A Day Just For Friends

                                                           

 

Happy Friday and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. It's summertime and the livin' is easy. We are having some hot and humid weather here in Pittsburgh. Just perfect for giving the flower and vegetable gardens the jump start they need to move from spring to summer.

 

My hubby has been so busy planting and replanting his gardens. I just love how our yard looks. He works so hard to get it just right. I am so impressed when I ask the name of a plant that he knows every one of them. I need to take some photos and put them on the blog. That sounds like a good project for this weekend.

 

Now onto my card for today. This one I made for my Friday post on the Great Impressions Stamps blog. I just love this bike image. It reminds me of a trip to the nursery and returning with some wonderful finds.

 

The image is from the Great Impressions Stamps "bicycle with flowers" - G481.

 

I stamped the image in Memento tuxedo black ink and colored with melon mambo, bashful blue and lucky limeade inks and a blender pen. I cut it out and layered over a panel of melon mambo cardstock.

 

The sentiment is a new Great Impressions Stamps "for friends" B233. The designer paper is from Stampin-Up's "cheerful treat" collection.   I am slowly using up all this retired paper.

 

My layout is this week's Sweet Sunday sketch #185.

 

I completed the card using a Martha Stewart daisy edge punch and added a bow with a brad center.

 

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

 

I am also entering:

1.  Aud Sentiments Challenge Blog wants us to use word "friend" in our sentiment.

2.  Crafty Ribbons has an anything goes with ribbon.

3.  Creative Belli wants us to use flowers. Used retired SU paper.

4.  Inkspirational has an anything goes challenge.

5.  Deep Ocean Challenge wants us to use ribbon or lace.

6.  Card Makin Mamas wants us to use rubber stamps.

 

Color Challenge Card and Exciting News

Happy Wednesday and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. This is such an exciting day for me. I just found out that I have advanced to the final round on the Spellbinders Design Team Competition. See the announcement here.

It's such a huge honor for me to have advanced to this point with Spellbinders. I am among some fabulous designers in the group of 19 that are part of the final round. I will give it my best shot that's for sure.

My card for today is one that I created for the color challenge #428 on Splitcoaststampers. Kim is our hostess and she chose the palette of lucky limeade, island indigo and pool party. The colors seemed so masculine to me so I went that direction and created a Father's Day card.

My designer papers are from Stampin-Up's world spectacular and sweet shop collections, The image is Stampin-Up's "open sea" set. The layout I used is an older De-constructed sketch #90.

I used a Spellbinders square die to cut my squares. To complete my card I punched an anchor using a Martha Stewart punch. well, that's it for me for today so until next time........God bless.

I am also entering:

1.  Crafting By Designs has an anythinggoes challenge.

2.  Simon Says Stamp has an anything goes challenge.

3.  Creative Craft Challenges is "for the fellas".

4.  Cards For Men has a "Dad" challenge.

5.  Hiding In My Craft Room has a Father's Day challenge. 

6.  My Sheri Crafts has a Father's Day challenge.  

7.  Clearly iStamp has a Father's Day challenge.

Boys Become Men

 

Happy Monday and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. Hope you had a great and relaxing holiday weekend. I want to take a quick moment to thank all of our active and retired military for their service.

 

We spent the week-end in Ruther Glen, Virginia visiting our friends that just moved there. It  was an easy drive from Pittsburgh and we didn't have a lot of road traffic. That was a real plus.

 

Elaine made us feel so welcome with all the little feminine touches. It was such a quick visit and I am already looking forward to the next time we go.

 

Now onto my card for today. I am making Father's Day cards and this one uses the Waltzingmouse set "man of the hour". I stamped the sentiment and used a Spellbinders oval die to cut it out.

 

The layout is from the Splitcoaststampers Wednesday sketch #437.  I stamped and cut it out with the Spellbinders oval die.

I used a bold color palette with cherry cobbler, midnight muse and daffodil delight. The designer paper is from Stampin-Up's "parker's patterns" collection. This is a great collection of masculine papers. I used the Stampin-Up embossing folder "stripes" on my daffodil delight panel.

Since this is a masculine card, I added some pennant flags cut from the Verve pennant trim die. And that completes this card.

 

Time to dim the lights in Charmed Life land for another day. So until next time.......God bless.

 

I am also entering:

1.  Card Mania has a spots and or stripes challenge.

2.  Cards For Men has a Dad challenge.

3.  Created With Love has a 3 layers (at least) challenge.

4.  613 Avenue Create has an anything goes challenge.  

5.  Crafting When We Can has a punches/die-cuts challenge.

 

 

Memories of the Sea

Happy Friday and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. We are celebrating the official start of summer this week-end.

Hope you have some fun picnic or family plans. Lots of people use this long weekend to get the yard in shape or open up their pool. My hubby has been working in our yard for the past 2 months. So he is that under control. We don't have a pool but my neighbors do, and they will be opening it for the season.

We will be celebrating our good friends birthday this week-end and this is a card for him. He loves the ocean and especially the Outer Banks.

My card is using 3 Great Impressions Stamps on this one. The sailboat is the "sail away E418" stamp and the sentiment is "our memories F396". I only stamped part of the sentiment on the card front and the remainder on the card inside.

I brayered and sponged the background and masked a circle for the setting sun. I used the same circle and turned it the other way to mimic a reflection in the water.

I used a white gel pen to make the whitecaps and added some twine that is tied in sailors knots.

I also completed the inside of my card on this one. I stamped the remaining part of the "our memories F396" sentiment and then added a birthday sentiment using "flourish birthday wishes" E742.

I had some star fish and shell buttons in my stash so I used these for a little bling.


Well, that's it for me for this post. So until next time.........God bless and happy Memorial Day.

You Light Up My Life

 

Happy Sunday and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. This has been a whirlwind of a week.

I am working on my 2nd round submission for the Spellbinders Design Team Competition and also spent 2 days with my grandsons.

 

My son and daughter-in-law were both out of town at business meetings. It's baseball season so between the school teams and the community teams we were busy. But all in all it was a god time with the boys.

 

Then I have to get back to my project for Spellbinders.  I am so excited to have made it to the 2nd round of this competition. I was one of 37 selected to move on in the competition. I am happy with what I have created so far but there is still work to be done on it.

 

Now onto my card for today, This one that I made for the color challenge #426 on Splitcoaststampers. Peggy was our hostess and she chose a great trio of colors with regal rose, certainly celery and bermuda bay. She also wanted us to use an encouraging sentiment.

 

After the color choices, I picked my layout which is the Viva la verve week 1 sketch.

Then I chose my designer paper which is Stampin-Up’s regal rose designer paper pack for the background panel. I used the stylized flowers embossing folder on the paper.

And, I used the Stampin-Up retired welcome neighbor collection for the rectangle panel. The other panel is certainly celery and I used the floral fantasy embossing folder.

I used the MFT dizzy doily die cut with bermuda bay and cut a smaller circle in whisper white to add my sentiment. It’s from Verve and I received it free with my last order. I added a celery button and punched a butterfly for the top corner.

 

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

 

I am also entering:

1.  Challenges 4 Everybody has an anything goes.
2.  Eclectic Ellapu has an anything goes challenge.
3.  Scrappy Frogs has a free choice challenge.
4.  Outlawz has an anything goes challenge.
5.  Crafty Catz has a 3-2-1 challenge. I used 3 different colors of cardstock, 2 embossing folders and 1 butterfly.

 

Vintage Cameo

Happy Friday and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. We have had such beautiful springtime weather here. A few cold nights in the beginning of the week but that is over and we are back to having the windows open through the night.

We were supposed to go to Virginia and visit my BFF this weekend but our plans have changed.  Since we couldn't go in person, I thought I would send a card in my place for now.

I have a few things to take care of here at home. So it will be put off for a little bit. But, I have talked to her several times since they have moved. She is getting settled in her new home and enjoying the closeness of being with family. 

Now onto my card for today. This one I created for my Friday post on the Great Impressions Blog. I was after a vintage look and I thought the stamps plus the embossing folder helped me achieve that look. I used the lace frame H212, cameo C414, and little hello B151. I also really like the turquoise and black color combo. 

I stamped my frame and cameo in black ink and then wet embossed for a more dramatic look. My sentiment was stamped and I used the Stampin-Up oval punch. Added some black lace and a bow with a button center to complete my card.

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

I am also entering:

1.  ABC Challenge wants us to use 3 or more embellies. I used lace, button and an oval punch for my sentiment.

2.  Creatalicious Challenge is for the girls.

3.  Forever Friends has an anything goes challenge.

4.  Pretty Little Ribbon Shop has a lace challenge.

5.  The Stamp Spot wants to see feminine creations.

Love Comforts

Happy Tuesday and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. Whoa, we woke up to 38° temps this morning. My hubby pulled in some of the potted plants that are on our deck. The basil and hibiscus don't like temps that cold. We have a frost warning for tonight. It's spring here in Pittsburgh and that's some of what happens.

I am also working on my 2nd round entry for the Spellbinders competition. I narrowed my ideas down to one and I am trying to get it created. I am not permitted to post anything on my blog until after the competition is completed.

So that being said let's move to my card for today. This one I created for the sketch challenge #435 on Splitcoaststampers. It is a simple layout but I like how my card turned out.

I used the Stampin-Up designer paper "good morning sunshine" and layered it with summer sun, chocolate chip and kiwi kiss cardstocks. The sentiment is from the Verve set - "stronger love". I die cut a butterfly with a Cherry Lynn Designs die to complete my card. 

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

I am also entering:  

1.  Cupcake Crafts has a lots of layers challenge.  

2.  Love To Scrap has an anything goes challenge.

3.  Outlawz has an anything goes challenge.

4.  Corrosive Challenge Blog wants us to have a sentiment on the card front.

5.  A Gem of a challenge has a things with wings. 

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All About Men & Exciting News

Happy Friday and thanks for taking the time to visit The Charmed Life Blog. Another weekend is upon us and a special one at that.

We are celebrating Mother's Day on Sunday. Our plans are to take my Mother-in-Law along with my hubby's family out to dinner. It will be a special time for her and she will have her children with her which is something she loves. 

For today though, I am showing a Father's Day card. Friday is my day to post on the Great Impressions Blog as part of their design team.

My card is using the Great Impressions Stamp "all about men" - G266. I stamped it on my pennant flag and on the image panel. I used my stamp-a-ma-jig for placement.  This stamp is a great one that describes men in many different roles.

My image is "old fishing truck - E502". I colored it with prismacolor pencils and gamsol and cut it with a Spellbinders labels one die. I added some glossy accents to the wheels and the side mirror.

The designer paper is from Stampin-Up's "Parker's Patterns Collection". I liked the masculine appeal of my patterned paper and kept with that theme by adding die cut chevrons in a Stampin-Up's early espresso and marina mist to finish my card.

                                            

The layout is this week's Sweet Stop Sketch #209.

And on another note, I am so excited to have just found out that I moved on to Round 2 of the Spellbinders Design Team Competition. Click here for the announcment on their blog. It just made my day!!!

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

Happy Birthday

Happy Tuesday and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. Well, I have sent my BFF to her new home in Virginia. We helped them finish up packing and cleaning their home in Pittsburgh. They have an offer from someone to buy it and the closing date for that is May 31.

I have never had a friend like her before. She is such a support and encourager to me. We spent the last 17 years of our lives together.

But, I am determined not to let this friendship fade away. She is only 6 hrs from me so driving wont be a problem. We both have I-Pads so doing a video call is possible plus we both have unlimited long distance service on our home phones as well as cell phones. So no excuses not to stay in touch.

Now onto my card for today. This one I made for my design team color challenge #425 on Splitcoaststampers. Karen is our hostess and she chose the color palette of basic gray, blushing bride and pink pirouette. I like more vivid colors so this was a definite challenge for me.

My card started with the layout. This week I am using the MojoMonday #292 Sketch.

The top part of the background panel is Stampin-Up designer paper from the "twitterpated" collection.
For the bottom part I used basic gray cardstock and the Stampin-Up "fancy fan" embossing folder. These panels are layered over pink pirouette cardstock and blushing bride satin ribbon joins the 2 panels together.

The tilted panels are basic gray designer paper also from Stampin-Up. I cut my flag pennants with a Spellbinders die and the daisy is using a Sizzix flowers #2 die I added a button center and some leaves cut from pear pizzazz cardstock.

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

I am also entering:
1.  Clear It Out Challenge is anything goes and using 2 or more patterned papers. I used 3 retired ones from Stampin-Up.
2.  Lexi's Creations has a Happy Birthday challenge.
3.  Stamps & Fun =Creativity has a buttons challenge.
4.  Paper Nest Dolls has an embossing challenge.

Celebrations Challenge

Happy Sunday and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. We have had 4 beautiful spring days here in Pittsburgh.

The gardens in my neighborhood are all bearing their spring blooms . I love it when I see the earth come back to life after a long winter.

In a few weeks it will be time to plant our tomato plants. My hubby already has some of the herbs in the ground. He moved our cilantro from a pot on the deck into the herb garden. Hopefully, the deer and rabbits will let it alone.

Anyway, onto my card for today. Since its the first Sunday of the month, it's time for a new challenge with Great Impressions Stamps. For May our theme is "celebrations". We are leaving that open for your interpretation as to what you are celebrating. I decided for my card that it would be a wedding.

I used the Great Impressions Stamps "wishing you joy-F18".  I just love the saying on this sentiment. Perfect wedding wishes for the new couple. My card colors are gold and pearl metallic. I stamped the sentiment in a brown chalk ink.

I used the Spellbinders dies - resplendent rectangles and floral ovals to set off the beautiful sentiment.

To finish off my card, I added a gold satin bow with a paper flower. Now I have a card ready for the next wedding we are invited to. Hope you will join with us in this month's challenge. There are prizes to be won.

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

Life Is Art

 

 

Happy Friday and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. I am hosting my bestie and her hubby this week-end at my home.

 

They are moving to Virginia and today the moving company comes to pack up all their stuff. It's an exciting time for them as they will get to be closer to their family. I will miss her a lot but it's only a 6 hr drive to Virginia and we are as near as our phones. Plus we both have I-Pads so we can Facetime (video call) if we want.

 

Elaine has been such a wonderful friend to me for the past 17 years. She is one of those special friends that knows your faults and loves you anyway. Not too many of those around. I will enjoy every minute of this weekend with her.

 

Now onto my card for today. This one I made for my Friday post on the Great Impressions Blog.  For the sentiment, I used the new stamp "life is art - E792".

I also used the "distressed background stamp K94" to create my "faux artwork". I inked this stamp with melon mambo, daffodil delight and teal inks. I really like how it turned out.

 

My designer paper is from the Echo Park collection "sweet girl". It is also available in the Great Impressions online store. I thought the paper had an artsy look to it and I think it worked perfectly on this card.

 

I die cut an arrow just for a little trendy interest. Arrows are a popular trend right now in the crafting world. The music note is computer generated. I also started off using this weeks MFT sketch for my layout but I couldn't get it all to work.  So I will say that this layout is inspired by the sketch.

 

Well that's it for me for today. Time to run off to the store to pick up a few supplies for my BFF's visit. So until next time..........God bless.

 

I am also entering:

1.  The Artistic Stamper has a words challenge.

2.  Crafting Musketeers has an anything goes challenge.

3.  Our Creative Corner has an anything goes challenge.

4.  As You Like It Challenge wants us to use die-cuts. Some aspects of my style are using bright colors and die cuts.