color challenge 330

Happy Thursday and thanks for taking the time to visit the charmed life blog. It was a beautiful day here in Pittsburgh.

We had our grandsons on an overnight so it made for a fun day as well. We went swimming in my neighbors pool. The boys had a lot of fun.

Sue is so sweet and she lets us use it whenever the boys come to visit. 

We also used the facetime feature on IPAD and had a visit with Phoenix Daisy and Ghilly. This was my first time using this app and I was so impressed with the quality of the connection and the audio.
I will be using this a lot now to spend more time with my sweet granddaughter.

The day ended so quickly and we headed back to the North Hills around 5:00. Ethan had baseball practice at 6:00 and Austin had an appointment with his trainer. Love the time I have with them.

My card for today is one that I made for the color challenge on splitcoaststampers.

Julia was our hostess this week and she chose a great trio of colors. We were to use Melon Mambo, Rich Razzleberry and Tangerine Tango. I really liked working with all these colors. 

I used an image from Stampendous -changito. I think this one is so cute. I colored it with prismacolor pencils and gamsol (odorless mineral spirits).

My patterned paper is from Stampin –Up and American Crafts. I used some rick rack –punched an anchor in tangerine tango and added some starfish buttons.

The sentiment is from the paper trey ink set “round and round”.

My layout is from the Sweet Sunday Sketch challenge #124. Loved working with this sketch for this card.

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

Some other challenges:
1. The oldie but a goodie blog has an anything goes challenge. I have had this changito image for over a year.

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.

Happy July 4th

Happy July 4th to all my American readers as we celebrate American Independence Day . Our cherished freedoms all came with a great sacrifice by our forefathers and our present day military as well.

The words of this song by Lee Greenwood say it all:

And I'm proud to be an American,  where at least I know I'm free.

And I won't forget the men who died,

who gave that right to me." - Lee Greenwood

Hope your celebrations are going well.  We were at a cook-out yesterday so today is a laid back kind of day for us. Our son wanted us to come over there today. But, he is an hour from us and we would be heading into traffic going into the city of Pittsburgh. There are various festivities including a big fireworks display this evening. So we decided to stay at home.

I will be with the boys tomorrow all day. And, Ethan has a game at 8:00 pm on our side of the city so we will be at that as well.

I wanted to post a card that I made for a color challenge on the Sweet 'n Sassy Connection. I was the challenge hostess on the night that Korin released the new stamp sets. It was exciting for me.

The colors were Kraft, Brown and Red. I decided to use 2 of the new stamp sets released July 1 from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps on my card. The scripture sentiment is from the "joyful heart" set and the layered flower is from the "your friendship" set.

I stamped my flower onto patterned paper, cut it out and then popped it up for dimension. On the center panel I added a piece of chocolate chip satin ribbon and 3 red butterflies.

Well, it's time to close this post and get to my dinner preparations. So until next time......... God bless my blogger friends.

Some other challenges:
1.  The Bows and Berrie blog wants us to use kraft paper.
2.  Craft Your Passion challenge has an anything goes this week
3.  Catch the Bug blog also has an anything goes challenge.

my hummingbird

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

We had such a beautiful day here in Pittsburgh. For us that means lots of sunshine, low humidity and warm temps.

I had my windows open to let the breeze in. I thank God we are fortunate enough to have air-conditioning but I really like it when we can use the fresh breeze to stay cool.



soft suede

melon mambo

crumb cake

Anyway, I do have a card to show you all today. It's one that I made for the color challenge on splitcoaststampers.

Joanne Travis was our hostess this week and she chose a great color trio of soft suede, crumb cake and melon mambo. She always chooses the best colors to work into a card.

My card used the new stamp set from Sweet 'n Sassy stamps-"joyful heart". I love the hummingbird image and all the sentiments in this set. This set was just released today, July 1.

I decided to paper piece the hummingbird and the flowers. I used crumbcake patterned paper for the hummer and melon mambo paper for the flowers. I like how it turned out.

My background paper is some from Heidi Grace-the monotone flowers collection. I added a button in the crumbcake color and used some pink sorbet bakers twine to give it a finished look. The pink sorbet bakers twine is available now in the Sweet 'n Sassy online store.

My layout for this card is from this weeks MojoMonday sketch #193. It's a square card measuring 4.25 inches. That way it will still fit in an A2 envelope. I used a Martha Stewart butterfly punch to finish the card.

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

Some other challenges:
1.  Stampavie and more blog wants us to use more than 3 layers.

2.  The DYSU challenge blog has a square challenge.
3.  The Really Reasonable Ribbon blog has a picnic/summer fun theme. One of the fun things we love for summer is watching the hummingbirds at our feeder.

sweet 'n sassy stamps sweet peeks #4

Happy Tuesday and thanks for taking the time to visit the charmed life blog. This is day #4 of the sweet peeks from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps.

The card I am showing today is from the set "your friendship".  

I love the flower in this set. It is so perfect for layering, coloring or stamping on patterned paper and then layering. This is what I did on my card.

The set has 3 flower images, a leaf and 7 sentiments. There are so many possibilities with this set and lots of ideas running through my head. So look for more from me using this great set.

My card base and the flower image is blushing bride cardstock from Stampin-Up.  The ribbon is also blushing bride. The background patterned paper is from Graphic 45.

I stamped the bottom vanilla layer with the flower images from this set. On the top vanilla layer I used the cuttlebug embossing folder, stylized flowers. My pear pizzazz green layer is punched with the trellis border punch from Martha Stewart.

I stamped the sentiment, added a butterfly and  some pearls to complete my card.

My layout is from Saturday's sweet stop sketch challenge.

That's my peek for Tuesday. Make sure you stop by the Sweet 'n Sassy blog to see what the other design team has done with this stamp set. You won't be disappointed.

On Thursday from 8:00-10:00 Korin will be holding a release party on the Sweet 'n Sassy Connection. All 6  new sets will be completely revealed. I am hosting a challenge at 9:00. There are some prizes to be won and a free digi image for all attendees.  So join the party!!

Some other challenges:
1.  Bearly-Mine challenge blog has a summer is here challenge
2.  Top-Tip Tuesday blog has a T is for...... challenge. My sentiment has the word treasured, and I have a tied ribbon, three pearls, flower has three layers, three ovals
3.  Bows and Berries blog has a thank you/appreciation challenge.
4,   Creative Stamp Friends has a dots challenge.
5.  Ooh La la creations blog has a summer flowers challenge.

sweet 'n sassy stamps sweet peeks #3

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



Today I am showing you a card from a new stamp set from Sweet 'n Sassy stamps.

It will be released on July 1.

This new set is "joyful heart". It has this beautiful humming bird image along with 5 sentiments.

There are 3 scripture sentiments in this one. I have used the verse from Nehemiah 8:10 from the set.

 My hummingbird is stamped and colored with prismacolor pencils and gamsol. We have a hummingbird that visits our feeder that look like this one with a ruby throat.

My card stock is melon mambo, crushed curry and the patterned paper is retired Stampin-Up-razzleberry lemonade. I used a cuttlebug folder-stylized flowers on my white panel. Punched a butterfly and added a ribbon flower to complete my card.

The other members of the design team have created some beautiful samples using this set. So drop by the Sweet 'n Sassy blog to have a look. You won't be disappointed.

Make sure you drop by again tomorrow because I will have a sample to show using another new set.

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

Some other challenges:
1.  The crafty pad design blog has a bold and bright challenge.
2.  The secret crafter Saturday challenge is to use embossing.
3.  The Sweet Stampin' blog has a something old/something new challenge. I used a new stamp and my cuttlebug embossing folder is one I have had for over a year.
4.  The Daring Cardmakers blog alos has a something old/something new challenge. I used a new stamp set and an old cuttlebug embossing folder as well as patterned paper that is 2 years old.

craft your passion challenge

Happy Monday and thanks for taking the time to visit the charmed life blog. Hope you had a great week-end. Ours was a busy one. I had a Premier Designs jewelry party on Friday night. It was fun girls night.

On Saturday we went to Ethan's game and then over to our son's home for dinner. We had a belated fathers day celebration. The boys all had baseball games the week before so it didn't work out for us to have dinner together. My daughter-in-law made a wonder dinner for my hubby and her dad.

We started off with a cheese platter to nibble on while dinner was being prepared. We had a Stilton with blue cheese and a white cheddar with cranberries. She also made some salsa and served it with tortilla chips.

For dinner we had pork tenderloin with fresh sage and apples. It was so delicious. Her mashed potatoes were made with Yukon gold potatoes and they were really creamy and tasty. A nice tossed salad and rolls completed the meal.

The boys and my hubby have a standing wiffle ball game every time we go over there. So dessert was interrupted. When the game was over we had to rush out because the tunnel that we drive through to get to our house was closing at 10:00 for repairs. So we missed out on a raspberry tart.

Now that I have made everyone hungry.... I can talk about my card (lol)!!

This is my last week as a guest designer for the craft your passion blog. I cant believe June went by so quickly. This week the challenge is seeing red. We are to use the color red on our project.

I was given this digi image by Lauretta to work with for this challenge. It's called "gnome siesting".

I colored his suit with prismacolor pencils and gamsol. For the mushroom and his hat I did some paper piecing. I used this sentiment because  I thought the image would make a good belated birthday card. I send enough of those ones for sure.

I used a paper crimper for my red layer. The background patterned papers are from BoBunny-unforgettable stripes collection. The layout is a sketch from the crazy 4 challenge blog.

Well that's it for this post so until next time.........

Some other challenges:
1.  Here come the boys blog is always masculine. They have a spots & stripes challenge

Creative Belli Challenge #120

Happy Wednesday and thanks for taking the time to visit the charmed life blog. It's time again for another Creative Belli Challenge. This one we are calling the letter "G".

Create a new project that features an embellishment that begins with the letter "G". Think about glitter, a gift card holder, a gift bag, Glimmer Mist, Old Glory (4th of July projects), green rhinestones, whatever you've got on hand.


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!! All you have to do is follow the theme.

For my card I went with the "G" is for glitter idea. My card is one that we made at our last stamp club
meeting. My friend Linda came up with the idea for this card.  

We didn't use any glitter on the original so I cut a new butterfly image with a spellbinders butterfly die. I had some sticky pages in my stash and I covered the card stock with that and sprinkled with diamond dust glitter before I cut the butterfly.

I added a glittered brad to the center of my butterfly. I used the circles that came out of the butterfly after cutting on my card as well. I also used my Martha Stewart butterfly punch to cut 2 additional butterflies from the glittered card stock.



close up of glitter

Stop by the Creative Belli Blog to check out what the rest of the design team has created for this challenge. You won't be disappointed. 

Some other challenges:
1.  Fab 'n' Funky blog has a summer lovin challenge. Butterflies are a big part of our summer garden.

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

color challenge #328 wildflowers

Happy Tuesday and thanks for taking the time to visit the charmed life blog. This is shaping up to be a fairly busy week for me. I have my grandsons Tuesday and Thursday.
Some design team commitments starting with this card. And Friday night I am having a jewelry party here at my home.

That should be fun I just hope that the ones I invited come out. It's really great jewelry from a company called Premier Designs.
If you have ever been to one of their shows you know that what they sell is nice and so trendy.

So my card for today is one that I did for this week's color challenge #328 on splitcoaststampers. Betty, aka stamping to the wright, is our hostess and she chose the color trio of cherry cobbler, night of navy and crumb cake.

My image is from the wildflowers set from Sweet 'n Sassy stamps. I stamped in cherry cobbler and old olive ink.

The sentiment is from the same wildflowers set and is stamped in night of navy. I punched it out with a wide oval punch. I didn't have a scalloped punch big enough to layer the oval. My solution was to cut the scallop in half and layer it that way.

The patterned paper is from a retired Stampin-Up hostess pack. I used a Martha Stewart border punch on the crumb cake layer and added some cherry cobbler seam binding over that. My bow center is finished with a night of navy button.

And that my blogger friends completes this card.

It's time to close this post. So until next time God bless....................

Some other challenges:
1.  Stampin' Sisters in Christ has a doodle challenge. My patterned paper has doodling on it.
2.  Die Cut Dreams blog has a red, white and blue challenge.
3.  The House of Gilli blog has a ribbons & bows challenge.
4.  Karen's Doodles blog has a flower power challenge.

craft your passion challenge

Happy Monday and thanks for taking the time to visit the charmed life blog.  Hope your weekend was a great one.

We attended a graduation party yesterday for my niece. It was a nice family time and everyone enjoyedthemselves. There were softball games, volleyball games, tennis and bean bag tosses going on all day. My hubby was part of the softball game so I was watching that one and cheering him on.

I was able to catch up with some family mamebers that I havent talked to for awhile. It's always nice to find out what's happening in their lives.

Now onto my card for today. It's time for antoejhr craft your passion challenge. I am guest designing with this blog for the month of June.

This week the challenge #63 is paper piecing. The sponsor is Ai Factory and there is a $10 prize for the store to be won. So join in on the fun.

My card is a digital image from coco-dingo. It's title "Rockette with a book". The craft your passion blog gave me some digital images to work wok for my guest design gig.

I paper pieced her sweater and the book she is reading. I used a Spellbinders scalloped rectangle to cut her out. I colored her hair with prismacolor pencils and gamsol.

My patterned paper is from Stampin-Up's "thoroughly modern" collection. The ribbon and card base colors are bermuda bay. I added some buttons and that completed my card.

So pull out your fave image and join along at craft your passion blog for a chance to win. So until next time, God bless .................




Some other challenges:

1.  The clear it out tuesday blog also has a paper piecing challenge.
2.  The corrosive challenge blog wants us to use ribbons and bows.
3.  The word play weekend #6 challenge is the word blue.