Gate Fold Masculine Birthday

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

It's been a cold and blustery weekend in Pittsburgh. We had snow on Friday night and Saturday morning. The sun is shining today so that's always good but very cold. 

I had to make a quick stop after church at the grocery store and the wind was blowing pretty fiercely. But I am home now with dinner in the crockpot. We are having some comfort food with a roast, mashed potatoes and roasted cauliflower. 

Now onto my card for today. My friend asked me to make a card for her son who loves to ride his motorcycle. I am also entering it into the Featured Stamper challenge #889 on Splitcoaststampers. My card is a gatefold style with a belly band. So let's get started with the card details.

Design Steps:

I started by preparing the card base and the layering panels.

Card Base - 8 1/2" x 5 1/2". I scored both panels at 2 1/8" on each side.

White Layers - 5 3/8" x 2"

Designer Paper Layer - 5" x 1 7/8"

Belly Band -11" x 1 1/2" - scored at 7 3/8" & 3 1/8". 

I cut the pieces for the motorcycle. I used red and black since that's the color of her son's bike. I cut a circle using the 3rd largest Stitched Circle die. Sponged some clouds using Tumbled Glass distress ink and Mowed Lawn distress ink for grass. Attached the motorcycle image with dimensional adhesive.

I wanted a sentiment on the front but I didn't have any stamps that would work. So, I used the letters from the CottageCutz Cinema Drive-In Sign and Fifties Phrases #2 dies for the "Ride On" phrase. I attached the image on the belly band and slid it over the card front.
 

I finished the inside of my card using the CottageCutz Happy Birthday w/ shadow die. I also stamped a sentiment. It's from an old Verve set. 

Well, that's my card for this post. So, until next time......God bless. 

I am also entering:

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

2.  Creative Creases Challenge #76 is anything goes with a fun fold. 

3.  Craft Rocket Challenge has a birthday challenge. 

4.  Creative Inspirations #11 is anything goes.  

5.  Time Out Challenge #257 has a birthday challenge. 

~winter wonderland~

 

 

Hello Blogger Friends! Thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. It was a rainy Saturday here in Pittsburgh and a bit on the cooler side. We have a week-end guest here from Florida and he is enjoying the rain and cool temps. It is a bit of a welcome break from the air-conditioner but I am ready for summer to return.

 

Now onto my card for today. This one I made for the Featured Stamper #387 challenge on Splitcoaststampers.  Judy was the hostess and she chose Nancy Thomas as this week's featured stamper.

 

The idea is to look through the Featured Stamper's gallery and chose a card to re-create in your style. I chose this card.

 

Since I don't have a birch tree die, I used some BoBunny designer paper that already had birch trees and a woodland scene in it. I used a Paper Trey ink die to cut the deer and the tiny red cardinals.

I also added a red frame around my winter scene. Used Spellbinders Mattings Basics A to cut. I punched a couple of snowflakes and used wink of stella pen for some sparkle.

My sentiment was stamped in Versamark and then white embossing powder. I used a corner rounder on the edges of the sentiment panel for interest.

 

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

 

I am also entering:

1.  Hiding in My Craft Room has a Christmas in July challenge.

2.  My Sheri Crafts is Christmas in July with lots of layers.

3.  Winter Wonderland has a "blue Christmas" challenge.

4.  C.R.A.F.T. Challenge has a Christmas in July.

5.  Divas By Design has a Christmas in July.

Secret Garden Birthday

Happy Tuesday and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. We had such a beautiful spring like day here in Pittsburgh.

Temps were in the upper 60's with lots of sunshine. It felt so good to be out in the warm weather even if it is only for a day. More snow is coming tomorrow and possibly another ice storm. Oh well, time to laugh in the face of old man winter 'cause spring is right around the corner (lol)!!

Now onto my card for today. This one I made for the Featured Stamper #370 challenge on Splitcoaststampers. The honors this week went to Mynette. 

I was on the Great impressions Design Team with her for awhile so I wanted to make a card in her honor today. I chose her white embossed blooms to remake aka Mary Marsh style.

My flowers are from the Stampin-Up "secret garden" set and I used real red and daffodil delight for my flower colors. Stamped in Versamark ink and embossed with white embossing powder. The flowers and leaves are cut with the matching frame lit dies.

Instead of an embossed panel I used designer paper from the Stampin-Up  "gingham garden" collection. I added some pear pizzazz ribbon to join the 2 panels.

My birthday word is cut with a PTI die. My card colors are from this week's CTD #282.

That's my card for today. 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.  Party Time Tuesdays has an anything goes challenge.

2.  Top Tip Tuesday has a 3, 5 or 7 challenge. I used 3 flowers and 3 different colors.

3.  Crafting From the Heart has an anything goes using dies.

4.  Love to Create has an anything goes challenge.  







Key to my Heart

Happy Tuesday and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. Roll out those lazy, hazy crazy days of summer- are the lyrics to an old song. We picked our first tomatoes this week. A small harvest of four but oh so delicious and many more to come.

Our flower gradens are blooming profusely as well. The stargazer lilies and the gladiolas have just opened. I love cutting the flowers and bringing them inside to enjoy.

I like giving them away to neighbors and other friends to enjoy as well. the more you cut the more will bloom. So if you have a garden don't let the flowers die on the vine cut and bring them inside.

Now onto my card for today. This one I made for the featured stamper #336 challenge on Splitcoaststampers. Jeanne was this week's honoree. The idea is to look thru her gallery and pick one of her cards to re-create. I chose this card to makeover in my style.

I kept the same layout but with changes. My designer paper is from Stampin-Up's "sycamore street" collection. My card colors are sahara sand, tangerine tango and island indigo.

I used the Cheery Lynn Designs doily die but cut mine in sahara sand. I used the Waltzingmouse vintage labels 4 stamp set and then cut with the Spellbinders labels 4 die.

My sentiment is from the PTI set "lock and key". I used the die from this same set to cut my key. I finished my card with an island indigo bow and brad center.

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

I am also entering:
1.  Craft-Dee Bowz has an anything goes with a handmade bow.
2.  Created With Love has an anything goes challenge.
3.  Through the Purple Haze has an anything goes challenge.
4. The Crafters Café Challenge has an anything goes challenge.
5.  613 Avenue Create has an anything goes challenge.

More Christmas Cards

using Stampin-Up ornament dies

card from our card club meeting

made with Echo Park Christmas papers

Happy Sunday and thanks for taking the time  to visit the Charmed Life Blog. The holidays are on the wind down side now.

But, I am not anywhere near ready to take down the Christmas decorations.
Seems like they just went up and the process of packing and putting away seems to take forever. So not for another week at least will I even attempt anything.

We had about 5 " of snow yesterday. It was so perfect watching from inside my home.

My hubby went out and built a snow woman. He wanted to send a picture to our sweet 2 year old granddaughter.

So he put a scarf and purse on her and took a photo. She is back home in California after being with us for Christmas.

Our neighbors are probably laughing and wondering what he was up to. But we are just some of those grandparents that love their grandkids sooo much.

So onto my cards for today. These are some more of my Christmas cards. I love making handmade cards for Christmas. Some of my friends told me they save my cards and use them for decorations each year. I was so blessed to hear that. Makes the effort of making so worth it.

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

Some other challenges:
1.  Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas challenge wants us to share any card not shown before. I have 3 new ones here.
2.  Card Crafters Circle has an anything goes challenge.
3.  Card Makin Mama's has a happy holiday challenge.
4.  Craft Us Crazy has a "merry christmas" challenge.

~Merry Christmas~

Happy Thursday everyone and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. It's the most wonderful time of the year. I love the Christmas season and the family time, the gift buying, baking, special church services and plays, card making etc etc etc.

I am still working on my cards but they will be finished soon. We have the outside of the house decorated and today I will start the inside. Then a little break for lunch with a friend at Bahama Breeze. We both love their Salmon Tostada.

Now onto my card for today. This one I made for the featured stamper challenge on Splitcoaststampers. This week the honors went to Sharri aka sseffens.

I wasn't familiar with this stamper but she has quite an impressive gallery of cards.

I chose her Christmas Baubles card to recreate ala Mary Marsh style. I kept her layout and Christmas theme.

For my card I used the Echo Park "very merry Christmas" collection. It has quite an array of beautiful Christmas papers plus element stickers. I used the ornament stickers and the Christmas sentiment for my card.

Cut a Stampin-Up top-note die in cherry cobbbler and layered the ornaments on that. Used the Cuttlebug swiss dots embossing folder on the sentiment layer. Added some early espresso bakers twine to complete this card.

Well that;s it for me today so until next time.......God bless.

Some other challenges:
1.  Christmas at Sweet Stampin' has an anything goes challenge.
2.  Crafts and Me has an anything goes with an optional ornament.
3.  Deep Ocean Challenge has a "so this is Christmas" challenge.

Friend to Friend

Happy Sunday and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. It was such a beautiful summer day here in Pittsburgh. Warm, sunny and no humidity was the order of the day.

I had a young woman stop over for a visit this afternoon. We sat in the backyard and just enjoyed the day. She is one of the ones that I mentored as a teenager and young adult. Now she is all grown up with a 5 year old.

She lives out of state but we had such a good time catching up on our lives. She used to love to come over and drink coffee with me. She always said that I made the best. Well it helped that I always had a flavored creamer to serve with the coffee.

When she left I checked out the Featured Stamper challenge on Splitcoaststampers. This week the honors went to a stamper that I wasn't familiar with her work -  Maureen aka mamamostamps.

She has such a beautiful yet simple style of stamping. I chose her birthday quilt card to recreate ala my style.

I  made a quilt card using the top note die but I  changed the patterned paper. I chose Stampin-Up's "springtime vintage" collection. How you make the quilt is to punch 12 squares of paper using a 1" square punch. I taped them down on cardstock and then ran it through my Big Shot machine. I used the Stampin-Up top note die to get the shape.

My card base is rose red and I used the basket weave embossing folder for some texture.

I used pear pizzazz ribbon and made a side bow on my card. Instead of a pennant greeting I used the decorative label punch and then oval punches for my sentiment.

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

Some other challenges:
1.  Six Sisters Blog has a strut your stuff Saturday link party.
2.  Stampin Sisters in Christ has a sentiment only challenge.
3.  Craftymess Challenge Blog has a "words" no image challenge.
4.  Daring Cardmakers has a film quotes challenge. I used a quote from "Hanna" - she says to Sophie "I'd like to have a friend".
5.  Dilly Beans has a bright colors challenge.

Floret Silhouettes

Happy Sunday and thanks for taking the time to visit the charmed life blog. Well I have spent 7 days here in San Francisco with my precious granddaughter Phoenix Daisy. The time has gone by really quickly and we have had fun together.

She is like a little sponge just sucking up the world around her. At 16 months there is so much to investigate and learn. I am here until June 2 and there is a bond forming between us already.

I do have a card to post today. This one was made for the featured stamper challenge #274 on Splitcoaststampers. The honors this week went to Heather Telford. I wasn't familiar with her work but she has an amazing gallery.

The idea with this challenge is to select one of  the stampers card and recreate it with at least 2 changes. I chose this card of Heathers.

I used her sponging technique but in different colors. I stamped my fabulous florets silhouette and made it a separate panel-layered with certainly celery and brilliant blue cardstock.

I added a layer with Some Stampin-Up designer paper from my stash - the jersey shore collection. I also cut a flourish with a Cherry Lynn die.

Punched a butterfly to complete my card. Well my blogger friends its late and time to close this post. Until next time.........God bless

Some other challenges:
1.  2 Sisters blog has an anything goes challenge.
2.  Catch the Bug blog has an anything goes challenge.
3.  Crafty Calendar Challenge wants us to use "things with wings".

Relax A Bit

Happy Sunday and thanks for taking the time to visit the charmed life blog. We have had such a busy weekend.  A family birthday party on Saturday night and then a covered dish dinner with some friends from church tonite. Both were such fun times and interestingly  the menus were fairly similar. How does that happen with 2 completely different sets of people?

We had pulled pork at one and pulled beef at the other. Cheesy potatoes and a fruit salad at both. Desserts were different at both and oh so delicious.

Yummy food and I ate too much at both. So here I am on Sunday night after 3 nights on the go just kind of wiped out. I am really looking forward to getting to bed in a few minutes.

My card for today is one that I made for the featured stamper #264 challenge on Splitcoaststampers. This week the paper artist being honored is Janice Melton aka catcrazy. She has a gallery filled with beautiful cards. I chose her thanks a latte card to recreate ala Mary Marsh style.

Instead of a coffee mug I used a teapot. My image is on a rectangle Spellbinders die instead of an oval. The teapot image & sentiment are from a new stamp set from Marks Finest Papers - "relax a bit". I colored with prismacolor pencils and gamsol.

I changed the card colors as well but somewhat kept the layout. Instead of a paper crimped background I used card stock that has embossed teapots.

My paper is from StampinUp- always artichoke, river rock and the white embossed paper is from Lasting Impressions.

Added some pink ribbon and a flower center to complete my card. Well that's it for me today. My eyes are screaming for some sleep so until next time.......God bless.

Some other challenges:

1.  Cupcake challenge #149. I used the green cupcakes as my inspiration and my card colors.
2.  2 Sisters has an anything goes challenge.

Howdy

Happy Sunday and thanks for taking the time to visit the charmed life blog. It's a tad cold here today but there is no snow and we are seeing the sun.
That's big for us in Pittsburgh. In January & February, we don't have a lot of sunny days.

Our service at church was awesome this morning. Our worship team, really did a fantastic job. Everyone seemed so energetic today and lots of people just hung around after to chit chat and have some coffee.
I love starting my week with the Lord at the forefront. Its inspiration that carries me through until next Sunday.
This evening we went to watch our grandsons play basketball. Ethan's team lost and Aidin's team won. We love watching them play as much as they love us coming to watch.  We headed home around  9:00 and now I am getting this post ready before bedtime.

My card today is one that I made for the featured stamper challenge on Splitcoaststampers. This week the honor went to Shirley aka wannabcre8tive. I love her user name as well as her stamping ability.

I chose her "giddy up" card to recreate ala Mary Marsh style. We are to make at least 2 changes on our card.
Shirley used a cricut to cut her cute cowboy. I don't own one but I did have a cute cowgirl stamp from Marks Finest Papers. It's the cowgirls rule set.

My changes: I stamped my image with versamark and embossed with white embossing powder. I cut it out with a spellbinders labels 4. I like how this image looks without actually coloring. I haven't done that in a long while.

I used a different color scheme and added a layer. Placed my ribbon on a diagonal and then used bakers twine over that.

To complete my card I stamped a cowboy hat from the same set. This was cut out and I used dimensional glue dots for a little dimension. I punched a mini tag and stamped my "howdy" sentiment on that.

Well, it's late and time to dim the lights in charmed life land for another day. So until next time.........God bless.

Some other challenges:
1.  Crafty Calendar Challenge has a new news challenge. I am using new stamp set, ribbon and bakers twine.
2.  Speedy Fox and friends challenge wants us to use at least 4 layers.
3.  My Sheri Crafts has a new things challenge. I used new stamp set, ribbon and bakers twine.

Christmas Tree Collage

Happy Sunday and thanks for taking the time to visit the charmed life blog. This day rolled by so quickly. Yet it was a relaxing day spent with my husband. Our day started with church and our service was wonderful today. Well I think it's that way most weeks.

This evening we had tickets to the Univ of Pittsburgh basketball game. I love going to these games. There is such an energy in the Petersen Events center with the cheerleaders, band and the team. Pitt won so that always makes the game better.

We stooped for an Italian hoagie on the way home-yummy. And now I am sitting here typing up my blog post and watching TV. Just about ready to dim the lights in Charmed Life Land for another day. But I wanted to post my newest card before I did that.

This one I made for 2 challenges on Splitcoaststampers. The featured stamper challenge. Anne aka itsapassion is the stamper who is being featured this week. We select one of her cards and make it over in our style.

I chose this Christmas card of hers.  I kept Anne's tree and poinsettia theme. My tree is a Christmas tree and my poinsettia is a spellbinder's die cut.
I changed the colors and added another layer and ribbon. On my tree I placed red pearls and highlighted the candles and the tree top with a glitter pen.

In the corner I used a cherry lynn doily die and cut it in quarters and placed my die cut poinsettia on top. The stamp image is from Our Daily Bread Designs-"Christmas Tree Collage".

The other Splitcoaststampers challenge is the holiday virtual stamping challenge. There are 6 challenges and this one is #3. The challenge is to create a card that represents your favorite holiday song. Use at least two layers and two embellishments (i. e. ribbon, brads, something shiny). 

This card actually represents 2 of my favorite carols. O Christmas Tree and Joy to the world. The background sheet music on my image has the words "joy to the world".

Well that's it my blogger friends. Hope you liked my card for today.

Some other challenges:
1.  Stamptacular Sunday challenge wants us to use a punch or die cut. I used a poinsettia die & a lace doliy die.
2.  Craft Your Days Away blog has an embellishment bingo. I chose pearls, flowers and ribbon.
3.  Craftyhazelnut's Christmas challenge is "whatever lights your candle". I have several candles on my christmas tree and also a star on the tree top.
4.  Totally Gorjuss has a Christmas traditions challenge. One of ours is a Christmas tree with decorations. In fact I put 2 trees up each year.

Bliss Anniversary

Happy Monday and thanks for taking the time to visit the charmed life blog. The week is off to a good start. I was really energized after church on Sunday. I started my Monday morning with reading my bible. I just love reading the Psalms. Well all of the bible really. It holds the keys to life.

Just a small excerpt from Psalm 77.....what God is so great as our God. You are the God who performs miracles. You display your power among the peoples.

Now onto my card for today. This one I created for the featured stamper challenge on Splitcoaststampers. The honors this week went to Dawn Olchefske. She is a talented stamper and offers great technique videos.

I chose her butterfly bliss card to recreate ala Mary Marsh style. I kept her layout and stamp set.

I changed the card colors to black and ivory and added a layer. My background striped paper is from lasting impressions "uptown pinstripe" collection.

The black lace is from May Arts. I just won a giveaway on their blog. They sent me 3 huge rolls of ribbon.

I used the fiskar's "upper crest" border punch and added another layer here.

I stamped my butterfly in Stampin-Up's "poppy parade". So I decided that I would add a bow in poppy parade as well. I used a black button and a rhinestone for the center.

My "bliss" sentiment was stamped and then embossed with white embossing powder. I then used the decorative label punch to punch it out.

Well that's it from me for another day. So until next time........

Some other challenges:
1.  Paper Playtime blog has a say it with a sentiment using buttons and bows.
2.  Simon Says Stamp and Show has a stripes challenge.
3.  The Outlawz has a greetings challenge.

creative belli challenge #121

Happy Wednesday and thanks for taking the time to visit the charmed life blog.

It's time for another Creative Belli Challenge. and this time we want you to make your own embellishments.

Challenge #121 - Custom Made Bellies

Make your own embellishments, custom dye ribbon, crochet your own flowers, make your own paper flowers or buttons, etc, etc!


The spirit of the Belli challenges is to encourage you to use your OLD and FORGOTTEN embellishments!
Everyone is welcome to play along! Challenge a stamping friend!! Just follow the theme.

Make sure you check out the great ideas the Belli Girls have come up with for this challenge.

On my card I used the Sizzix die Daisies #2 to create my handmade flower. In the flower center, I used a fabric button from Stampin-Up to make it a little more dramatic. The flower is cut from pear pizzazz paper.

I made this into an easel card. It's really easy to do. Here is a link to the tutorial. I found it on splitcoaststampers.

My background paper is from Stampin-Up's greenhouse gala collection. Across this panel I added some chocolate chip satin ribbon.

On the bottom panel I used a border punch also from Stampin-Up and some pearls. This acts as a stop when your card is open and being displayed.

The best wishes sentiment is from the Stampin-Up set "sincere salutations". This one is going off to a friend who is celebrating a wedding anniversary.

Well, it's time to close this post so until next time................. God Bless.

Some other challenges:
1.  Splitcoaststampers featured stamper challenge #230. I chose this card to re-create ala Mary Marsh style.
2.  Paper Take Weekly has an anything goes challenge.
3.  The Top Tip Tuesday blog has a wedding/anniversary challenge. This one is an anniversary card for my friend.

Birdhouse Girl

Happy Tuesday and thanks for taking the time to visit the charmed life blog. Hope all is well in your corner of the world.

We are in the middle of several days of rain. The temps are a lot cooler now. I am not complaining because it makes the flowers and grass grow. Not to mention the farmers crops. You need to look at the bright side.

I am off to visit with my grandsons today. Meet the school bus, do homework and take in one of their baseball games is the plan.

If the weather doesn't cooperate I will be home a little earlier than usual. Have to watch "dancing with the stars" tonight. After all Pittsburgh's, Hines Ward is one of the dancers.

My card for today is one that I made for the featured stamper challenge on splitcoaststampers. This week the honor went to Aimes.

I wasn't familiar with this particular stamper. But after visiting her gallery I see that she has definitely mastered a clean and simple style.
I chose her "happy winter card" to re-create ala mary marsh style.

I kept close to her layout but used a different image, papers and colors. My image-Abby's birdhouse- is a digi stamp from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps. I colored her with prismacolor pencils and gamsol.
I found the perfect paper in my stash from American Crafts-it's their backyard collection.

The sentiment I sued is also from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps-it's the tea time set.

I added an offray ribbon flower and some matching ribbon to complete the card.

Well, it's time to close this post. i have to get back to the wedding invitations that i am working on and making progress I might add. So until next time........

Some other challenges:
1.  The crazy challenge  wants us to use green and pink
2.  The Stamp with Fun blog also has a green and pink challenge.
3.  The Cupcake Craft challenge is to use something you'd find in a garden. Birdhouses are in the garden.

Let go, Let God

Happy Monday and thanks for taking the time to visit the charmed life blog.

Rain, rain and more rain was the order for the day today. But, April showers bring May flowers remember.

Our hyacinths have already come and gone. The early tulips are done and now we have our mid-spring tulips coming up.

The grape hyacinths are still blooming. I have been meaning to take some photos of the flowers, but I keep forgetting.

I have been concentrating on my cards and now I have 100 wedding invitations to make for a young couple from church. I have a friend coming tomorrow to help me and then another one on Friday.

I have decided that production work is definitely not my thing. I like making a card and then moving on to the next one. So I think I won't make any more invitations. I also think I said this before. Hopefully, the next time I will remember.

With that being said, let's move onto my card for today. This one I made for the featured stamper challenge on splitcoaststampers. this week the honors went to Susan aka lateblossom. She is a stamper who has really mastered the clean and simple style of stamping.

I chose her feel better grid card to recreate ala mary marsh style. We have to change at least 2 things on the card. I used different patterned paper, a different stamp set and added a butterfly and silver pearls. I kept the grid pattern that Susan used on her card.

My paper is from Stampin-Up's "springtime vintage" collection. The sentiment in the center is a new set just  released  from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps. "Let go, let God" is the name of the set. There are 5 sentiments in this set that would be good for either a card front or the inside.

The butterfly on my card is from another new Sweet 'n Sassy set called "tea time". I stamped it on patterned paper cut it out and added some silver pearls for a little bling. That's my card for today!!

You can join the Sweet 'n Sassy Connection, a community for Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps customers & fans to connect by sharing, learning & creating. There are lots of card samples on the site and membership is free.


So until next time.........

a razzleberry teacup

Happy Sunday and thanks for taking the time to visit the charmed life blog. Wow we really had some crazy wind speeds today. It was whipping around at about 50 mph pretty much all day. It has just quieted down in the past hour. No damage to anything here but I guess other areas were not as fortunate. There were tornadoes in the southern parts of the U.S.

Well today is Palm Sunday. It commemorates the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem.  We had palms at church and the children marched down the aisle with them and waved the palms in worship. It was so  wonderful just watching them. Scripture speaks of letting the little children come to Jesus and not to hinder them. (Matthew 19:14).

Our Pastor had a great Palm Sunday sermon for us as well. Just an interesting sidelight. The old testament prophet Zechariah predicted this very triumphal entry of Jesus approximately 480 years before it happened.

My hubby and I went out for lunch after church. We hadn't done that in awhile. We just had a great afternoon and evening together.

I decide to check out the featured stamper challenge on splitcoaststampers. This week the honoree was Sue aka coffeestamper. I wasn't familiar with her work but when I visited her gallery I discovered an amazingly talented stamper.
So the idea here is to pick a card and then recreate it in your own style. I chose her coffee themed card as my starting point. We have to change at least 2 things on the card.

I decided to go with a tea cup image, cut it out and popped up for dimension.  I changed the card colors, used different designer paper, added ribbon and pearls to the bottom of the card.

That's my card for today. Time to dim the lights in charmed life land for another day. Good night and God bless!!



Some other challenges I am entering:


cupcake inspiration blog

1.  The cupcake inspiration blog has this photo to use as inspiration. So many of the cupcake colors are on my card.



2.  2 sisters challenge blog has a bingo challenge. You have to pick 3 items from their bingo board. I chose ribbon, pearls, flowers. The flowers are on my designer paper.

3.  A gem of a challenge blog wants us to use pearls and swirls.


card recipe:
stamps: a spot of tea (mtme)
paper: su crushed curry, melon mambo, ww, razzleberry lemonade
ink: melon mambo
accessories: white & crushed curry ribbon, pearls, circle punches, nesties labels 16
techniques: paper piecing

featured stamper card

Happy Sunday and thanks for taking the time to visit the charmed life blog. We had a great service at church today. Our pastor was away and a guest speaker  filled in for him.

Pastor Brent did a great job and I so enjoyed his message. He covered a lot but one thing he did say that stuck with me was how he reads his bible daily. He has a 90 day version and by reading 12 pages a day he completes the entire bible in 90 days.

He said that it energizes him much the same as a runner gets an endorphin rush when exercising. I was so impressed by this. Imagine reading 12 pages of the bible daily and being exhilarated  for an extended period.!!

This afternoon I attended a baby shower. The twin girls are born and were in attendance at the shower. They received such sweet outfits. The food was delicious and the camaraderie was great.

So that was my day. Hope yours was a good one as well.

My card for today was created for the featured stamper challenge on splitcoaststampers. This week the honors went to a great stamper, Irene aka Dandi93. I am familiar with her work and she is a talented stamper.

So the idea is to look through her gallery and pick a card that you want to recreate in your own style. You have to change at least 2 things on the card. I chose her cute "turtle card" as my inspiration.

I decided to keep my card on the simple side. I used a turtle die-cut turtle from we r memory keepers for my main image. The faux button is made from a Sizzix die. I used the Stampin-Up top-note die and that completed my card.

Time to close this post. I want to watch the 8 part mini-series that is showing on the Reelz channel. It's on the Kennedy family. So until next time.......

Some other challenges I am entering:
1. I did it creations challenge blog has an anything goes this week. Challenge #49.
2. The Stampin Sisters In Christ challenge #83 wants us to make a card for a child. I will sent this one to one of my nephews. It will be a good birthday card.

card recipe:
stamps: cheep talk
paper: su wild wasabi, ww
ink: memento tuxedo black
accessories: su top note die, sizzix button die, spellbinders impressabilities, twine

featured stamper card

Happy Monday and thanks for taking the time to visit the charmed life blog. Hope you all had a great week-end.

Mine was such a fun one. On Saturday we had our stamp club meeting and we created 6 cards.

Each of us brought a card sample and supplies so it made it easy to get 6 done. I really liked each one that we made.



Ethan with his mvp trophy

Sunday
evening I went to Ethan's basketball 4th grade tournament championship game.

His school won and he was the tournament MVP. I was so proud of him. the final score was 28-17.
He scored 17 points in this game. He was the team high scorer in all 4 games. Plus, he is such an encourager to his teammates.

When I came out of the gym I was surprised to see it snowing. On my 45 minute drive home I also encountered freezing rain. This made it really slick in several areas. I was glad to pull onto my street and into my driveway safe & sound. Thank the Lord!!

The card I am showing today is one that  I made for the featured stamper challenge on splitcoaststampers. This week the honoree was cookie aka stampgroover. She has quite an impressive gallery and has definitely mastered the clean and simple technique.

I chose her ribbon frame card to recreate ala Mary Marsh style. This was my first time trying this technique and I was pleased with how it turned out. You simply use a slot punch and punch out 4 corners and run ribbon through to make a frame.

She used a clock collage stamp as her image and I decided to use a bird stamp. I used a friendship sentiment to complete my card.

A few other challenges:

1.  Aly's Sunday challenge blog has a give support challenge. I made this for a friend to let her know I value her friendship.

2.  The frosted design blog has a no patterned paper challenge.

That's my card for today. So until next time.......

card recipe:
stamps: wings of friendship

paper: su bermuda bay, black, gina k pure luxury white
ink: versafine onyx black
accessories: bermuda bay ribbon
techniques: ribbon frame

blue hydrangea

Happy Monday and thanks for taking the time to visit the charmed life blog. As laid back as yesterday was today was a complete turn around.

I just went from place to place and activity to activity today. But, I liked everything that I did and accomplished.

We are expecting a major ice storm on Tuesday. They have started delaying the school starts in a lot of areas already. I was going over to meet my grandsons' school bus tomorrow afternoon but ice and me don't agree (lol)!!

So I will stay put and get some crafting done. That will be fun as well.

Now onto my card for today. I made this one for several challenges. I wanted to make a vintage looking card. I was happy with how it turned out. I also have been practicing my coloring with my prismacolor pencils and gamsol (odorless mineral spirits). I was please with the coloring as well.

For a vintage card it helps if you have the right designer paper. I used some Stampin-Up from the "bella bleu" collection. The Martha Stewart lace doily punch helped as well. I added pearls to complete the look.

1.  The featured stamper challenge on splitcoaststampers gave the honors to "tillymint aka Sue". I chose her waltzingmouse stamps card to recreate in my style. I used an old sketch layout from splitcoaststampers as well #227. I changed the card colors, different image, paper, border punch and didn't use ribbon.

2. Our daily bread designs blog has a "blues" challenge. It is to be the main color. I used lots of blue on this card.

3.  The stampin sisters in Christ blog has a blue and green challenge. Their thoughts this week are from Psalm 23. So blue represents still waters and green represents green pastures.

That's my card for today. time to dim the lights in charmed life land for another day-God bless!!

featured stamper card



Phoenix Daisy cheering for the Steelers

Happy Sunday and thanks for taking the time to visit the char,med life blog. It was a big day here in Pittsburgh. Our Steelers are going to the super bowl. It's our 7th time.

It will be an exciting game because our Pastor is a big GreenBay fan. On game day our church is having a men's super bowl party and chili cook-off.
I guess whoever wins will have bragging rights for a year anyway. I hope it's our Steelers.

So how about this photo of our Phoenix Daisy. She loves the Steelers as well and she is only a month old (lol)!!

And she lives in San Francisco. I laughed when my son sent me this photo tonight during the game.



Well onto my card-you might not all be football fans. I made this one for the featured stamper challenge on splitcoaststampers. Our hostess, Beth, chose a stamper that I was not familiar with- Emily aka-artsy-em.

She has a great clean and simple style of stamping. I chose her special anniversary card to recreate ala mary marsh style.

I kept her heart theme but made mine a valentine's card. I added a layer of designer paper and used a heart punch on my card.
I used an embossing folder on my hearts and made them "his &amp her" hearts.

I saw the heart idea on the me, my stamps & I blog.

Well, it's time to dim the lights in charmed life land for another day. God Bless and stay warm.







card recipe:
stamps: to my valentine(unknown)

paper: su real red, black, sending love specialty dsp
ink: versafine onyx black
accessories: heart punch, marvy flower punch, rhinestones, ribbon