Floral Blooms Birthday

Hello Blogger friends! Happy Sunday to you. We started our day here in our home with our online church service. 

Our Pastor had an excellent message on fear. Lots of biblical scripture to illustrate what he was preaching on. Here is a Facebook link to it, in case any of you might be interested. It starts off with some prerecorded worship and the actual message is 15 minutes later. 

Then my precious little granddaughter called me on FaceTime. We spent an hour together. So I am having a great day today.

Now, let's move onto my card for today. I used the Spring Blooms die from CottageCutz to create a birthday card.  Here are my design steps:

I started my card this week by selecting a designer paper. I already had a layout in mind using the Stitched Wide Rectangle Frame die that would frame the paper. I found this paper that was in a galaxy collection that I thought would work well because of the soft colors.

I paired it up with Stampin'-Up's highland heather (purple) cardstock

Heather card base: 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"

Pierced Wide Frame: 3 3/4" x 4 3/4"

 and cut the frame in purple posy (light purple) cardstock.

I then cut the blooms various cardstock colors. You could always cut in white cardstock and then sponge on colors or color with markers or pencils.

I stamped the birthday sentiment directly on the designer paper in a grape ink.

I decided to add this panel to the card base before I attached the die cut blooms. Just in case I decided to take the flowers outside the frame. 

Next I attached the flower spray. I laid it out before attaching to get an idea of where everything should go. I used a combination of glue dots and multi-matte adhesive. 

I worked from the bottom up and used the packaging photo for help with placement. I adjusted to fit my card design. 

I added a few of the lighter purple sequins to finish off my card.

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

dies I used to create card:

Card details:

Stamps: be blessed (Verve)

Paper: highland heather, purple posy, gorgeous grape, pear pizzazz, daffodil delight (Stampin'-Up), galaxy dsp (Paper Studio)

Paper Size: A2

Ink: gorgeous grape, berry burst (Stampin'-Up)

Accessories: Spring Blooms die (CottageCutz), woven threads sequins (Stampin'-Up)

I am also entering:

1.  WT787 on Splitcoaststampers wants us to use the color purple.

2.  Lil Patch of Crafty Friends has an anythinggoes challenge.

3.  Sweet Stampin' Challenge is bloomon' wonderful.

4.  Creative Fingers Challenge is anything goes. 

5.  Aud Sentiments is celebrating 10 years with a birthday sentiment challenge.   

A King is Born

Hello Blogger Friends! Thanks for taking the time to stop and visit with the Charmed Life Blog on this 3rd day of January 2017. It's quite a mild day here but overcast and rainy. In fact it's been raining all day.

 

Today was also my first day back at preschool after Christmas break. The kids were fine and seemed excited to be back. They were quite talkative for 3 year olds and letting us know what they got for Christmas. The 2 hours went by so quickly. I am already looking forward to Thursday. I have a mitten art project planned for them.

 

Now onto my card for today. This is another of the recycled card projects I did for Christmas. You can see the others here, here, here and here.

 

This is my card for Sabrina's sing, sing a song WT614 challenge.

My song inspiration is A King is Born. Here is a link to a great YouTube video.

 On this card I recycled a Christmas card I received last year and created a new card. I used a template from Just For Fun Stamps to cut the image in 4 pieces and used some postage stamp scissors for a fancy edge.

In addition to the template for cutting your image, my friend also has this faux postage background stamp that stamps a background for your images once they are cut. It's also from JFF Stamps.

We were together in the summer and everyone brought some Christmas cards to try this technique out.  I used the SC622 sketch for my layout.

 

I layered the image with a chocolate shimmer cardstock. I used some gold striped designer paper that I found in my stash from Making Memories. I thought it matched nicely with the image.

Used a die to cut the paper ribbon and bow in the chocolate shimmer cardstock. Layered these panels on a vanilla shimmer cardstock and that completed this card. And that also completes this post for today. So until next time........God bless.

card details:
Stamps: faux postage template (Just For Fun Stamps)
Paper: vanilla & chocolate shimmer paper, stardust stripe gold paper
Paper Size: A2
Accessories: blueprints 3 die (MFT), postage edge scissors (ProvoCraft)  

~Christmas - our house to yours~

Hello Blogger Friends! Thanks for taking the time to stop and visit with the Charmed Life Blog. Can you believe that October is almost a wrap?

 

The countdown to Christmas is starting. Yikes! I am behind on both Christmas and Thanksgiving cards. Hopefully, I can correct that some this weekend. Today my card is one that I made for my DT post on the CottageCutz Blog.

a whimsical style card that would be very easy to mass produce. It's featuring the Nested Ornaments: Bulb and some Peachy Keen Face Stamps. 

 

Our design team partnered with Peachy Keen Stamps to celebrate their new release of face stamps that work perfectly with the CottageCutz Christmas ornament dies. Just a little way to bring some whimsy to your holiday crafting. Check out the site because Kathy is offering some promotional pricing on her new stamps + the CottageCutz dies.

 

Let's get started with my card and some details on what I did.

 

Real Red Card Base: 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"

White Embossed Layer: 4 1/8" x 5 3/8"

 

I decided to use this Cuttlebug winter themed embossing folder as the backdrop for my ornaments. Wanted to create some background interest.

 

My next step was to die cut my ornaments in red cardstock. I used the smallest ornament in the set.  The face stamps come in different sizes and for this ornament I used the 1 1/8" set. I made a guy and a girl ornament to coincide with the sentiment I used.

 

Before I assembled my card I stamped my sentiment. The "from our home to yours" is a one line stamp. I used my MISTI Tool to get the placement I wanted on 2 lines.

Using the MISTI I placed my Merry Christmas stamp on my background panel.

 

 

I lined up the "from our home to yours" stamp and masked off the part of the stamp I didn't want on the 2nd line of my greeting. 

2nd line of sentiment stamped

 

Repeated the same masking process and stamped my 3rd line of sentiment.

 

Now I am ready for the card assembly. I used some 1/8" striped red ribbon to "hang" my ornaments. Scattered some red sequins and my card is completed. I hope I gave you some additional inspiration for Christmas.

 

Also don't forget about our newest challenge going on right now. The theme is fall. Here is the link for more info.

 

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

 

 

 

~Nautical Hugs From Afar~

 

Hello Blogger Friends! Thanks for taking the time to stop and visit with the Charmed Life Blog. I think I have recovered from my West Coast trip. It seems to take me a few days to get back on East Coast time. I may be going back in mid-August for a week or so. Not sure yet.

 

Our next big trip will be to the beach in mid-July. I love going to the beach with my family. It's always a relaxing time and wonderful conversations with my grandsons. This year we are going to the Isle of Palms which is near Charleston, South Carolina. I am looking forward to going into Charleston and do some sight seeing.

 

Now onto my card for today. This one I made using the salted background technique. I used some Stampin-Up reinkers in coastal cabana, bashful blue and night of navy and an aqua brush and painted onto glossy cardstock. Then I sprinkled with chunky sea salt and spritzed with more water. the colors will blend a little more at this point. I set it aside to dry. After it dries you just brush off the salt.

 

With this technique, you get a different look each time you do it. It also depends on the colors you use. This one reminded me of water and sky so I went with a nautical theme.

 

My sailboat is from Memory Box and the airplane and banner are from Impression Obsession. The sentiment I used is from Verve. Well, my friends that's it for me for today. Have lots to do around my home. Nothing fun just chores like laundry and spot cleaning etc.

 

So until next time........God bless.

 

card details:

Stamps: Verve

Paper: night of navy, white, Kromekote glossy card stock

Paper Size: A2   

Ink: Reinkers: bashful blue, coastal cabana, night of navy   

Accessories: aqua painter, marina sailboats (Memory Box), plane with banner die (Impression Obsession)  

Techniques: salted background

 

I am also entering:

1.  Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge is anything goes.

2  Crafty Creations has an anything goes challenge.

3.  Crafty Gals Corner has an anything goes challenge.

4.  Inky Impressions has a Summertime Challenge.

5.  Mod Squad Challenge is Nautical.

 

~tic tac toe valentine~

 

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

 

We are having a taste of winter here in Pittsburgh. It's been snowing on and off since last night. It's not sticking and we have had about 2" here in our community. Although we had to drop my card off at the shop right after dinner and it was starting to get icy. The salt trucks were out but it could be a rough commute tomorrow morning.

 

This was one of those days when some comfort food for dinner seemed like a good idea. So after preschool I went to the market and picked up the ingredients to make a meat loaf.

 

I used a new recipe and made this cheeseburger meatloaf. It was so full of flavor. My hubby loved it and I did as well. I rolled the meatloaf like a jellyroll with the cheese in the middle. It was a nice combo of ingredients and flavor.

 

Lately when I buy red meat, I am getting either black angus or the grass fed beef. What a difference in taste and no antibiotics or growth hormones. Its a bit pricier but then can you put a price tag on your health?

 

Now onto my card for today. I made this one for the ways to use it challenge #569 on Splitcoaststampers. Sabrina was the hostess and she wanted us to use tape of some sort on our cards.

 

I wanted to make a Valentine  X & O card using washi tape. I didn't have any black tape so I used the red that was in my stash. For the X & O's I used black alphabet stickers. Added a flag, stamped my sentiment used some twine and a button and I have another Valentine card made.

 

Well, it's late and time to dim the lights in Charmed Life Land for another day. So until next time........God bless.

 

card details:

Stamps: filled with love (Paper Pumpkin Kit January 2014) 

Paper: real red, basic black, whisper white 

Paper Size: A2 

Ink: tuxedo black (Memento) 

Accessories: washi  tape (Recollections), alphabet stickers (Flavia), MFT blueprints 15, licorice twine (twinery), black button (stash)  

I am also entering:
1.  Cards 4 Guyz challenge #106 is Valentine or love.
2.  Clear it out challenge blog has a twine challenge.
3.  Fairy Tale Blog has a valentine's day challenge #136.
4.  Lemon Shortbread has an anything goes challenge.
5.  Cards In Envy has a from the heart challenge.

~God Bless the USA~

 

Hello Blogger Friends! Thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed life Blog.

 

We had a great 4th of July weekend. Hubby & I did get to see our community fireworks on Saturday night. They were quite spectacular.

 

Then today we were invited to a friend's home for a backyard cookout after church. It was a very nice and peaceful afternoon. They have a pool but the water was a bit chilly because of all the rain we have had. It didn't stop the kids from jumping in the water and playing.

 

Our friend had some roasted corn on the cob. It was so delicious. He has a smoker grill and used an apple smoked wood along with the charcoal. So all in all it was a great day spent with friends.   

 

Now onto my card for today. This is one I made to send to my brother for the July 4th holiday to thank him for his military service. He is an army veteran.

 

I used the Flourishes set "patriotism on parade" and the set has this silhouette plus the same images in an outline stamp.

Stamped the silhouette image and then stamped the outline image for the 2 flags. I colored the tiny flags in real red and navy and popped them up over the flags on the silhouette image. This covers the stripes portion of the SCS WT challenge.

My fireworks are from a stamp by Great Impressions and stamped in real red ink. The added stars are from the Verve scalloped trio die. I used this die and cut a border in marina mist to ground my silhouette image. 

 

Well that's my card for today. It's tiem to dim the lights in Charmed Life Land for another day. So until next time........God bless.

 

card details:

Stamps: patriotism on parade (Flourishes), fireworks (Great Impressions Stamps) 

Paper: night of navy, marina mist, whisper white 

Paper Size: A2 Ink: real red, night of navy 

Accessories: scalloped trim trio die (Verve) Techniques: paper tole

I am also entering:

1.  SCS WT #537 Challenge is stars & stripes.

2.  DL. Art has a red, white and blue challenge.

Card Concept Challenge #22

Hello Blogger Friends!!! Thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. I can't believe it's been 2 weeks since our last Card Concept challenge. October is ready to bite the dust and we will be saying hello to November in a few days.

This time around on Card Concept we have a theme for you to try. We are titling it "thank-fall". Here is an inspiration photo to help in creating your card.

As part of the Wild Card Team I was able to select the style I wanted to create my card. I am calling this one a freestyle collage. I picked up on the fall elements to create my card. Since I didn't have a wheelbarrow image or die, I focused on the pumpkins, cornstalk, leaves and background.

For my background, I used the Stampin-Up "Hardwood" stamp. It gave my card the rustic look I was after. From there, I used dies to cut the cornstalk, pumpkins, acorns and leaves. To color my leaves I used some distress inks.

The "Thanksgiving" word is part of the stamp from Stampabilities. I die cut the "blessings" word with a die from Simon Says Stamp. That's my sample for this challenge.

Hope you can play along with our fun Card Concept challenge this time. The rules are fairly simple. You have  different card styles to choose from to help you create. The styles are defined here,  There are lots of samples from the rest of the DT, and you have the inspiration photo. All that's needed is your card!! 

Until next time........God bless.

card details:

stamps: thanksgiving blessings (Stampabilities), Hardwood (Stampin-Up)

ink: crumb cake (SU), peeled paint, wild honey, rusty hinge and fired brick (Ranger distress)

Paper: choc chip, crumb cake, crushed curry, ww, pumpkin (STanpin-Up)

accessories: cornstalk die (MFT),  fall dies (Spellbinders), pumpkins (Impression Obsession), Christmas Blessings (Simon Says Stamp)

 I am also entering:

1.  Just Inspirational Challenges has an occasions challenge.

2.  Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge is anything goes

3  Try It On Tuesdays has a colors of autumn challenge.

4.  JellyPark Friends has an autumn/fall challenge.

5  Pile It On has a create a scene challenge.

6.  Hiding in my Craft Room has a any holiday challenge.

   

HYCCT1407 ~Cupcake Day~

 

Hello Blogger friends! Thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. I mentioned on my last post that I was going to a cooking class. It was a fun time with some other friends that like to cook. In fact, it was my exercise team from my gym that went with me.

 

The class was using Pork loin and they marinated it in a delicious mixture of red wine, orange zest strips, rosemary, onion, red currant jelly, salt and pepper. We also had fontina risotto cakes with fresh chives.

 

Dessert was crepe cake with mascarpone crème & almond praline. The dessert was one of those ones that was over the top. I don't think  I would make this one. It was really delicious but so involved. The other 2 recipes I will definitely make.

 

If you would like a more detailed recipe, drop me an email. I have all the recipes.

 

Now onto my card for today. This one I made for the HYCCT1407 challenge. Misti was our hostess and she titled her challenge a "spoonful of sugar".  She wanted us to use a sugary treat image on our card.

 

I found the perfect designer paper in my stash so I decided to use a cupcake as my sugar treat. My card colors are pool party, soft suede and calypso coral.  The cupcake image and sentiment are from the Stampin-Up "cupcake party" set. I used the coordinatng cupcake punch as well. The splatters are from the Stampin-Up "gorgeous grunge" set.

The embossing is a folder from Darice. My card layout is from the SCS Wednesday sketch challenge #509.

 

 

Well, it's time to dim the lights in Charmed Life Land for another day. So until next time........God bless.

 

card details:

Stamps: cupcake party, gorgeous grunge (Stampin-Up) 

Paper: soft suede, pool party, calypso coral, ww, sweet shop & calypso coral dsp (Stampin-Up) Paper Size: A2 Ink: soft suede 

Accessories: hearts EF (Darice), cupcake punch (Stampin-Up)  

 

I am also entering: 

1.  Brown Sugar has an anything goes.

2.  Sister Act has an anything goes.

3.  Simply Create Too wants us to shop in our craft room. Everything on this card is between 6 months to 3 years old.

 

Masculine Card

 

Hello Blogger friends! Thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog.

 

Don't know if  I mentioned before that my hubby planted a vegetable garden this year. We usually have just tomatoes. But this year he planted lettuce, green onions, green and hot peppers, zucchini and cucumbers. Plus all our usual herbs.

 

We have been getting lettuce for about a month now. I just love going to the garden and picking it for our salad.

Yesterday, was our first ripe zucchini and tomato. I was busy last night searching online for a recipe for zucchini. I just wanted to try something a little different. The flowers in the background are mini dahlias. We have them on the table on our deck.

 

Now onto my card for today.  My card is using 2 Stampin-Up sets- "Just Sayin' and "gorgeous grunge". I cut the sentiment from the bubble framelits die. It is an accompaniment to the "just sayin' stamp set.

I used Stampin-Up reftro fresh designer paper and the MFT flag stax dies to cut my flags. The arrow is cut with another MFT die in Recollections cork paper.

To complete my card I used some May Arts chevron ribbon.
My card inspiration came from this one I saw on Pinterest by Mary Brown aka StamperCamper. Changed it a bit to make it my own.

 

Well that's it for me for today. Time to head over to my son's home for the day. So until next time.......God bless.

 

Card Supplies:

Stamps: just sayin', gorgeous grunge (Stampin-Up) 

Paper: crumb cake, coastal cabana retro fresh dsp 

Ink: early espresso 

Accessories: bubbles framelits (stampin-up), MFT flag stax die & lead the way dies, Recollections cork paper
 

I am also entering:

1.  SCS WT486  - Michelle wanted us to use balloons. I used speech bubbles. 

2.  613 Avenue Create is anything goes.

3.  CAS on Sunday has a one layer challenge.

Stippled Blossoms Birthday

 

Happy Thursday and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. This has been a busy week for me. My son & daughter-in-law are out of town and I am taking care of the 3 boys while they are gone.

 

The responsibilities are being split between the 2 sets of grandparents. I have the easier days because of the boys being in school and the weekends are always hectic with their sports schedules.

 

Today was also our pre-school outing and we went to a farm. The kids really liked it. We had a tour of the farm and got to see the animals and the animal babies.

 

We fed the ducks and then had a picnic lunch. There is a big playground area there so the kids were able to run, swing and slide for a couple of hours. They were not ready to leave when our day was over.

 

Now I am back at my sons just waiting for the boys to come home from school. Then there is baseball practice as well as a baseball game. Lots of hustle and bustle before the day is over. But, I like being with them and whatever I have to do is fine with me. I go back home after they leave for school in the morning.

 

Now onto my card for today. This one I made for the Ways to Use it Challenge #473 on Splitcoaststampers. It was about using something new that you haven't used before.

 

I used the Taylored Expressions "scribble" cutting plate and cut it in crisp cantaloupe cardstock. I also used a new pattern in the Stampin-Up "sweet sorbet" designer paper pack.

My flowers are from the Stampin-Up "stippled blossoms" set. It's a 2 step stamping set. I stamped in pool party and then coastal cabana ink. The small flowers are stamped in crisp cantaloupe and I stamped off once to get a darker image on my 2nd stamp.

The birthday word is cut from a PTI die. Added some pearl centers to my flowers to complete my card.

 

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

 

Card Recipe:

Stamps: Stippled Blossoms (Stampin-Up) 

Paper: pool party, ww, crisp cantaloupe, sweet sorbet dsp (Stampin-Up)    

Ink: pool party, coastal cabana, crisp cantaloupe, old olive 

Accessories: Taylored Expressions Scribble cutting plate, PTI birthday die, SU pearls

I am also entering:
1.  Time Out Challenge is Happy Birthday.
2.  Crafting For All Seasons has a die/punches challenge.
3.  Penny's Paper Crafty has a flower power challenge.
4.  Incy Wincy Designs has a 3-2-1 challenge. 3 ink colors, 2 die cuts, 1 designer paper

The Love Bandit

 

 

Happy Friday and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. I can't believe that it is only a week until Valentine's Day. I have to get my cards addressed and in the mail.

 

I have been a little pre-occupied this past week with a weight loss challenge that I am a part of at my gym. I would love to win the grand prize of a year's worth of personal training.

 

I loved working with the trainer that I had. But it's so pricey to continue it and this prize would be so awesome. I don't have a lot of weight to lose-15 to 20 lbs-and they base it on percentage of weight lost. So its fair for everyone.

 

The challenge runs for 2 months and we work with a trainer in group settings. I have 5 women in my group. Even as I say only 15-20 lbs, that is a lot of extra weight to be carrying around since I am only 5'3". I do carry it well and have been going to the gym since last July and I am getting toned. But, I want to stay healthy and active so I can spend time with my grandkids. I will keep you all posted on my results. Tomorrow is the end of our first week and we go for the 2nd weigh-in.

 

Now onto my card for today. I have my last Valentine card to show. To start I used the week 5 layout from the Viva la Verve sketches.

I used this stamp "Smokey the love bandit" from Great Impressions and colored him with prismacolor pencils and gamsol. I also used a red Copic marker on the heart.

Fussy cut the image and layered him on a couple of circles cut with Spellbinders dies. The love word is a die from Impression Obsession-it's from the "love you heart" die set. . The xoxo is a die from Stampin-Up. It's part of the Circle thinlits.

On the bottom black panel I used the diagonal stripes embossing folder from Darice. Well it's time to close this post for today. I am on my way to the gym for some cardio exercise. Until next time........God bless.

 

I am also entering:

1.  Crafty Little Fairies has a love challenge.

2.  Splitcoaststampers WT 465 challenge is to color an image.

3.  Creative Knockouts has a be mine challenge.

4.  Cute Card Thursday has a lots of love challenge.

5.  Divas By Design has a diecuts challenge.

6.  Little Red Wagon has a love theme challenge.

7.  The Male Room wants us to create a male Valentine. This one is for my grandson.

8.  Simon Wednesday Challenge is "have a heart".



~give thanks~

 

 

Happy Wednesday and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. I spent my day crafting although I didn't get too far (lol). I only was able to make 2 cards. The first one took me so long then I stopped to make dinner and started another after dinner.

 

I guess it didn't help that I didn't get up until 10:00 am. I am still running on California time which is 3 hrs. behind Pittsburgh. I usually have trouble when I come West to East. It will take a few days to get my body back in rhythm with the EST zone.

 

So anyway onto this card. It's another Thanksgiving card and I really like how it turned out. My card is a long one and something I don't do often but I like.  The size is 3.5 x 8.25. It will fit in a #10 size business envelope.

I made it for the WT challenge #446 on Splitcoaststampers.  Toni was our hostess and she challenged us to use squares on our card. I used one for my sentiment.

On the card I did some up-cycling. I had an old calendar that I saved for this very purpose. The month of November had images that I liked.

The acorn panel is cut and layered on more mustard cardstock.

I stamped my sentiment on the square panel from the Verve set "bountiful harvest" and the pumpkins are cut out from the same calendar.

I finished my card by adding a bordered edge and it was cut from the Verve "scallop trio" dies. I again used the calendar to get my blue edge to match the rest of the card. I plan on giving this to a neighbor who loves re-purposing things.

 

Well, it's late and time to dim the lights in Charmed Life Land for another day. So until next time........God bless.

 

I am also entering:

1. Crafting By Designs has an anything goes challenge.

2. Crafting With Dragonflies has a theme of nature/leaves/trees.

3. Divas By Design has an autumn colors challenge.

4. Penny's Paper-Crafty has an anything goes challenge.

5. Sisterhood of Crafters has an anything goes challenge.