Hibiscus Birthday

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

Hope you had some time to get a little crafty today. It's really hot and humid here so staying inside in the air conditioning worked for me. My hubby harvested a bunch of his basil, and I spent the afternoon making pesto and freezing it for wintertime enjoyment. I just don't put the parmesan cheese in it until I am ready to use it. He has plenty out there still and I may make some more tomorrow. 

Now onto my card for today. This one I created for the color challenge on Splitcoaststampers. I was the  hostess and my color trio was melon mambo, berry burst and pretty in pink. Optional was to use your favorite green. I used old olive- it's one of my fave green inks.

pretty in pink, melon mambo, berry burst

For my card I used the layering stencil "Climbing Hibiscus from The Ton Stamps. I started with pretty in pink, then melon mambo and then berry burst. I picked the colors with this stencil in mind. I also used a Bristol Smooth cardstock. I like how it blends the Stampin' Up inks.

I used a stamp & die combo from a Scrapbook and Cards kit for my sentiment. Finished off my card with a few melon mambo enamel dots.

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

Card Details: 

Stamps: Confetti & Cake (Scrapbook and Cards)

Paper: melon mambo (Stampin' Up), Bristol Smooth (Stratmore)

Paper Size: 4 1/2" x 5 3/4"

Ink: pretty in pink, melon mambo, berry burst, old olive (Stampin' Up)

Accessories: Climbing Hibiscus Layering Stencil (The Ton Stamps), solid faceted gems (Stampin' Up)

Techniques: stenciling

I am also entering:

1.  Little Red Wagon has a go bold challenge. They want to see bright colors. 

2.  Simon Says Stamp has a Sending flowers challenge. 

3.  The Paper Funday Challenge is anything goes w/optional to use stencils. 

4.  Beautiful Blossoms challenge is anything goes with florals.

5.  Triple B has an anything goes with birds, blossoms and/or butterflies. 

Stenciled Poppy Birthday Wishes

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

It's the last weekend in April. This month flew by so quickly. We are back to chilly weather here in the Pittsburgh area. But our hot weather will be here before I know it. So, I am not complaining. 

No plans for today. I did some household chores and made a delicious soup. My friend gave me the recipe for an Italian Sausage soup. The recipe called for heavy cream but I am not doing dairy, so I substituted full-fat coconut milk. Sausage, fresh spinach, onion, garlic and Italian seasoning. It is really flavorful, and my hubby loved it. 

I have a baby shower to attend tomorrow. My good friend's daughter is having her first baby and it's a girl. The shower will be fun, and I like to see all the gifts that the Mother-to-be gets and the expression of gratitude on her face.  A lot of women think this part of the shower is boring, but I love it. 

Now onto my card for today. This one I created for the color challenge #1048 on Splitcoaststampers. We were to use pretty peacock, peach pie and summer splash for the color trio. Optional was an anything goes theme. I chose a 4th color of coastal cabana for the optional item. 

pretty peacock, peach pie, summer breeze

For my card I decided to use a multi-layer stencil from the Ton Stamps. It's their Precious Poppies stencil.I used coastal cabana, summer splash, pretty peacock and peach pie for my poppy colors. I die cut them with the coordinating die and layered them on white cardstock.

The card base is pretty peacock. I cut my birthday phrase and stamped a sentiment. Added a few peach pie resin dots to complete my card.

This one was sent to my friend who celebrated a birthday yesterday. She loves flowers and always likes the cards I make for her. 

Well that my card for today. So, until next time .....God bless. 

Card Details:

Stamps: painted petals (PP Kit July 2024)

Paper: pretty peacock, basic white (Stampin' Up), Bristol Smooth (Canson)

Paper Size: 4 1/2" x 6"

Ink: pretty peacock (Stampin' Up)

Accessories: precious poppies stencil & coordinating die (The Ton Stamps), birthday phrase w/Shadow (CottageCutz), 2024-206 resin dots (Stampin' Up)

Techniques: Stenciling

I am also entering:

1.  Crafty Calendar has a feminine challenge. 

2.  Craft Rocket Challenge has a layer it up challenge. 

3.  Just Us Girls has a stencil challenge. 

4.  Crafty Catz has an anything goes w/optional feminine birthday.  

5.  Seize the Birthday has any anything goes w/optional of stenciling.

Coneflower Thanks

Hello Blogger Friends! Hope all is well in your neck of the woods. 

Well, we are into our first week of Spring and the weather here has been downright cold. It's dipping below freezing every night. I still have my polar fleece sheets on my bed, and they will probably not get changed out for summer sheets for a few weeks. 

I invited a friend over to craft with me last week. She used to do scrapbooking and is interested in card making. I have so many of the Stampin' Up Paper Pumpkin kits so I thought that would be a good way to introduce her to card making. And a great way to use up some of these kits. 

We made 4 cards and a gift tag She is already looking forward to coming next month and so am I.  

Now onto my card for today. This one I made for the color challenge #1042 on Splitcoaststampers. We were to use pretty in pink, daffodil delight and old olive for the color trio. Optional is flowers.

I used the multi-layer "Coneflower"stencil from Spellbinders for my card.  I used the challenge colors plus the distress ink "kitsch pink" for a bit of a deeper color on the coneflower lines.

Cut my thanks word in old olive and white cardstock using a die from CottageCutz. I scattered some enamel dots to complete my card. I am sending this to my neighbor who invited us to their Fl winter home in February. She is an avid gardener and loves flowers.

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

Card Details:

Paper: pretty in pink, old olive (Stampin' Up), Bristol Smooth (Canson)

Paper Size: A2

Ink: pretty in pink, daffodil delight, old olive (Stampin' Up), kitsch pink distress (Ranger)

Accessories: Coneflower Stencil (Spellbinders), Thanks Phrase (CottageCutz),

Techniques: stenciling

I am also entering:

1.  A Cut Above has a die cut challenge -using a least one die. 

2.  Craft Rocket Challenge is for the girls.  

3.  Cut It Up has the colors of Spring challenge using at least one die cut. 

4.  Crazy is our fame-stencils are our game challenge is anything goes.

5.  Cardz 4 Galz has a Springtime challenge.  

Climbing Roses

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

Hope your Fall season is going well. I just changed the decorations out in my home last week and converted over to Fall. I will leave these up until Thanksgiving and then convert over to Christmas. Can't believe that I am mentioning Christmas, but it is October. 

My card today is one I made for the color challenge #1018 on Splitcoaststampers. Our color trio was 

pretty in pink, berry burst and granny apple green for the color trio. Optional was to make it summer.

What could be more summer than roses? They are still blooming nicely in my hubby's garden. So, I decided to put roses on a birthday card for my neighbor who loves to garden as much as my hubby does. She celebrates in a couple of weeks. And her daughters are having a surprise birthday party for her. 

pretty in pink, berry burst, granny apple green

I used the Climbing Rose multi-layer stencil from The Ton Stamps. I stenciled with spun sugar, pretty in pink and berry burst for the rose image. The leaves are stenciled in granny apple green and mossy meadow (an allowed neutral in this challenge).

Used the accompanying rose die to cut my image. For the card background I added a trellis cut in berry burst. I did the die inlay technique fora few of the trellis panels just for added interest. Stamped my birthday sentiment to complete my card.

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

Card Details:

Stamps: Charming Sentiments (Stampin' Up)

Paper: white, berry burst (Stampin' Up), bristol smooth (Strathmore)

Paper Size: A2

Ink: pretty in pink, berry burst, granny apple green, mossy meadow (Stampin' Up), spun sugar distress (Ranger)

Accessories: climbing rose stencil & dies (The Ton Stamps), sentiments die (Stampin' Up), trellis background die (CottageCutz)

Techniques: stenciling

I am also entering:

1.  Beautiful Blossoms challenge is anything goes with florals. 

2.  Die Cut Divas has an anything goes for world card making day.

3.  The Flower Challenge wants us to add a stencil.  

4.  Triple B Challenge is anything goes with, birds, butterflies and/or blooms. 

5.  A Place to Start has an anything goes using pink. 

 

Celebrate You

Hello Blogger Friends! Thanks for taking the time to stop and visit with The Charmed Life Blog this first Monday in September.

It's the Labor Day holiday here in the US. We had a laid back kind of day. I was in my craft room creating a card for this week's color challenge on Splitcoaststampers and hubby was out working in his yard. 

We had an easy dinner. I made burgers and hubby roasted some of his green beans from his garden. That's really the only vegetable he grew this year. He is getting quite good at preparing the green beans. The burgers I serve with veggies that I sauté in olive oil- mushrooms, onion and red peppers. It's like getting a burger in a nice restaurant. 

Now onto my card for today. This one I created for the color challenge #CC1013. We were to use peach pie, boho blue and petunia pop for our colors. Optional was a die cut or punch.

For my card I started with the background. I stenciled the daisies using a multi-layer stencil from The Ton Stamps using petunia pop, peek-a-boo peach, mossy meadow and lost shadow inks. These last 2 colors are allowed neutrals in this challenge.

I die cut the arch and birthday phrase from petunia pop cardstock. Stamped my sentiment in petunia pop ink and scattered a few boho blue dots to complete my card.

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

Card Details:

Stamps: painted petals (Stampin' Up PP Kit July 2024)

Paper: petunia pop, (Stampin' Up), bristol smooth (Canson)

Ink: petunia pop, peek-a-boo peach, mossy meadow (Stampin' Up). lost shadow distress (Ranger)

Accessories: darling daisy stencil (The Ton), essential arches die (Spellbinders), happy birthday w/shadow die (CottageCutz), in-color dots (Stampin' Up))

Techniques: stenciling

I am also entering:

1.  A Cut Above challenge is using a die cut with anything goes. Option monochromatic.

2.  Beautiful Blossoms is anything goes with an optional mood board. 

3.  Allsorts Challenge wants us to use a sentiment or anything goes. 

4.  Polkadoodles has an anything goes challenge. 

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

Birthday Coneflowers

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

We are into the month of June already- can you believe it. I have been enjoying the warm days and especially the day length. It stays light until nearly 9:00 here. It just makes you feel good when the daylight hours go on and on. 

Since it's summertime, I thought about making ice cream. I bought a Cuisinart ice cream maker and today was my first attempt at it. I made a pistachio ice cream. I am on the Paleo diet, or I should say the Paleo lifestyle. I found a recipe that uses no refined sugar. It gives me my sweet fix though. My hubby even liked it. Although he has been enjoying all the Paleo recipes I have tried for breakfast and dinner. 

My card for today is one I created for the color challenge on Splitcoaststampers. Our colors were lost lagoon, calypso coral and pool party for the color trio. Optional was to use any 2 additional colors.

pool party, calypso coral, lost lagoon

I used a new to me coneflower stencil from Spellbinders, I stenciled in the challenge colors plus pretty peacock and abandoned coral distress ink for the optional.

The image panel is layered on lost lagoon and the card base is calypso coral.

I added the Birthday phrase using a die from CottageCutz and a few calypso coral enamel dots to complete my card.

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

Card Details:

Paper: calypso coral, lost lagoon (Stampin' Up), mixed media paper (Strathmore)

Paper Size: A2

Ink: calypso coral, lost lagoon, pretty peacock, pool party (Stampin' Up), abandoned coral distress (Ranger)

Accessories: Coneflower Stencil (Spellbinders), Birthday die w/Shadow (cottageCutz)

Techniques: stenciling

I am also entering:

1.  Crazy is our fame-Stencils are our game - use stencils + optional birthdays. 

2.  Aud Sentiments Challenge is shaker/or summer + sentiment. Coneflowers are summer flowers. 

3.  Beautiful Blossoms Challenge is anything floral goes w/optional mood board. 

4.  Incy Wincy Designs is Winter Snow or Summer Flowers.

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

Stenciled Mother's Day Flowers

Hello Blogger friends! Thanks for dropping by to visit with The Charmed Life Blog today. 

Don't know if any of you have been able to view the Northern Lights display in your area. They were visible in the Pittsburgh area on Friday night. When I looked out it was cloudy, so I thought it was a no go. However, my friends persevered and took lots of photos of the spectacular display. God's handiwork is always amazing to me. 

Here is a photo from the PA State police. It was taken not too far from my home.

Now onto my card for today. This one I created for my niece. It's the last of my 2024 Mother's Day cards. It was hand delivered to her office along with a bunch of tulips. She has problems with the scent that comes from flowers, so tulips were a great choice for her. They are scent free. 

I used a Poppy stencil from The Ton Stamps to create my card. It's a multi-layered stencil. I used 3 different shades of pink ink. The first layer is spun sugar distress ink, 2nd layer is pretty in pink from Stampin' Up and the 3rd layer is kitsch flamingo distress ink. The leaves are peeled paint distress ink.

I stamped the Mother's Day sentiment in Stampin' Up polished pink ink. The wishes phrase is die cut in polished pink and pretty in pink cardstock using the CottageCutz "wishes w/shadow" die. I scattered a few polished pink sequins to complete my card.

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

I am also entering:

1.  Crazy is our fame-Stencils are our game has a girly challenge. 

2.  Aud Sentiments Challenge is foiling or flowers + a sentiment. 

3.  Get Creative has a Ladies only challenge. 

4.  Make My Monday has a florals challenge. 

5.  Inspiration Station #61. The pink flowers are my inspiration. 

  

Mother's Day Wishes

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

Here we are at the start of another weekend. This weekend is Mother's Day. I will be going out to brunch with my son and daughter-in-law. My hubby will be with his Mom. That's just the way it has worked out the past several years. 

His Mom is homebound now. She doesn't want to go out anymore and she is not very mobile. She lives with my hubby's sister. So, they will go there and bring a restaurant meal to enjoy together. 

Now onto my card for today. This is the card I made for my daughter-in-law for Mother's Day. I will hand deliver this on Sunday. I used the colors from this week's color challenge #CC999 on Splitcoaststampers.  

Our colors were sweet sorbet, coastal cabana and flirty flamingo. Optional was to use a die cut. 

sweet sorbet, coastal cabana, flirty flamingo

To create my card, I used a Poppy stencil from The Ton Stamps. It's a multi-layered stencil.

To achieve the look of 3 colors on the poppy, I used a blender brush and a light layer of flirty flamingo for the first layer.
The 2nd layer is also flirty flamingo, but I applied it a bit heavier.
The 3rd layer I used festive berries distress ink. It's a close match for sweet sorbet.

For the leaves I used salvaged patina distress ink. It's a close match to coastal cabana.

I stamped the Mother's Day sentiment in flirty flamingo ink several times to get a darker shade. The Wishes die cut is from CottageCutz.

To finish off my card I scattered a few flirty flamingo enamel dots. They are from the Stampin' Up "rainbow collection".

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

Card Details:

Stamps: may good things grow (March 2018 PP)

Paper: flirty flamingo, white (Stampin' Up), Bristol smooth (Canson)

Paper Size: 4 1/2" x 6"

Ink: flirty flamingo(Stampin' Up), salvaged patina, festive berries, black soot distress (Ranger)

Accessories: Precious Poppies Stencil (The Ton Stamps), Wishes w/Shadow die (CottageCutz), rainbow enamel dots (Stampin' Up)

Techniques: stenciling

I am also entering:

1.  Aloha Friday has a flowers challenge. 

2.  Cut It Up has a sentiment challenge + using die-cuts. 

3.  Just Add Ink has an inspiration challenge. My shade of pink flowers fit perfectly. 

4.  Cardz 4 Galz has a Mother's Day challenge. 

5.  Craft Rocket Challenges #114 is flowers. 

Vintage Santa

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

Well, it was another rain day, but the workers came out to work on our deck remodel.  They came around 11:00 for a couple of hours anyway. We are having more rain tomorrow so I don't think they will get a full day of work, but we will see what tomorrow brings. 

Now onto my card for today. This one I made for this week's color challenge #994 on Splitcoaststampers. Our color trio is poppy parade, cherry cobbler and lemon-lime twist. Optional was to use plaid paper. I added a 2" plaid strip to the card inside. It's from the Stampin' Up "festive farmhouse" collection.

cherry cobbler, lemon-lime twist, poppy parade

I thought these colors called for Christmas and I had the perfect stencil. I bought this Vintage Santa stencil last year from The Ton Stamps but didn't get to use it last Christmas.

This layering stencil has 6 different layers including one to color your background which I did with lemon-lime twist ink.

I used poppy parade for my first layer and cherry cobbler for the 2nd layer for Santa's suit and gloves. Part of Santa's beard is blended with smoky slate ink. I used a flesh ink for his face.

My sentiment is from the Hero Arts "Christmas Messages" and OI stamped in cherry cobbler ink. To complete my card I added some cherry cobbler enamel dots. Now I have another Christmas card for my 2024 stash. 

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

Card Details: 

Stamps: Christmas Messages (Hero Arts)

Paper: cherry cobbler (Stampin' Up), Bristol smooth (Canson)

Paper Size: 4 1/2" x 5 3/4"

Ink: poppy parade, cherry cobbler, lemon-lime twist, smoky slate, festive farmhouse dsp, (Stampin' Up), twisted citron distress, black soot (Ranger), flesh pink (The Ton)

Accessories: Vintage Santa Stencil (The Ton Stamps), cheery cobbler enamel dots (Stampin' Up)

I am also entering:

1.  Crazy is our fame-Stencils are our game challenge is anything goes. 

2.  The Holly and Ivy Christmas challenge is anything goes. 

3.  Christmas Crafts All Year Round has a Santa, Gnomes or Elves challenge. 

4.  MLCCB #55 is anything goes Christmas. 

5.  Christmas with the Cuties has a 2 or more papers challenge