To An Incredible Woman

Hello Blogger friends! Thanks for taking the time to stop and visit with The Charmed Life Blog today. It's the last Saturday in April and I am just wondering how this month went by so quickly?

I started a reorganization of my craft room. I am trying to get things in a more orderly and less space taking design. I started with my stencils. After reading online how other stampers store them I decided to go with putting them in a binder. I have them organized by companies.  Hopefully this system works out for me. 

Next, I am reorganizing the dies I have from CottageCutz. I had them in binders but again that takes up too much space. So, I took them from the binders and decided to put them in bins I had on hand. They are mounted on adhesive backed magnetic sheets in heavy duty storage envelopes.  Once this is finished, I am moving onto my MFT stamp & die collection. Not sure what I am going to do there as yet. 

Now onto my card for today. This one I created for the color challenge #CC997. we were to use gorgeous grape, daffodil delight and fresh freesia for the color trio. Optional this week is anything goes. I chose a 4th color of green and I used old olive and mossy meadow.

gorgeous grape, daffodil delight, fresh freesia

I created a Mother's Day floral arrangement with these beautiful colors. I send many cards to family and friends so Mother's Day will be on my card making agenda for awhile. The die is "Spring Blooms" from CottageCutz.

The stamped sentiment is from the March 2023 Paper Pumpkin Kit. The background paper is from the Stampin' Up "flight & airy" collection. I added a few gorgeous grape enamel dots to complete my card.

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

Card Details:

Stamps: Ten Years of Growth (PP Kit March 2023)

Paper: gorgeous grape, daffodil delight, fresh freesia, mossy meadow, old olive, flight & airy dsp (Stampin' Up)

Paper Size: A2

Ink: gorgeous grape, daffodil delight (Stampin' Up)

Accessories: Spring Blooms die, Pierced Wide Rectangle die (CottageCutz), glossy dots (Stampin' Up)

I am also entering:

1.  Craft Rocket Challenge is to layer it up.

2.  Paper Craft Crew has a floral image challenge. 

3.  Daring Cardmakers has a something old, something new challenge. I am using a die from 2020 and new designer paper. 

4.  Retro Rubber Challenge has a tic tac toe- I chose line 1 across- die cut-gems-Spring. 

5.  The Card Concept has an April Flowers challenge. My design is clean and layered. 

Mother's Day Easel and Treat Box

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

Well primary election day is over in PA. I worked the polls for 3 hours passing out literature. I like doing this because it gives me a chance to talk to people in the district that I represent. I am an elected committee woman here. I only got involved 2 years ago and I like being a part of the activity.

Now onto my card for today. This is an easel treat box I created for a Mother's Day gift. I have all the design steps below. 

Design Steps:

I used a card base from my stash and cut off ½" on the solid part of the base. Then I scored at 2-3/4", 5-1/2" (is already scored), 6-1/2" and 7-1/2".

I used Scor-Tape on the dotted end of the card base and then folded on all the score lines. The small tab gets taped to the inside to form a box shape.

Easel Card Assembly: 

I used a curry shade of cardstock measuring 10" x 2 1/4" and scored at 2 1/2" and 5". I used double sided tape and attached to the top of the box.

Then a 2nd piece of the curry cardstock (5" x 2 1/2") that will be for the image panel. I attached this to the easel panel with double sided tape to the bottom half of the panel only.

Inside Drawer Box:

Crushed curry cardstock measuring 9" x 6 1/8" and scored at 3/4" x 1 3/4" on all 4 sides.

Then you are going to cut the shorter ends only to form tabs. Cut the first 2 squares off each corner. Then cut the 1st square in the 2nd row. On the 2nd square in the 2nd row you will cut at an angle to form tabs. Add Scor Tape to the panels as shown in this photo. 

Peel the backing from the tape on the short sides first and fold over each tab on the score lines towards the inside. Next remove the backing from the long sides and fold these over the angled tabs. The box will look like this photo when folded.

Decorating the Image Panel:

I cut a piece of white cardstock 4 7/8" x 2 3/8". This panel is decorated with the CottageCutz Spring Tulips in a grape cardstock. I also used the Fence & Grass die on this panel. I cut the fence in white for a background, but I didn't want it prominent. Stamped a Mother's Day sentiment.

To make a stop for the easel, I used a banner from my stash and stamped a sentiment in grape ink. This is secured with dimensional adhesive. This is the easel image standing up. I used the celebrate with shadow die and added another tulip and greenery.

This is a photo showing the box with the chocolate kisses inside.

Whew! This was a long post but I hope I have given you an idea for a Mother's Day card and treat box.

That's it for me for today so until next time......God bless.

I am also entering:

1.  Crafty Gals has an anything goes challenge. 

2.  Paper Craft Crew #567 challenge is florals. 

3.  Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge is anything goes. 

4.  The Paper Funday is anything goes w/optional of sweet treats. 

5.  Shopping Our Stash has a Mamma Mia challenge. 

6.  Moving Along with the Times has a fancy fold challenge. 

7.  TTTC246 challenge - I chose bottom row- gems- patterned paper- die cuts. 

Mother's Day Daisies

Hello Blogger Friends! Thanks for taking the time to stop and visit with The Charmed Life Blog today. Hope your weekend was a good one and you had some crafty time or even "me" time which is also very relaxing. 

We had family time on Saturday. First visiting with my Mother-in-law for a few hours and then we headed over to spend time with my son and daughter-in-law. So needless to say Saturday was a rewarding day for us. 

Then Sunday we had church and Sunday evening we have a couples prayer group that meets at our home. Sunday was also a rewarding day. 

Now onto my card for today. This one I created for the color challenge #996 on Splitcoaststampers. We were to use lemon lolly, polished pink and parakeet party for the color trio. Optional was to use an embossing folder.

I created a Mother's Day card. My daisy images are a die from CottageCutz. I cut in the challenge colors. I used an arch die from Spellbinders and cut my white cardstock then embossed with the Scrollwork folder.

My original intent was to have a white card base, but I placed my embossed panel upside down on the base. So, I cut the white card base and layered that on a polished pink panel.

Added a few polished pink enamel dots to complete my card. Well, that's it for me for this post. So until next time.....God bless. 

Card Details:

Stamps: may good things grow (PaperPumpkin 2018)

Paper: polished pink, lemon lolly, parakeet party, white (Stampin' Up)

Paper Size: 4 1/2" x 5 3/4"

Ink: lemon lolly

Accessories: stitched daisies & Tulip die (CottageCutz), scrollworks ef (Cuttlebug), polished pink enamel dots (Stampin' Up), essential arches (Spellbinders)

Techniques: dry embossing

I am also entering:

1.  A Place to Start has an anything goes challenge with option of flowers. 

2.  Can You Handle the Pressure is anything goes w/option of weather. 

3.  My Time to Craft has an everything die cuts challenge. 

4.  Craft Rocket Challenge is to layer it up.

5.  Just Add Ink has a leaves-flowers-pots challenge. 

Fun in the Sun

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

Another weekend is upon us and hopefully you have some crafty plans. Although this time of year there are many outdoor projects to start as well.  I am fortunate that my hubby takes care of the outside. I am responsible for the inside. It's a fair deal in my mind. We have a big front, 2 sides and back yard. He has it beautifully landscaped with flowers for all seasons.  And that is in addition to his vegetable gardens. 

I just finished my cleaning and now I have time to get crafty. This card I made for the Free for All Challenge on Splitcoaststampers. We are to use the word "happy" in the sentiment or create a design that reflects joy. This card will go to my California son for his birthday, and he is an avid surfer. When he is out in the ocean that definitely brings him joy. 

I used the contents of the July 2023 Paper Pumpkin Kit from Stampin' Up. Instead of making a fun fold, I turned the contents into a slimline card for a bit of an upstyle. I had this card saved on my Pinterest board and used it for inspiration. Changed it up some by eliminating the ribbon, adding starfish, a clam and keeping the boat that was on the designer paper. I also used a different stamp set.

Stamped my sentiment using a stamp set from MFT in azure afternoon ink and this card is complete. Well, that's it for me for this post. So until next time......God bless.

Card Details:

Stamps: Mermazing (MFT)

Paper: white (Gina K Designs)

Paper Size: 8 1/2" x 3 1/2"

Ink: azure afternoon (Stampin' Up)

Accessories: July 2023 Paper Pumpkin Kit (Stampin' Up)

Techniques: slimline card

I am also entering:

1.  Cut It Up has a starts with a "B" challenge. This is a beach card plus the boat.

2.  My Time to Craft has a die cuts challenge.  

3.  Just Us Girls has an inspiration challenge with a moodboard. 

4.  Double D Challenge is water related- ocean, rain waterfall.

  

Artist Palette

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

It was a beautiful Spring Day here in Pittsburgh. We were out early this morning for our 2-mile walk. It always feels so good to be out walking with the sun shining and it's not cold. 

We have been having a lot of carpenter bees, honeybees and wasps here the past few days. Maybe because there was 2 weeks of rain, and none were around. I guess they are looking for places to make a hive. 

We have lots of trees here, so I am never quite sure why they go for the porch or the deck or even the garage. When they nest in an inappropriate place my hubby has to knock the hive down for our safety. He always catches the hive formation in its early stages. Mostly it's the wasp nests that he discovers. 

Anyway, onto my card for today. This one I created for the color challenge #996 on Splitcoaststampers. We were to use lemon lolly, polished pink and parakeet party for her color trio. Optional this week is to use an embossing folder. The option didn't work for me on this card. 

My card is using a new to me die from Spellbinders - the painter's palette. I created a shaped card using the die. My daughter-in-law is an art teacher, and this will be her card for Mother's Day.

I cut the artist palette in ivory cardstock. The paint blobs are cut in the challenge colors + designer paper in crumb cake and smoky slate. 

I cut two of the blobs in lemon lolly cardstock and added the same color ink to get a deeper yellow shade.
The brush is pecan pie and metallic silver (neutrals).

To get splatters on the palette, I used a brush and the challenge color reinkers to flick ink on the palette. What artist would have a clean palette?

I used the Tim Holtz "chitchat stickers" to add the sentiment. The Mother's Day greeting will be on the card inside.

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

Card Details:

Paper: ivory, polished pink, lemon lolly, white, metallic silver, perfectly artistic dsp (Stampin' Up)

Paper Size: A2

Ink: polished pink, lemon lolly, parakeet party (Stampin' Up)

Accessories: Painters Palette die (Spellbinders), Chitchat stickers (Tim Holtz)

I am also entering:

1.  Crafty Gals Corner has an anything goes challenge

2.  Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday Challenge is anything goes. 

3.  Fab 'n' Funky wants us to add a sentiment. 

4.  Unicorn Challenge Blog wants us to use dies.

5.  Creative Inspiration Challenge is anything goes.  

Happy Mother's Day

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

Well, our deck project is finished. We had a beautiful sunshine day yesterday and today. The workers were able to get a full day in and it's complete. The company we chose does excellent work and we are completely satisfied. I will definitely give a recommendation. 

My hubby has a couple of other home projects in mind, but he won't tell me what they are. I guess he thinks I might bug him about getting them done. Oh well, I just may think of some projects myself (LOL)!!!

Now onto my card for today. I am starting to make my Mother's Day cards. I send them out to both my daughters-in-law, my mother-in-law and several of my friends. I usually need about 10 of them. I just bought this paper pad from Divinity Designs, and they will make for some quick and easy cards. There are several designs of different Spring flowers. So more to come.

This one I made for the color challenge #995. We were to use granny apple green, crushed curry and black for her color trio. Optional was to use any other green. The other green is in my designer paper.

crushed curry, granny apple green, black

I let the designer paper be the star of the show. The paper is from the "Spring Flowers 2" collection from Divinity Designs. It had the challenge colors except black.

I added a couple of bees to the daffodil garden. I popped those up for added depth. I cut a stitched cloud from the designer paper and stamped my sentiment. I also popped the cloud up.

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

Card Details: 

Stamps: may good things grow (PaperPumpkin 2018)

Paper: granny apple green, black, crushed curry (Stampin' Up), Spring Flowers 2 Pad (Divinity Designs),

Paper Size: 4" x 8"

Ink: chocolate chip (Stampin' Up)

Accessories: bee die, stitched cloud die (CottageCutz)

Techniques: slimline card

I am also entering:

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

2.  Beautiful Blossoms challenge is anything goes with florals. 

3.  Daisy Chain Challenge is not square. 

4.  Die Cut Divas challenge is a Spring card. 

5.  Aud Sentiments challenge is Watercolor or Spring + a sentiment. 

A Little Christmas Spirit

Hello Blogger friends! Thanks for taking the time to stop and visit with The Charmed Life Blog today. Hope you are all doing well and have some time to get crafty this weekend. I am hoping to get some time in tomorrow. I just bought a new to me die from Spellbinders and I am anxious to give it a try. It's an artist's palette and would make a perfect card for my daughter-in-law who is an art teacher. 

Today though I was at a baby shower for the daughter of our good friends. It was held at a Golf Club and the luncheon was fabulous as were the decorations, favors and the cookie table. She received a lot of cute as well as practical gifts. She is having a girl. It's the first grandchild for our friends so they are super excited. 

Now onto my card for today. I created this Christmas card using the non-traditional Stampin' Up colors of pretty peacock, crumb cake and shaded spruce. 

For my Christmas card I started with my designer paper. It's from the Stampin' Up "brightly gleaming" collection. I saw this card on Pinterest and used it as inspiration. Stamped my ornaments on vanilla in shaded spruce ink. I used the ornament keepsakes stamp & die set also from Stampin' Up. 

I cut the star from gold cardstock and added greenery in gold and pretty peacock. Added gold metallic ribbon to complete the card.

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

Card Details:

Stamps: ornament keepsakes, star of light (Stampin' Up)

Paper: very vanilla, pretty peacock, brushed metallic, crumb cake, brightly gleaming dsp (Stampin' Up)

Paper Size: A2

Ink: shaded spruce (Stampin' Up)

Accessories: holiday ornaments die, holiday rhinestone basic jewels, ribbon (Stampin' Up), star ornament, holiday greenery die (CottageCutz)

I am also entering:

1.  My Time to Craft Christmas wants us to use non-traditional colors. 

2.  Christmas Craft Creations has a non-traditional colors challenge. 

3.  The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge is anything goes. 

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Garden Bicycle

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

I have mentioned in previous posts that our deck is getting redone. The old wood is being replaced with a composite that is very low maintenance. The workers are doing a great job, but the weather just hasn't cooperated. It has rained every day but one in the almost 2 weeks they have been here. 

They started today and worked until about 11:30 when the downpour started. Hopefully they will be back tomorrow. Although the weather forecast is calling for rain once again. They have 2-3 days left to complete the job. 

Now onto my card for today.  I made this card for a friend who moved to the Pittsburgh area last summer.

It's been an adjustment for her, but she has been slowly finding her way around and starting to feel like she belongs. She is an avid bike rider and spent a lot of time on our dedicated trails that meander through wooded areas as well as along our rivers. So, I thought she would like this special card.

I started my card with a sketch that I had saved on one of my Pinterest boards. It's an older one but I thought it would work well to showcase the garden bicycle and the addition of the ribbon and the punched daisy edge makes it a bit more feminine.

I cut my bicycle in colors that coordinated with my designer paper and that look like her bike. Just to make it a bit more special.

For my background papers I used 2 different patterns of designer papers. The pink dotted paper (1 7/8" x 5 1/4") is from the Stampin' Up "pop of pink specialty paper" and it's layered on melon mambo cardstock (2" x 5 3/8"), the flowered paper (2 1/8" x 5 1/4") is from the "cheerful treat" collection" and it's layered on lucky limeade cardstock (2 1/4" x 5 3/8").

Next, I added a bow with a lucky limeade brad center and a daisy edge cut from a Martha Stewart punch.

I stamped my sentiment in gray ink on a white rectangle panel and attached the bicycle. I layered this  panel on a melon mambo panel.

To finish off my card, I attached the image panel with dimensional adhesive and added a few melon mambo enamel dots.

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

I am also entering:

1.  Crafty Gals Corner is anything goes. 

2.  Fab 'n' Funky wants us to add a sentiment. 

3.  Gem of a Challenge is anything goes. 

4.  A Perfect Time to Craft is anything goes. 

5.  Love to Craft Challenge is anything goes. 

   

  

Super Sized Hugs

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

This was the solar eclipse day that everyone has been buzzing about for a couple of weeks. We had 97% visibility here in Pittsburgh. The clouds cleared away just as the eclipse was happening. It wasn't totally dark because we didn't have 100% visibility. 

But when the moon covered the sun our dusk to dawn outside lights came on and we noticed a change in the temperature. We had our eclipse glasses and seeing the phenomenon was amazing. I also saw the one in 2017 in California. I was out visiting my son and his family. There seemed to be more chatter about this one in 2024 for some reason. 

It's over now and the next chance for the US to see one again will be in 20 years. So that being said, let's move onto my card for today. 

This one I created for my grandson's birthday. He eats burgers occasionally so sending him some super-sized hugs seemed like a good idea. I was happy with how the card turned out. 

My dies are all from CottageCutz- I used the Build-a-Burger die for the burger and fries and the stitched alphabet die for the Hugs phrase.

Stamped and wet embossed my sentiment. The stamp set is from MFT. The background designer paper was embossed with the xoxo backdrop die from Lawn Fawn.

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

Card Details:

Stamps: we make a great combo (MFT)

Paper: daffodil delight, real red, crumb cake, mango melody, baked brown sugar, cucumber crush, confetti white, crumb cake dsp, vellum (Stampin' Up)

Paper Size: A2

Ink: wild honey distress (Ranger)

Accessories: build a birger die, stitched alphabet die, coffee & cocoa warm wishes die (CottageCutz), xoxo backdrop die (Lawn Fawn), white embossing powder (Hero Arts)

I am also entering:

1.  Path of Positivity Challenge is anything goes w/option of power of words.

2.  Crafty Calendar Challenge is dry/wet embossing. I used wet embossing. 

3.  Polkadoodles has an anything goes challenge. 

4.  Crafter's Cafe has a Food challenge.

5.   Pearly Sparkles Challenge is for a man or boy.