When Skies are Gray

Hello Blogger Friends! Thanks for taking the time to stop and visit with The Charmed Life Blog this last day of May 2022. 

We had a Memorial Day parade in our community yesterday. I went to watch it with my neighbor and her 2 little ones. Kids just love parades, and they had a great time. Then we joined another neighbor in the late afternoon for a picnic. It was a wonderful day. 

This month flew by so fast. Just wondering where it went to. The weather has finally turned around here. In fact, today it's supposed to be near 90°. Our flower gardens are all in bloom. Everything looks so pretty. My hubby's vegetable gardens are in the very early stages. Although we have already had lettuce and spinach harvests. I am looking forward to another bountiful year of vegetables.

Now onto my card for today. This one I created for the color challenge #888 on Splitcoaststampers.  We were to use daffodil delight, calypso coral and magenta madness for our color trio. Optional was to make it summer. I am claiming the optional because you don't play in a rain puddle except in the summertime (LOL)! At least not here in Pittsburgh. 

daffodil delight, magenta madness, calypso coral

I used this cute little Spring Showers Mouse die from CottageCutz because the colors this week were perfect for her umbrella and raincoat. The die is currently on a 30% off sale in the CottageCutz online store. 

I wanted a stormy background and so I decided to use this navy (neutral) shade of designer paper. I stenciled raindrops with a gloss gel and then added wink of stella.

I cut the rain puddle out of the same designer paper. My sentiment is stamped on the rainclouds. I cut the cloud from smoky slate (neutral) cardstock and then sponged inks for a storm cloud look. This one is going off to my precious little granddaughter who makes me happy all the time. 

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

card details:

Stamps: see ya later ( 2014 Stampin' -Up)

Paper: daffodil delight, magenta madness, calypso coral, white, dapper denim, smoky slate, color theory dsp (Stampin' Up)

Paper Size: A2

Ink: dapper denim (Stampin'-Up), tuxedo black, london fog (Memento)

Accessories: spring showers mouse die, clouds die (CottageCutz), mini staggered raindrops stencil (MFT), gloss gel (Liquitex), wink of stella

I am also entering:

1.  Lil' Patch of Crafty Friends has an anything goes. 

2.  Allsorts challenge is anything but birthdays. 

3.  Polkadoodles has an anything goes challenge. 

4.  Retro Rubber Challenge is anything goes with a stamp over a year old. Mine is 8 years old. 

Fountain Sundae - Double Easel Fold

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

It's Memorial Day weekend. It's a holiday in which we honor all the men & women who died while serving in the U.S. military. I have many veterans in my family but none that died serving. So I honor the ones who did serve as well.

Today for my card I have a fun fold design. It's a double easel card with an added panel. I saw this on Pinterest and thought  I would re-create it using CottageCutz dies. Here is a link to a video giving step by step directions. 

This is also my weekly DT post on the CottageCutz Blog where I give step by step written instructions. Click here to see that post. Since I did that over on that post, I am not repeating the steps here. 

I am using the new Fountain Sundae die for my card. This is a birthday card for a friend, so I decided to add a "gift card" holder. I am giving her a gift card to a local ice cream parlor. They make the most delicious Sundaes.

This is a view of the card completely open.

Here is more of a side view. 

The papers I used are all from Stampin' Up. It's their "ice cream corner" collection. It coordinates with blackberry bliss cardstock. Stamps are from Hero Arts - "cupcakes" set and Stampin' Up "jolly Gingerbread" - November 2020. 

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.  Creative Creases has an anything goes with a fun fold. 

2.  Creative Fingers has an anything goes challenge. 

3.  Simon Says Stamp has an anything goes challenge. 

4.  The Paper Funday has an anything goes challenge. 

5.  Retro Rubber Challenge - anything goes w/stamp over a year old. Hero Arts stamps- 10 years old. 

Bear Hugs

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

I haven't been posting regularly on my Blog, and it's not that I haven't been creating. I have been, so my goal is to remedy this situation. I made this thinking of you card for my precious little granddaughter. Wish I could be there to give her the hugs in person but for now I have to settle for virtual hugs on a card. 

We use FaceTime technology a lot, so I am thankful for that. It keeps us in touch with each other. They are coming for a visit the end of July but I hoping to get out there before that. I will see if it works out.

Now let's move onto my card for today. I created this one for Color Challenge #889 on Splitcoaststampers. We were to use bumble bee, granny apple green and basic gray for her color trio. Optional was to use s vellum. I used it on the bee's wings.

bumble bee, granny apple green, basic gray

I used a honeycomb stencil for my background with bumble bee and fossilized amber inks. The tree limb, hive and bees are from the Garden Bear die from CottageCutz. I used basic gray on the hive opening and the bear's nose.

The bear is actually a polar bear from the Polar Bear Fishing die, but I cut him in brown cardstock and it changed his look. His honey pot is from the CottageCutz "sweet Valentine" stamp & die set. I colored the pot with Stampin' Blends.

Cut my "hugs" phrase and sat the bear on top. Scattered a few enamel dots and that completes my card.

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

card details:

Stamps: Bobbi the Bear (Technique Tuesday), sweet valentine (CottageCutz)

Paper: granny apple green, bumble bee, basic gray, soft suede, baked brown sugar (Stampin' Up), bristol smooth (Canson

Paper Size: 4 1/2" x 5 3/4"

Ink: bumble bee, baked brown sugar, vellum (Stampin' Up), fossilized amber distress (Ranger), tuxedo black (Memento)

Accessories: garden bear, polar bear fishing, stitched alphabet dies (CottageCutz), in color enamel dots (Stampin' Up), honey comb stencil (Memory Box)

I am also entering:

1.  Crafting Happiness challenge is anything goes. 

2.  Critter Crazy Challenges is anything goes with a featured critter. 

3.  Crafty Animals has anything goes with an animal. 

4.  A Perfect Time to Craft has an anything goes challenge. 

5.  Die Cut Divas has an anything goes challenge. 

Fun Fold Ice Cream Birthday Card

Card front

Card inside

Hello Blogger Friends! Happy Sunday to you. Hope you're having a great weekend. 

Things are on the quiet side here. My hubby went to take care of his Mom this weekend. She lives with his sister, and she wanted to go away this weekend. So he stayed there on Friday and Saturday nights. We can't bring her to our home because she can't walk steps. He will be home sometime this afternoon. 

I went to dinner with some of my friends on Friday night. And then yesterday I stayed home and did some chores and cleaned my craft room. That seems like a never-ending job- the craft room that is. But it's all straightened out and ready for this week's design efforts.

Now onto my card for today. This one I made for my weekly DT post on the CottageCutz Blog. Today for your viewing pleasure I have created a birthday fun fold card. This fold is called a W-fold. I am using the new Build An Ice Cream Cone and the Ice Cream Sundae dies for my card. So let's get started with some details of how I made this card.

Design Steps:

Since I knew the fun fold I was going to use, I selected my card base and designer papers as my first step. I looked for a fun design and decided on this one. My fold is on the left side of my card.

Blue card base: 4 1/4" x 11" - scored at 5 1/4"
Designer paper Layer (outside) - 4" x 5 1/4"

I decided to stamp my sentiment on the card front at this point. I cut white cardstock at 1" x 1 5/8" and a blue layer at 1 1/8" x 5 1/4" and stamped the "happy birthday" sentiment in blue ink to match the cardstock. The Stamp set is from Hero Arts - Big Candles.

Now onto the card inside. I added the same designer paper to the left side of the panel only. 4" x 5 1/4" for both panels. For the right side I decided to emboss a white panel for added texture. It's the Boho Chic folder from Stampin' Up.

Next is the card bridge.

Cardstock is 1 3/4″ x 11″
score at 2 3/4″ x 5 1/2″, 8 1/4″.
Fold at the 5 1/2" score line and then bring the 2 end panels over to create a rectangle.

I attached double sided tape to the two end panels only. The bridge center of the "W" should line up with the center of the card base and this forms the "W" fold.

For the inside decorations: I cut an ice cream cone and an ice cream sundae. I layered these on coral cardstock measuring 2" x 2 3/4" and the white image panel is 1 3/4" x 2 1/2". Used double sided tape to attach. Tape is on the center of the panel only. The camera angle on this photo makes it appear that the centers don't line up. They do or card won't close properly.

To complete my card, I added an ice cream cone to the card front.

I cut another piece of white cardstock 5 1/4" x 4" and attached to back of card for a personal note and to sign my name. I could have signed the yum - delicious panel but decided to leave that as is.

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.  Allsorts has anything for a birthday challenge. They are celebrating their 13th. 

2.  Polkadoodles has an anything goes challenge. 

3.  Alphabet Challenge is "D" for die-cuts.

4.  Creative Creases has an anything goes with a fun fold. 

5.  Creative Knockouts has a finish the inside challenge. 

Gumball Treats for Dad

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

Hope you are enjoying the Spring weather in your neck of the woods. And, if it's not Spring type weather then hope you get to do something crafty today. 

I attended my niece's Baby shower today. It was such a nice event held at a local restaurant. They had us out on a covered patio area.  And it was such a warm day, so everyone was quite comfortable. She is due in July, and they opted not to find out what sex the baby is. They want to be surprised. I like that they are doing this. So many couples don't want the element of surprise. 

Now onto my card for today. This one I created for my weekly DT post on the CottageCutz Blog. Today for your viewing pleasure I have created a Father's Day card using the new Candy & Gumballs die. So, let's get started with some details on how I created my card.

Design Steps:

I had a card base and matching designer paper layer in my stash from a Stampin' Up Paper Pumpkin kit.  I thought it would be perfect for a masculine card. And it would work well to display the Gumball machine die.
Card Base: 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"
Designer Paper Layer: 4" x 5 1/4"
Circle: 2 1/2"

I cut my gumball machine in a color to match the card base. The gumballs are in coordinating colors.

Then for my sentiment, I computer generated this one. "Life is like bubblegum, Sweet at times, Sticky at others, and Best when shared". I used Andy font in 14 points and printed it out on the cardstock (pretty peacock- Stampin'- Up) that matched the designer paper.

Now that my card elements are prepared, I started card assembly. The designer paper layer is attached to the card base with dimensional adhesive.

The Gumball machine is attached to the circle layer with dimensional adhesive. I also used dimensional adhesive on the circle layer and laid it back in the die cut opening.

To finish off my card front, I cut the sentiment into strips and attached to the designer paper layer.

I also stamped my Father's Day sentiment on the card inside. I added a few of the leftover gumballs just for added interest.

That's my card for this post. So, until next time.........God Bless.

 

Die I used to create card:

I am also entering:

1.  Crafty Catz has an anything goes with optional of masculine. 

2.  Creative Fingers has an anything goes challenge. 

3.  C.R.A.F.T. Challenge is anything goes. 

4.  Through the Craft Room Door has an anything goes. 

   

 

Ice Cream Truck Birthday

Hello Blogger friends! Happy 1st Saturday in May to you all. It's Mother's Day weekend so hope your kids, grandkids or hubby have something special planned to honor you. 

We have a restaurant dinner planned for my Mother-in-law. My daughter-in-law had to make an unplanned trip to Philadelphia so our annual brunch together will be when she gets back home. Nothing serious though.  

For my card today, I am featuring a new die from the CottageCutz "Sweet Treats" release. I created a birthday card using a new to me fun fold design. It's called the double easel fold.So here are some details on how I created my card. 

Design Steps: 

I cut the ice cream truck image using the packaging as a guide for the colors. I just loved the pink and purple truck.

For my card layout, I decided to do a fun fold. I was looking on Pinterest one day and came across a new to me double easel fold design. I thought it would work for my ice cream truck birthday card nicely. Here is a link to a video if you like visuals.

white card base: 4 1/4" x 11" - scored at 5 1/2"

lemon-lime layer: 4" x 10 1/4", scored at 2 1/2" and at 5"

lemon-lime designer paper: 3 3/4" x 5" and 2 1/4" x 3 3/4"

This is what the layer looks like after the score lines are burnished.

Next, I attached the designer paper layers.

Then this layer is attached to the white card base using double sided tape.

I cut my sentiments in 2 shades of pink. They are from the sentiments w/shadows release. I used Sweet, Happy Birthday and Wishes.

I attached the sentiments with glue dots. The ice cream truck is attached with dimensional adhesive. To finish off the card I scattered a few pink enamel dots.

And, that's my card for this post. So until next time.......God bless. 

dies I used to create card:

I am also entering:

1. Crafty Calendar has an anything goes. 

2.  Polkadoodles has an anything goes challenge. 

3.  Creative Creases has an anything goes with a fun fold #31. 

4.  Craft Rocket Challenge has a birthday challenge. 

5.  Seize the Birthday has an anything goes challenge - optional is hummingbirds or flowers.