Christmas Poinsettia

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

My son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter are here from CA for a week. We have had some wonderful family time. 

It's been so hot and humid here in Pittsburgh this past week. I just came from a refreshing swim with my granddaughter and hubby in our neighbor's pool. My granddaughter is busy with an art project right now so I thought I would do a quick Blog post.

This card I made to celebrate Christmas in July. I used the colors from the color challenge #955.  We were to use soft succulent, poppy parade and petal pink for the color trio. Optional is Christmas in July. 

petal pink, poppy parade, soft succulent

I don't have petal pink cardstock, so I used powder pink for my poinsettia. Since there are no veins in this die, I added them with powder pink ink and a brush and for the top layer I used a R20 Copic marker.

The leaves are cut in soft succulent cardstock and then shaded with the same ink for a deeper hue. After I finished this card, I found some soft succulent glimmer paper, so I cut the holly leaves in that paper for a little shine. I decided not to remove the other piece of cardstock but kept it for a darker border.

Stamped my Merry Christmas sentiment in poppy parade. It's a new to me stamp set from The Ton Stamps. It's called "fill it in holiday". I bought it last year at a rubber stamp show but never used it at Christmas. Found it a couple of days ago.

That's it for me for this post. So until next time.....God bless.

Card Details:

Stamps: fill it in holiday (The Ton Stamps)

Paper: poppy parade, soft succulent, powder pink, soft succulent glimmer paper (Stampin' Up)

Paper Size: 5" x 6"

Ink: soft succulent, powder pink (Stampin' Up)

Accessories: poinsettia floral die (CottageCutz), poppy parade enamel dots (Stampin' Up)

I am also entering:

1.  Cardz 4 Galz wants us to use soemthing beginning with a "P". 

2.  Creative Knockouts has a Christmas in July challenge. 

3.  Krafty Chicks has an all occasions challenge. 

4.  Crafty Gals has a Christmas in July challenge. 

5.  Simon Says Stamp has an anything goes challenge. 

Peace and Joy Snow Globe

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

I can't believe that July 2023 is almost a wrap. The summer months seem to be flying by that's for sure. I have been busy with the harvest from my hubby's veggie garden. 

It seems I get the harvest taken care of and then another huge batch comes through. But, it will be wonderful to enjoy the delicious food this coming winter. 

I wanted to get some of my Christmas in July cards posted before July is over. I have several of them.

This one I made for the color challenge #952 on Splitcoaststampers. The colors we were to use were daffodil delight, melon mambo, granny apple green and coastal cabana. Optional was to use die cuts or a punch.

daffodil delight, melon mambo, granny apple green, coastal cabana

I love this color combo and thought I would try making a Christmas card. I wanted to use these new Folk Art dies from CottageCutz and the colors were perfect for the house and trees. So I decided to put them into a snow globe.

I used some older designer paper from the "snowflake splendor" collection for the background and then covered it with vellum for a softer appeal.

For the snow effect inside the snow globe, I used the softly falling embossing folder. I covered the images with a window sheet, but you can't really tell in this photo.

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

card details:

Paper: coastal cabana, daffodil delight, granny apple green, melon mambo, choc chip, vellum, snowflake splendor dsp (Stampin' Up)

Paper Size: A2

Accessories: folk art house (large) die, folk art trees die, circle die, snowglobe die, peace and joy wreath die (CottageCutz), window sheet, softly falling ef (Stampin' Up) )

Techniques: die cuts

I am also entering:

1.  The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge is anything goes. 

2.  The Crafters Cafe has a Christmas in July challenge. 

3.  Get Creative Challenges #123 is Christmas in July. 

4.  Craft Rocket Challenge is Christmas in July

5.  Christmas Craft Creations is anything goes. 

Folk Art Heart

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

It's been a busy couple of weeks here in my home. My hubby's garden harvest is coming in abundantly, and I have been busy making pesto and freezing, stuffing banana peppers and freezing, making zucchini bread and enjoying and also stuffing zucchini. 

I made a birthday meal for my next-door neighbor as well. I sent over some stuffed zucchini (hot & sweet Italian sausage) and some of my homemade pesto and pasta. She loved her gift as did her hubby.

Now this coming week my California kids are coming in for a week. I am so excited to see them and enjoy some great family time. My precious little granddaughter has been counting down the days. As I am!

Now onto my card for today. This one I created for a group DT post on the CottageCutz Blog. A new release of Folk Art designs are in the online store and this is one of the cards I have made. More to come so stay tuned. 

I used the colors from this week's color challenge #951 on Splitcoaststampers.
We were to use berry burst, lemon lolly and shaded spruce for our color trio. Optional was flowers and they are part of the folk art heart. 

berry burst, lemon lolly, shaded spruce

I embossed the card base with a floral embossing folder for added interest since this card is a bit more on the clean and simple side.  The folder is from the Stampin' Up "Greenery" folders. 

The heart is cut in the required challenge colors. I stamped my sentiment in berry burst ink on lemon lolly cardstock. Added a few sequins to finish off the card.

I made this card for my good friend who is dealing with a "C" diagnosis on her hubby. I want to let her know that I am supporting both of them.

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

Card details:

Stamps: charming sentiments (Stampin' Up)

Paper: very vanilla, lemon lolly, berry burst, shaded spruce (Stampin' Up)

Paper Size: A2

Ink: berry burst (Stampin' Up)

Accessories: folk art heart die (CottageCutz), greenery embossing folders (Stampin' Up), sequins (Darice)

Techniques: dry embossing

I am also entering:
1.  Creative Fingers Challenge is anything goes. 

2.  Creative Inspiration Challenge is anything goes. 

3.  Tic Tac Toe Challenge #218. I chose friendship, any color, any shape die.

4.  Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday is anything goes. 

5.  Word Art Wednesday is anything goes. 

Floral Birthday

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

It's been a good weekend. We went to a graduation party yesterday for one of our neighbor's sons. I can't believe he is all grown up now.

 

He and a few other kids used to come in the summer and ring our doorbell and then run. You know the things kids think are funny. When we asked them about it a funny thing happened. They stopped doing it. I guess since they were found out it was no fun anymore. 

Anyway, it was a day to honor him for all his high school accomplishments and for his acceptance into college this fall. 

Now onto my card for today. This one I made for the color challenge #953 on Splitcoaststampers. We were to use sweet sorbet, azure afternoon and balmy blue for the color trio. Optional was to use your favorite green. I chose granny apple green.

sweet sorbet, balmy blue, azure afternoon

My card is using an older Stampin' Up set- Bloom by Bloom. This is the first inking of this set. This one was inspired by a card Magie Etampes that I saw on Pinterest. She used a totally different color palette.

I don't have sweet sorbet ink, so I used watermelon wonder. It's a very close match. I used azure afternoon to stamp the dots. I ink blended the corner of the image panel and then the corner of the card base with tumbled glass distress ink. It a nice match for balmy blue.

I added a sweet sorbet layer to my image panel. Die cut the birthday sentiment in sweet sorbet and white cardstocks to complete my card.

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

Card details:

Stamps: Bloom by Bloom (Stampin' Up)

Paper: whitem sweet sorbet (Stampin' Up), Bristol smooth cardstock (Canson)

Paper Size: A2

Ink: watermelon wonder, azure afternoon (Stampin' Up), tumbled glass distress (Ranger)

Accessories: stitched scallop rectangle die, birthday w/shadow die (CottageCutz)

I am also entering:

1.  We Love Stamping has a florals challenge. 

2.  Gem of a Challenge is anything goes. 

3.  Sweet Stampin' has a Flowers/Blooming Beautiful challenge. 

4.  Krafty Chicks has a stamp-act challenge. 

5.  TTTC216 -from the board-I chose-green/blue-layers-die cut

July 4 - God Bless America

Hello Blogger friends! Thanks fortaking the time to stop and visit with The Charmed Life Blog today. It's the 4th of July and our Independence Day celebration today in the USA. 

Hope whatever you have planned is fun and a relaxing time to spend with friends and family. We are going out with friends this afternoon. Tonight will be a quiet evening at home. Usually some of our neighbors put on a fireworks display so we will get to see some. 

The City of Pittsburgh has one as well but it's a bit crazy going down there to watch. We did that one year and took the transit train back home but getting on took some time and the crowds with the same idea was amazing. So we don't go down anymore. 

My card for today is featuring the Statue of Liberty die in a diagonal joy fold design. Here is a link to another card I made in this design with a complete tutorial. All the dies on today's card are from CottageCutz.

I looked at photos online of the Statue of Liberty to get an idea of the color. Over the years it took on a green patina with copper underneath. So, I attempted to recreate that color by using distress inks in salvaged patina and hickory smoke.

For the background on this image panel, I used prized ribbon, salvaged patina and villainous potion distress inks for the ink blending. My buildings are cut from the City Skyline Slimline die and I added a few glittery stars to this panel.

On the diagonal panel I used designer paper and I cut my July 4 phrase from the Stitched Alphabet and Stitched Numbers die.  The red swirl is part of the USA Flag die that I had left over from another card.
This is a photo of the card closed. 

And here is the card inside. I used the Fireworks die from CottageCutz. 

That's it for me for this post. So until next time......God bless. 

I am also entering:

1. Crafting Happiness Challenge is anything goes. 

2.  Cupcake Inspirations has a red, white and blue challenge. 

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

4.  Cardz For Galz has a more than one fold challenge. 

5.  Creative Creases challenge #60 is anything goes with a fun fold.  

America...Land that I Love

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

It's our Independence Day weekend here in the U.S. The actual celebration is on the 4th of July but people will be celebrating with families and friends on different days. We will be celebrating with some friends on the 4th. 

Our community had a fireworks display last evening. We were set to go but changed our minds at the last minute.  We have been having bad air quality from the Canadian forest fires. So, we decided to stay home. 

But, I am celebrating today with a slimline card that I made using CottageCutz dies. The inspiration for my card came from a red truck that I saw driving by me recently. I loved the flag furling in the wind from the back of his truck. So, my card idea was born.

Design Steps:
I cut my flag in red, white and blue. I love how the detail in this die that gives the impression that it is waving in the wind.

Next, I cut my truck. I used the CottageCutz die - Flatbed Truck w/Accessories. 

I stenciled some clouds in broken china distress ink and added a 1/2" section of black cardstock with small white lines down the middle as a road for the truck. 

My card elements are ready and I can start card assembly. I attached the truck and the flag with dimensional adhesive. The America Phrase was secured with clear drying glue.

To finish off my card, I stamped a sentiment underneath the America phrase and scattered a few stars.

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

Card Details:

Stamps: God Bless America (Blue Knight Stamps)

Paper: white, real red, blueberry bushel, soft suede, black, smoky slate, basic gray (Stampin' Up)

Paper Size: 8 1/2" x 4"

Ink: blueberry bushel (Stampin' Up), broken china distress (Ranger)

Accessories: Flatbed Truck, USA Flag, Patriotic Rainbow

Techniques: slimline card

I am also entering:

1.  Sweet Stampin' has a no designer paper challenge. 

2.  Creative Fingers has an anything goes challenge. 

3.  Crafty Calendar has an anything goes challenge. 

4.  Krafty Chicks Challenge is anything goes. 

5.  Word Art Wednesdays has an anything goes challenge. 

Happy Birthday Brother

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

June is quickly going to become history and July will be upon us. We will be celebrating the 4th of July this weekend. 

Our local community is going to have fireworks Friday evening. Not sure why they moved it up this year. But we will be there along with a whole lot of other people enjoying a beautiful display in the night sky. 

Now onto my card for today. This masculine card is for my brother who is an avid trout fisherman. He has a lake near his home and would go every morning and catch the limit for the day. He even shared with my hubby and I. They were already scaled, debone and filleted and ready for a quick pan fry. So delicious and healthy.

I created my outdoor fishing scene using dies from CottageCutz. Used the Pond w/Cattails & Lily Pad die, the Fishing Pole & Boat and the Fishing Gear die. 

I was inspired by this card I saw on Pinterest. I changed it up by using different colors and dies from CottageCutz, eliminated the sun, clouds and grass and added fishing boots and a bobber.

My background is bermuda bay designer paper from the "oh so ombre" collection from Stampin' Up.

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

card details:

Stamps: computer generated

Paper: cherry cobbler, bermuda bay, old olive, pacific point, smoky slate. soft suede, baked brown sugar, crumb cake, oh so ombre dsp (Stampin' Up)

Paper Size: A2

Ink: early espresso, soft suede (Stampin' Up)

Accessories: fishing pole & boat, fishing gear, pierced wide rectangle frame dies (CottageCutz),

I am also entering:

1.  Simon Says Stamp has an anything goes challenge. 

2.  2 Sisters on the Blog has a men's card and hobby challenge. 

3.  The Creative Crafter has an anything goes challenge. 

4.  Make My Monday has an "on the water" challenge".

5.  Gem of a Challenge has an anything goes challenge. 

America - Celebrating July 4th

Hello Blogger Friends! Thanks for taking the time to stop and visit with The Charmed Life Blog today. The last Sunday in June- just wondering how this month went by so quickly. It's now officially summer and I am enjoying it. 

Looking forward to my California kids coming in a few weeks. It's always a great family time. My daughter-in-law and granddaughter are up in Boston now with her parents. My son will join them and then they fly here to Pittsburgh. I am anticipating their arrival. My granddaughter and I will have a great time doing lots of fun things together. 

Now onto my card for today. This one I made to send out for a 4th of July card to one of my friends. I like to make and send partiotic cards. They are always appreciated by the recipient. 

Card details:

I decided to make a nighttime city skyline card. I started off doing some ink blending of the sky using distress inks. I used Bristol smooth cardstock and prized ribbon, villainous potion, black soot, fossilized amber and wild honey inks. I think this cardstock blends the inks so smoothly.
Slimline Panel: 8 1/2" x 3 3/4"

Then I cut the America phrase and the fireworks image in red and blue cardstocks.

For the city skyline, I used the City Skyline Slimline die and cut it in black cardstock.

Now I am ready to start my card assembly. I attached the images with a clear drying liquid glue and double-sided tape.

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

Dies I used to create card:

I am also entering:

1.  Crafty Calendar Challenge is summertime. 

2.  Lil Patch of Crafty Friends is anything goes. 

3.  Double Trouble has a something, anything, everything challenge - optional slimline. 

4.  Craft Rocket Challenge wants us to use dies. 

5.  Krafty Chicks Challenge is all occasions- Mine is 4th of July. 

 

Spring Floral

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

Today is the first official day of summer and the longest day of the year. I love this day and this time of year when the daylight hours extend to after 9:00 pm. It's a beautiful day here as well. Our flower gardens are in bloom and look so pretty. It's all my hubby's doing, I can't take credit for any of it. He has such a great display of color in the yard. 

Now onto this card for today. I made this one for the Splitcoaststampers color challenge #949. We were to use gorgeous grape, pale papaya and polished pink for our color trio. Optional this week is anything goes. I used jewels for an embellishment.

gorgeous grape, pale papaya, polished pink

I needed a card of encouragement for my friend who just received a not so good report on her husband's health. He was diagnosed with kidney cancer. 

I used the Spring Blooms die from CottageCutz for the floral arrangement. They are cut in the challenge colors plus mossy meadow (neutral) for the leaves and stems.

The background pale papaya designer paper is from the Stampin' Up "expressions in ink" collection. I framed my design with a wide rectangle die also from CottageCutz. 

My sentiment is a stamp from the Penny Black "blooming sentiments" collection. To finish off this card, I added a few pale papaya jewels.

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

card details:

Stamps: blooming sentiments (Penny Black)

Paper: gorgeous grape, pale papaya, polished pink, mossy meadow, expressions in ink dsp (Stampin' Up)

Paper Size: A2

Ink: gorgeous grape (Stampin' Up)

Accessories: Spring Blooms, Pierced Wide Rectangle Frame dies (cottageCutz), in-color jewels (Stampin' Up)

I am also entering:

1.  A Place to Start has an anything goes challenge. 

2.  A Perfect Time to Craft has an anything goes challenge. 

3.  Ally's Angels has an anything goes challenge. 

4.  Beautiful Blossoms has an anything goes w/Flowers challenge. 

5.  Crafts Galore Encore Challenge is anything goes.