Sending Christmas Cheer

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

Wow it's been a couple of weeks since I have posted here on my Blog. I have been creating Christmas cards and just been busy with decorating my home. 

And I also had some unexpected dental surgery and that took me out of the loop for a few days. I had to have a dental implant removed that was in place for 9 years because of some bone loss in that area. It caused the metal post to come loss. 

They sedated me to take it out then gave me some pain medication. I don't deal well with either of these. It just takes me some time to get it out of my system. The removal was far more painful than when I had it implanted. Go figure!

Well anyway that's my story. Now onto my card for today. This one I created for the color challenge #1027 on Splitcoaststampers.  I was the hostess, and I chose garden green, cherry cobbler and coastal cabana for the color trio. Optional was to use designer paper. And I said you could get creative with the optional item.

For my card I used the contents from the Stampin' Up "Nests of Christmas" Paper Pumpkin kit and made an alternative card instead of following the kit directions.

The foiled arch and designer paper are from the kit. The arch is a cutout from the card base. The arch is in shaded spruce, and I did say you could get creative with the designer paper option. The cardinal and greenery are from the kit.

My stamped sentiment is from a Hero Arts set- Christmas Messages. 

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

Card Details:  

Stamps: Christmas Messages (Hero Arts)

Paper: coastal cabana, white, shaded spruce (Stampin' Up)

Ink: shaded spruce (Stampin' Up)

Accessories: Nests of Christmas PP Kit (Stampin' Up),

 
I am also entering:

1.  Creative Crafting Uncles has a Christmas or New Years challenge. 

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

3.  Triple B Challenge is anything goes with birds, butterflies or blooms. 

4.  Crafty Calendar challenge is anything goes.

5.  Love Those Pretty Papers is anything goes w/optional theme of Christmas.

  

More Thanksgiving 2024

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

It's been a bit busy here since the Thanksgiving holiday and I haven't posted for over a week. But I have been creating and today I am showing one of the last cards I made for that holiday. 

We had a wonderful celebration with my in-laws and all my side dishes, and the turkey turned out really well. Everyone was well satisfied with what I served including my pumpkin pie for dessert. 

We shared the side dishes with my next-door neighbor. She just had a hip replacement and wasn't able to cook a meal. Her daughter came to town on Wednesday evening, so she was only able to make the turkey. We had plenty so sharing what I made wasn't a problem at all. 

Now onto my card for today. This one I made using the contents of the September Paper Pumpkin Kit from Stampin' Up. Instead of using the kit instructions, I made an alternate faux step fold card. 

To create the fun fold, I cut early espresso cardstock 8 1/2” X 5 1/2”. Then I scored on the long side, 3″, 6″, 7 1/4″, and folded (mountain-valley).

For the top piece, I use the wood card base from the kit and cut it to a 4″ X 8″ size. The leaves are part of the kit. I stamped my Thanksgiving sentiment to complete the card front. 

This photo shows the card inside. I sent this one off to my son and daughter-in-law in California. 

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

I am also entering:

1.  Dream Valey Challenge is anything goes. 

2.  Gem of a Challenge is anything goes. 

3.  Polkadoodles Challenge is anything goes. 

4.  Lil Patch of Crafty Friends is anything goes. 

5.  Aloha Friday has a Thanks challenge. 

Thanksgiving Wishes

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

It's a rainy Saturday here in Pittsburgh and we also had our first snowfall of the season yesterday. I woke up to snow covered trees, housetops and our lawn. It was such a beautiful and serene sight. Then the rain moved in and some cold and damp weather. 

Today I went with a couple of other women from our church, and we got the Christmas decorations put up at our church. Everything looks so pretty and now I can't wait to do my own home. I will start that the day after Thanksgiving. 

But for now, I am still about Thanksgiving, and I am showing another one of the cards I made. I created a simple gatefold card using the Stampin' Up "autumn abundance" Paper Pumpkin Kit. This card was a quick and easy one to put together since all of the elements were in this kit. The card base came in the kit, and I scored the front at 2 1/8" on each side. 

I die cut a circle from vanilla cardstock and added the navy and copper leaves that were also part of the kit. The sentiment is tamped in cajun craze ink. To finish off this card I scattered some cajun craze sequins.

This photo shows the card inside. I used a navy panel and then cut my "give thanks" phrase in white along with some white leaves. 

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

I am also entering:

1.  Alphabet Challenge has a "q" for quick and easy card. 

2.  Creative Inspirations has an anything goes challenge.

3.  Fab 'n' Funky has a dies/punches challenge. 

4.  Creative Fingers has an anything goes challenge.  

5.  Crafts Galore Encore has an anything goes challenge. 

Happy Thanksgiving

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

Here we are almost halfway through the month of November. Thanksgiving is just 2 weeks away. I am still making Thanksgiving cards. I usually send out at least 10 cards to family and friends. So, I need to get them finished so I can get my Christmas cards done. Since Thanksgiving is late this year it's just a short time till we reach Christmas. 

These 2 holidays are my favorite ones of the year. I love the family time, cooking for the big days, decorating and making my handmade cards. So, let's get started with some details of my card today. 

This one I made for this week's color challenge #1026 on Splitcoaststampers. We were to use daffodil delight, granny apple green and crushed curry for our color trio. Neutrals are also allowed. Optional this week is flowers.

daffodil delight, granny apple green, crushed curry

For my Thanksgiving card I used the Turkey Day die from Spellbinders. I cut his feathers in daffodil delight and pecan pie. The body in crumb cake, feathers in chocolate chip and for the wattle I used copper. All these additional colors are neutrals.  

My leaves are cute from Bristol smooth card stock, and I sponged fossilized amber, granny apple green and pecan pie to get a Fall look. I added some sunflowers to cover the optional item.

That's my card for today. So until next time.......God bless. 

Card Details:

Stamps: gift of fall (Paper Pumpkin 2019)

Paper: daffodil delight, granny apple green, pecan pie, copper clay, choc chip, crumb cake, soft suede (Stampin' Up), dsp (Paper Studio), bristol smooth (Canson)

Paper Size: A2

Ink: daffodil delight, granny apple green, pecan pie (Stampin' Up), wild honey distress, fossilized amber distress (Ranger)

Accessories: Happy Turkey Day die (Spellbinders), oval die, build a grapevine wreath die -leaves & acorns, fall gate w/flowers die -sunflowers die (CottageCutz)

I am also entering:

1.  I Spy With My Little Eye has a colors of the season challenge. 

2.  Simon Says Stamp has a Thanksgiving challenge. 

3.  The Paper Funday has an anything goes challenge w/optional of tags. 

4.  Crafty Animals has an anything goes challenge. 

5.  Critter Crazy Challenge is anything goes. 

Thankful For You

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

Well, I think our summer weather is coming to an end. We had a frost last night and today even though the sun is out it's a bit cold outside. And even inside I had to turn the furnace up a couple of degrees. We usually keep it on 67° but today that's just not warm enough. It is mid November so I just need to adjust to the cooling temps (LOL)!!!

We just had new equipment sent to us from Verizon for our Fios service. The old set top box and DVR are being discontinued. I looked through the directions and honestly, I am not sure how to install the new boxes. I asked one of my neighbors who has helped us in the past. If he isn't able to come, I may have to pay for a Verizon installer to come out. Don't know why they would upgrade equipment and then expect the average person to be able to install it. 

Anyway, onto my card for today. This fun fold design I made using the contents of the Stampin' September Paper Pumpkin kit. It's all about Autumn card making and I think it's perfect for Thanksgiving cards. Everything I used on this card came in the kit except for the sentiments and the November phrase. 

The fold is titled an "inside out flip card". I found this tutorial on Tami White's Blog and used it for this card.

This photo shows the card inside. The November phrase is from a CottageCutz die and the stamped sentiment is from Divinity Designs. 

Card Inside

This photo shows the front sentiment flipping over. Hence the reason for the title of the fun fold.

 

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

Card Details:

Stamps: painted harvest (Stampin' Up)

Paper: early espresso, copper foil (Stampin' Up)

Paper Size: A2

Ink: early espresso (Stampin' Up)

Accessories: Autumn Abundance Paper Pumpkin Kit (September 2024), Calendar Months die (CottageCutz)

Techniques: inside out flip fold

I am also entering:

1.  A Cut Above Challenge is ATG using a die cut and optional of "warm it up" theme. 

2.  A Place to Start Challenge is ATG w/option of sentiment of thanks. 

3.  A Perfect Time to Craft challenge is ATG.

4.  Crafts Galore Encore Challenge is ATG. 

5.  Die Cut Divas has an any holiday challenge.

6.  Four Seasons Challenge is celebrating Fall. 

  

Gather Together

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

Hope this Fall season is finding you well. Can you believe that we are about 2 weeks away from Thanksgiving? We have had such beautiful warm weather here for November that it seems like September. 

I host Thanksgiving at my home each year. It's a tradition that I want to hold onto for as long as I can. I love cooking for this holiday and sharing the day with my family. I also enjoy making and sending Thanksgiving cards. 

The card I am featuring today is one that I made from the Stampin' Up September Paper Pumpkin Kit- "Autumn Abundance" in an alternative design.  I used the colors from the color challenge #1023.

I was the hostess, and I chose wild wheat, night of navy and poppy parade for my color trio. The optional item was to use designer paper.

 

wild wheat, night of navy, poppy parade

My fun fold is a double triangle design. There is a tutorial on Splitcoaststampers to create it. Click here for instructions. I saw a card on the Paper Pumpkin Facebook group and used it for my inspiration. Of course I changed it up to make it my own design.

The card front is one of the card bases in the kit. I cut it in half to use it as designer paper for my fun fold card.

The sentiment is from the Stampin' Up "painted harvest" set and is stamped in night of navy. I added some die cut greenery cut in wild wheat and poppy parade. The night of navy die cut leaves are from the kit.

Added a few night of navy rhinestones to finish off my card.

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

Card Details:

Stamps: painted harvest (Stampin' Up)

Paper: night of navy, poppy parade, wild wheat (Stampin' Up)

Paper Size: A2

Ink: night of navy (Stampin' Up)

Accessories: Autumn Abundance PP Kit, Holiday Rhinestone Basic Jewels (Stampin' Up), Circle die, Holiday Greenery die (CottageCutz)

Techniques: double triangle fold

 

I am also entering:

1. A Place to Start is anything goes w/option of adding sentiments of thanks. 

2.  Love Those Prety Papers Challenge is anything goes using patterned paper. 

3.  Creative Creases is anything goes with a fun fold. 

4.  Cut It Up has a grateful/thankful challenge using die cuts. 

5.  Cardz for Galz has a patterned paper challenge. 

Let Us Give Thanks

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

We are in the full phase of Fall in our area. The trees are in their beautiful autumn colors. We will have plenty of them dropping in our yard since we have 2 huge pin oak tree. Fortunately, my hubby likes going out and raking leaves. I help sometimes but it's not my thing for sure. Yesterday he raked a huge pile of leaves and the two little ones from next door came over and jumped in the pile. My hubby joined them (LOL)!! They love coming over here and spending time with us. 

We just came home from a 2-day getaway at a wonderful Inn about 2 hours away from us. The inn is Tara and we were celebrating our 37th wedding anniversary a little early. It's a beautiful country inn with exceptional rooms and dining. Click here to check it out. 

Now onto my card for today. I have started creating my Thanksgiving cards for this year. And that's what I am showing today. 

This is my card for the Splitcoaststampers color challenge #1022. Barbara is our hostess and she chose crushed curry, cajun craze and coastal cabana for the color trio. Optional this week is Autumn.

coastal cabana, crushed curry, cajun craze

For my card I used the Stampin' Up Paper Pumpkin Kit for September "Autumn Abundance". I ran across a Stampin' Up video where they showed this card as one of their alternate samples. Then I saw the card on Pinterest from the designer. Here is a link to her card. 

Instead of using the snail and mushrooms from the kit since they were the wrong colors, I die cut my own using a CottageCutz die. The mushrooms are cut in the challenge colors and the snail in pecan pie and crumb cake (neutrals).

The card front is a card base from the kit but in a 4" square size. By creating a step fold card, I was able to change it to a full-size card. The wood grain designer paper in the background is another card base from the kit that I cut.

The cajun craze leaves are part of the kit. I stamped a sentiment from an old Verve set (7+ years old) and added a few cajun craze enamel dots to complete my card.

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

Card Details:

Stamps: Bountiful Harvest (Verve)

Paper: cajun craze, crushed curry, crumb cake, pecan pie, coastal cabana (Stampin' Up)

Ink: cajun craze, coastal cabana (Stampin' Up)

Accessories: Autumn Abundance PP Kit, cajun craze enamel dots (Stampin' Up), stitched mushrooms die, stitched garden friends die, stitched circle die (cottageCutz)

Techniques: step fold

I am also entering:

1.  Love Those Pretty Papers Challenge is anything goes. 

2.  Retro Rubber Challenge wants us to make a Fall card. 

3.  Gem of a Challenge is anything goes. 

4.  Inkspirational has a Seasonal challenge.

5.  Polkadoodles has a anything goes challenge.  

Harvest Blessings

Hello Blogger friends! Thanks for taking the time to stop and visit with The Charmed Life Blog this last Friday in October. 

Wow this month just flew by. Soon we will be celebrating Thanksgiving and then onto Christmas. I have been making my Thanksgiving cards and the one I am showing today is another one of those. It's somewhat of non-traditional colors for a Thanksgiving card but I like how it turned out.

I used the colors from the Splitcoaststampers color challenge #1021. They are pretty peacock, pool party and lost lagoon for the color trio.

pretty peacock, pool party, lost lagoon

Optional is anything goes. I took some liberty, and I chose Fall for the optional. That way I was able to add some fall colors for my trees to create a Fall scene.

I stenciled background clouds in broken china distress ink using an MFT stencil. I used Bristol smooth card stock for the background. I find it blends much smoother than other white cardstock I have tried. 

Cut my houses in pretty peacock and used lost lagoon cardstock for the house trim. The house des are from CottageCutz. 

I punched some tree trunks and used a cloud die for the tree foliage. I sponged wild honey, spiced marmalade and fired brick distress inks. For the hills I used mossy meadow designer paper.

Stamped my sentiments to complete my card. Well, that's it for me for this post. So, until next time.......God bless. 

Card Details:

Stamps: bountiful harvest (Verve), holiday home (PTI)

Paper: pretty peacock, lost lagoon, so saffron, soft suede, beauty of the earth dsp (Stampin' Up), bristol smooth (Canson)

Paper Size: A2

Ink: pretty peacock (Stampin' Up), wild honey distress, spiced marmalade distress, fired brick distress, broken china distress (ranger)

Accessories: winter village die, stitched cloud die (CottageCutz), tree punch (paper Shapers), mini cloud stencil (MFT), stitched hills border die (Lawn Fawn)

I am also entering:

1.  Just Add Ink has a stenciling challenge.

2.  C.R.A.F.T. challenge is anything goes. 

3.  Craft Rocket challenge is Autumn or Halloween.

4.  Just Us Girls has a stencil challenge. 

5.  Crazy is our Fame-Stencils are our game has a stencil challenge. 

 

Scarecrow in the Pumpkin Patch

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

It's a beautiful sunny and warm day here in the Pittsburgh area. A bit unusual for us this time of year but I love it! It's one of those days when you feel like you could accomplish so much. 

I went for a 35 minute walk this morning. Then made a quick trip to Trader Joe's. Put together some guacamole for my hubby. He likes this as an afternoon snack, and I have a delicious recipe. I cleaned my kitchen, sorted laundry, changed bedsheets and now I am writing up this Blog post. 

It's been a while since I have posted here on my Blog but it's not like I haven't been creating. We are coming into my fave time of year with Thanksgiving and Christmas, and I have lots of cards to make. The card I am showing today is one of my Thanksgiving cards.

I used the colors from the Splitcoaststampers color challenge #1017. We were to use crushed curry, old olive and poppy parade for the color trio. Optional this week is a 4th color. I chose pecan pie for the 4th color.

crushed curry, old olive, poppy parade

I thought these colors were perfect for a Fall themed card. I started my card by embossing the background with the pumpkin harvest embossing folder from Cuttlebug. An older one for sure, but I still like the design of it. 

Then I went to work on my pumpkin patch scene. My scarecrow is cut in the challenge colors plus chocolate chip (a retired neutral). It's a die from CottageCutz. I think he has the cutest face. 

My sunflowers and pumpkins are cut in crushed curry and shaded with the same ink plus spiced marmalade distress ink. They are also dies from CottageCutz.

To complete my scene, I added a sun die cut. And that's my post for today. So until next time.....God bless. 

Card Details:

Paper: crushed curry, poppy parade, old olive, crumb cake, pecan pie, choc chip (Stampin' Up), chantilly cream (MFT)

Paper Size: A2

Ink: crushed curry, crumb cake (Stampin' Up), spiced marmalade distress (Ranger)

Accessories: Fall Scarecrow, Fall Gate w/Flowers, Stitched Sun dies (CottageCutz). Pumpkin Harvest EF (Cuttlebug)

I am also entering:

1. A Cut Above is anything goes with a die cut.  I used several. 

2.  Aud Sentiments has an embossing, Fall + a sentiment challenge. 

3.  Double Trouble has a Fall Bat color challenge (green, red, yellow)+ option of a Fall die. 

4.  Die Cut Divas has an anything goes challenge using a die cut or embossing.

5.  The Four Seasons Challenge is anything goes with a Fall theme.