Wisdom tree

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

Well, the smoke that rolled in from Canada is finally gone. It created some really bad air quality for us here in Pittsburgh.  We were advised to stay indoors because the smoke was so bad. Then we had rain on Saturday and by Sunday it was minimal and today it's totally gone. We had sun and blue skies and manageable summer temps. 

My hubby was back in his garden today and after a few morning errands, I was in my craft room. Both of us in our happy places. 

Now onto my card for today. This one I created for the Fan Club Christmas challenge on Splitcoaststampers. We were to use numbers on our cards.

I had the perfect die for this challenge. It's the Wisdom Tree die from CottageCutz and displays the #25. I cut it 2x for a bit more dimension.

I used cherry cobbler cardstock for the card base and the die cut tree. I had some foils from an older Stampin' Up collection - "Love You Always Foil". These papers are in the sahara sand shade. I used the foil to cut the star for the tree top.

To finish off my card I added a few cherry cobbler rhinestones. I will be entering this in a few Christmas in July challenges. 

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

Card Details:

Paper: cherry cobbler, sahara sand, sahara sand foils dsp (Stampin' Up)

Paper Size: A2

Accessories: Wisdom Tree, Cherry Cobbler Ribbon, Holiday Rhinestones (Stampin' Up)

I am also entering:

1.  Make My Monday challenge is Christmas in July. 

2.  Inkspirational Challenge #372 is Christmas in July.

3.  Crafter's Cafe is anything goes w/option of Christmas in July. 

4.  Die Cut Divas has a Christmas In July challenge. 

5.  MLCCB has an anything goes challenge. 

Easter Cross w/lilies

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

Hope you had a great weekend and were able to get some crafty time in. When Spring rolls around that sometimes gets difficult if you are a gardener. I am not the one who tends the outside here. That is my hubby's domain.  

You might think it's odd that I am featuring an Easter card today. But one of my neighbors and a couple of friends are Eastern Orthodox Christians and yesterday was their Easter celebration. So, they always get a card from me just a bit later than my Western Christian friends. 

For this card I started with my background paper. It's from the Divinity Designs "Spring Flowers 2" collection.

I paired it with Stampin' Up rococo rose cardstock and rococo rose foil designer paper. My cross is cut from the designer paper and rococo rose cardstock.

Cut my Easter phrase in foil and to finish off the card.  I added some die cut sequins from the foil paper.

Here is another of the cards I created for this Holiday. 

And my last one for this year.

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

Paper: Rococo Rose, Blushing Bride,  Love You Always Foil Sheets (Stampin' Up), Spring Flowers 2 Pad (Divinity Designs), Chantilly Cream (MFT)

Paper Size: A2

Accessories: Cross w/Spring Lilies die, Easter Phrases die (CottageCutz), sequins die (MFT)

I am also entering: 

1.  Crafting From the Art challenge is anything goes.

2.  Crafts Galore Encore is anything goes.  

3.  Creative Crafting Uncles has a Spring/Easter challenge. 

4.  Moving Along with the Times has an anything Spring challenge.

5.   Paper Rocks Scissors has an anything goes using paper or scissors. 

Easter Tulips

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

It's Easter weekend. I just finished cleaning in anticipation of my company tomorrow. It's a breeze because I keep up after my house almost daily and Saturday is running the sweeper, kitchen and bathroom days. Although I keep up with the kitchen daily as well. 

It will be a smaller gathering tomorrow for dinner, but I am still looking forward to it. My hubby's brother & family are out of town for the holiday. His siter is not feeling well so she declined the invite. We invited a young man from church who has no family here in Pittsburgh, also another single man from church who just lost his mother. 

I am making my usual Easter menu. Ham, hash brown potato casserole, roasted green beans and a fruit tray. I almost nixed the ham this year, but I couldn't decide on another meat so I went with ham. 

Now onto my card for today. These cards I created for the Splitcoaststampers color challenge #1098. We were to use gorgeous grape, daffodil delight, poppy parade and coastal cabana for the color trio. Optional was dies or punches. I chose the die option.

gorgeous grape, daffodil delight, poppy parade, coastal cabana

I looked through my paper pads and found this beautiful pattern from Divinity Designs "Spring Flowers 2" collection. It had the challenge colors and these beautiful tulip images.

The panel is a 6x9 size, so I was able to cut it in half and get 2 cards. For this card I used daffodil delight as my card base. Die cut my Easter phrase in gorgeous grape and scattered a few gorgeous grape enamel dots to finish off my card.

For this next card I used gorgeous grape as my card base. Die cut my Easter phrase in gorgeous grape and stamped the blessings word in gorgeous grape ink. I scattered a few gorgeous grape enamel dots to finish off my card.

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

Card Details:

Stamps: Alleluia Stamp set (Divinity Designs)

Paper: gorgeous grape, daffodil delight (Stampin' Up), spring flowers pad 2 (Divinity Designs)

Paper Size: 4 1/2" x 5 3/4"

Ink: gorgeous grape (Stampin' Up)

Accessories: Happy Easter Greeting die (CottageCutz), gorgeous grape enamel dots (Stampin' Up)

I am also entering:

1.  Alphabet Challenge is "Y" for yellow flowers.

2.  Creative Fingers is anything goes. 

3.  Cardz 4 Galz is Spring Flowers.

4.  C.R.A.F.T. Challenge is Seasons/Weather or ATG. I chose the Spring season. 

5.  Just us Girls has a Spring or Easter Card challenge using die cuts. 

 

Gone Bananas

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

I have been showing my Valentine cards this week because I was traveling in January & February. Then I was down with a cold for a week. So, this card is another that I created for Valentine's Day. 

I gave this one to my friends little boy who is handicapped and in a wheelchair. I go to visit him weekly to give my friend a break. He looks forward to my visits, and I look forward to spending time with him. 

To create this card, I used the colors from the Splitcoaststampers color challenge #1091. We were to use crushed curry, blueberry bushel and azure afternoon for the color trio. Optional was to use a 4th color. I chose real red.

crushed curry, blueberry bushel, azure afternoon

I cut my juggling monkey in the challenge colors and used 2 shades of brown as neutrals.

For the bananas I used a blending brush and fossilized amber distress ink on white cardstock. I used a light touch to get the color to be more like bananas.

I added some strips of red designer paper to the bottom and top of the card. My stamped sentiment is from the Lawn Fawn "My Silly Valentine" set. the die cut sentiment is from CottageCutz.

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

Card Details:

Stamps: My Silly Valentine (Lawn Fawn)

Paper: Real Red, Blueberry Bushel, Azure Afternoon, Basic White, Soft Suede, Baked Brown Sugar, Sweetest Christmas Dsp (Stampin' Up)

Paper Size: 3 1/2 x 7

Ink: real red (Stampin'-Up), fossilized amber distress (Ranger)

Accessories: Juggling Monkey die, Heart dies (CottageCutz) I am also entering: 1.  Crafty Gals Corner has an anything goes w/optional twist of heart.  2.  Little Red Wagon wants us to use an animal on our card. 3.  Simon Says Stamp Challenge is to make it cute.

Sleigh Bells Ring

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

It's Day 7 of my Christmas cards for 2025. Hope you are enjoying the cards I have posted so far. I have enjoyed making them> I could make Christmas cards all year and I don't know why I don't. It would save me a lot of stress at Christmas. Maybe this upcoming year will be the year that I will do just that. 

It's a very cold, blustery day here in Pittsburgh. We are having snow squalls off and on but the wind hasn't stopped. It blew one of our screens out of the window and also blew the lights that my hubby placed around our front porch. He will have to get to those another day. It's just too cold to be outside right now.

Now onto my card for today. This one I made for the color challenge #1081 on Splitcoaststampers.  We were to use wild wheat, blueberry bushel and pebbled path for the color trio. Optional was a 4th color. My 4th color is the red door on the designer paper.

wild wheat, blueberry bushel. pebbled path

I strugggled at first with these colors because I wanted to make a Christmas card.  Then I remembered I had this designer paper that had the pebbled path color. For the wild wheat I ink blended over the yellow that was coming from the windows. 

Now I just had to get the blueberry bushel color in there. So, I cut the sleigh in that color cardstock. 

My card base is misty moonlight (a neutral). Finished off my card with a gold foiled greeting. And that is my card for today. 

Easy Peasy- designer paper, a packaged greeting and a die cut. 

So, until next time ......God bless. 

Card Details:

Paper: misty moonlight, blueberry bushel, one horse open sleigh dsp (Stampin' Up)

Paper Size: 5 3/4" square

Ink: wild wheat (Stampin' Up)

Accessories: gold foiled greeting tabs (Memory Box), vintage sleigh (CottageCutz)

I am also entering:

1.  Cardz 4 Galz has a Christmas Sparkle challenge. 

2.  DL.Art has an anything goes w/option of Christmas challenge. 

3.  Krafty Chicks has a CAS challenge. 

Santa in the Aurora Lights

Hello Blogger Friends! Thanks for taking the time to stop and visit with The Charmed Life Blog on day 5 of my Christmas Cards for 2025.  

Hope you all had a great weekend. Maybe a little stamping time, Christmas decorating or Christmas shopping or just plain relax time. Well, I did all of the things I mentioned. The Christmas shopping I did online, but I will make it to the mall sometime soon. 

I love Christmas time and all the preps that go into making this a wonderful day of celebration for my family. The only thing I really haven't done yet is think about my Christmas dinner menu. I am not sure why I don't have a traditional menu and stick to it each year. I always seem to change it up and sometimes that gets a bit difficult to figure out different recipes. But in the end, it always comes together. So, I will keep you all posted on what I am making for this year. 

Now onto my card for today. This one I made for a color challenge on Splitcoaststampers. We were to use pool party, gorgeous grape and peach pie for the color trio. Optional was to make it travel of some sort. I hit it on this card with Santa in his sleigh.

pool party, gorgeous grape, peach pie

These are definitely non-traditional colors for a Christmas card, but I was determined to make it work. 
I just bought this Lights Of Aurora designer paper from Stampin' Up. It has 2 of the challenge colors with Gorgeous Grape and Pool Party plus Blackberry Bliss which is a neutral color for this challenge.

I cut my images in white glitter paper and IRL they really pop on the card.

Added some peach pie cardstock to the house windows and attached the image panel to pool party card base. And that's it for me for this post. So, until next time......God bless. 

Card Details:

Paper: Pool Party, Peach Pie, Lights of Aurora designer paper (Stampin' Up) White Glitter Paper (Recollections)

Accessories: Believe in the Magic die (CottageCutz)

I am also entering:

1.  Christmas Crafts all Year Round has a Santa Claus is coming to town challenge. 

2.  Crafts Galore Encore has an anything goes challenge. 

3.  The Crafting Challenge is all about Christmas.  

4.  Moving Along with the Times has a Santa challenge. 

5.  Paper Rocks Scissors has anything goes challenge. I used all paper for my card.

Have A Frosty Holiday

Hello Blogger Friends! Thanks for taking the time to stop and visit with The Charmed Life Blog this first Sunday in December. It's Day 4 of my Christmas Cards for 2025. 

I finished all of my Christmas decorating yesterday and now I am in Christmas card mode. I need at least 35-40 cards. Yes, I still send out that many Christmas cards. But this year I am going to make more of a CAS design. I have card fronts that I can use that will make the creating much easier. 

Then I will need to get them addressed and in the mail. I was thinking of printing labels out this year. That way I will have them for future years. My hubby can stick the address & return labels plus the stamps. I can type up the labels at night while we are watching television. Just looking for ways to simplify the addressing envelopes process. 

Now onto my card for today. This one I created using the colors from a Splitcoaststampers color challenge. We were to use real red, lost lagoon and pretty peacock for the color trio. 

real red, lost lagoon, pretty peacock

My card started with the designer paper. I had this pack from Stampin' Up - the "Snowflake Magic" collection and it has the lost lagoon color. I loved the metallic glow. This package is one of those new never been used items. So, I decided to cut into it and go with Christmas.

I cut my snowman trio and used the challenge colors for their scarves and hat. The stick arms are pecan pie (a neutral) and I had to use pumpkin for their noses. After all what snowman doesn't have a carrot for his nose???

I cut a snowbank in white glitter paper. The greeting is from the Waffle Flower "snow cheer sentiments" collection and it's stamped in pretty peacock and cut with the coordinating die.

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

Card Details:

Stamps: Snow Cheer Sentiments (Waffle Flower)

Paper: white, real red, pretty peacock, lost lagoon, black, pumpkin pie, pecan pie, black (Stampin' Up), Snowflake Magic dsp (Stampin' Up), White glitter paper (Recollections)

Paper Size: A2

Ink: Pretty Peacock (Stampin' Up),

Accessories: Snowman Friends die (CottageCutz), Stitched Hillside die (Lawn Fawn), Snow Cheer Sentiment die (Waffle Flower)

I am also entering:

1.  Girlz Creative Christmas challenge is anything goes. 

2.  Allsorts Challenge is New or Anything Goes. I used new paper.

3.  Crafty Calendar Challenge is Winter/Christmas. 

4.  Love Those Pretty Papers Challenge is anything goes w/patterned paper.

5.  Sweet Stampin' has a it's Christmas challenge. 

Believe in the Magic

Hello Blogger Friends! Thanks for taking the time to stop and visit with the Charmed Life Blog this 2nd day of December.

We had our first snowfall of the season today. About 4-5" fell on the Pittsburgh area. It was so pretty looking out the window at the freshly fallen snow. It wasn't long before the snowplows came and cleared up all the roads in my area. 

School was canceled for today, so the kids had an extra day for Thanksgiving break. The little one's next door were out playing and making a snowman as were the young boys across the street.  

So, this seemed like the appropriate day to start showing my Christmas card creations. 

This one I made using the colors from a Splitcoaststampers color challenge. We were to use night of navy, wild wheat and old olive for the color trio. Optional is Christmas.

night of navy, wild wheat, old olive

For this card I used designer paper from the "Night Sky 2 collection" from Blue Knight Stamps. I cut my images in white cardstock. 

Then for the houses, I used white cardstock and wild wheat ink for the soft light inside. I used the die inlay technique and covered over the white trees with old olive. I should have colored the trees with old olive alcohol markers. Didn't think of it until after the card was made. 

Well, that's card #1 for this Christmas season. I plan on posting a card every day until Christmas. So, stop by daily to see what I am creating for this season.

Card Details:

Paper: basic white, old olive (stampin' Up), night sky 2 set dsp (Blue Knight Stamps)

Paper Size: A2

Ink: wild wheat (Stampin' Up)

Accessories: Believe in the Magic die (CottageCutz)

I am also entering:

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

2.  A Place to Start is anything goes w/option of winter things. Santa is a winter thing!

3.  Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge has a die challenge.

4.  Girlz Creative Christmas Challenge is anything goes. 

5.  C.R.A.F.T. Challenge is Christmas /Anything Goes. 

Fun Fold Thanksgiving

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

Well, it's just 2 days until we celebrate Thanksgiving. It's my favorite holiday in addition to Christmas. I have 11 family members coming for dinner. It will be a wonderful day filled with food, laughter and family chatter. 

I am making my usual of roast turkey, stuffing, sweet potato casserole, twice baked mashed potatoes, a corn casserole and pumpkin and apple pies. I also picked up a pumpkin cheesecake.  My daughter will bring a green bean casserole with bacon & eggs and brussel sprouts and cauliflower gratin. Someone else is bringing glazed carrots. So, we will have plenty of food and with 11 adults, I don't expect a lot of leftovers. 

Then on Friday it's time to put away all the Fall decorations and start with Christmas. I have many Christmas cards to make yet so I will be busy the next couple of weeks. Plus, we are trying to schedule a trip to San Francisco to visit my son and his family. Hopefully that works out. If not now then it will be early January. My granddaughter just started high school and she is on the basketball team. So, we want to see her play. 

Now onto my card for today. This one I created for the color challenge on Splitcoaststampers. Our colors were early espresso, pecan pie and gray granite. Optional was to make it Fall.

I needed another Thanksgiving card so this option was perfect. I did struggle with these colors until I found a fun fold sketch on YouTube from Call me Crafty Al and my card took off. I like fun folds and sketches, so this one was perfect. If you check out her channel you can download the instructions.

I am not sure what this fold is called but it does stand on its own and also folds flat for mailing. After deciding to use this fold I chose my designer papers. They are some older ones from Stampin' Up. The acorn dsp is from the "into the Woods" collection, the striped is from the "Under the Tree" collection and the gray is from the "Frosted Floral Specialty" collection.

I cut my Thanks sentiment and leaf image from CottageCutz dies. Used both pecan pie and early espresso cardstock. Finished off my card with some brown enamel dots.

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

Card Details: 

Paper: pecan pie, early espresso, into the woods dsp, under the tree dsp, frosted floral specialty dsp (Stampin' Up)

Accessories: Fall Leaves die, Thanks w/Shadow die, Stitched Circle die (CottageCutz), Brown enamel dots (Altenew)

Techniques: fun fold

I am also entering:

1.  A Cut Above is anything goes using a die cut. 

2.  Lil Patch of Crafty Friends is anything goes. 

3.  Allsorts Challenge is a Focal sentiment or ATG. 

4.  Love Those Pretty Patterned Papers is anything goes with patterned paper. 

5.  Creative Creases #109 is anything goes with a fun fold. 

The Lighthouse

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

We had a thunderstorm with hail last night. I thought it was a little late in the year for a thunderstorm. But it caused the temperatures to drop and today it's windy and overcast. There is such a chill in my house and the furnace has turned on. It's definitely a Fall day here in Pittsburgh.

My hubby was out in his gardens and pulled out more plants. Today it was his basil and the jalapeno plants. He picked about 20 jalapenos before he pulled the plant. Don't know what I will do with them yet. Last week I made some jalapeno jelly. It has a bit of a kick to it but not overwhelming. You use this as a spread for crackers, or you can spread it over warm cream cheese. I also thought it would be good on a charcuterie board. 

Now onto my card for today. This one I made using the colors from the Splitcoaststampers color challenge #1072. Our colors were cloud cover, cherry cobbler and secret sea for her color trio. Optional was to make it nautical.

cloud cover, cherry cobbler, secret sea

I needed a card for my youngest Grandson who is on an exciting journey right now.  I want him to know that I am in his corner and that he has my support. 

Since I knew I was using a Lighthouse on my card, I looked through my designer papers for a nautical background. I found this paper that is from a Galaxy collection from Paper Studio. It is mainly navy blue (neutral) but it has the cloud cover and secret sea colors in it. I decided to make it a nighttime scene.

The bottom right corner of the paper reminded me of waves. And where I attached the sand dune it reminded me of waves splashing against the lighthouse.

I cut the Lighthouse in cloud cover and cherry cobbler. I had to add just a bit of yellow for light in the windows.

I sat the Lighthouse on a sand dune cut in crumb cake (Kraft) paper. I stamped some sand granules with soft suede ink. The waves at the bottom are cut from secret sea cardstock.

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

Card Details:

Paper: white, cloud cover, secret sea, cherry cobbler, crumb cake, so saffron (Stampin' Up), Stargazer DSP ((Paper Studio)

Paper Size: 4 1/2" x 5 3/4"

Accessories: Lighthouse die, Journey die (CottageCutz)

I am also entering:

1.  A Cut Above has an anything goes with a die cut. 

2.  Crafts Galore Encore has an anything goes challenge. 

3.  Die Cut Divas has an anything goes challenge. 

4.  The Creative Crafters has an anything goes challenge. 

5.  Paper Rock Scissors has an anything goes challenge. Patterned Paper + Lighthouse is on a rock.