Big Bird Birthday

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

It's a great Spring weekend here in Pittsburgh. We are going to reach 81° today. It's the first day that we have had temperatures like this in our area. 

The trees are finally bringing out their leaves and our tulips are blooming. My hubby has already started to plant his vegetable garden but just the plants that can thrive in cold weather. Our garlic is growing and soon the garlic scapes will be up and ready for harvest. I love the new life of the Spring season.

Now onto my card for today. This one I created for my weekly DT post on the CottageCutz Blog.  I am featuring the new Emu and Outback Trees dies, and I created a birthday card for my brother. I kept it on the simple side because I think that works best for a masculine card. So, let's get started with some details of how I created my card.

Design Steps:

I blended several distress inks on Bristol smooth cardstock for my sky - Squeezed Lemonade, Spiced Marmalade, Fired Brick and Rusty Hinge. This particular cardstock is great for ink blending. I decided to cut a slope so I could place the Emu on top. I used the Hills Slimline die.
Panel size: 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"

Next, I die cut the images. For the Outback Tree, I used different shades of green cardstock and ink blended the edges. The Emu is cut in shades of beige cardstock. You could also use white cardstock and color with your favorite coloring medium.

I bought some punny sentiment stamps for this Australian release. This one is from Technique Tuesday. I stamped it in a suede ink.

Now I am ready to start card assembly. I attached the slope to the background with double sided tape, the tree is attached with tape & art glitter glue and the emu with double sided tape.

To finish off my card, I attached the image panel to a white card base (4 1/4" x 5 1/2"). Scattered a few brown enamel dots for a bit of contrast and that completes my card for this post. So, until next time.......God bless. 

Dies I used to create card:

I am also entering:

1.  Aud Sentiments wants us to use a birthday sentiment. 

2.  Craft Rocket Challenges wants us to create for the boys/men. This card is for my brother. 

3.  Unicorn Challenge wants us to include an animal. 

4.  AAA Birthday Game #36 is Critters. 

5.  Crafting Happiness has an anything goes challenge. 

Happy Birthday Koal-ity Friend

Hello Blogger friends! Hope you are doing well this Easter weekend. 

We are having our family here for dinner tomorrow. I have everything set to go. My house is cleaned, I have the dining room table already set. I found a really cute fold for my dinner napkins. They look like bunny ears. 

After Easter service tomorrow morning I will come home and get all my side dishes prepared. We have ham for dinner. My hubby's family likes that, so I stay safe and serve it. It will be a nice day spending it with family. 

Now onto my card for today. This one I created for my weekly DT post on the CottageCutz Blog. The new line of Australian animals was just released.  Today, for your viewing pleasure I have created a birthday card using the new Koalas die. So, let's get started with some details on how I created this card.

Design Steps:

I started my card this week using the colors from the Splitcoaststampers color challenge #891. We were to use rococo rose, pretty peacock, so saffron and just jade. Any neutrals are allowed as well.

I cut the koala image in a gray cardstock and sponged the edges for a bit more depth. The eucalyptus tree I cut from white cardstock and colored with Copic and Stampin' Up markers in the challenge colors.

For my card base I used an espresso cardstock. It's a rich shade of brown that complemented the rose shade nicely. I had an ombre designer paper in the rococo rose color and then used the Pierced Wide Rectangle Frame die to create a frame.

I stamped my sentiments in a chocolate chip ink. I laid the koala image down first on the background so I could get my placement correct. Then I used the MISTI for stamping. When I saw the new dies being released, I bought a few stamp sets with some punny sentiments this is one of them.

Now that my card elements are prepared, I am ready to attach my Koala image.

To finish off my card I attached the image panel to the Espresso Brown card base and scattered a few yellow enamel dots to get that color in for the challenge. Well, that's it for me for this post. So until next time .......God bless. 

card details:

Stamps: bandicoot & friends (Hero Arts)

Paper: early espresso, rococo rose, oh so ombre dsp (Stampin' Up)

Paper Size: A2

Ink: choc chip, smokey slate (Stampin' Up)

Accessories: Koalas, Pierced Wide Rectangle dies (CottageCutz), just jade, pretty peacock Stampin' Blends, glitter enamel dots (Stampin' Up), Copic Markers E57 (Light Walnut) & E59 (Walnut)

I am also entering:

1.  Polkadoodles has an anything goes challenge. 

2.  Alphabet Challenge Blog has an "A" for animal antics challenge. 

3.  Fab n' Funky has an animal challenge.

4.  Through The Purple Haze has an animal challenge.  

5.  Ellibelles Crafty Wednesday has an animal challenge. 

Easter Tulips

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

It's Easter weekend. We celebrate this holiday as a Christian because it's the day that Jesus won the victory over death and the grave. 

We are having my hubby's family over for dinner. His Mom is 90 years old now so it's not always easy for her to get out or even want to leave her house. So, we are hoping that it's one of her good days and that she will be joining us. 

For today I am featuring an Easter card that I made using the colors from the Splitcoaststampers color challenge #886.  We were to use flirty flamingo, pale papaya and mango melody for our color trio. And, optional was to use a 4th color. 

flirty flamingo, pale papaya, mango melody

For my card I used the Exotic tulips stamp set from Altenew. It's one of those triple stamping sets. But you get such dimension of color with them.

I stamped my first layer with pale papaya, the 2nd layer is stamped once with flirty flamingo and the 3rd layer is stamped 2x with flirty flamingo.

For my leaves and stem I used pear pizzazz and old olive to cover the optional. The Happy Easter sentiment is a set from SNSS.

My background designer paper is from the "artfully composed" collection from Stampin' Up. This card already made it's way to one of my neighbor's mailboxes. That's it for me for this post. So until next time.......God bless and have a wonderful Easter celebration. 

card details:

Stamps: exotic tulips (Altenew), Jesus paid it all (SNSS)

Paper: mango melody, pale papaya, whisper white, artfully composed dsp (Stampin'- Up)

Paper Size: A2

Ink: pale papaya, flirty flamingo, pear pizzazz, old olive

I am also entering:

1.  As You Like It Challenge has a favorite flower challenge. Mine is tulips because it's a sign of Spring after a long, cold and snowy winter. 

2.  C.R.A.F.T. Challenge has a Spring/Easter challenge. 

3.  Crafty Gals Corner has a Spring/Easter challenge. 

4.  Double D Challenge is Easter. 

5.  The Paper Shelter has an Easter time challenge.

6.  Four Seasons has a Spring challenge.  

Tulips in the Netherlands

Hello Blogger Friends! Thanks for taking the time to stop and visit with The Charmed Life Blog today. Easter is fast approaching, and I thought I should get the rest of the cards I made posted on my Blog. 

Tulips are one of my favorite flowers both real ones and the paper variety as well. The ones in our garden are coming up but it will probably be another 2 weeks before they bloom. My hubby has already had to fight off the deer. They love to eat the greenery as soon as it pops up from the ground. He is a bit ahead of them this year. 

Now onto my card for today. This one I created using the colors from the Splitcoaststampers color challenge #884.  I was the hostess, and I chose pumpkin pie, so saffron and highland heather for my color trio. Optional was to use any designer paper. 

I chose these colors based on the designer paper that I used. It's from the Stampin' Up "flowering fields" collection and I made a fun fold center step card to show it off. 

The background designer paper reminds me of the tulip fields in the Netherlands. Never been there just have seen photos. So, with the Netherlands as my inspiration, I decided to add a windmill that I cut in the challenge colors from a CottageCutz die. The Easter phrase is another CottageCutz die. I cut in highland heather cardstock then sponged with the same ink to get a deeper shade.

I used an older stamp set from SNSS for a sentiment, and I added a few tulips to finish it off. And that's my card for this post. So until next time.......God bless. 

card details:

Stamps: Jesus paid it all (SNSS)

Paper: highland heather, so saffron, crumb cake, black, mossy meadow, flowering fields dsp (Stampin' Up)

Paper Size: 5 1/2"

Ink: choc chip, highland heather (Stampin' Up), carved pumpkin distress (Ranger)

Accessories: Barn & Windmill, Spring Sentiments, Farm fence Slimline, Spring Sheep dies (CottageCutz), Ivory Center Step card (Paper Cuts)

Techniques: center step fun fold

I am also entering:

1.  Crafting Happiness Challenge is anything goes. 

2.  Cut It Up has an Easter challenge. 

3.  A Gem of a Challenge has an anything goes. 

4.  Sweet Stampin' has an Easter/Spring mood board challenge.

5.  Creative Creases has anything goes with a fun fold. 

Protea Flowers for Mother's Day

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

We are still having winter like temperatures in the Pittsburgh area. This morning my hubby and I went for our daily walk, and it started to sleet. It lasted for just a bit and then the sun came out. It's been back and forth all morning. But we are supposed to have a wintry mix this week-end. It's just typical Spring weather in our area and when the warm temperatures finally come we are so thankful. 

Now onto my card for today. This is my first Mother's Day card for 2022. I am using the new Protea die from CottageCutz. 

I started my card by cutting the protea images. I used different shades of Stampin' Up bright cardstock. I somewhat followed the coloring on the packaging. That's always a big help if you're undecided on what colors to use. I attached the protea image to a white square. It's the largest (3 1/2") of the Stitched Square dies.

The card layout I used is an older MojoMonday sketch I had saved on my Pinterest page. 

Next, I selected the card colors and designer paper. I wanted something with stripes, and I found this blue striped pattern. It's from the Stampin Up "you're a peach" collection.  I thought it works well with the shades of pink I used for the protea. I decided to use blue ribbon to act as a divider between the panels.

White Card Base: 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"
Designer Paper Layer: 4" x 2 1/2"

I stamped my Mother's Day sentiment directly on the flower vase.

Now that my elements are prepared, I am ready to start card assembly. I attached the designer paper and the ribbon with double sided tape. I took the ribbon to the inside of the card, and I will add another layer of cardstock inside to cover the ribbon.

I attached the image panel with double sided tape. I layered this panel with a bright pink cardstock. It measures 3 5/8" square. I also scattered a few bright pink enamel dots.

I decided to add another sentiment to finish off my card. I used the Wishes w/Shadow sentiment and cut it in 2 shades of pink. I decided to rotate the enamel dots from squares to diamond shapes. I moved them around and added to additional to highlight the wishes phrase.

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

dies I used to create card: 

I am also entering:

1.  Crafty Catz has an anything goes challenge. 

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

3.  The Crafter's Cafe wants us to use some flowers. 

4.  Dies R Us has a Flowers/Spring challenge. 

5.  Crafty Gals Corner wants us to add a flower. 

Easter Pop-Up Card

Hello Blogger friends! Thanks for taking the time to stop and visit with The Charmed Life Blog this first Saturday in April. Just a couple of weeks until Easter now. I have all of my cards made, and I just need to get them in the mail.  

Today I am showing a pop-up card. I have never made one before and I was happy with how this turned out. I followed this video that I found on YouTube from Lisa Curcio's channel. Let's get started with some details on my card. 

Design Steps:

My card is featuring the Bunny Express Engine die. I used the packaging as an assist to help with the colors. I used Stampin' Up cardstock. Then I looked through my designer papers for a fun pattern that would work for a whimsical Easter card. I found this dotted paper that I thought was cute and decided to go with it. The coordinating light purple cardstock would work well on the card inside to display the engine when it pops-up.

Next, I worked on my pop-up panel mechanism. I started with cardstock that measures 3 1/2" x 4 1/4". I scored it at 3/4", 1 1/2", 2 1/4" and 3". I used my bone folder on the score lines. Then I added some red line tape to the end of the score lines- it's the 1/2" part at the end of the cardstock.

I removed the top layer to expose the tape and then closed the cardstock to form the mechanism for the pop-up. It should look like a cube of sorts.

Before I attach the pop-up mechanism, I worked on the inside of the card. I stamped a sentiment on white cardstock and added a small panel of designer paper to the bottom.
 

Now I can attach the pop-up mechanism. I added red line tape to the section that I wanted to face down on the card. It's the part where the seam is, and I didn't want that to show.

 

I then attached the mechanism to the inside of the card. It should sit just below the score line, so it doesn't interfere with the card when it opens. I added more red line tape to the back of the mechanism that will attached to the card base.

Removed the tape and closed the card to secure the back of the mechanism to the card base.
 

I moved back to the card front to attach the designer paper. I added the Happy Easter sentiment from the Spring Sentiments die. It's cut in the misty moonlight cardstock. I cut an oval from the freesia cardstock and attached to the card front, with dimensional adhesive.

I finished off the inside of the card by adding my train images to the pop-up mechanism. I decided to add some clouds as the background for the train. I stenciled with distress inks. 

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

I am also entering:

1.  Critter Crazy Challenge has anything goes with a critter. 

2.  Crafty Animals has an anything goes with an animal. 

3.  Crafty Catz has an anything goes with lots of layers.

4.  Sisterhood of Crafters has a sentiment challenge. 

5.  Simon Says Stamp has an anything goes challenge.