Gnome Valentine

Hello Blogger Friends! Thanks for taking the time to stop and visit with The Charmed Life Blog this last Saturday in January.

 

It's a cold and rainy day here in Pittsburgh. One of those days that you don't feel bad about staying inside and working on things that need done around the house. I did finally get all my Christmas decorations packed and put away for next year. Now I have cleaning and laundry to get caught up on.

 

I had some sad news this week. Our Preschool is not going to reopen next year. It is part of our church and opened 8 years ago. One of the women in our church had a dream of having a preschool, and we opened with just 9 kids.

 

I was part of it from the beginning. It grew every year and this year there were 85 families with multiple children enrolled and they were not part of our church. We have an excellent reputation in the community.

 

Our director was burned out with all the responsibility. She has 3 very active children involved in sports and a husband who just started his own business. The church was looking for a replacement but our Pastor put some restrictions on and within our congregation no one could be found. So the financial board decided to close the doors.

 

I will put my all into my class until our school year is over in May.  I thoroughly enjoyed working with the kids in our class over the past 8 years. I can honestly say it was a very fulfilling ministry for me. I am not sure where my path will lead.

 

Let's move onto my card for today. This one I created for my weekly DT post on the CottageCutz Blog. I used dies from the Christmas collection to create a Valentine card.

 

I had this beautiful winter scene paper from Stampin'-Up that I thought would make a great background for the Moose & Gnome. The paper is in a 6 x 6 pack and I didn't want to cut too much of it away so I created a 5 1/2" square card.  

 

Early Espresso Card Base: 5 1/2" x 5 1/2"

Rococo Rose Layer: 5 3/8" x 5 3/8"

Feels Like Frost designer Paper: 5 1/4" x 5 1/4"

 

I cut the gnome and moose in colors that coordinated with this Stampin'-Up paper. This die had 2 gnomes sitting on the sled but since I am making a Valentine card, I just used one.

I used dimensional adhesive to attach the images. I was going to stamp a sentiment directly on the designer paper above the trees. But I thought this "be my valentine" phrase would look like the gnome added it to the snow. My hubby did that for me one year when we had a snowstorm on Valentine's Day. He spray painted a heart and the same words I used on my card in red paint on top of the snow. It was so cute and the neighbors loved it as well.

I finished off my card by adding a few hearts above the tree tops on the designer paper. Just for a little added interest. After all it's a card for the big love day and I thought I should have them somewhere on the card (LOL).

Well that's it for me for this post so until next time...….God bless.

 

dies I used to create card:

 

I am also entering:

1.  Crafty Friends has an anything goes challenge.

2.  Brown Sugar has an anything goes challenge.

3.  Creative Fingers has an anything goes challenge.

4.  Aud Sentiments challenge has an anything goes + a sentiment.

5.  Southern Girls has an anything goes challenge.

 

Happy BRRR-thday

Hello Blogger Friends! Thanks for taking the time to stop and visit with The Charmed Life Blog this 3rd Saturday in January.

 

We are in the middle of winter weather here in Pittsburgh. Snow last night and early this morning and then it changed into a freezing rain. We had some plans to go out this morning but with the freezing rain that changed, and we stayed home. It's supposed to change to all rain by late afternoon and that should salvage our plans for this evening.

 

I had a great week at preschool. The kids are all healthy and back on track after Chrstmas vacation. Sometimes there is a change with some of them after Christmas break and that happened again this year. Two of the boys who weren't really talking came back as little chatterboxes. They have been participating in our group activities and interacting with the other kids.

 

Usually at 3 years old we don't see much interaction in the beginning of the school year but after Christmas for some reason that changes. All of them are playing together in their little groups. It just depends what interests them that day. I am looking for a good rest of the year with them. They are little sponges and absorbing so much.

 

Now onto my card for today. This one I made for both the color challenge #773 on Splitcoaststampers and also for my weekly DT post on the CottageCutz Blog.

 

so saffron, balmy blue, early espresso

 

I need a masculine birthday card for my brother's birthday, so I thought I would give the Polar Bear Fishing die from CottageCutz a go.

 

For the top half of the card I used a snowfall stencil and embossing paste. The bottom half is balmy blue designer from the Stampin'-Up "tranquil textures" collection. I thought it had a water like pattern to it.

I joined the panels together with a ¼" piece of balmy blue cardstock. I was going for the horizon line look.

 

The polar bear is cut in Stampin'-Up naturals white cardstock. His scarf and hat are cut in balmy blue cardstock and then sponged with the same color ink. For the hat trim and the fish, I cut in so saffron cardstock and then sponged with dried marigold distress ink.

The BRRR letters are from the CottageCutz Retro Alphabet die. I used blue glitter paper to make them stand out. I got the idea for the sentiment from this card that I saw on Pinterest.

The stamped part of the sentiment is done in early espresso ink and the fishing pole is cut in early espresso cardstock.

 

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

 

die I used to create card:

 

Card details

Stamps: Bitty Birthday Wishes (MFT), North American Woods (MFP)

Paper: whisper white, balmy blue, so saffron, early espresso, smoky slate, naturals white (Stampin Up) blue glitter (Recollections)

Paper Size: A2

Ink: balmy blue, early espresso (Stampin Up), dried marigold distress (Ranger)

Accessories: polar bear fishing, retro alphabet dies (CottageCutz), snowfall stencil (MFT), 3D molding paste (American Traditions)

Techniques: stenciling

I am also entering:

1.  Crafty Catz has an anything goes with optional twist of funny,

2.  Cut It Up has a snow much fun challenge.

3.  Seize the Birthday has a birthday challenge plus option of stencils.

4.  2 Crafty Critter Crazies has an anything goes challenge.

5.  Animal Friends challenge wants us to use polar bears.

6.  Crafty Animals has an anything goes challenge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No Place Like Gnome

Hello Blogger Friends! Thanks for taking the time to stop and visit with The Charmed Life Blog today.

 

It's been a busy few weeks in January. My son and his family were for the holidays through January 4.  Then Preschool started up again and it's been a bit of a whirlwind since then. Now I can't believe it's already midway through January.

 

I still don't have all my Christmas decorations put away yet. In fact, I have hardly made a dent on the undoing (LOL). But my intent is to get serious about it starting tomorrow. More to come on my progress!

 

Now let's move onto my card for today. This one I made using the colors from the Splitcoaststampers color challenge #761. Chris was the hostess and she chose rich razzleberry, night of navy and seaside spray for her color trio.

 

My background paper is from the Stampin'-Up "night before Christmas" collection. The snowy background was a perfect backdrop for my gnomes. The gnomes are a die from CottageCutz - Nordic Gnomes.

 

The sentiment is 2 different stamp sets combined to make a seasonal greeting. I used "gnome sweet gnome" from Sugar Pea Designs and "holiday home" from PTI.

 

I am also entering:

 

 The Holly and Ivy Christmas challenge #63.

Winter Wonderland has a "little friends" challenge.

 

 Well that's it for me for this post. So until next time …….God bless.

 

card details:

Stamps: gnome sweet gnome (Sugar Pea Designs), Holiday Home (PTI)

Paper: night of navy, seaside spray, rich razzleberry, choc chip, black, mossy meadow, real red, whisper white, night before Christmas dsp (Stampin'-Up)

Paper Size: 5 3/4" x 4 1/2"

Ink: night of navy

Accessories: nordic gnomes die (CottageCutz), Copic Markers, E000, E11, E13, B00