Let It Snow

 

Hello Blogger Friends and a happy Sunday to you all. It's only 2 weeks into winter and already we are not seeing the sun much here in Pittsburgh. It is cloudy and overcast here again today.

This is such typical winter weather for us. Tonight we are supposed to get snow and that will be the first of the season. But, I am not going to gripe and complain. I live here and our weather is what it is (lol)!!

Fortunately for me I have Ott lighting in my craft room so it's nice and bright there. And after this post is complete I will be in there for awhile working on a card.

First, though I plan on making a big pot of marinara sauce. My hubby is working today until 9:00 pm so he will enjoy a delicious plate of pasta when he comes home. I am going to use some of the tomatoes that I canned from our garden in the fall.

So let's get on with today's card. I mentioned in yesterday's post I was going to be showing the Christmas cards I made for a week or so. I hope you all will stay with me and check out what I made.

I bought this Memory Box "let it snow" die and decided to make a forest scene. My nephew and his family are hunters and outdoors people so I knew they would like this one. And they mentioned to me over Christmas how much they did. that always makes it worthwhile to get a kind compliment on your work.

My background is the new snowfall stencil from MFT. I used some 3-D molding paste with a bit of glitter for a raised design effect.

The birch trees are cut in tip top taupe with a Memory Box die. My deer are stamped in choc chip and then die cut. The die and stamp is from the PTI "in the meadow" set.

The snow bank is cut with the Lawn Fawn "stitched hillsides" die from glitter paper. I added a few birds cut in real red. And, to finish off the card my "let it snow" word is cut in red 3x for added dimension.

Well, Blogger friends time to close this post and get busy with my marinara sauce. So until next time..........God bless.

card details:
Stamps: : in the meadow (Paper Trey Ink) 
Paper: whisper  white, tip top taupe, real red   
Ink: choc chip 
Accessories: snowfall stencil (MFT), 3-D molding paste (American Traditional Designs), warm diamond glitter (Elizabeth Crafts) in the meadow die  (Paper Trey Ink), stitched hillside die (Lawn Fawn), birch trees trio & let it snow dies (Memory Box)  
I am also entering:
1. Challenge Up Your Life has a stitches challenge. I used a stitched hillside die.
2. Creative Corner Challenge is anything goes.
3.  PDE Linky Party has an anything goes challenge.
4.  AAA Card Game #55 is glitter.

Christmas Wreath

 

Hello Blogger friends and a happy Saturday to you all. I can't believe Christmas is on the wind down for another year. It was a great one here at the Marsh household. My son-daughter-in-law and granddaughter came in on the 27th of December and just left this morning.

We had plenty of family time with my son and family that lives here in Pittsburgh. A Christmas celebration on Christmas Day and then another one on the 29th with all of us.

Then on New Years Eve we all attended my niece's wedding. That was quite an event. We don't usually go out on this night so this was something different for us. We all stayed at the hotel where the wedding reception was held. Then in the morning after a brunch together we headed back here to my home.

My home is so quiet today. My hubby went to work and I took Brett and family to the airport. I kept myself busy so I wouldn't have time to think how much I miss them.

Now onto my card for today. I just didn't have the time to post all the Christmas cards I made so I will be doing that over the next week or so.  

On this one I used the wondrous wreath set from Stampin'-Up. It's a 2 step stamping set. My wreath is stamped in old olive and mossy meadow. Then I added real red berries. Layered the wreath onto some corrugated kraft paper.

The background panel is embossed with the Stampin'-Up "fancy fan" folder. Finished my card with the "joy" word.

Well, that's it for me for today. So until next time......God bless and happy new year.

card details:
Stamps: wondrous wreath (Stampin'-Up) 
Paper: real red, whispering white, kraft corrogated (Stampin'-Up) 
Paper Size: A2 
Ink: old olive, mossy meadow, real red 
Accessories: fancy fan ef & wreath framelits (stampin'-Up)

I am also entering:
1.  ABC Challenge has a Y is your choice challenge.
2.  Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge is anything goes.
3.  Let's Craft and Create has a Christmas challenge.

Christmas Nativity Scene

 

Merry Christmas Blogger Friends! After all the hustle and bustle of decorating, shopping, wrapping presents and sending cards the day has finally arrived. I am up early while the house is still quiet.

 

I have plenty of cooking to do today for our celebration with our son and his family. Then on Sunday my youngest son and his family arrive and we will have another celebration with them.

 

I wanted to get a blog post done before the busyness of my day takes over. Plus I feel as though I finally have a chance to sit and enjoy the fruits of all my hard work. So I am relaxing in front of the Christmas tree just taking everything in and sipping on my morning coffee.

 

Let's get to the details of this card. this one I made for the color challenge #560 on Splitcoaststampers. Maura was our hostess and she chosebaja breeze and night of navy. Optional is something gold (bling, embossing, foil etc).

 For my card I created a nativity scene with some dies from Impression Obsession. The silhouettes are cut in night of navy cardstock.
I wanted to create a soft glow look for the inside of the manger so I used some metallic gold cardstock and also for the Christmas star.

My background paper is from my stash that reminded me of a night sky. I only had one piece and I wanted to make a couple of these cards. Oh well!!

For the ground I used a Lawn Fawn die and cut in crumb cake cardstock. I stamped with a Sea Side Stampin' beach set that has sand and sand dunes.

My stars are cut in a sapphire metallic card stock with a die from Verve. And that's my sample for this Christmas Day 2015. Whatever your day holds my friends, I send you a blessing of peace and comfort. So until next time.......God bless and Merry Christmas.

 

card details:

Stamps: just beachy (Sea Side Stampin') 

Paper: baja breeze, night of navy, crumb cake, metallic gold & sapphire (The Paper Company), blue dp from stash 

Paper Size: A2 

Ink: crumb cake 

Accessories: small nativity & shepherds dies (Impression Obsession), starry die (Verve), stitched hillside die (Lawn Fawn), matting basics dies (Spellbinders)   

~Deer in Forest~

 

Hello Blogger Friends and a happy Sunday to you all. I made some definite progress in my Christmas preparations this weekend.

I worked feverishly on Friday and Saturday and finished the inside of the house. Today after church I want to get my card made for the color challenge on Splitcoaststampers. I am the hostess this week. Then I plan on getting my Christmas cards in the mail.

Tonight, we want to go to Kennywood Park, our local amusement park, for a Christmas light show. Friends of ours that have gone said it is really spectacular and definitely worth the visit. I put a link above so you can jump over and see what it's all about. It will be something different for Christmas that we have never done.

Now onto my card for today. This is one I made for the color challenge #558 on Splitcoaststampers. Peggy is our hostess and she chose tip top taupe, choc chip and watermelon wonder for her color trio. Optional is to use die cuts or punches.

tip top taupe, watermelon wonder, choc chip

 

My background is the new snowfall stencil from MFT. I used some 3-D molding paste with a bit of glitter for a raised design effect. I like how this turned out. I made a variation of this card and will post it another day.

The birch trees are cut in tip top taupe with a Memory Box die. My deer are stamped in choc chip and then die cut. They are from the PTI "in the meadow" set. This is the first time that I have used this stamps set for the deer. Usually I just die cut the deer. I like the look so much better by stamping first.

The snow bank is cut with the Lawn Fawn "stitched hillsides" die from glitter paper. I added a few birds cut in watermelon wonder. And, to finish off the card my "merry" word is cut in watermelon and then offset with choc chip.  

Well Blogger friends that's it for me for today. Time to get ready for church. So until next time........God bless.

card details:
Stamps: : in the meadow (Paper Trey Ink) 
Paper: whispering white, tip top taupe, choc chip, watermelon wonder 
Ink: choc chip 
Accessories: snowfall stencil (MFT), 3-D molding paste (American Traditional Designs), warm diamond glitter (Elizabeth Crafts) in the meadow & wonderful words dies (Paper Trey Ink), stitched hillside die (Lawn Fawn), birch trees trio (Memory Box) 
Techniques: mixed media, stencil

~Christmas Poinsettia~

 

Hello Blogger Friends and a happy Friday to all of you. Is all the busyness of this season getting to anyone yet besides me? Seems like I have more things to do than days to get them done.

 

Although, I made quite a big dent in my Christmas shopping the other day. As I was decorating I had QVC on the television and managed to zip through my list. That was a relief. I just have a few things more to buy and then  I will be done.

 

Haven't thought about my Christmas dinner yet. that usually requires some quiet time and a clear head to get my meal plans in order. I have Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dinners to think about.

 

Next week I have a day set aside for making my chocolate covered pretzels, oreos and cashew clusters. It's an all day event. Then I have my pizzelles and lady locks to make on another day.

 

Today, I will be decorating. I am still not finished with that yet. So let's move onto my card so I can get my day underway.

 

This is the 2nd card I made for color challenge #557. Karen was our hostess and she chose wild wasabi, cherry cobbler and soft sky for her color palette. Optional was to make 2 cards and fuss with one and not fuss with the other. Here is the first card  I made that was not so fussy.

wild wasabi, cherry cobbler, soft sky

 

This is my fussy card and a style that I gravitate to a lot. I just like adding layers, designer paper, die cuts etc.

For my background panel on this card, I used designer paper from the Stampin'-Up "under the tree" collection. Layered that onto a kraft card stock base.

The poinsettia is a die from MFT. I added some soft sky flourishes cut with a die from Memory Box.

Card center panel is embossed with the seasons greetings folder from Cuttlebug.

 

Finished my card with the die cut word "merry". This was cut in wild wasabi cardstock. The die is one from PaperTrey ink. I have made a couple of variations of this card and I will post those later.

 

That's it for me for today Blogger friends. So until next time........God bless.

 

card details:

Paper: cherry cobbler, soft sky, wild wasabi, kraft, under the tree dsp (Stampin'-Up) Paper Size: A2 Accessories: wonderful wods (Papertrey Ink), whimsical flourish (Memory Box), poinsettia die (MFT),seasons greetings ef (Cuttlebug)  

~Merry & Bright

 

Hello Blogger friends and a happy Thursday to you all. Well here we are with 15 days before Christmas. I have been busy as a bee trying to get tasks accomplished.

I did finish my Christmas cards and now to get them in the mail. Hopefully, I will get that done by Friday night. That is my goal anyway. I have been decorating and I am about 75% complete there. The trees aren't up yet but I hope to get one possibly 2 done today.

I also have preschool this morning and our lead teacher is away at Disney World so I am in charge this week. I have 2 assistants and they have been great. This time of year the kids get so excited and energetic. It's close to Christmas and getting colder so they don't get outside as often.

Although today and for the next several days the weather is supposed to be mild so hopefully we can get outdoors for 15-20 minutes. It helps them to unwind and burn off some energy.

We also have a visit today from our librarian. They love it when she comes to class. Her story reading and song singing keeps their interest for the 30 minutes she is here.

If you think about her please pray, she has breast cancer and is undergoing treatment. So we may not have her for the entire school year depending on how her treatment goes. Her name is Dolores.

Now onto my card for today. This is a card I made for the color challenge on Splitcoaststampers. Karen was our hostess and she chose the color palette #557 of wild wasabi, cherry cobbler an soft sky. Optional is to make a fussy and not so fussy card.

wild wasabi, cherry cobbler, soft sky

 So for my not so fussy card, I used my November Paper Pumpkin Kit from Stampin'-Up. It just so happens that the colors are cherry cobbler and a green. I changed things up a bit on the card by adding snowflakes punched in soft sky and cherry cobbler bakers twine.

I know I have mentioned it before, but the monthly Paper Pumpkin kits from Stampin'-Up are awesome. This kit had enough supplies to make 10 Christmas cards in 2 different designs.. You can make them exactly as the kits shows or add to them as you like. On this card I added my own bakers twine and snowflakes.

The sentiment is part of the stamp set that came in the kit. And the stamp sets that comes in each kit are exclusive to the Paper Pumpkin kits. So you don't have to worry that you already have that set and it will be a repeat.

And this kit helped me get 10 Christmas cards done in a flash. I will post the other cards I made because I changed up the design somewhat on them.

With that Blogger friends, it's time for me to close this post and get ready for pre-school. So until next time........God bless.

card details:
Stamps: mistletoe & holly (Stampin'-Up November Paper Pumpkin) 
Paper: cherry cobbler, soft sky, whisper white  
Paper Size: A2 
Ink: cherry cobbler 
Accessories: Paper Pumpkin Kit, snowflake punch (Marvy Uchida)

~Joy~

 

Hello Blogger friends and a happy Monday to you. The weekend seemed to roll in and out so quickly. Although I did get the rest of my Christmas cards made.

I had my stamping group here on Saturday and everyone was working on their cards. Linda, one of our group members, had already finished her cards so she was working on other projects. It's always fun to stamp with other people and chat as well. We try to get together every other month and it's always such an enjoyable time.

I completed 8 cards and then yesterday squeezed in 4 more. So I think I have enough now. Once I start making Christmas cards I don't want to stop. So I have to ask myself why I don't work on them year round so there isn't this frantic rush at Christmas. Maybe I will attempt this next year.

I was thinking last night as I was finishing up that I would like to color more. I avoid it because I am not that good at it. But, with anything practice helps. So that is something else I would like to do more of next year.

Now, onto my card for today. This card is one of those ones that was a one of a kind. I made it as a sample card for the color challenge #556. Vicki was the hostess and she chose tempting turquoise, real red and primrose petals as her color combo. Optional was to use a tag on your card.

 

I decided to do an emboss resist on this card. My snowflakes are stamped in versamark and then heat embossed with white embossing powder. I sponged the background with tempting turquoise ink. The embossed images resist the ink and only what's not heat embossed picks up color. This is a fun technique and here is a link for a tutorial. Just in case you have never done this before. Tutorial link.

Cut my joy word in primrose petals and tempting turquoise for the offset. To complete my card, I framed it with a die from Impression Obsession. Well, that;s it for me for this Monday. Time to get the Christmas decorating started. Lots to do there.

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

card details:
Stamps: winter post (Stampin'-Up), winter wonder (Verve) 
Paper: real red, white, tempting turquoise, primrose petals 
Paper Size: A2 
Ink: tempting turquoise 
Accessories: matting basics A & B (Spellbiners), rectangle die (Impression Obsession), Joy die (Paper Trey Ink), white emobssing powder (Stampendous) 
Techniques: emboss resist

I am also entering:
1.  Crafty Calendar has a let is snow challenge.
2.  Inkspirational has a flake challenge.
3.  Crafters Cafe wants us to use either die cuts or punches.
4.  Natalie and Amy's challenge is Christmas.
5.  Crafty Catz has a let it snow challenge.

~Trumpeting Angel~

 

Hello Blogger friends and a happy Friday to you all. Another weekend is upon us. And with Christmas just around the corner it will be a busy one.

I have not started decorating as yet and that is part of my weekend plan as well as finishing up my Christmas cards. Each year I way I am going to make Christmas cards all year and then I will have a selection at Christmas. But, somehow that never happens. Can you relate (lol)???

I have some stamping friends coming over tomorrow to work on our Christmas cards. It will be a fun day so I hope it's also a productive one as well. I really need to do some clean and simple cards but that style is a bit challenging for me. Probably need to peruse Pinterest a bit and see what I can find for some ideas.

Now onto my card for today. This is one I made for the color challenge #549 on Splitcoaststampers. I was the hostess and the color trio I chose was lost lagoon, silver and white.

My background die is from Cheery Lynn Designs - the Arabian Nights cutting plate, and I cut it in lost lagoon. My trumpeting angel is a die from Impression Obsession. I cut her once in silver and then in lost lagoon. I offset ever so slightly.

She is framed in a Spellbinders labels 28 die. The "peace" word is a die from Paper Trey Ink. I finished by adding a small bow and some stars scattered over the background die cut. 

Well, that's it for me for today Blogger friends. Have to get started with my day. So until next time........God bless.

card details:
Paper: whisper white, lost lagoon, silver (Stampin'-Up) 
Paper Size: A2 
Accessories: Arabian Nights die (Cherry Lynn Designs), Labels 28 (Spellbinders), holiday words die (PaperTreyInk), starry die (Verve), Angel (impression Obsession), lost lagoon ribbon (Stampin'-Up) 

I am also entering: 
1.  Creative Knockouts has a tis the season challenge.
2.  DL.Art thankful Thursday challenge is Christmas.
3.  Scrap & Craft has an anything Christmas challenge.
4.  Addicted to Stamps and more has a holiday challenge.
5.  Double Click Skittles has a Christmas or blue & white challenge. My card fits both.
6.  Fresh Brewed Designs has a Christmas challenge. 

HYCCT1526 ~wishes have wings~

 

Hello Blogger friends and thanks for taking the time to visit the Charmed Life Blog. The Christmas countdown is beginning on so many sites and with retailers.
I am trying not to think about it but how can you help it? I am making progress on my Christmas cards at least. I have not started decorating yet and then there is still the shopping and baking to be done.

I have to be super organized with my time and take advantage of the time I do have. Sometimes that's easier said than done. Today my plan is to get a bit of decorating done and then get back to my Christmas cards.

 

The one I will be working on today will be relatively easy to mass produce. At least I think so (lol). I am going to start posting them on my blog beginning tomorrow. With that being said let's move onto today's card.

 

This is another of the one's I made for the Hope You Can Cling To Challenges on Splitcoaststampers. For this 26th challenge, Kelli Jo was our hostess and she wanted us to make a card with a fairy on it.

 

I also used the colors from the color challenge #554. Maura was the hostess there and she chose crumb cake, baja breeze and mossy meadow for her color palette. Option was to use designer paper.

 

So my card started with the colors and the image. I just needed my layout and I decided to use this week's MOJO421 sketch. It's a tall and skinny card - 3 ½ x 5 ½.

 My fairy image is a stamp from Great Impressions - "fairy silhouette". I stamped with crumb cake ink and cut with a Spellbinders circle die. Before taking it out of the die I sponged with baja breeze and mossy meadow inks.

My designer paper is from the Stampin'-Up "ski slope" collection. With the background swirls, I thought it looked like the wishes flying. I stamped my sentiment also from Great Impressions - "wishes have wings" in mossy meadow ink and added a few die cut sequins.

To complete my card and this sketch I used some crumb cake ribbon and mossy meadow twine. And that my friends is my card for today. Have to get busy with my day- so until next time........God bless.

card details:
Stamps: fairy silhouette, wishes have wings (Great Impressions Stamps) 
Paper: ww, baja breeze, mossy meadow, ski slope dsp (Stampin'-Up) 
Paper Size: 3 1/2 x 5 1/2 
Ink: crumb cake, baja breeze, mossy meadow 
Accessories: circle dies (Spellbinder), sequin die (MFT), crumb cake ribbon, mossy meadow thick twine (Stampin'-Up), corner rounder (Marvy Uchida)  

I am also entering:
1.  Lemon Shortbread has an anything goes challenge.
2.  PaperTake Weekly has an anything goes challenge.
3.  Retro Rubber has an anything goes challenge. This stamp is at least 2 years old.
4.  Crafting From The Heart has an anything goes challenge.
5.  Not Just Cards has an anything goes challenge.

 

HYCCT1518 ~my paper masterpiece~

 

 

Hello Blogger Friends and a happy Sunday to you all. Well Thanksgiving has come and gone and now the mad rush to Christmas begins. I did go out to one store on Black Friday to pick up a gift. It wasn't on sale but I had a coupon and wanted to get it for my daughter-in-law.

Yesterday I went to lunch with my son and daughter-in-law at a restaurant on their side of town. The food was really good as was the company. I then had a chance to stop at our local craft store that happens to be located on their side of town.

Last night I managed to get 11 Christmas cards done. In the process of cleaning out my craft room, I found an old Stampin'-Up Christmas card kit. I almost got rid of it and then decided to put a card together to see what they looked like.

I really liked how they turned out and this mass production will allow me to make the one of a kind single cards that I usually do. The mass produced cards go to people who don't really care about my handmade cards. So I have an A and a B list for Christmas cards (lol)!

So that was my weekend. I hope yours allowed for some great family time as well s crafty time. Now onto my card for today.

This is another I made for the Hope You Can Cling To Challenges on Splitcoaststampers. For this 18th challenge, Emily was our hostess and she had an unusual challenge. She wanted us to pick a famous painting and use it as an inspiration to make a card.

Here is the painting I chose. It's titled Rosa Kosmeen by Heidi Reil. As soon as I saw it, I knew I had the perfect designer paper to create my masterpiece.

I used the "painted blooms" collection from Stampin'-Up. I let the designer paper do the work and I just stamped my sentiment.

My card colors are blackberry bliss and rose red. And, that's my card for today. Time to bring this post to a close. So until next time.......God bless.

card details:
Stamps: painted petals (Stampin'-Up)
Paper: blackberry bliss, rose red, painted blooms dsp (Stampin'-Up)
Paper Size: A2 Ink: blackberry bliss, old olive, rose red
Accessories: Matting Basics A & B, circle dies (Stampin'-Up), stamp-a-ma-jig 

I am also entering: 
1.  AAA Cards has an anything goes challenge. 
2.  Come and Get It has an anything goes with a sentiment.  
3.  Crafting With Friends has an anything goes.