~rain boots~

 

Happy Sunday and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. We had somewhat of a busy weekend. Friday was our 3rd fish fry at our church. It wasn't as busy as the other 2 had been but we still had a nice turnout. The fish tacos continue to be a good seller plus the shrimp and crab chowder that I make.

 

Saturday we had a friend come in from Ohio for an overnight visit. I wanted to cook out on Saturday but the weather turned rainy and cold. So I decided to do a "faux" cookout.

 

I made burgers on the George Foreman grill and for the chicken I changed my recipe and made a great lemon, garlic and rosemary chicken dish in the oven. Roasted some cauliflower and broccoli and had a tossed salad. 

 

We had a wonderful dinner and evening together. We sent him on his way on Sunday afternoon after church.

 

I did my final weigh-in for the weight loss challenge on Saturday morning. My total weight loss was 22 1/2 lbs. for a 15% loss. I didn't finish in 1st place and not sure if I secured 2nd place or not. I will find out tomorrow. But, I feel great and am exercising regularly so that's a plus in my book. The work to maintain the loss will be almost as intense as losing it. But, I want to keep the weight off so I have to do what it takes for the maintenance plan.

 

Now onto my card for today. This one I made using the Great Impressions Stamps "when it rains F448". I paper pieced the boots and the sentiment is stamped in lucky limeade ink.

 

The background designer paper is from Stampin-Up's "tea for two" collection. Paired it with calypso coral cardstock and ribbon. My scallop edge punch is from Martha Stewart.

 

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

 

I am also entering:

1.  613 Avenue Create is anything goes with optional color challenge. I took the option this week. My designer paper and boots have yellow, pink and orange.

2.  Challenges 4 Everybody is anything goes.

3.  Paper Players has a tic-tac-toe. Mine is paper piecing, patterned paper and ribbon.

4.  Crafty Girls Challenge is anything goes.

~Congrats Tori~

 

Happy Wednesday and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. I woke up to snow this morning. But just on our grass and sidewalk not the streets. The sun came out and it was gone by noon. The temps stayed very cold all day but, a warm-up is on the way starting tomorrow. So looking forward to some warmer weather.

 

The weight loss challenge is winding to a close at my gym. I am currently in 2nd place. Someone moved ahead of me after our weigh-in last Saturday. I am at a 13% loss and she is at 14%. The final weigh-in is this Saturday. So I will see where I end up.

 

Now onto my card for today. This one I made especially for a niece of mine. She won an award in her school for overcoming adversity. I am so proud of her. I will send her this card with a gift card inside.

 

I am the hostess this week on Splitcoaststampers for the color challenge #471.  I  chose a medley of colors for our challenge. I really like all the colors in the Stampin-Up “sweet sorbet” designer paper (black, pistachio pudding, crisp cantaloupe, pool party, sahara sand and summer starfruit) so I chose all of them. I gave the option to pick 3 to work with or use all 6 of them.

My card started with the “sweet sorbet” designer paper which I used for the card background. Since I am making this card for my 16 year old niece so I wanted it to be a little trendier.

 

I thought the layout from this week’s Viva la Verve sketch was perfect for a teenage girl card.

The angled panel is pool party and I used the Stampin-Up chevron embossing folder. My black circle is cut with the MFT dizzy doily die.

Sentiment is from the Tim Holtz set "good thoughts". Stamped in black and added to a Spellbinders labels 8 die cut in pistachio pudding.

Added a black feather cut from an Impression Obsession die and some pool party ribbon to complete my card. 

 

Well, that's my card for today. It's late and time to dim the lights in Charmed Life Land for another day. So until next time........God bless.

 

I am also entering:

1.  Through The Craft Room Door has an anything goes challenge.

2.  Artistic Inspirations has an anything goes challenge.

3.  Cards In Envy has an anything goes with an A2 card.

4.  Craft-Dee Bowz has an anything goes with a handmade bow.

5.  Crafty Boots has a feathers challenge.

6.  Make Something Monday wants us to use a doily.

 

~ you are appreciated~

 

Happy Saturday and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. Well today was another weigh-in day for the weight loss challenge I am involved in at my gym.

 

I was shocked this week that I lost 6 lbs. So overall I am at a 13% weight loss. I was in first place last week.  I will see how that unfolds for this week. There is one more week to go. Focus is my buzzword this week.

 

Now onto my card for today. This one I made for the inspiration challenge #433 on Splitcoaststampers. Audrie was our hostess and she chose the Flickr gallery of Ruth Bleakley for our inspiration.

 

I chose the Eagle Creek Topographic map and the blue marbled journals as my inspiration pieces. I knew I had some Stampin-Up designer paper that resembled the design of both these books and in the same colors.

The designer paper is from Stampin-Up's "venetian romance" collection. I used the island indigo pattern for my background and the calypso coral pattern for my flags.

The "thanks" word is a die from Taylored Expressions. I received it as a thanks for a recent order.

The "you are appreciated" words are from the Verve "teachers count" set. My layout is the March Week 1 Viva la Verve sketch.

 

Well, its late and time to dim the lights in Charmed Life Land for another day. So until next time.......God bless.

 

I am also entering:

1.  Crazy 4 Challenges has a free for all challenge.

2.  Brown Sugar has an anything goes challenge.

3.  Cut It Up challenge #41 is anything goes.

4.  Sister Act Card Challenge is anything goes.

5.  Crafty Girls Challenge is anything goes.

  

~garden flowers~

 

Happy Wednesday and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. Well today I finally made the jump to buy and I-Phone.

 

I received an email from Verizon Wireless and they offered me a free I-Phone 5C with a 2yr renewal. I have been thinking about doing this for some time and especially when I travel to San Francisco. You can have your e-ticket sent to your phone and use that at the gate.

I went to the Verizon store in the mall but they didn't have the phone in stock. I guess there were lots of other people that received the same email. They obviously acted on it a little faster than I did.

I put a call into the Verizon call-center and the rep there was very helpful and explained what my options were. With the deal clinched, she is sending me the phone via Fed-Ex in the next couple of days.

 

So now onto my card for today. This one I made for this week's color challenge #470 on Splitcoaststampers. Peggy is our hostess and she chose midnight muse, baked brown sugar and cherry cobbler.

 



I have wanted to try the whitewash technique for a while after seeing lots of cards on Pinterest and viewing several tutorials. So Peggy’s challenge gave me the push I needed to get me out of my comfort zone. Here is a link to the SCS tutorial.

I used the Stampin-Up “secret garden” set and stamped with versamark ink on kraft cardstock. I embossed with white embossing powder and then used an aqua painter and white pigment, midnight muse and cherry cobbler inks to color the flowers. I stamped the leaves on baked brown sugar cardstock and also embossed and used the secret garden framelits to cut out and place on my card.

The doily is cut from midnight muse with a Cheery Lynn Designs die. I stamped and colored another flower to add to the center. Finished my card with some midnight muse ribbon.

I didn't add a sentiment because I am not sure how I will use this card yet. Time to dim the lights in Charmed Life Land for another day. So until next time........God bless.

 

I am also entering:

1.  Tuesday Throwdown has a tic-tac-toe. I used die-cuts, flowers and ribbon.

2.  Craft-Dee Bowz has any anything goes with a handmade bow.  

3.  Love To Create Challenge blog has a cas/and or classy/elegant. I chose classy/elegant. 

4.  The Crazy Challenge has a flower frenzy.

Easter Chick

 

 

Happy Tuesday and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed life Blog. I had some great news today when I went to the gym for my training session. I found out that I am currently in first place in the weight loss challenge. Whoo-hoo!!

 

I am so excited. I am at a 9% loss with 11 days to go. I just have to stay focused for the remainder of the time. I so want to win this because the top prize is a year with a personal trainer.

 

I will keep you posted. The top 3 people are all working with the same trainer. I really like him because he works you according to your age and ability. Not everyone is at the same level and he takes that into consideration.

 

Now onto my card for today. I played along with the Splitcoaststampers Inspiration Challenge #432. Audrie is the hostess and this week she took us to the Packaging of the World site for our inspiration. 

 As soon as I saw this oops! panties design I decided to go with it. I love the chevron design in the packaging and I knew I had just the right designer paper for my layout. The background designer paper is from Stampin-Up's "fresh prints" collection.

I used the 3 colors in the design of blue, yellow and hot pink on my card.

I created an Easter card and my image and sentiment are from the Stampin-Up set "a good egg". I paper pieced the chick's shell with the background designer paper.

My layout is from this week's de-constructed sketch #142. That's my card for today.

Well, it's late and time to dim the lights in Charmed Life Land for another day. So until next time........God bless.

 

I am also entering:

1.  Just Inspirational Challenges is all about Easter.

2.  Lexi's Creations wants us to use punches/dies. I used both.

3.  Stamp and Create has a ready for spring challenge.

Bunny with carrot

 

Happy Sunday and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. Today is one of those laid back Sunday's that I love. Nothing pending and it allowed me to just sit back and relax.

 

Our day started with church. Our Pastor had a really good message today. He used the scripture verse from John 11:38. It is the account of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. Pastor said so much and 2 of his statements that stood out with me:

 

1.  When God speaks people come alive

2.  When we put our lives in God's hands we don't accept that nothing can change.

 

I made a big pot of marinara sauce for dinner. I will serve it with some brown rice pasta which is really good by the way and a leafy green salad. The sauce is smelling so incredible as I sit and type this post. Can't wait for dinner. I use red wine in my sauce and I love the flavor it gives.

 

Now onto my card for today. I am starting with my Easter cards and this is another one for the stash. The layout is from this week's sketch challenge #479 on Splitcoaststampers.

 

 

My card colors are from this week's color throwdown #283.

 

 

The image is a Great Impressions Stamp- bunny with carrot E573.  I colored him with Spectrum Noir markers and prismacolor pencils and gamsol.

Cut with a Spellbinders labels 8 die and layered it on the fancy labels 8 die cut in tangerine tango.

The glittery background and dotted designer paper is something I had in my stash from Recollections (Michael's). Used another Spellbinders die cut in basic gray for my sentiment.  Stamp is from the Marks Finest Papers set "blessings".

 

That's my card for today. Time to get back to the kitchen to make salads and cook the pasta. So until next time......God bless.

 

I am also entering:

1.  LadyBug Crafts has an anything goes challenge.

2. Sparkles Monthly Challenge is Easter Parade.

3. East Wind Blog has a spring challenge.

4. Great Impressions Stamps has a spring celebrations challenge.

5. My Sheri Crafts has a celebrate spring challenge.

6. Robyn's Fetish has a green and glitter challenge.

Birthday ~thx~

 

Happy Saturday and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. Today was my weigh-in at the gym for the weight loss challenge I am involved in.

 

They got a new scale because the old one broke. I didn't lose any weight this week. But, I have to say that their old one was spot on with my home scale. And, according to the home scale I was down another 2 lbs. So for the contest I am status quo but for me where it really counts I am claiming another 2 lbs. shed (lol)!!

 

We started up the fish fry again at our church and it will run for 5 Fridays. I didn't eat any of the deep fried fish because of the calories. We also serve a fish taco with a Thai sauce. It is so popular and really delicious. I really didn't miss not eating last night. I came home and had a lite snack before bed.

 

I also make a shrimp and crab chowder that is a bit hit. But, again I didn't have any of it. And, I really didn't miss not eating any of that either.

 

Now onto my card for today. This one I made for one of my pre-school students for a valentine gift I received. I used the colors from this week's color challenge #469 on Splitcoaststampers. I used always artichoke, pistachio pudding and marina mist for the color combo.

 

On this clean and simple card I used the Stampin-Up "circle thinlits dies" to cut my thx word and the arrows. I think this is a perfect masculine card.

The diagonal strips are cut from marina mist cardstock. The chevron is an MFT die-namics die.

Finished off my card by punching some circles and using the gorgeous grunge set to add some interest.

 

Well, that's it for this post. Hope you all have a great week-end. Until next time.......God bless.

 

I am also entering:

1.  Craftitude has an add a little green challenge.

2.  Cut It Up challenge is to use green for St Patty's die or spring and also die cuts.

3.  Sister Act Challenge is anything goes.

4.  Stampin' For the Weekend has an anything goes challenge.

5.  Nutcrafters has a boys-boys-boys challenge.

 

Birthday Flowers

 

Happy Thursday and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. Back to winter for us here in Pittsburgh. Our temps were down to 0° overnight and only reached 23° as our high today. But, the sun was shining and it's light until 7:30 pm. Tomorrow it will be near 60°. Spring is coming!!!

 

I worked at the pre-school today and the kids were exceptionally good. We had them glitter up some shamrocks which they loved doing. We also had a shamrock hunt and that was fun for them. They did some painting of a shamrock as well. They were all so quiet as they worked diligently at trying to stay inside the lines with the green paint. I am talking about 3 yr olds, my friends.

 

One of the Mom's came as they mystery reader. She held the kids attention for 20 minutes while she read 2 fun stories to them. That is a feat in itself with this age group. We ended a successful day with some shamrock cookies and juice. I really like volunteering at the school. Next year I may go in for 2 days a week.

 

No onto my card for today. This one I made for the color challenge #469. Sallie was our hostess and she chose an interesting trio of colors with always artichoke, pistachio pudding and marina mist.

My flowers are from the Stampin-Up "secret garden" set with the matching framelit dies. I stamped in Versamark ink and embossed with white embossing powder on marina mist and pistachio pudding cardstock. The leaves are cut with the framelits die in artichoke. My birthday word is a PTI die cut in artichoke.

My background designer paper is from the Stampin-Up  “venetian romance” collection. Also used the Stampin-Up fancy fan embossing folder.Added some lace to join the 2 panels.

My card is a case of this one I made a few days ago. Well that's my card for today. It's getting late and time to dim the lights in Charmed Life Land for another day. So until next time.......God bless.

 

I am also entering:

1.  Aud Sentiments Challenge is anything goes with a sentiment.

2.  Addicted To Stamps challenge is anything goes.

3. Crafters Café Challenge is flowers.

4.  Little Red Wagon has a dimensional challenge. Used dimensional dots on flowers.

5.  Miriam's Crafting Blog wants us to use shades of green -at least 2.

Secret Garden Birthday

Happy Tuesday and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. We had such a beautiful spring like day here in Pittsburgh.

Temps were in the upper 60's with lots of sunshine. It felt so good to be out in the warm weather even if it is only for a day. More snow is coming tomorrow and possibly another ice storm. Oh well, time to laugh in the face of old man winter 'cause spring is right around the corner (lol)!!

Now onto my card for today. This one I made for the Featured Stamper #370 challenge on Splitcoaststampers. The honors this week went to Mynette. 

I was on the Great impressions Design Team with her for awhile so I wanted to make a card in her honor today. I chose her white embossed blooms to remake aka Mary Marsh style.

My flowers are from the Stampin-Up "secret garden" set and I used real red and daffodil delight for my flower colors. Stamped in Versamark ink and embossed with white embossing powder. The flowers and leaves are cut with the matching frame lit dies.

Instead of an embossed panel I used designer paper from the Stampin-Up  "gingham garden" collection. I added some pear pizzazz ribbon to join the 2 panels.

My birthday word is cut with a PTI die. My card colors are from this week's CTD #282.

That's my card for today. It's late and time to dim the lights in Charmed Life land for another day. So until next time.......God bless. 

I am also entering:

1.  Party Time Tuesdays has an anything goes challenge.

2.  Top Tip Tuesday has a 3, 5 or 7 challenge. I used 3 flowers and 3 different colors.

3.  Crafting From the Heart has an anything goes using dies.

4.  Love to Create has an anything goes challenge.  







~Get Well Soon~

 

Happy Saturday and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. Well today was my weigh-in day for the weight loss challenge at my gym.

 

I didn't get weighed last Saturday because I was in San Francisco. I have lost another 3 lbs. So far I have a 9% weight loss.

 

The challenge runs until the end of March and the top loser gets a years worth of time with one of the personal trainers. Everyone has the same chance because its based on percentage. I really want to win this because the prize is huge. And, workouts with a trainer really bring your body into shape faster.

 

Anyway, I will keep the updates coming. Now lets move onto my card for today. I needed a get well card for a friend who just had a hip replacement. I used the layout from the Splitcoaststampers sketch challenge #478. Cathy was the hostess and she provided a great layout to work into a card.

 

I found this designer paper in my stash from My Mind's Eye -it's their "bohemian" collection. I didn't want to cover up this beautiful paper so, I substituted butterflies for the circles in the sketch. The larger one is cut with a Spellbinders die and my smaller one is a Martha Stewart punch - then added some rhinestones. The smaller one I punched from the designer paper as well as the rich razzleberry cardstock.

My paper bow is made from the MFT blueprints 3 dies. It will be flat for mailing now.

 The "get well" sentiment is from Verve. It was a thank you for an order I placed.

 

Well, it's getting late and time to dim the lights in Charmed Life Land for another day. We move the clocks ahead tonight for daylights saving time. That means losing an hours sleep but when its light until 7:00 tomorrow night it will be good. Spring is coming!!!

 

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

 

I am also entering:

1.  Crafts and Me has an anything goes challenge.

2.  Sister Act Card Challenge has an anything goes. 

3.  Crafty Girls Challenge is anything goes.

4.  Crafting By Designs has an anything goes.  

5.  Creative Card Crew has a get well challenge.





~birthday wishes~

 

Happy Thursday and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. I am back home from San Francisco and my sweet little granddaughter sent me home with her cold. But, I thoroughly enjoyed the visit and time with her.

 

I am also still in the weight loss challenge at my gym and there is another weigh-in this coming Saturday. I tried to watch and stick to my eating plan while I was away as well. the scales don't lie so I will see what happens on Saturday.

 

Now onto my card for today. This one I made for the Splitcoaststampers color challenge #468. Karen was our hostess and she chose some bright bold colors with raspberry ripple, old olive and island indigo. She also wanted us to use pearls on our cards.

My background designer paper is from the Stampin-Up "gingham garden" collection. I used the Cuttlebug "floral fantasy" embossing folder on my 2 raspberry ripple panels.

The flower image is from the Stampin-Up set "flower shop" and cut with the coordinating pansy punch. I don't know if any of you have this set and punch, but I can tell you that it's not the best product that Stampin-Up has put out. The punch doesn't line up with the stamped image.

 

I had to search on google to find out what other stampers are doing to get it to work. I found 3 different sites and all had different ideas. None of them worked for me very well without moving the punch around and around and around to get it to work.

 

One demonstrator has you look for the slightly different edge on the petal of  the stamps and then look for the different edge on the punch. That's a bunch of nonsense for a stamp set. But, I am going to have to do that in order to get this to work properly.

 

I find it interesting that Stampin-Up is not offering a solution to the problem. I checked their website but couldn't find anything. What's up with that? 

 

Stamped 2 flowers in island indigo ink and used dimensionals between the layers. I stamped a 3rd flower in raspberry ripple and then fussy cut the center. The leaves are cut with the die from the Stampin-Up "secret garden" framelits.

I used a Cherry Lynn Designs butterfly die and cut from the Stampin-Up "birthday basics" designer paper. Added my pearls for dessert.

 

For my card layout, I used this week's MojoMonday #335 sketch.  Well, it's late and time to dim the lights in Charmed Life Land for another day. So until next time.......God bless.

 

I am also entering:

1.  Seize the Birthday has an anything goes challenge.

2.  Little Red Wagon has a punch it up challenge.

3.  Loves Rubber Stamps has an anything goes.

4. Crafting From the Heart has an anything goes challenge.

~with sympathy~

Happy Friday and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. I am out in San Francisco taking care of my sweet 3yr old granddaughter for a few days.

My son and daughter-in-law went to a wedding in Lake Tahoe and then tacked a few days on the front and back end for a little r & r. Phoenix Daisy misses them but tonight there were no issues at bedtime which was good.

She cried the 2 prior nights but I quickly diverted her attention by talking about all the fun things we would do the next day. That got her mind off her parents and I was able to read a story to her as she drifted off to sleep. She gets up early usually at 7:00 and there is no napping for her so it's go-go-go all day.

I am exhausted by the time she gets to bed. I had cards to post to my blog all week but, I was just too tired to do a write-up. Tonight, I don't feel quite as tired so I quickly ate some dinner and decided to post before anything else.

My hubby is back home this trip and he said we are supposed to get a snow storm of 8-12" and maybe ice as well. That could cause havoc with my planned return on Monday. I will have to wait and see what happens. I may be staying a few days longer than expected.

Now onto my card for this post. This one I created for the inspiration challenge #425 on Splitcoaststampers.

Audrie took us to the Integrity Graphics site for inspiration. I just loved the journals on this site and am going to order a couple of them. 

I chose this journal as my inspiration. I knew I had some designer paper that had the gradient look of this journal. I am using Stampin-Up's "venetian romance" collection. This piece is a crisp cantaloupe color.

I needed a sympathy card so that's the route I took with my card. My stamp is from Our Daily Bread Designs "never give up" set. I stamped the cross and flourish directly on my designer paper. I then stamped the cross again on baked brown sugar card stock and cut out with the matching die.
On my background brown sugar layer, I used the Stampin-Up "tulip" embossing folder. The sentiment is from the PTI set "round and round" and I stamped on a Spellbinders pennant flag. 

Well, it's time to dim the lights in Charmed Life Land for another day. Tomorrow will be another exhausting but fun-filled day for both Phoenix Daisy and I.

Card Recipe: Stamps: Never Give Up (ODBD), Round and Round (PTI) Paper: crisp cantaloupe, baked brown sugar, venetian romance dsp (Stampin-Up) Ink: baked brown sugar Accessories: grunge cross die (ODBD), Spellbinders mattings basics A & B, pennant flags, SU tulip ef,

I am also entering:
1.  Bloggers Challenge is for a sympathy card. 
2.  Card Makin' Mama's has a stack it up with 3 or more layers challenge. 
3.  Crafts 4 Eternity Recipe Challenge is to use texture.
4.  Sister Act Card Challenge is anything goes.