Celebrate

Happy Wednesday and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. Today was more family time for us. My mother-in-law had us over for dinner to celebrate my brother-in-laws birthday. It was a yummy rigatoni-salad-salt sticks and chocolate cake dinner. The family loves Mom's pasta sauce. So we werent surprised when he picked that meal for his birthday dinner.

We gave Gary a couple of pounds of Starbucks French roast coffee and one of my handmade birthday cards. He is always so complimentary of my cards and he told me he keeps them all. That was a nice compliment.

Now onto my card for today. This one I made as a sample part of the design team. Charlene made her debut as a hostess and she chose the colors of more mustard, old olive and midnight muse.

These colors would probably make a great masculine card, but I decided to make a card with a flower. I am going to send this to a friend who just had her first grandchild.

My flower image is from the Verve set – “great friend”. Stamped image in midnight muse on more mustard cardstock and fussy cut the flower.

I popped up each layer for dimension and sponged the edges of the flower. The center is a resin button in midnight muse from Stampin-Up.

Layered the flower on an MFT doily die cut in midnight muse. Added some greenery cut from a Cheery Lynn Design die and a flag sentiment cut from a Spellbinders die.

Two of the background panels are “comfort café” designer paper and on the other 2, I used the honeycomb embossing folder from Stampin-Up . Layout is this week’s deconstructed sketch #90. 

Well that's it for me for another day. Time to dim the lights in Charmed Life Land for another day. So until next time.........God Bless.

Other Challenges:
1.  Crafts and Me has a die cut/punches challenge.
2.  Crafty Creations Challenge wants us to case ourselves. I cased this card of mine.
3.  Divas By Design has an anything goes.
4.  Simon Say Stamp has an anythinggoes.

Hoppy Easter

Happy Tuesday and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. Today seemed to have a bit of a hectic pace once it got rolling. That doesn't seem to matter to me on Tuesdays because I get to see my grandsons.

And also, I make it a point to start my day by reading my bible. It makes a big difference in my day.

I am reading through the bible on a one year plan. I have a version where you do an old testament reading, a new testament reading and then a psalm and a proverb. And, at the end of the year you will have completed the entire bible.

 It's a great way to read the scriptures. Here is the version I have if any of you are interested.  They are available at most Christian bookstores.

Now onto my card for today. I made another Easter card and you may think these are unusual colors but there is a method to my madness (lol)!!

I mentioned previously that Splitcoaststampers is having a LoveFest Challenge 2013. This one was hosted by The Cat's Pajamas and is an inspiration challenge. This is the picture we were to use to create our card.

My card is using The Cat's Pajamas set "sugar, sugar". Stamped in Versamark and embossed with white embossing powder. I did a modified chalkboard technique on this circle. Also on this circle I used the out of box technique to cut the circle. Colored basket & eggs with a prismacolor pencil in canary yellow.

Circles are cut using Spellbinders circle dies and designer paper from The Paper Patch and Stampin-Up.

I stamped my sentiment from the same TCP set and added some black rick rack to finish my card. And that's it for me today. So until next time..........God bless.

Additional challenges:
1.  SCS Technique challenge #418 wants us to use circles.

2.  MojoMonday 281 sketch. 
3.  Oldie But Goodie Challenge is to use bright colors. My black dotted paper is 3 yrs old, My spellbinders circle die is 3-4 yrs old. The rick rack is 1 year old.
4.  Cards In Envy wants us to use polka dots and has to be flat for mailing.

~Good Times Great~

Happy Monday and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. We had a great week-end. Sunday was church of course in the morning and then we went to our youngest grandson's basketball game.
Even his two older brothers were there. Maybe because we were going out afterwards to have a meal together and celebrate Aidin's birthday. He is the middle child. It was a great family time with good conversation and food.

Tonight, my sweet little 2 year old granddaughter called me from San Francisco. They just returned from a beach vacation and she was telling me about it. She had a bee sting and saw some hippies and made sand castles with daddy. That was it.

The hippies had "crazy hair" she said. She was afraid of them (according to my daughter-in-law) which is why she was telling me about it. At least 10 times (lol)!!! Then she wanted to talk about the nutcrackers that were at my house on Christmas. I love the mind of a 2 year old.  It was a wonderful 25 minutes with her.

Now onto my card for today. This one I made for several challenges. Splitcoaststampers is having an 11 day LoveFest Challenge. You still have a few days to get your entries in and there are prizes to be won.

For this challenge Verve Stamps was the host and it was a color challenge. My favorite kind!! Julee gave us a color choice and I chose aqua + brown + yellow.

For my image, I used the Verve set "great friend". I stamped in chocolate chip ink onto pool party cardstock. I fussy cut the flowers, sponged the edges for definition. Layered the flower over a doily die from MFT.

My card colors are pool party, daffodil delight and chocolate chip. I used the deconstructed sketch #90 for my layout. 

This is also for the Inspiration Challenge on Splitcoaststampers. Stef is the hostess and our inspiration site was Designs by Lucinda.  IC377 challenge. Here is my flower pin inspiration.

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

Entering these challenges also:
1.  Crafty Cardmakers has a "blooming images" challenge.
2.  Created With Love Challenge wants us to go "bright and cheery".
3.  Eureka Stamps has a flower power challenge.
4.  Sentimental Sundays has a flowers, flowers and more flowers challenge.

Happy Easter

Happy Saturday and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. I was out shopping today with my sister. We went looking for some wall art for my home. I picked up a couple of items and I think they will work in my living room. When I get it up, I will take some photos.

I have another Easter card for today. I usually send 10-15 cards and this is only #2. This one would be an easy one to recreate in different colors.

I made this card for this week’s color challenge #414 on Splitcoaststampers. Peggy is our hostess and she chose a great trio of colors with certainly celery, crumb cake and chocolate chip.

For my card I used the “Jesus paid it all” stamp set and coordinating Calvary die from Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps. I decided to make a little scene on my Easter card. My crosses I cut with chocolate chip cardstock.

I added some grass cut from certainly celery cardstock with an MFT grass die. Added some wildflowers cut with the Memory Box “wildflower patch” die from certainly celery and white cardstock.

I cut & embossed some clouds with another MFT die and stamped my sentiments on them. My background designer paper is from Stampin-Up’s “elegant soiree” collection.
It was cut & embossed with the Spellbinders Matting Basics A & B dies.

This is also for the Splitcoaststampers LoveFest2013E challenge. Jana is the hostess and she wants us to use at least one die. I used 5 of them on this card.

That's it for me for today. So until next time.......God bless.

Some other challenges:
1.  Crafty Catz has a dies and punches challenge.
2.  WordArt Wednesday has an anything goes challenge.
3.  Twist of Faith Card Challenges wants us to use spring colors and a scripture or uplifting verse.

Vintage Collage

Happy Friday and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. Another weekend is here and the last one in February. We don't have any plans.
Maybe out to dinner at a new restaurant that opened here a few weeks ago. Hubby mentioned going to a high school basketball game.
I will be doing some crafting I am sure. I guess we live pretty laid back lives in the winter time (lol)!!

My card today is one that I made for my weekly Friday post on the Great Impressions Blog. I did an emboss resist technique. My stamped image is from the Great Impressions Stamps- "romantic collage-H147".
I stamped in Versamark and embossed with white embossing powder.

My background is sponged with Stampin-Up's blushing bride and primrose petals inks. I restamped the post mark and the woman image again in primrose petals and fussy cut for a little background interest.

I die cut a key using the PaperTrey Ink "lock & key die". In the corner, I used a crocheted heart from my stash and die cut a heart in primrose petals cardstock and stamped the music part of this image on that.

I made a bow with some wrinkled seam binding from my stash. Pulled out my distressing tool and curled up the corners of the cardstock to finish off the card.

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

1.  Addicted To Stamps and More has a vintage challenge.
2.  Loves Rubber Stamps has a lots of layers challenge.
3.  Polka Doodles Challenge Blog wants us to go shabby chic.

You Are Such A Blessing

Happy Wednesday and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. It's a snowy, blustery day here in Pittsburgh.
This would be the ideal time to be in some place tropical and relaxing on the beach. But, since I am not there, I am sipping on some warm tea & honey and crafting (lol)!!.

And, some good news is that the days are getting longer and the vernal equinox is only 28 days away. That's when the day and night are about equal in length. Soon the tulips will be pushing up. Can't wait to see those since hubby planted about 200 of them.

Well enough of the spring day dream and onto my card for today.

Splitcoaststampers is having a LoveFest Challenge. There are prizes to be won so jump over there and check it out. Info Here.

For this challenge, Korin (owner of Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps) provided a sketch for us to use on our cards. 

For this card I used several stamps from Sweet 'n Sassy stamps. On the oval I stamped text from the Christmas Light set in crumb cake ink.
Over that I used the wildflowers set and stamped again in crumb cake ink.

My coral flowers are from the "your friendship" set. I stamped in memento tuxedo black and colored with copic markers.

My background designer paper is from the Canvas Corp. I really like the black & kraft look. The striped designer paper is calypso coral from Stampin-Up. The text on the flags is from the "your friendship" set.

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

Some other challenges:
1.  Crafting By Design has an anything goes challenge.
2.  Crafting For All Seasons has a dies/punches challenge.
3.  Fab 'n Funky has a flower power challenge.
4.  Penny's Paper Crafting has an anything goes challenge.
5.  The Perfect Sentiment Blog has a floral fantasia challenge.

Tangerine Birthday

Happy Tuesday and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. Doing a quick post today before I leave to pick Ethan (youngest grandson) up at school. His brothers will either be home or at basketball practice.

Tuesday is my day with the grandkids. Great conversations and discussions, homework, after school snacks, dropping off or picking up from basketball practice it's all part of this day. It's precious time that I wouldn't trade for anything because there is nothing like building memories.

Kids grow up so fast. So if you have little ones cherish them. They don't stay that way forever.

My card for today is a bright one for sure. I made it a birthday card because my stash is running low.

The colors for this card came from the Splitcoaststampers color challenge #413.
Vicki was the hostess and she chose tangerine tango, lucky limeade and white.

The layout is from the Splitcoaststampers sketch challenge #423.

My background designer paper is from the Stampin-Up "print poetry" collection and the lucky limeade paper is from the "cheerful treat" collection.

My image is from the "fresh vintage" set. Stamped in versamark and then heat embossed in white.
I added some tangerine tango ribbon and some white funky ribbon I found in my stash.

The birthday sentiment is from the MFP set "island life". Well that's it for me today. So until next time.........God bless.

Some other challenges:
1.  Crafty CardMakers has a flowers as main focus challenge.
2.  Creative Creations Challenges has a inspired by a song. Happy Birthday to you.... is always a good one.
3.  Eureka Stamps also has a inspired by a song. Happy Birthday to you.... my voice is getting a workout.
4.  My Craft Spot has a flowers challenge.
 

Heartfelt Sympathy

Happy Saturday and thanks for taking the time to visit  the Charmed Life Blog. Hope you had a great first day of the week-end. It was cold and snowing off and on here in Pittsburgh. We are expecting more overnight. So it was a perfect day to stay inside and do some crafting. Not that I need an excuse mind you.

Now as I am typing this post i received an email from Splitcoaststampers. I have been chosen as this weeks Featured Stamper. EEK!! What an honor. Jump over here to their site to get the scoop. Hope you can play along. It would be such an honor to me.

Back to this card. I made this for the Spring Virtual Stamp Night on Splitcoaststampers. Our challenge was to make a sympathy card and use a butterfly or bird. I like to have a couple in my stash because you never know when one will be needed.

My card layout is from an older Just-Rite Stampers sketch. I eliminated the ribbon. The background designer paper is from Stampin-Up's "parisian breeze" collection.

Cut my flags with the MFT flagstax die in chocolate chip cardstock then I embossed them. Used the Stampin-Up "fancy fan" and a Sizzix "just my type" folders.

My sympathy sentiment is from Rubber Cottage. I cut it with the Spellbinders labels 4 die in chocolate chip and baja breeze cardstocks.

Well time to close this post. It's late and I have church in the morning. So until next time.......God bless.

Some other challenges:
1.  A Gem of a Challenge wants us to use dies and punches.
2.  Allsorts Blog has a things with wings challenge.
3.  Hiding in my Craft Room has an embossing challenge.
4.  Daring CardMakers has a fly,fly butterfly challenge..

Some Bunny Loves You

Happy Friday and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. Well another Valentine's Day has come and gone.
My hubby gave me the most beautiful bouquet of flowers and some of my favorite candy - "good and plenty". In fact he gave me a 5lb bag of them (lol!!). I will have to limit myself on eating these. Lots of calories and the beach is coming this summer.

Well onto my card for today. It's my day to post on the Great Impressions Blog as part of the design team. I made my first Easter card. I love how it turned out.

My image is from Great Impressions Stamps -E573 "bunny with carrot". I colored with prismacolor pencils and gamsol and also Spectrum Noir markers.

The designer paper is from Stampin-Up's "sunshine and sprinkles" collection. The embossing is from the Cuttlebug "just my type" folder.

I die cut the banners with the MFT "banner day die-namics" and added some rhinestones. The layout is an older MFT sketch MFTWSC96.

My sentiment is also from Great Impressions Stamps - C343 "some bunny loves you". Used my stamp-a-ma-jig to get the placement on 2 lines.

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

Some other challenges:
1.  SCS WTC414 challenge is to use triangles on your card.
2.  SCS is also having a LoveFest challenge. This is for challenge A. Details here.
3.  Raise The Bar has an anything goes.
4.  Cute Card Thursday has an eye for detail challenge. For my card I used the Spellbinders matting basics die to get the layering sizes right and the stamp-a-ma-jig to get the sentiment placed where  I want it.

It's A Girl

Happy Wednesday and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. I have returned from San Francisco and my short but sweet visit with my precious granddaughter, Phoenix Daisy.

It was such a wonderful time with her. She has called me 3x already since I returned using the FaceTime feature on IPAD. It's a video call. I love it because she is right there on my screen and I am on hers.
Well it's her parent's IPAD but she certainly knows that she can call me on it. She asked for my cell phone when I was there. She said she wanted to send a text. Mind you she is only 2 years old. She made me laugh for sure.

Now onto my card for today. This one I made for the Spring VSN on Splitcoaststampers. Misti was our hostess and she wanted us to make a baby card. My onesie die is from MFT.  I will need a baby girl card very soon so this was the perfect challenge for me.
And the soon-to-be Mom has chosen a color scheme of brown and pink. So that determined my challenge colors. My sentiment is from the Verve set "practically perfect".
I die cut a heart with a Spellbinders die in chocolate chip. My designer paper is some Echo Paper from my stash.
I thought is was perfect for a baby girl card. I added some pink ruffled ribbon, twine and more die cut hearts to complete my card.

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

Some other challenges:
1.  Crafting By Design wants us to make a card with a heart but not a valentine.
2.  The Paper Girls wants us to use twine on our projects.
3.  Challenges For Everybody has an anything goes challenge.

Stipple Blossom Birthday

Happy Saturday and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. I am out in San Francisco visiting with my son, daughter-in-law and of course my precious Phoenix Daisy.  I have been here for 3 days and just enjoying this little 2 year old immensely.

She does wear me out though with her boundless energy. I am only here for a couple of more days  and then I head back to Pittsburgh. I left my hubby behind on this trip to take care of things on the home front.

I partially set up the post before I left by uploading my photo only. Knowing that I would finish them here when I had a chance. Well my son took my daughter-in-law on a date tonight and I am babysitting Phoenix. She is fast asleep right now.

The card I am showing today was made for the virtual stamp night challenge on Splitcoaststampers. Marilyn was our hostess and she wanted us to use flowers on our cards and also something new. Get details here. 

I used a brand new (to me) stamp set from Stampin-Up - "stippled blossoms".  The flowers are stamped in pale plum and rich razzleberry inks. My leaves are stamped in celery and gumball green inks. I fussy cut them and popped up on dimensionals.

I embossed the background very vanilla layer with the Stampin-Up tulips embossing folder. The happy birthday sentiment is from the Stampin-Up set "party this way".  Added a bow made with very vanilla ribbon and a rich razzleberry button to complete my card.

My card inspiration came from my design team sister, Karen Barber. She posted this card for the color challenge 402.

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

Some other challenges:
1.  Brown Sugar has an anything goes challenge.
2.  Creative Moments Bloggers Network has a buttons & bows challenge.
3.  Penny's Paper Crafty has a ribbons and bows challenge.

You Brighten My Day

Happy Friday and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. As you read this post i am out in San Francisco with my precious granddaughter Phoenix Daisy and of course her parents (lol)!! I left my hubby home to hold down the fort while I am gone. this is a short visit and I will be back on Tuesday night.

Today is my day to post on the Great Impressions Stamps Blog as part of the design team. For my card I used several Great Impressions Stamps.

The background stamp in the oval is J106 "the rose". I used crumb cake ink and stamped off first to lighten up the words. I then used H186 "Queens Ann's Lace" and stamped over the background words also in crumb cake ink.


I used a Spellbinder oval to cut and layered that over another Spellbinders Label 18 die cut from kraft cardstock. My background paper is from Canvas Corp -chocolate and kraft mini dots. I used some burlap that I had in my stash.

My sentiment is A127 "You Brighten My Day". Well that's it for me for today. Hope you have some fun plans for the weekend. Until next time..........God bless.

Thank You Julia

Happy Wednesday and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. I don't know about you, but I am not a person that likes change. I deal with it as we all have to but, it's not real easy. My bff is moving to Virginia in a couple of months. It's good for her and her hubby since they will be 15 minutes from their family.
We befriended a young couple from church when they moved to Pittsburgh 7 years ago. They had no family here so we became the Pittsburgh Mom & Dad. Then a job transfer came up and they had to move to Nevada. Again it was good for them because Ruben will be teaching a the University of Nevada and doing research. It's what he wanted.

Then the design team that I am on at Splitcoaststampers had a change just this week. My friend Julia Aston (aka artystamper) decided to leave because of other commitments. Again I totally understand, but I will miss her.

So for the color challenge this week we dedicated it to Julia. See the post here. Karen was our hostess and she chose a neutral palette in honor of Julia with basic black, very vanilla and crumb cake (kraft).

For my card I chose the Stampin-Up set “natures silhouettes”. I stamped it in crumb cake ink on to very vanilla cardstock. Used a Spellbinders oval die to cut it and layered it on a Spellbinder labels 18 die cut in kraft card stock.

On my card base I used the Sizzix embossing folder “scrollwork”. My sentiment is from the Stampin-Up set “blooming with kindness”.

I added some May Arts mesh ribbon and layered Stampin-Up’s 5/8” very vanilla grosgrain over that.

My bow is very vanilla ¼” grosgrain ribbon with a black rhinestone center.

Well that's it for me for today. So until next time.........God Bless.

Some other challenges:
1.  Creative Belli wants us to use rhinestones. Found these black ones in my stash. 2.  Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge is ribbons & bows. 3.  Loves Rubber Stamps has an anything goes challenge.

Bandit of Love

Happy Sunday and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. Are you familiar with the tradition of  Punxsutawney Phil? The groundhog from Pennsylvania who comes out of his dwelling at Gobbler's Knob every February 2. 
He didn't see his shadow yesterday. So according to folklore, it's an early spring.

Punxsutawney is about 65 miles northeast of where I live. The town gets about 15,000 visitors on Groundhog Day. After the Bill Murray movie "GroundHog Day" they had upwards of 30,000 visitors.

All I can say is that it was really frigid here today. With temps at 9° this morning. We had snow on and off all day. Probably about 3" is on the ground right now. More is expected tomorrow.

So an early spring would be nice. But, that's in the Lord's hands fortunately. Punsutawney Phil is a media event but not who I depend on for my weather report (lol)!!!

Anyway, onto my card for today. This one I created for the new monthly challenge on the Great Impressions Blog. It's all about hearts. The prize would be the chance to guest design in April. Sound like fun?? Well you can't win if you don't play.

For my card I used the Great Impressions Stamp "Smokey the love bandit G478". Isn't he just the cutest thing? I colored him with markers and a blender pen. I fussy cut him and layered on a Spellbinders lacy circle die cut.

The sentiment is "bandit of love B230". You could use this either for kids or an adult. I am giving this one to my hubby for Valentine's Day.

My card layout is the current de-constructed sketch #87.

My card base is black and then I used another piece of black and put it through my heart paper crimper and rounded the corners.

My pennant flags are cut from real red designer paper and I layered licorice twine over them and a heart brad in the corner.

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

Some other challenges:
1.  Allsorts has a "let's get cute" challenge.
2.  Drunken Stampers has a groundhog day challenge. You can use a furry animal.
3.  Hiding in my Craft Room has a red challenge.
4.  My Time To Craft has a love is in the air challenge.

Said The Butterfly

Happy February 1 and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. I have had 2 great days catching up with friends over dinner then lunch. I get together with five women that I worked with for 30 years several times a year for dinner. We did that Wednesday night at a local restaurant.

Then Thursday I went to lunch with a few other church friends at a local tea house-Bellas House of Tea. We see each other every Sunday but don't necessarily get to talk after church.

It was my first visit to the tea house and I just loved the Victorian style decorations. She had lots of antiques, several gorgeous wood mantles and her dishes and tea cups were so beautiful.

It would be a lovely place for a bridal shower or a women's luncheon. She mentioned that she does a lot of them. And, the lunch was delicious as well.

Now onto my card for today. This one I posted on the Great Impressions Blog since it's Friday and my day as design team member.

My sentiment is from the Great Impressions Stamp - "said the butterfly E149". Used a Spellbinders rectangle die and sponged with pool party ink while it was still in the die.

My layout is from this week's sketch #421 on Splitcoaststampers.

Used the Spellbinders matting basics A & B dies to cut my pool party background and the "autumn spice" designer paper. I love the vintage look of this paper.

I used more pool party designer paper & card stock for the long rectangle layer.

The pennant flags are cut from soft suede card stock and designer paper. I added some cotton lace over this layer.

Punched some butterflies in soft suede and added a few pearls to complete my card. well, that's it for me for today. So until next time.........God bless.

Some other challenges:
1.  It's All About Vintage has a lace and pearls challenge.
2.  Moving Along With The Times has a punch it out challenge.
3.  Paper Crafting Journey has a "for a girl" challenge.
4.  Lady Anne's challenge is anything goes.