Trick or Treat Frankie

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

I celebrated my birthday this past Thursday. My hubby and I went for a bike ride on a trail about an 1 1/2 hours from our home .We like this trail because it runs alongside the Youghiogheny River and is tree lined so it provides shade. Although we didn't need the shade because it was a cloudy day. 

It was an enjoyable day. We had lunch at an outdoor café there on the river. Then when I came home there was a floral arrangement waiting for me from my niece. And my youngest son sent me a gift that will be redeemable next Saturday. One of our local restaurants is doing a benefit for the make-a-wish foundation. We will pick up all the ingredients to make this upscale dinner for two. I will be able to watch the online video to see exactly how to prepare the meal. I think it is a great idea and am really looking forward to receiving it. Here is a link to the video where the chef talks about this.  

Now onto my card for today. This one I created using a new Halloween dies from CottageCutz. I posted it for my weekly DT post on the CottageCutz Blog. There are more photos on the Blog and a step by step pictorial tutorial.  

I used the colors from this week's Splitcoaststampers color challenge #809. Barbara was the hostess and she chose cherry cobbler, pumpkin pie and garden green for her color trio. Optional was to make an autumn card. 

cherry cobbler, pumpkin pie, garden green

For my card I used a new Halloween die from CottageCutz. It's "trick or treat frankie". I don't normally make Halloween cards but, I thought he was so cute I just had to use him with these colors.

I also tried a new to me fun fold. It's called the double triangle fold. Here is a link to a tutorial on how to create it. I used this one from Dawn Olchefske.

I selected two different patterns of Halloween themed designer paper. The paper measures 5 1/4" x 4" before I cut it.  The designer paper is from the "monster bash" collection. 

I cut them both on a diagonal. 

I cut Frankie from cardstock using the challenge colors.

 Now I am ready to start card assembly. I first attached the designer paper to the card base using double sided tape.

Next, I am ready to build my image panel. I used the 2nd largest wacky stitched circle and also the 3rd largest circle set dies. Frankie is secured with dimensional adhesive.  

To finish off the card front, I attached the image panel to the card base. I just used double sided tape on the left side so it wouldn't interfere with the card opening.

I decided to finish off the inside of my card as well. I used the Halloween Phrase & More die. It's an older one from CottageCutz. I cut the trick or treat words in the pumpkin pie cardstock. 

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

Card details:

Paper: basic black, pumpkin pie, cherry cobbler, garden green, whisper white, monster bash dsp (Stampin'-Up)

Accessories: Trick or Treat Frankie, Halloween Phrase, Wacky Stitched Circle dies (CottageCutz

Techniques: Double Triangle Fold

Dies I used to create card:

North Pole Toy Company

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

It's already mid-September can you believe it?. We are having a sunny day today but the winds are up a bit and it's bringing in some cooler air. I like the heat and humidity but with Fall comes cooler temps. 

Usually at this time of year I would be back in Pre-School and getting to know a brand new class of 3 year olds. But our Preschool closed at the end of last school year because of some issues between our church and Director. My neighbor has asked me to work with her 3 year old daughter one day a week. 

She will be going to school starting in January but she wanted her to do something now. I wasn't sure at first, but I thought about it and I am going to do it. She will come here for a couple of hours one day a week. I already have all my lesson plans from last year and all the art projects that we did. So it wouldn't be an issue preparing anything. More to come on our start date. 

Now onto my card for today. This one I created for the color challenge #808. LeAnn was our hostess and she chose bumblebee, merry merlot and mossy meadow for her color trio. Optional was to make a masculine card. It's also posted on the CottageCutz Blog for my scheduled Monday post. 

bumblebee, merry merlot, mossy meadow

I loved these colors and went Christmas with them. I will be giving this one to a little boy for Christmas so I am in for the optional item. I created a little Christmas scene using the slimline card design. My gnome w/lights, reindeer (Santa reading to his Reindeer) and North Pole Toy Company are all new Christmas dies from CottageCutz. I cut them in the challenge colors plus neutrals.

On the background, I used some mossy meadow designer paper from the Stampin'-Up "festive farmhouse" collection. I overlaid some vellum to tone it down a bit. 

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

Card details:

Paper: mossy meadow, merry merlot, bumblebee, whisper white, baked brown sugar, festive farmhouse dsp (Stampin'-Up), vellum (Paper Studio)

Paper Size: 8 1/2" x 3 1/2"

Accessories: gnome with lights, north pole toy company, santa reading to reindeer (CottageCutz))

Techniques: Slimline Cards

dies I used to create card:

I am also entering:

1.  The Fairy and the Unicorn has an anything fantasy goes. Gnomes, North Pole Toy company and Santa's reindeer all fall into that category. 

2.  Crimbo Crackers has an anything goes Christmas challenge. 

3.  Moving Along with the Times wants us to create a scene. 

4.  Crafters Castle has an anything goes challenge.

5.  Crafty Calendar has an anything goes challenge.

Peace, Hope and Joy Christmas

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

I decorated my home for Fall and Thanksgiving this week. It might be a bit early for Thanksgiving but I had all the Fall decorations pulled out and once I put the containers away I didn't want to have to get them out again in a month. So I put everything out now. I love these upcoming holidays so decorating a bit early for them doesn't bother me.  Now I get to enjoy the decorations a little longer than usual.

Today I am back to roasting tomatoes and stuffing all the banana peppers that my hubby just picked. My plan was to do that yesterday but I was out of onions. So to the store first and then I will be in the kitchen for several hours. 

Now let's move onto my card for today. This one I made for my weekly DT post on the CottageCutz Blog.  There is a new release of Christmas dies from CottageCutz and I used the Peace, Hope and Joy ornaments to create this CAS card. 

I send a lot of handmade Christmas cards- usually about 60, in fact. And, I know some of the recipients don't appreciate a detailed card so I send them one that I have made multiples of and was reproduced easily and quickly. Aren't we all looking for ideas like that?

Since I was using 3 ornaments on my card, I knew the card would have to be a bit larger than an A2 size. So I created a 5 x7 card. That's a size I don't believe I have ever used. But you can still mail it with a first class postage stamp.

I wanted to use some background designer paper and I found this snowflake paper that I have had in my stash for a few years. HaHa - don't we all! I was initially going to layer it with vellum but I liked the look without it.

Next, I cut the ornaments in white cardstock. I thought the all white ornaments would be a good contrast again the dark blue paper.

Now this CAS card is ready for assembly. I decided to cut some pine sprigs so the ornaments weren't hanging in mid air. I used an older CottageCutz die (Lantern w/Pine Boughs) and white cardstock. 

Since this one was so easy to put together, I thought I would try another one with some non-traditional Christmas colors. I used a light purple designer paper from a Momenta "watercolor pack". Cut my ornaments from Stampin'-Up "gorgeous grape" cardstock and used the same color cardstock for my card base.

The card measurements are the same as the card above. I used a moss green cardstock for the pine sprigs on this card and scattered a few enamel dots.

Well that's it for me for this post. Enjoy your Saturday and hope you get some crafty time in. Until next time........God bless.

dies I used to create card:

 I am also entering:

1.  CHNC #507 is anything goes Christmas. 

2.  Crimbo Crackers has an anything goes Christmas challenge. 

3.  Krafty Chicks has a Christmas challenge. 

4.  Stinkin' Inkers has a x3 challenge. 

5.  The Holly and Ivy Christmas challenge is anything goes. 

 

Sunflower Gathering

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

Hope you all had a great holiday week-end. We didn't do much. On Saturday we went to a birthday for a 7 year old. It's great to see the excitement they have for a birthday celebration. And how happy he was to be around other kids his age.  

Sunday and Monday I was cooking the harvest from our vegetable gardens. I stuffed lots of banana peppers and froze them for winter time enjoyment.  I also roasted more tomatoes which will also be another winter enjoyment. My hubby just picked a dozen more banana peppers.  Not sure if I will give these ones away or stuff and freeze them. 

Now onto my card for today. This one I created for the color challenge #805 on Splitcoaststampers. I was the hostess and my chosen colors were crushed curry, cajun craze and early espresso. Optional was to use sunflowers and/or your favorite green. I used both options this week.

crushed curry, cajun craze, early espresso

My Sunflowers are a die from CottageCutz and is currently on a 60% off sale. I used crushed curry and cajun craze cardstocks to cut out the flowers and then shaded them with crushed curry ink. For the leaves I used my favorite green of old olive. Well it's one of my fave greens (lol)!! I die cut a circle and layered the sunflowers around it.

The background paper is from the Stampin'-Up "painted autumn" collection.  My sentiment is from the Stampin'-Up  painted harvest stamp set. To finish off my card I added some early espresso ribbon.

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

card details:

Stamps: painted harvest (Stampin'-Up)

Paper: crushed curry, early espresso, very vanilla, cajun craze, old olive )Stampin'-Up)

Paper Size: 4 1/2" x 5 3/4"

Ink: crushed curry, early espresso (Stampin'-Up)

Accessories: sunflower, stitched circle dies (CottageCutz), early espresso ribbon (Stampin'-Up)

I am also entering:

1.  A Bit More Time to Craft has an anything goes challenge. 

2.  Crafty Hazlenut's patterned paper challenge. 

3.  Die Cut Divas has an all holiday celebration. Mine would be Thanksgiving.

4.  Festive Friday has a first day of fall challenge. I used leaves, green and brown from the list. 

5.  Aud Sentiments has an anything goes + a sentiment. 

Santa Reads to His Reindeer

Hello Blogger Friends! Thanks for taking the time to visit with The Charmed Life Blog this Labor Day weekend. Can't believe it's September already and like most people wondering where did the summer go and what did I do?

But on a good note (for me anyway), we are heading into my favorite seasons and holidays of the year. I love Fall and Thanksgiving as well as the Christmas Holidays.  For my card today I am using the newly released Santa Reading to his Reindeer and the Santa Express Tag dies from the Christmas Part 1 release. So let's get started with some details of how I created my card.

Design Steps:

I decided to use the popular slimline design technique and create a little outdoor scene. I looked for some background paper that I thought might work. I just bought this new "Snowflake Splendor" paper from Stampin'-Up and I liked this subtle pattern. 

Balmy Blue card base: 8 1/2" x 3 1/2"
Designer Paper Layer: 8 1/4" x 3 1/4" 

Next, I cut Santa and his reindeer. I used colored cardstock for the images. You could also use white cardstock and color with your favorite coloring medium.

I attached the images to the designer paper using glue dots. 

I was going to stamp a sentiment across the top of the panel but I didn't have one that fit this image. So I thought the Santa Express Tag would work well in the corner of my card. 

I cut it from red cardstock and then again from white cardstock. I used the die inlay technique and glued the words and scallops with Ranger multi medium matte.

To finish off this little outdoor Santa scene I attached the image panel to the blue card base with double sided tape. I scattered a few snowflake sequins to complete this card.

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.  CHNC Challenge is Christmas with optional to use patterned paper. 

2. Sweet Stampin' has an anything but a birthday card. 

3.  C.R.A.F.T. Challenge is Christmas. 

4.  Crimbo Crackers has an anything goes Christmas challenge. 

5.  ABC Christmas Challenge is "S" for snow. I used snowflake sequins.

6.  Christmas Craft Creations has a Christmas animals challenge.