Friends of Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Blog Hop

For the Ribbon Carousel Blog Hop click here:

Happy Thursday and welcome to the Charmed Life Blog. Today I am celebrating with Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps 5th anniversary. Korin has invited me to be a part of this Friends of Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Blog Hop.

My relationship started with Korin and SNSS back in February of 2011. It was a Tuesday morning and she sent me an email inviting me to be a part of her design team. I still have the email by the way.

Little did she know that I was feeling down because just the day before I had received the news that I did not make the final cut for the Spellbinders design team. I was in the final round of  20 but only 12 made the team. Korin's email put me on cloud 9 and I did not have to think about it very long before I said yes.

It was so exciting working with her for 6 months. She is such an encourager and so supportive of my work. So thank you Korin for a chance to celebrate with you.

There are prizes to be won for joining us in this hop.

~There will be 4 random participants that will win a $15 store credit to SNSS.

~To be included in the drawings, comments must be left by midnight EST Friday, November 30th.

~The winners will be announced on the SNSS Blog on December 1st at 8am EST

For my card today I used the Christmas Light set, candle die and the Light of Christmas background stamp. I colored my candle with copics and prismacolor pencils.


My designer paper is from BoBunny -the "Father Christmas" collection and also Provo Crafts "winter berries".  The cardstock is Stampin-Up's cherry cobbler, very vanilla and Bazzill ivy.  

The oval dies are Spellbinders floral and small ovals. I sponged the background with some distress inks. An idea that I borrowed from Cathy McCauley.
To complete my card I punched a mini tag and stamped the word "Christmas". It's from the Christmas Light set.
 

The card layout is this weeks Splitcoaststampers sketch #413.

That's it for me so leave a comment for a chance to win and then move to the next blog. The blog hop order is listed below.

Ribbon Carousel & Great Impressions Stamps Blop Hop

Happy Wednesday and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. Today the design teams from Great Impressions Stamps and the Ribbon Carousel are teaming up for a blog hop.

You should have arrived here from Jenny's blog. If not the hop list is at the bottom of this post.

Prizes- you can win a $25 gift certificate for Ribbon Carousel as well as a $25 gift certificate from Great Impressions Stamps. Just for leaving comments!! 

My card today is using the "scent of a rose stamp -G456". I stamped in soft suede ink for a vintage look.

I used 2 different Ribbon Carousel ribbons on this card. I layered a net ribbon over my daffodil center panel.
The unwired net ribbon is a beautiful shade of brown that matched my soft suede card stock so wonderfully.

On top of the net ribbon I used a champagne shimmery sheer ribbon. I love the look of these 2 ribbons together.

I made a bow and added a pearl center-cut a doily die in daffodil to complete this card.

My next sample is a Christmas tag. I cut the tag using a Spellbinders labels 4 die in red. I die-cut a Sizzix tag and stamped the sentiment. I used the Great Impressions stamp - "have yourself E512".

To complete my tag I added a felt snowflake and some green 3/4" twill v striped ribbon. This is a great trendy ribbon and complimented my tag so well. I tied the ribbon with some jute and added a red button. Now I have my first tag done for Christmas (lol).

You next stop on the hop is Peggy's blog.


Some other challenges:
1. Crafts and Me has a ribbon or trim challenge
2. Simon Says Stamp has an anything goes challenge. 3.

Happy Birthday Deone

Happy Monday and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. I feel like I am still recovering from the somewhat hectic Thanksgiving weekend.

I did manage to get some Christmas shopping done but no decorating yet. I want to start wrapping the gifts so I am not rushing at the last minute trying to get them finished.
My son-daughter-in-law and baby granddaughter are coming for Christmas so there won't be time to spend wrapping then. I have a plan now I just have to stick to it (lol)!!

Today is a special day for the owner of Great Impressions Stamps. It's Deone's birthday!! In honor of that all of the design team is having a virtual birthday party for her. We have all created a birthday card for her and posted on the Great Impressions Blog as well as our own.

For my card I used the stamp "E742 birthday wishes". I stamped in a turquoise ink.

The card layout is from an older ftl216. However since I struggle with cas cards I just kept adding stuff till it looked like the type of card that I create (lol)!!
These are also the colors from cc401 on Splitcoaststampers. Vicki chose tempting turquoise, gumball green and pear pizzazz.

My background paper is Stampin-Up’s tempting turquoise and I added some gumball green satin stitched ribbon to divide the panels. My ribbon treatment has a gumball green dahlia button.

The rosette is cut in pear pizzazz with a turquoise center and another dahlia button. Punched some butterflies in pear pizzazz to complete my card. Hope you like the virtual birthday party the design team is having for you, Deone.

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

Vintage Bicycle

Happy Friday everyone and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration. There was a houseful here and we had good food, conversation and fellowship. I prepared a 23 lb turkey and there is not much left.

I wanted to go out shopping for Black Friday but right now I have no energy. So I am sitting here sipping my coffee. Our youngest grandson spent the night. He and hubby will be going to the local high school football championship games today. It's becoming a tradition with them each year. So I will have some free time this afternoon and I may go shopping then.

My card for today is one that is also featured on the Great Impressions Blog. Every Friday I post on there as part of the design team.

For my card, I started by choosing my layout. This one is this weeks MojoMonday #262 sketch.
I then chose my designer paper, which was easy because I knew I wanted to use this chevron design. It’s from Stampin-Up’s collection.

My image is from Great Impressions stamps – "vintage big wheel"- E683.
I stamped it in midnight muse and then used a spellbinder circle die to cut it out. Layered that on another Spellbinder scalloped circle die and then layered that on an MFT dizzy doily die in more mustard.

My pennants are from Spellbinders. I added some more mustard buttons in the corner and punched a razzleberry butterfly to complete my card. Well time to close this post so until next time.........God bless.

Harvest Blessings

Happy Wednesday and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. I am right on schedule with my Thanksgiving preparations. So that makes me happy.

I wanted to post this card before I get into my day. This is another that I made for the Hope You Can Cling To Challenges on Splitcoaststampers. Lydia was our hostess and she wants us to use any outdoorsy inspiration for our card.

My inspiration comes from the gardens in my neighborhood including my own. Asters, butterflies, pear trees can all be found here.

My background designer paper is from Graphic 45 -the Eden Symphony collection. I paired it up with Stampin-Up's so saffron and cherry cobbler card stock.

The printed aster tag is from Crafty Secrets "autumn blessings". I used the Verve set "bountiful harvest" and stamped in cherry cobbler ink.

Added a flag pennant and a bow with a vintage brad center.

That's my card for today. Hope all my American readers have a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration. So until next time........God bless.

Some other challenges:
1.  Loves Rubber Stamps Challenge is to use ribbon.
2.  Ribbon Carousel has a giving thanks/fall challenge.
3.  The Stamping Boutique has a giving thanks challenge.
4.  Use It Tuesdays Challenge is "be thankful". My images are from 2011-purchased but never used until this year.

~Friend~

Happy Monday and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog.  Well it's Thanksgiving week and life is super busy.

I have 14 people coming for dinner on Thursday and all my preps have started today. I cleaned my upstairs today and tomorrow its the downstairs.  Then I have errands to run tomorrow and also finish the food shopping.

Wednesday will be spent cutting onions and celery and bread cubes, baking a pumpkin pie and making my speciality mashed potatoes. I will set both tables on Wednesday so I dont have to deal with that on Thursday.

This holiday is a favorite of mine and I love spending it with family.

Now onto my card for today. This is another that I made for the Hope you Can Cling To Challenges on Splitcoaststampers. This was challenge 24 and Libby was our hostess. She wanted us to make a card using the kissing technique. Info on that technique here.

My card is using Verve's "great friend" set. I stamped the flower in blushing bride ink and then the background stamp in bravo burgundy ink. My background stamp is Stampabilities "faded text".

I used the layout from the Viva la Verve October Week 2.

My background paper is Stampin-Up's "paisley petals" designer paper. I used baja breeze on my flower panel and layered that with the upper crest edge punch in bravo burgundy.

Used a leaf die from Cheery Lynn designs and cut it in old olive cardstock. My sentiment is also from the same Verve set and stamped in bravo burgundy.

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

Some other challenges:
1.  Artistic Inspirations has an anything goes challenge.
2.  Crafty Cardmakers wants us to use more than 1 punch/die. I used a die and a punch.
3. Paper Playtime has an anything goes challenge.

Love is a Fruit

Happy Sunday and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. We just returned from my youngest Grandson's basketball game.

Yes, he goes from one sport to the next. Just last Sunday we watched him play a championship football game. This Sunday it was a pre-season basketball tournament. What we liked about it besides getting to watch Ethan play was that it was held in the community we live in.
So instead of having to drive 45-50 minutes to get to the game we drove 5 minutes. Made it so nice for us. They won the tournament final game 32-30. Now we are home in time to watch the Pittsburgh Steelers play Sunday night football.

On another note, I had a voice mail message from my 2 year old granddaughter. Yes, she is comfortable with technology (lol)!!
She will take my son's I-Pad or his I-Phone and start touching the screen. When they try and take it from her she just says "Grandma" and sometimes they will give me a call or we use the FaceTime feature.

So yesterday she made a cell call to me but I missed it. But, good for me because I now have a voice mail message that I can save for a s long as I want to.

Phoenix Daisy

She is starting to talk in sentences or attempting to anyway. So her message was "hi Grandma (pronounced Bam-Ma by her)-then some silence then "how are you Bam-Ma".

I was all giggly the rest of the day just thinking about her. I even took my cell to church to let some of my friends listen to her. And of course I posted it on FaceBook. Oh, I am so one of those Grandmothers.

Now onto my card for today. This is another that I made for the Hope You Can Cling To Challenges on Splitcoaststampers.

Denise was our hostess and her challenge #22 was to use only one of each supply...one stamp, one button, one sheet of DP, one sheet of colored card stock, one rhinestone etc. You can use any combination of things but only one of each type of product (the card base, a sentiment stamp, and ink don't count).

For my card: 1 flower image (recycled from a wedding invite), 1 sentiment, 1 die cut, 1 colored card stock, 1 patterned paper. That completed my card for this challenge.

It's time to dim the lights in Charmed Life Land for another day. So until next time......God Bless.


Some other challenges:
1.  The Squirrel and The Fox has an anything goes challenge.
2.  Happy Campers Craft Collective has a "bright colors" challenge.
3.  Pin and Tack Handcrafted Delights has an anything goes challenge.

Heard you needed a lift

Happy Saturday everyone and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. Our dinner and trip to the Benedum Center to see War Horse was more than amazing.
We ate at the Capital Grille. Its just a few blocks from the theater and the food was delicious. Their speciality is dry aged steaks. This process makes the meat so tender. I have purchased steaks from our local speciality market that is dry aged. If you like steak, you should these. It's pricey but oh so worth it for a special occasion.

I had filet mignon with onions and wild mushrooms. We all shared the sides of Lobster mac 'n cheese, roasted mushrooms, grilled asparagus, and parmesan truffle fries. It was all a culinary delight.

The War Horse played to a packed house. It is a World War I drama that had a successful run on Broadway and now has hit the road for stops in 19 cities across the US. Again if it comes to your city-go and see it. You will be so impressed with the production.

Now onto my card for today. This is another one I created for the Hope You Can Cling To Challenges on Splitcoaststampers. Lisa was our hostess for challenge 20 "hope is in the air" was her theme. 

She wanted us to create a card with something that can be found up in the air. I knew immediately that I was going to do a hot air balloon card.

My images are all cut from Stampin-Up designer paper. The hot air balloon is from the "tall tales" collection and my house, clouds and trees are from the "welcome neighbor" collection.

I cut a hill from old olive designer paper with the PaperTrey ink "in the meadow" die.

My sentiment is Waltzingmouse stamps "half pint heroines" set. That's my card for today.

Time to run off to watch Ethan play a basketball game. So until next time.......God bless.

Some other challenges:
1.  Totally Gor-juss has a plain and simple challenge.
2.  Daring Cardmakers has a just because challenge.
3.  Simply Create Too has a use your stash challenge. All my elements were from my stash.  Designer paper that I have had for 2 years.

Three Snow Friends

Happy Friday everyone and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. Another weekend is upon us and I hope you have some fun plans.

Tonight my son and daughter-in-law are taking me to the theater in Pittsburgh to see the production of War Horse. We are going to a great restaurant in downtown for dinner before the theater. I will let you know tomorrow all about it.

This has been a new release week for Great Impressions Stamps. The design team has been showing great cards all week. Drop by the blog, there are prizes to be won.

My sample today is done with 2 new stamps -three snow friends J107 for my image. I colored these with prismacolor pencils and gamsol and paper pieced the pink scarf and hat. Added some polar white flower soft on this panel. The snowflakes are glittered with a clear Sakura glitter pen.

The background snowflakes are falling snowflakes E772 and stamped in Stampin-Up's marina mist ink.
The blue panels are marina mist card stock anddesigner pape. I used a Sizzix snowflake embossing folder.

The card layout is from this week's Splitcoaststampers sketch challenge #411. 

Added some mesh ribbon over the top red panel. That's my card for today so until next time....... God bless!!!!!

Some other challenges:
1.  4 Crafty Chicks has a winter challenge.
2.  Crimbo Crackers has a snowmen challenge.
3.  Crafts and Me has Christmas with non-traditional colors.
4. My Mum's Craft Shop has a winter wonderland challenge.

Primrose Birthday

Happy Thursday and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. It was a busy day yesterday and I didn't get a chance to post to my blog.

I started my day with a cooking class at the Crate Cook. It's a demonstration type class so they prepare everything in front of you. And then we get to eat and enjoy it plus take home all the recipes.

It was a Thanksgiving meal, and I got some great new recipes. They butterflied a turkey, served bread stuffing in sweet dumpling squash bowls. I never had this type of squash before and it is delicious. Plus the presentation was so elegant.

The cranberry sauce was really good as was our pumpkin creme brulee for dessert.
We started our meal with a mixed green salad with a cider vinaigrette. They sauteed some honey crisp apples and added hazelnut coated goat cheese.

Needless to say I thoroughly enjoyed this lunch and learn.

Then last night I was working on thank you cards to give to the young couple that I had the baby shower for a week ago. They are all done and ready to be delivered to her today.

Now onto my card for today. This one I made for a couple of challenges on Splitcoaststampers.

For color challenge #398, Peggy was our hostess and she chose the soft, feminine color palette of primrose petals, pretty in pink and very vanilla.

My layout this week is the MojoMonday sketch #264. 
I mainly used embossing folders on my card instead of designer paper. My background is using the fancy fan embossing folder in pretty in pink. On the middle rectangle panel I used the Sizzix embossing folder “kassie’s brocade” in primrose petals.

The center square panel is stamped with the “faded text” stamp from Stampabilities in primrose petals on very vanilla cardstock.

On the circle panel I stamped my happy birthday sentiment from Verve stamps “wishing you”.  To complete this card I added some very vanilla & primrose petals ribbon.

My card is also for the Hope You Can Cling To Challenge 19 "a birthday in pink". Cindy is our hostess and she had an inspiration challenge for us. We were to pick one of the pictures she posted and make our birthday card.

Well that's it for me today. I am off to finish another card for the Great Impressions new Christmas stamps release week. So stop by again tomorrow to see what I have created.

Some other challenges:
1.  Lady Anne's stamp challenge is anything goes.
2.  Divas By Design also has an anything goes.
3.  Penny's Paper-Crafty is anything goes.
4.  365 cards wants us to make a "wordy background".