from the Basic Gray "fruitcake collection".

My card layout is from the deconstructing sketch #75. I tweaked it just a little. 

Added a twine bow, a banner flag cut from the MFT flag stax die, stamped my sentiment from the stamp "It's Christmas - D453 and that completed my card. 

Time to close this post and do some Christmas stuff. So until next time.........God bless.

Some other challenges:
1. C.R.A.F.T. blog has a "winter" challenge.
2. Craft Us Crazy has a christmas/winter challenge.
3. Paper Crafting Journey has an "anything christmas" challenge.
4. Outlawz Twisted Thursday challenge is to add snowflakes.
5. Raise The Bar has a "let it snow" challenge.

~ dashing thru the snow ~

Happy Wednesday and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. Well, it's now 13 days until Christmas.

Don't know about you but I am so not ready, but the good news is that I am getting there. I have received more gift ideas from my family so I expect to finish the shopping in the next couple of days.

I am almost finished decorating my house and I am loving how everything is beginning to take shape. So, I guess I am on track just not ahead of schedule.

Now, onto my card for today. This one I made for the color challenge on Splitcoaststampers.

Peggy was our hostess and she chose a great trio of colors with real red, basic gray and gumball green.
Our extra option is anything to do with snow - snowmen, snowflakes, etc.

For my card I decided to use dies and stamps from the PaperTrey Ink set “in the meadow”. My card base is basic gray and then a layer of white.

I used some gray designer paper with stars from the Echo Park collection “very merry Christmas”. I added some red rhinestones for a little bling.

My tree is cut in gumball green and the sleigh in real red. I cut the rolling hills with the PTI die from this same set and then added some Stampin-Up chunky glitter.

I stamped my sentiment to complete my card. that's it for me today so until next time.......God bless.

Some other challenges:
1.  ABC Christmas Challenge is on the letter "Y". You are to use your fave die or punch. These PTI dies are my new fave-makes card making so easy.
2.  Simon Says Stamp Challenge wants to know what is our fave tool or product. I love using dies. They add so much to a card.
3.  Sweet Stampin has an anything goes challenge.
4.  Crafting For All Seasons has a green/red and glitter challenge.

Ornament Keepsakes

Happy Monday and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. The countdown is on-only 15 days until Christmas. Hope all your decorating, baking, shopping, wrapping and card making and mailing is on schedule.

I went to my friends today for our annual chocolate candy making marathon. We made chocolate covered pretzels, oreos, coconut clusters, cashew clusters, peanut butter sandwiches. My friends and family all love getting a little box of chocolates at Christmas.

I will also make lady locks and pizzelles. Another friend will come over  next Wednesday and we will make 10 dozen pizzelles. She has the best recipe for these Italian treats. My hubby loves them.
We both have the iron you need to make them so it will take us about an hour. My house will have the aroma of anise for several days.

My cards are all made and they just need to be mailed. Hopefully that will happen on Wednesday or Thursday.

Now onto my card for today. I have another one of my Christmas cards to show today.
This one I made for the color challenge #404 on Splitcoaststampers. I was the hostess and I chose marina mist, cherry cobbler and early espresso.

I thought it would make a great Christmas card in some non traditional colors. I used the Stampin-Up set ornament keepsakes and framelit dies for my card plus the Stampin-Up ornament punch.

Stamped my 1st ornament in cherry cobbler and added an early espresso center with an espresso center accent. The 2nd ornament is punched in marina mist and then I used a Sizzix embossing folder on it.

My sentiment is from the Stampin-Up set “season of joy”- stamped in espresso. I punched with the Stampin-Up small oval and then the matching scallop oval punch.

I punched a couple of marina mist stars and glittered them up.
Added some early espresso ribbon-used the framelits labels embossed with the Stampin-Up fancy fan embossing folder to complete my card.

The designer paper is from the Stampin-Up “frostwood lodge” collection. My card layout idea came from my Stampin-Up demo ChristineLynn from our stamp club meeting this past Saturday. Thanks Christine.

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

Some other challenges:
1.  Christmas Card Challenges has a die cut challenge. I used several on this card.
2.  Dream Valley has a Christmas challenge.
3.  Fashionable Stamping Challenge wants us to use dies or punches. I used both.
4.  No Matter Which Challenge has a Christmas challenge.
5.  Robyn's Fetish has a Christmas card challenge.

It's Christmas

Happy Friday and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life blog. It's only 18 days until Christmas. I am so not ready.

Today I will be home all day decorating. Once that's done I will tackle the gift wrapping. I havent finished shopping as yet but only a few more gifts.

On Monday I get together with my friend and we will make candy. It's become a tradition with us and all about chocolate. I give it as a small gift along with one of my handmade cards.

Now onto my card for today. This one I made for my regular Friday post on the Great Impressions Blog. My design term was to be over this month but I have been invited to stay for another 6 months. That was an early Christmas present for me. Whoo-hoo!!

The new stamps are the Christmas penguin - D454 and the sentiment "It's Christmas" - D453. Aren't they just the cutest little guys. I colored them with Copic markers and then fussy cut them for their downhill sliding adventure. On the trim of their hats I used polar white flower soft for fur.

On my background I used the Great Impressions Stamp - "falling snowflakes"E772. The snowflakes are stamped in bashful blue ink onto bashful blue cardstock. My tree and slope are die cuts. On the tree I used some red rhinestones for accent. On the slope, I used flower soft in polar white for some flaky snow.

To complete my card I stamped the sentiment in bashful blue ink. I think it is such a fun Christmas card. All the stamps are in the Great Impressions online store. If you click on the stamp name above it will take you right to the store for easy ordering.

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

Some other challenges:
1.  Lady Ann's Challenge is anything goes.
2.  Sweet Stampin has an anything goes challenge.
3.  Crafty Creations wants us to create a winter scene.
4.  Divas by Design has a let it snow challenge.
5.  Blogger Challenge is to create a scene.

~Merry Christmas~

Happy Thursday everyone and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. It's the most wonderful time of the year. I love the Christmas season and the family time, the gift buying, baking, special church services and plays, card making etc etc etc.

I am still working on my cards but they will be finished soon. We have the outside of the house decorated and today I will start the inside. Then a little break for lunch with a friend at Bahama Breeze. We both love their Salmon Tostada.

Now onto my card for today. This one I made for the featured stamper challenge on Splitcoaststampers. This week the honors went to Sharri aka sseffens.

I wasn't familiar with this stamper but she has quite an impressive gallery of cards.

I chose her Christmas Baubles card to recreate ala Mary Marsh style. I kept her layout and Christmas theme.

For my card I used the Echo Park "very merry Christmas" collection. It has quite an array of beautiful Christmas papers plus element stickers. I used the ornament stickers and the Christmas sentiment for my card.

Cut a Stampin-Up top-note die in cherry cobbbler and layered the ornaments on that. Used the Cuttlebug swiss dots embossing folder on the sentiment layer. Added some early espresso bakers twine to complete this card.

Well that;s it for me today so until next time.......God bless.

Some other challenges:
1.  Christmas at Sweet Stampin' has an anything goes challenge.
2.  Crafts and Me has an anything goes with an optional ornament.
3.  Deep Ocean Challenge has a "so this is Christmas" challenge.

Greatest Gift

Happy Saturday and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. Well, December 1 is here and it's only 24 days until Christmas. I have lots to do to prepare but am confident that it will all get done.

My husband is almost finished with the outside decorations and I hope to start the inside ones sometime this weekend. Once I finish that I will start wrapping my gifts and baking. Just need to organize my days and stick to my schedule. Sometimes easier said than done.

Now onto my card for today. This one I made for my weekly blog post on the Great Impressions Stamps blog. I like the warm, country look to this card.

My card is using the Great Impressions Stamp "the greatest gift G290".  I did a little coloring of the holly & berries with Spectrum Noir markers.
I paired the stamp with Stampin-Up's poppy red designer paper from the "pawsitively prints" collection. The choc chip scallop is a die from MFT. Used some poppy parade poly-twill ribbon for my bow.

My layout is from the Splitcoaststampers sketch challenge 411.

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

Some other challenges:
1. Stampin Sisters in Christ wants us to make a Christmas card.
2. My Sheri Crafts has a 'tis the season" challenge.
3. Fussy and Fancy has a "I love Christmas" challenge.
4. Jingle Belles has an anything goes holiday challenge.