Lift The Flap Birthday

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

It's been a while since my last post but for good reason. I have been sick with this virus that's making its rounds. I had head and chest congestion and when it started to clear up, I got hit with body aches and a fever. But I am on the mend now and feeling so much better. 

We have made it into March and in a couple of weeks it's the Spring Equinox. And this weekend it's time to move the clocks ahead so longer days on Sunday night. I don't know about you but losing an hours sleep doesn't always go right with me. It takes me about a week to adjust.

Now onto my card for today. This one I made for my grandson's birthday. I love how it turned out. I used the colors from the Splitcoaststampers color challenge #1038. The colors were crumb cake, lost lagoon and early espresso. Optional was to make it masculine.  

crumb cake, lost lagoon, early espresso

I just purchased this new to me Lift the Flap die from Lawn Fawn. The above photo shows the flaps closed.

The trees are cut from early espresso cardstock. I added an owl, a hb2u phrase,a squirrel a snail and hedgie. These are all dies from CottageCutz. Used some allowed neutrals for some of the animals.

My background paper is from the Stampin' Up beautiful bokeh collection. I also cut the clouds using the same paper. Stamped my birthday sentiment to complete my card. 

The photo below shows the flaps open. And that's it for me for this post. So, until next time....God bless.

 

Card Details:

Stamps: Poppy Birthday (Verve)

Paper: lost lagoon, early espresso, crumb cake, pecan pie, basic gray beautiful bokeh dsp (Stampin' Up)

Paper Size: A2

Ink: early espresso (Stampin' Up)

Accessories: Lift the Flap Backdrop die (Lawn Fawn), Forest Critters die, Slimline Clouds die (CottageCutz)

I am also entering:

1.  Elliebelle's Crafty Wednesday challenge is anything goes. 

2.  Little Red Wagon has a birthday challenge. 

3.  Unicorn Challenge is boys/men. 

4.  Crafty Animals challenge is anything goes featuring an animal.

5.  AAA Birthday Game #71 is a masculine challenge. 

 

Valentine Bears

Hello Blogger Friends! Thanks for taking the time to stop and visit with The Charmed Life this last Sunday in February. This month just seemed to move forward so quickly. Maybe because we were in Florida for 10 days. 

I also had my 3rd annual Galentine Party on Friday evening. It was a fun night with 4 of my gal friends. We enjoyed lots of good food and some fun games. We played a "family feud" game. I even had buzzers. The girls really liked it. My other games were a Valentine riddle, Valentine candy match, Valentine trivia and a Valentine word scramble. And of course there were prizes to be won. 

I like to do something different each year so I will be on the lookout for different ideas for next year. Now onto my card for today.

This is the last of my 2025 Valentine cards. I gave this one to my husband. I liked the cute sentiment on this one and also the sweet little bears. 

I used the colors from the Splitcoasters color challenge#1037. We were to usebasic black, balmy blue and melon mambo for the color trio. Optional this week is Valentine's.

melon mambo balmy blue basic black

I started my card with a new to me die from Lawn Fawn. It's the "heart garland backdrop die". I cut it in melon mambo cardstock and layered it over a piece of balmy blue designer paper from the Stampin' Up "beautiful bokeh" collection.

I used the polar bears w/birch tree die from CottageCutz for my Valentine bears. Cut their scarves in the challenge colors.

My sentiment is a stamp from MFT- their X's & O's set.

I like making Valentine cards using non-traditional colors. And, I like how this one turned out.

Card Details:

Stamps: X's & O's (MFT)

Paper: melon mambo, black, confetti white, naturals white, beautiful bokeh dsp (Stampin' Up), white glitter paper (Recollections)

Ink: tuxedo black (Memento)

Accessories: Heart Garland Backdrop die (lawn Fawn), Polar Bears w/Birch Tree die (CottageCutz)

I am also entering:

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

2.  Crafty Calendar Challenge is hearts.

3.  Polkadoodles has an anything goes challenge. 

4.  Sweet Stampin' has a masculine makes challenge. This one went to my hubby. 

5.  MTTC #554 is a 1,2,3 recipe. 1-designer paper, 2-bears, 3-heart banners. 

Be My Valentine

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

Well, at least where I live in PA it's very cold, windy and snowy. It's about 26° right now but I am inside working on my Galentine Party that is set for tonight. I have the preps under control, so I decided to get another of this year's Valentine cards posted. 

The girls are coming at 6:00 pm for a fun-filled night. If you are interested to see what I have planned for the night see this post for more details. 

Onto my card for today. This one I created for the color challenge #1036 on Splitcoaststampers. I was the hostess, and I chose real red, gorgeous grape and highland heather for the color trio. Optional was to make it a Valentine. 

real red, gorgeous grape, highland heather

I started my card with using a new to me die from Lawn Fawn. It's the Radiant Heart die. I cut it in basic white and then used a real red card base underneath.

I added a little bird on a branch holding the flowing "love" word. Used both highland heather and gorgeous grape. This die is the "Love Bird Branch" from CottageCutz. 

Attached hearts to the branch cut in the challenge colors. Added my "be my valentine" sentiment and a few other red hearts in the corners to complete my card. This is also a die from CottageCutz- "Be My Valentine".

I like making Valentine cards using non-traditional colors. I gave this one to my trainer at the gym to give to his wife. He always appreciates me covering him for a Valentine card. 

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

Card Details:

Paper: basic White, Real Red, Gorgeous Grape, Highland Heather, Basic Beige, Pecan PieMossy Meadow dsp (Stampin' Up)

Paper Size: A2

Accessories: Radiant Heart Backdrop die (Lawn Fawn), Love Bird Branch die (CottageCutz),Be My Valentine die (CottageCutz)

I am also entering:

1.  Alphabet Challenge Blog has a "W" for wings.

2.  Crafty Catz is anything goes w/optional for the girls.

3.  Creative Fingers has an anything goes challenge.  

4.  Creative Inspirations Challenge is anything goes. 

5.  Simon Say Stamp has a cute and cuddly challenge.  

Owl You Need is Love

Hello Blogger Friends! Happy Sunday to you. Hope your weekend is going well and that you had some time to get crafty. 

I was able to get into my craft room yesterday for a bit and finish up some Valentine cards. I usually make about 8-9 cards and give them to our guy friends for their wives. They appreciate it plus it saves them from having to go to the store and look through a myriad of cards. 

I have friends coming over in a bit so this is a short post. I am sharing one of the Valentine cards I made. I did more of the whimsical ones this year. Sometimes that's just how it works out. 

So this one was done with the colors from the Splitcoaststampers color challenge #1037. We were to use basic black, balmy blue and melon mambo for her color trio. Optional was Valentine's.

melon mambo, balmy blue, basic black

I started my card with a new to me die from Lawn Fawn. It's the "heart garland backdrop die". I cut it in melon mambo cardstock and layered it over a piece of balmy blue designer paper from the Stampin' Up "beautiful bokeh" collection. 

Next, I decided to use a Christmas Owl die from CottageCutz and turned them to the next holiday- Valentine's Day. They were cut in some allowed neutrals. Instead of an orange beak I used melon mambo.

Stamped my sentiment in basic black and this card was complete. I like making Valentine cards using non-traditional colors. And I also like how this one turned out. 

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

Card Details:

Stamps: Special Delivery (Lawn Fawn)

Paper: melon mambo, black, basic gray, baked brown sugar, pecan, beautiful bokeh dsp (Stampin' Up)

Paper Size: A2

Ink: tuxedo black (Memento)

Accessories: Heart Garland Backdrop die (lawn Fawn), Christmas Owls die (CottageCutz)

I am also entering:

1.  Allsorts has an anything goes challenge with a theme of romance/music.

2.  Crafty Calendar challenge is hearts.

3.  Love Those Pretty Papers Challenge is anything goes. Optional theme is red. 

4.  Sweet Stampin' has a Love challenge. 

Love You With All My Heart

Hello Blogger Friends! Thanks for taking the time to stop and visit with The Charmed Life Blog this 1st day of February. 

It's a bright and sunny day here in Pittsburgh and still pretty cold. But we are already into our 2nd month of winter and the days are getting longer. Last night it was fairly light at 5:50. The cold I can deal with, but I just love it when the days start to get longer. 

I just finished up some light house cleaning and thought I would get a Blog post in before I move onto straightening out my craft room. You know that's always an ongoing job. 

Now onto my card for today. This one I created using the colors from the Splitcoaststampers color challenge #1035.  We were to use azure afternoon, daffodil delight and granny apple green for the color trio. Optional was to make it a Valentine.

granny apple green, daffodil delight, azure afternoon

For my card I did a bit of upcycling with a thank you card I received. I loved the foiling on the card and it had the granny apple green color. So, I gave it new life as a Valentine card. I cut the card background and used it as designer paper.

The hearts were cut in the challenge colors and added to the tree branches. The heart die cuts are part of the Candy Hearts die from Lawn Fawn.

I used the Love phrase die from CottageCutz and placed it over the thank word that was on the card.
Stamped the rest of my sentiment and my card is complete.

These are different colors for a Valentine card, but I like using non-traditional colors for Valentine's Day.

Card Details:

Stamps: Love you with all my heart (MFT)

Paper: granny apple green, daffodil delight, azure afternoon (Stampin' Up)

Paper Size: A2

Ink: granny apple green (Stampin' Up)

Accessories: Candy Hearts die (Lawn Fawn), Love w/Shadow die (CottageCutz)

I am also entering:

1.  Crafty Catz has an anything goes w/optional of using blue & green. 

2.  Cut It Up  challenge #322 is "have a heart".

3.  Time Out Challenge has a pick 2 - I have hearts and love. 

4.  TTTC263 - I used 1st row- hearts, designer paper-love sentiment.

5.  Krafty Chicks Challenge is anything goes. 

Hugs & Kisses

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

It's the day before Valentine's Day so I thought I would share another of the cards I created for this holiday. This one I sent to my precious granddaughter out in California. 

She loves getting mail from me and saves the cards I send her.  I packed up a little box with Valentine candy and of course some cash because what kid doesn't like getting money in a card. 

I liked how this one turned out. So here are some card details. 

I used the colors from the Splitcoaststampers color challenge #985. We were to use polished pink, tahitian tide and lemon lolly for the color trio. Optional was to use something that starts with the letter "B". I used a Lawn Fawn border die.

tahitian tide, lemon lolly, polished pink

I thought I would try and make a Valentine using non-traditional colors. With the Lawn Fawn Candy Hearts die I accomplished my mission, especially since candy hearts come in these colors. Making Valentine cards in non-traditional colors is always a fun challenge for me. 

My background paper is from the Stampin' Up "bloom where you are planted" collection and the color is gray granite (neutral). My card base is also gray granite.

I cut the hearts in the challenge colors. My hugs & kisses phrase is a border die from Lawn Fawn  and I cut in polished pink cardstock. The sentiment is from the Lawn Fawn "Love Letters" set. To finish off my card I added some polished pink jewels and a couple of polished pink hearts cut from cardstock.

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

Card Details:

Stamps: love letters (Lawn Fawn)

Paper: polished pink, tahitian tide, lemon lolly, gray granite, bloom where you are planted dsp (Stampin' Up)

Paper Size: A2

Ink: polished pink (Stampin'-Up)

Accessories: candy hearts die, hugs & kisses border die (Lawn Fawn), in-color polished pink jewels (Stampin' Up)

I am also entering:

1.  Try It On Tuesday has a hearts or Flowers challenge.

2.  A Perfect time To Craft is anything goes. 

3.  Ally's Angels has an anything goes challenge.  

4.  Crafts Galore Encore is anything goes. 

5.  Aud Sentiments Challenge is dies or love or both plus a sentiment.

~Get Well Soon~

 

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

  

We are 1 week into our fall season and our weather has been beautiful. The late season flowers are blooming like crazy in our gardens. We have dahlia's, zinnias and mums gracing our back yard.

 

My hubby brought in a beautiful bouquet of cut flowers tonight. I love being able to go right outside and get my flowers. It gives me the same feeling as going out and picking fresh vegetables to be used for dinner. So I am enjoying this season because it ends quick and the cold, rainy days of fall will be upon us before I know it.

 

Now, onto my card for today. This one I made for the color challenge #602 on Splitcoaststampers. Maura is the hostess and she chose sweet sugarplum, rich razzleberry and smoky slate. Optional was to make a thinking of you or sympathy card.

 

My layout is based on the Viva La Verve September sketch. The sketch was an angled panel, which I love, but with my diagonal background paper it just didn't look right. So I straightened out my rich razzleberry panel and then stamped my sentiment on an angle.

The background designer paper is from the Stampin'-Up 2016-2018 in-color paper pack. Cut my rich razzleberry panel and the smoky slate circles with CottageCutz stitched rectangle and circle dies.

My images and sentiment are from the Lawn Fawn "get well" set. The band aid and med bottle are stamped in sweet sugarplum ink and then I did some paper piecing. The cute little nurse birdie is colored with Stampin'-Up rich razzleberry blendabilities markers. The lightest ink is a good match for sweet sugarplum.

The "hi" word is a die from MFT. I added some wink of stella for a little pizzazz. I completed my card by adding some heart enamel dots. They are from the Stampin'-Up in-color collection.

 

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

 

I am also entering:

1.  Inspiration Destination has an anything goes challenge.

2.  Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge has an anything goes.

3.  The Crafty Addicts Challenge is anything goes/patterned paper.

4.  Crafty Sentiments Designs has an anything goes challenge.

~Father's Day Lighthouse~

Hello Blogger Friends! Thanks for taking the time to stop and visit wit the Charmed Life Blog. Today is Father's Day here in the US. 

I am still away in San Francisco taking care of my granddaughter. We will celebrate Father's Day here on Wednesday when my son and daughter-in-law return from their little getaway. Then I will celebrate with my hubby when I return from San Francisco. 

While I was getting Phoenix Daisy ready for bed tonight she lost her 2nd baby tooth. She was so excited. We went through the process of putting it under her pillow and wait for the tooth fairy. It's been a few years since I went through this with her Daddy. It was exciting for me as well. I will post the photo I took of her tomorrow. It's on my cell phone and I am typing this post late and want to get it finished to get to bed. I will have a busy day with her tomorrow and she does wear me out. 

So let's move onto my card for today. This one I made for my son in Pittsburgh for Father's Day. I used the colors from the Splitcoaststampers color challenge #579. I was the hostess and I chose lost lagoon, hello honey and basic gray for my color palette. Optional was to make it masculine. 

I started by stenciling a sun in hello honey ink for my background. For my water, I used a stamp from PaperTrey Ink- the "ombre builders" set. It reminds me of waves. My Misti tool came in handy for placement and repeat stamping. The sentiment is a set from Waltzingmouse "man of the hour" also stamped in lost lagoon. 

Now for my die cut images. The lighthouse, sailboat and birds are dies from CottageCutz. They are part of the Nautical Release. 

For my sand, I used the Lawn Fawn hillside die and cut with whisper white cardstock. Sponged with crumb cake and soft suede ink and then for the sand granules, I used a stamp from Just For Fun but just inked up the sand grains with crumb cake ink.

Well, that's it for me for today. Time to get myself into bed and rest this body for tomorrow's full day with Phoenix Daisy. So until next time........God bless.

card details:

Stamps: man of the hour (Waltzingmouse), ombre builders (PaperTrey Ink), sunset at the seashore (Just For Fun) Paper: lost lagoon, whisper white, basic gray, hello honey Paper Size: A2 Ink: lost lagoon, hello honey, crumb cake, soft suede Accessories: : sailboat (large) & lighthouse with clouds dies (CottageCutz), Sunray stencil (MFT), stitched hillsides die (Lawn Fawn)

I am also entering:

1.   Amusing Challenges wants us to go masculine. 

2.  Come and Get It Challenge is Father's Day. 

3.  Crafty Calendar Challenge has a Father's Day/for a male.

~Snowy Christmas~

 

Hello Blogger friends! thanks for taking the time to stop and visit with the Charmed Life Blog today. We are having such beautiful spring weather here in Pittsburgh. It's been sunny and mild for the past 4 days. My hubby has been out working in his gardens every day. He is in his happy place for sure. Our tulips are blooming and look so beautiful gracing our front yard. Note to self: I need to get a photo to share it here on the blog.

 

My card certainly doesn't reflect spring though. I made it for the color challenge #578 on Splitcoaststampers. Maura is our hostess and she chose elegant eggplant, old olive and Bermuda bay. Optional is to add embossing.

 

 

I like using non-traditional colors for Christmas cards so that’s the direction I went this week. I created a snowy, glittery winter scene using different dies and stamps using this card as inspiration.

Started my card by stenciling snowflakes on my background panel using the MFT stencil and 3-D molding paste.

Cut my snowy hills with the Lawn Fawn hillside borders. I used some Stampin’-Up chunky essentials glitter for the snow. Adhered the snow banks with foam mounting tape.

The left white tree is a die from Memory Box – “small forest archway”. Cut in white added some chunky glitter to the limbs. I used a Paper Shapers punch for the small tree. Pine trees are from Inpression Obsession and cut in old olive and secured with foam mounting tape.

My 2 houses are stamps and dies from PaperTrey Ink. I stamped in eggplant and bermuda bay and then die cut them. These are also secured with foam mounting tape.

 

I used to have trouble with these stamps and dies from Papertrey but my friend Barbara, gave me a pointer on how to use them. I first stamp the image and then cut a house from scrap paper. I used the negative piece and place it over my stamped image. Then I take the die and place it in the negative image and run it through my Big Shot. It works like a charm every time.

To finish off my card, I stamped a sentiment from the PaperTrey ink “holiday home” set in elegant eggplant and added a few Bermuda bay sequins. And that's my card for today and my 2nd Christmas card for the 2016 season. So until next time......God bless.

 

card details:

Stamps: holiday home (PaperTrey Ink) 

Paper: bermuda bay, whisper white, old olive Paper Size: A4 

Ink: elegant eggplant, bermuda bay 

Accessories: evergreen trees (Impression Obsession), small forest archway (Memory Box), stitched hillside borders (Lawn Fawn), chunk essentials glitter (Stampin’-Up), mounting tape(Scotch), snowflake stencil (MFT), 3-D molding paste (Americna Traditional Designs)   

I am also entering:

1.  Winter Wonderland has pink - blue challenge. Card base is blue, house in blue and blue sequins.

2.  Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra is anything goes.

3.  HLS Christmas Challenge is to use die cuts.

4.  The Glory of Christmas Challenge is to make a scene.

~Let it Snow~

 

Hello Blogger Friends and a happy Monday to you all! Thanks for taking the time to visit The Charmed Life blog.

 

Can you believe that there was snow and freezing rain here in Pittsburgh on Saturday night? It brought the salt trucks out in our area. Hopefully, for the last time this season. Spring can bring a bit of weather extremes so I guess this was one of them.

 

As for my kitchen, the countertop is in and I am very happy with it. Our contractor came back on Saturday and connected the faucet and garbage disposal. The place where we bought the granite from had to do the install or there is no warranty. Plus, they had to cut the hole in for our faucet on site. That's the reason for 2 different installers.

 

I am getting under cabinet lighting and our contractor suggested we do that next. That way when we bring home samples for the backsplash, we can see it in different light settings. I thought it was a good idea. So that is my next purchase.

 

Now, let's get onto my card for today. This one I created for the color challenge #576 on Splitcoaststampers. Peggy is our hostess and she chose tempting turquoise, whisper white and tangelo twist for her color palette. Optional is to use metallic-a little or a lot.

Ha-this week I thought I had the option nailed! Then I discovered it wasn't glitter but metallic that I should have been using.

My saving grace on this one is that I used a shimmery metallic paper and sponged turquoise ink on it, then I added the glitter. So Peggy is giving me credit for the metallic layer (lol)!! My girlfriends love me.

Anyway, I wasn't sure until today where I was going with my card this week. I had lots of ideas floating around in my head. Then I remembered these dies I bought before Christmas but never used them. I bought them after seeing this card from Kittie. Yes, I was able to create a Christmas card with these colors. My first of this year!

 

So here are my deets on the card: I cut the MB country fence oval frame and the small forest archway in whisper white cardstock. I sponged the tangelo twist and a little soft suede on the fence. I layered over the scene another oval cut from the MFT stitched oval dies.

The next step was where I included the dessert option. I took some shimmery white metallic paper and sponged turquoise over it. Used some glitter glue and sprinkled glitter for the effect of a frozen stream. I taped it to each side of the white snowbank.

On the tempting turquoise background, I used a MFT "snowfall stencil" and some 3d molding paste for a snowy background. To complete my card I used the Lawn Fawn "let is snow" border die and cut it in turquoise. I shaped it around my frame.

 

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

 

card details:

Paper: tempting turquoise, whisper white, metallic white (The Paper Company) 

Paper Size: A2 Ink: tangelo twist, tempting turquoise 

Accessories: country fence oval frame, small forest archway (Memory Box), fir trees (Impression obsession), let it snow border (Lawn Fawn), snowfall stencil (MFT), 3D molding paste (American traditional Designs), dazzling diamonds glitter (Stampin'-Up)  

I am also entering:
1.  ABC Challenge is "E" is for everything.
2.  Glitter 'N Sparkle  has a punch/die challenge.
3.  Christmas Card Challenge has an anything goes.