Believe in the Magic

Hello Blogger Friends! Thanks for taking the time to stop and visit with the Charmed Life Blog this 2nd day of December.

We had our first snowfall of the season today. About 4-5" fell on the Pittsburgh area. It was so pretty looking out the window at the freshly fallen snow. It wasn't long before the snowplows came and cleared up all the roads in my area. 

School was canceled for today, so the kids had an extra day for Thanksgiving break. The little one's next door were out playing and making a snowman as were the young boys across the street.  

So, this seemed like the appropriate day to start showing my Christmas card creations. 

This one I made using the colors from a Splitcoaststampers color challenge. We were to use night of navy, wild wheat and old olive for the color trio. Optional is Christmas.

night of navy, wild wheat, old olive

For this card I used designer paper from the "Night Sky 2 collection" from Blue Knight Stamps. I cut my images in white cardstock. 

Then for the houses, I used white cardstock and wild wheat ink for the soft light inside. I used the die inlay technique and covered over the white trees with old olive. I should have colored the trees with old olive alcohol markers. Didn't think of it until after the card was made. 

Well, that's card #1 for this Christmas season. I plan on posting a card every day until Christmas. So, stop by daily to see what I am creating for this season.

Card Details:

Paper: basic white, old olive (stampin' Up), night sky 2 set dsp (Blue Knight Stamps)

Paper Size: A2

Ink: wild wheat (Stampin' Up)

Accessories: Believe in the Magic die (CottageCutz)

I am also entering:

1.  A Cut Above is anything goes with a die cut. 

2.  A Place to Start is anything goes w/option of winter things. Santa is a winter thing!

3.  Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge has a die challenge.

4.  Girlz Creative Christmas Challenge is anything goes. 

5.  C.R.A.F.T. Challenge is Christmas /Anything Goes. 

Last cards from Thanksgiving 2025

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

Well, Thanksgiving 2025 has come and gone. Hope your holiday was one filled with family. We had 11 people here for dinner and everything went so well. My food turned out delicious. The turkey was so moist, and the accompanying gravy was amazing. 

My daughter-in-law made 2 spectacular veggie dishes - a brussels sprout and cauliflower au gratin and a green bean dish with bacon and egg crumbles. I also made a sweet potato casserole and sour cream, cream cheese and butter twice baked potatoes. That is one of my family's favorite dishes. 

Dessert was pumpkin pie, pumpkin roll and apple & pear streusel pie. I didn't have a lot of leftovers because of the number we had for dinner, but it was enough for us for Friday and Saturday. With the turkey carcass I will make a Turkey Vegetable soup. 

Now onto my cards for today. These are the last 3 of my Thanksgiving cards for this year. This one I used some of the contents of the Stampin' Up Paper Pumpkin Kit for September. The background designer paper is a card base from the kit. 

I embossed a piece of early espresso cardstock with the Tim Holtz "Bricked" embossing folder and then cut an arch opening. I added a copper foil frame around the arch opening. 

The fox is from the kit. The pumpkins and floral sprigs are a die from CottageCutz. I added some enamel dots to complete this card. 

This next card is also using the contents of the September 2025 paper Pumpkin Kit. The background and the triangle shapes are card bases from the kit. The acorn is from Lawn Fawn. I stamped and colored it and used the accompanying die to cut it out.  

I found this sketch on YouTube from Call Me Crafty Al. She has a sheet to download that gives all the measurements to cut your patterned paper. She made a Halloween card but I went with Thanksgiving. When I cut my paper I had enough to make 2 cards so I made one iwth a "family" sentiment and the one below with a "friend's" sentiment. 

This card is the same as the one above but with a different sentiment. The sentiments are from the Stampin"Up Kit - Gift of Fall 2019. 

Well, that's it for me for this post. So until next time.....God bless. I will be starting with showing my Christmas cards. 

I am also entering:

1.  Can You Handle the Pressure is anything goes with an embossing folder + twist of Thanks. 

2.  Just Add Ink has a stencils or dies challenge. I have dies on all 3 cards. 

3.  DL.Art has aa anything goes challenge with an option of Thanksgiving.  

Season of Thanks

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

It's the day before Thanksgiving and I will be really busy with my kitchen preps all day. I make a sour cream mashed potato recipe that you prep the day before and then bake on Thanksgiving. It has sour cream, cream cheese and butter. My family loves it, and I always make it for Thanksgiving. 

I will also make my pumpkin pie and toast the bread cubes for my stuffing and chop the onions and celery, so it's set to go tomorrow morning. If I have time I will make my cranberry sauce as well. Nothing like fresh cranberry sauce.  

Now onto the card I am featuring today. It's another of my Thanksgiving cards. I used the contents of the Stampin' Up September Paper Pumpkin Kit. It was all about Fall. I saw a sample of this card on Facebook and decided to try and recreate it. My card opens from left to right because I couldn't figure how to get it in the direction I wanted. This YouTube post will show how to make the cuts for the layers. 

I cut the card base from the kit to form the triangle layers of the kit. I added some additional color to the leaves & the pumpkins for a richer look. The leaves and pumpkins are part of the kit as is the ribbon. The sentiment is from the Gather Together stamp set from Stampin' Up. 

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

Card Details:

Stamps: Gather Together (Stampin' Up)

Paper: pecan pie, basic beige (Stampin' Up)

Paper Size: A2

Ink: pecan pie (Stampin' Up)

Accessories: Fall for Toile PP Kit (Stampin' Up 2025)

I am also entering:

1.  Double Trouble has a 3-2-1 recipe challenge. I followed Thing 1.

2.  Make My Monday has a Gratitude/Thankful challenge. 

3.  Pammie's Inky Pinkies challenge is anything goes. 

 

Thanksgiving 2025

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

I am having 11 people for dinner on Thursday. So, my plan is to do my cleaning today. I keep up with my house regularly so it's just a matter of running the sweeper, cleaning the bathrooms and cleaning the kitchen. 

We moved our kitchen table into the dining room last night so everyone can be together in the same room. My hubby didn't like the idea of 2 separate tables. We had to get help from our younger next door neighbor because the kitchen table is heavy and I couldn't lift it. 

I will put the tablecloths on today and setting the table so it will be done. That way it frees me up tomorrow to do all my prep work for the big feast.

I wanted to get a post in today because I have more Thanksgiving cards to show. This card I created using some of the contents of the September Paper Pumpkin Kit from Stampin' Up. The colored and metallic leaves and the circle were part of the kit. I shaded the leaves with pumpkin pie and spiced marmalade inks for additional color.

I decided to use some background designer paper from the Stampin' Up "plaid tidings" collection. I thought it added some nice color to the card. The designer paper is layered with mango melody cardstock and the card base is rich razzleberry.

This one was sent to my good friend in Virginia. She told me she keeps whatever card I send her out on display until she gets the next one. Since I know that, I will send her cards throughout the year for each season or holiday. Usually I just do Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter and her July birthday. But now it will be Valentine's Day and something in September. 

Well, that's it for me for this post. Be back tomorrow with another Thanksgiving card.

 Card Details:

Stamps: Autumnn Stamp (Great Impressions)

Paper: rich razzleberry, mango melody, plaid tidings designer paper (Stampin' Up)

Paper Size: A2

Ink: rich razzleberry, pumpkin pie (Stampin' Up), spiced marmalade distress (ranger)

Accessories: September 2025 Paper Pumpkin Kit, Rich Razzleberry ribbon (Stampin' Up)

I am also entering

1.  A Place to Start has an ATG challenge w/option of something new. The PP kit is new from Sept. 

2.  Love Those Pretty Papers Challenge is anything goes.

3.  Creative Fingers #312 is anything goes.  

4.  Creative Inspirations Challenge is anything goes.

5.  Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday is anything goes.  

Fun Fold Thanksgiving

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

Well, it's just 2 days until we celebrate Thanksgiving. It's my favorite holiday in addition to Christmas. I have 11 family members coming for dinner. It will be a wonderful day filled with food, laughter and family chatter. 

I am making my usual of roast turkey, stuffing, sweet potato casserole, twice baked mashed potatoes, a corn casserole and pumpkin and apple pies. I also picked up a pumpkin cheesecake.  My daughter will bring a green bean casserole with bacon & eggs and brussel sprouts and cauliflower gratin. Someone else is bringing glazed carrots. So, we will have plenty of food and with 11 adults, I don't expect a lot of leftovers. 

Then on Friday it's time to put away all the Fall decorations and start with Christmas. I have many Christmas cards to make yet so I will be busy the next couple of weeks. Plus, we are trying to schedule a trip to San Francisco to visit my son and his family. Hopefully that works out. If not now then it will be early January. My granddaughter just started high school and she is on the basketball team. So, we want to see her play. 

Now onto my card for today. This one I created for the color challenge on Splitcoaststampers. Our colors were early espresso, pecan pie and gray granite. Optional was to make it Fall.

I needed another Thanksgiving card so this option was perfect. I did struggle with these colors until I found a fun fold sketch on YouTube from Call me Crafty Al and my card took off. I like fun folds and sketches, so this one was perfect. If you check out her channel you can download the instructions.

I am not sure what this fold is called but it does stand on its own and also folds flat for mailing. After deciding to use this fold I chose my designer papers. They are some older ones from Stampin' Up. The acorn dsp is from the "into the Woods" collection, the striped is from the "Under the Tree" collection and the gray is from the "Frosted Floral Specialty" collection.

I cut my Thanks sentiment and leaf image from CottageCutz dies. Used both pecan pie and early espresso cardstock. Finished off my card with some brown enamel dots.

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

Card Details: 

Paper: pecan pie, early espresso, into the woods dsp, under the tree dsp, frosted floral specialty dsp (Stampin' Up)

Accessories: Fall Leaves die, Thanks w/Shadow die, Stitched Circle die (CottageCutz), Brown enamel dots (Altenew)

Techniques: fun fold

I am also entering:

1.  A Cut Above is anything goes using a die cut. 

2.  Lil Patch of Crafty Friends is anything goes. 

3.  Allsorts Challenge is a Focal sentiment or ATG. 

4.  Love Those Pretty Patterned Papers is anything goes with patterned paper. 

5.  Creative Creases #109 is anything goes with a fun fold. 

Sending Autumn Wishes

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

It's a damp and rainy day here in Pittsburgh but I have been in my craft room creating away. It's also my 38th wedding anniversary and we are going out to dinner tonight to celebrate. It's a double celebration tonight because I just won a political position in my community. I was on the ballot this past Tuesday and I came out a winner. 

Now onto my card for today.  This one I created for the color challenge #1076 on Splitcoaststampers. Our colors were daffodil delight, timid tiger and cajun craze for the color trio. Optional is anything goes. I used calypso coral on my pumpkin.

timid tiger, daffodil delight, cajun craze

I thought these Fall colors were perfect for my slimline card idea. I bought a paper pack from the Divinity Designs collection "Scarecrow Season". The scarecrows have all 3 of the challenge colors plus a couple of allowed neutrals. 

I cut the slimline windows with a die from CottageCutz. The pumpkin is a 3-step stamp from the Ton. I used daffodil delight, pumpkin pie and calypso coral (optional item) for the stamping and then die cut with the round pumpkin die.

Stamped my sentiment- this one is from the Stampin' Up PP Kit from September 2024 -Autumn Abundance.

I added my image panel to a timid tiger card base to complete my card.

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

Card Details:

Stamps: Autumn Abundance (PP Kit September 2024), Round Pumpkins (The Ton)

Paper: timid tiger, cajun craze, white (Stampin' Up), scarecrow season paper pad (Divinity Desgins)

Ink: daffodil delight, pumpkin pie, calypso coral, cajun craze (Stampin' Up)

Accessories: Windows Slimline die (CottageCutz), Round Pumpkins die (The Ton)

Techniques: slimline card

I am also entering:

1.  Creative Inspiration Challenge #32 is anything goes.  

2.  Just Us Girls challenge #800 is anything goes.

3.  The Sisterhood of Crafters has a "Fall" challenge. 

4.  Simon Says Stamp has a thinking of you challenge.  

5.  The Card Concept has an Autumn Days challenge. My card is clean and layered.  

  

Thankful For You

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

It was a rainy and cold day here in Pittsburgh. The leaves are starting to fall, and we have 2 huge oak trees in our front yard. So, my hubby will be busy for several weeks raking these leaves. He uses a leaf blower, so it makes it a bit easier. But then picking them up and bagging them is lots of work. 

Now onto my card for today. This one I created for the color challenge #1073 on Splitcoaststampers. Our colors were highland heather, granny apple green and pumpkin pie. Optional was a 4th color.

highland heather, granny apple green, paper pumpkin

For my card I went with Thanksgiving and focused on the granny apple green color. I like using non-traditional colors for holiday cards. I think I pulled it off with my card. 

My scarecrow image is from Divinity Designs paper collection -"Scarecrow Paper Pad". It has the cutest scarecrow images.

This one has pumpkin pie in his scarf and neutral colors for his outfit. The sunflowers would be my option- the 4th color of yellow.

The background designer paper is from the Stampin' Up "painted harvest" collection. I created a frame and layered it over the dsp. Then I cut an arched die to showcase the scarecrow image.

The sentiment is stamped in highland heather. Added a few pumpkins and some sequins to complete my card.

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

Card Details:

Stamps: Give Thanks (HoneyBee Stamps)
Paper: granny apple green, pumpkin pie, highland heather, white (Stampin' Up), scarecrow season paper pad (Divinity Designs)
Paper Size: A2
Ink: highland heather (Stampin' Up)
Accessories: rectangle dies, arched dies (Spellbinders), circle dies, pumpkin die (CottageCutz), purple sequins (Stampin' Up)

I am also entering:

1.  Simon Says Stamp has an anything goes challenge. 

2.  Sisterhood of Crafters has a Fall challenge. 

3.  The Paper Funday Challenge has an anything goes w/option of cute or creepy. 

4.  Path of Positivity challenge is anything goes. Option unexpected colors for a holiday of choice. 

5.  Allsorts challenge is Autumn Colors or Anything Goes. 

 

The Lighthouse

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

We had a thunderstorm with hail last night. I thought it was a little late in the year for a thunderstorm. But it caused the temperatures to drop and today it's windy and overcast. There is such a chill in my house and the furnace has turned on. It's definitely a Fall day here in Pittsburgh.

My hubby was out in his gardens and pulled out more plants. Today it was his basil and the jalapeno plants. He picked about 20 jalapenos before he pulled the plant. Don't know what I will do with them yet. Last week I made some jalapeno jelly. It has a bit of a kick to it but not overwhelming. You use this as a spread for crackers, or you can spread it over warm cream cheese. I also thought it would be good on a charcuterie board. 

Now onto my card for today. This one I made using the colors from the Splitcoaststampers color challenge #1072. Our colors were cloud cover, cherry cobbler and secret sea for her color trio. Optional was to make it nautical.

cloud cover, cherry cobbler, secret sea

I needed a card for my youngest Grandson who is on an exciting journey right now.  I want him to know that I am in his corner and that he has my support. 

Since I knew I was using a Lighthouse on my card, I looked through my designer papers for a nautical background. I found this paper that is from a Galaxy collection from Paper Studio. It is mainly navy blue (neutral) but it has the cloud cover and secret sea colors in it. I decided to make it a nighttime scene.

The bottom right corner of the paper reminded me of waves. And where I attached the sand dune it reminded me of waves splashing against the lighthouse.

I cut the Lighthouse in cloud cover and cherry cobbler. I had to add just a bit of yellow for light in the windows.

I sat the Lighthouse on a sand dune cut in crumb cake (Kraft) paper. I stamped some sand granules with soft suede ink. The waves at the bottom are cut from secret sea cardstock.

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

Card Details:

Paper: white, cloud cover, secret sea, cherry cobbler, crumb cake, so saffron (Stampin' Up), Stargazer DSP ((Paper Studio)

Paper Size: 4 1/2" x 5 3/4"

Accessories: Lighthouse die, Journey die (CottageCutz)

I am also entering:

1.  A Cut Above has an anything goes with a die cut. 

2.  Crafts Galore Encore has an anything goes challenge. 

3.  Die Cut Divas has an anything goes challenge. 

4.  The Creative Crafters has an anything goes challenge. 

5.  Paper Rock Scissors has an anything goes challenge. Patterned Paper + Lighthouse is on a rock.

Season of Thanks

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

It was a beautiful Fall Day here in Pittsburgh with lots of sunshine. My hubby is slowly taking out his vegetable and flower gardens. He took out all of the sunflowers and marigolds. He still has all of his dahlias but a few more nights with frost and they will be done for this year. 

Today he picked the last of his banana peppers and took out the plants. He isn't giving up on the tomato plants yet. Although I am over all of it (LOL)!!! 

The basil is just about done and today I cut a bunch of it and made some pesto. I don't add the cheese so I can freeze it. I use basil, garlic and pistachios. The garlic is also from my hubby's garden.  

Now onto my card for today. This one I created for the color challenge #1069 on Splitcoaststampers. The trio of colors were pretty peacock, wild wheat and lost lagoon. Optional is anything goes. I chose ribbon for the option.

lost lagoon, wild wheat, pretty peacock

I created a double Z-fold Thanksgiving card. I have had this designer paper for a long time (since 2019) and have wanted to use it for a Fall or Thanksgiving card, and I finally did it.  It's from the Stampin' Up "Come to Gather" collection. The measurements for the fun fold I found on Julie's Stampin Spot.

The designer paper is the star of the show on this card. I cut a label for my sentiment added some ribbon and wild wheat glossy dots. The sentiment is from the Stampin' Up set "Season of Thanks". The pumpkin image is fussy cut from the designer paper.

On the inside panel I stamped wheat using wild wheat ink. I stamped off once to get a lighter image.
This sentiment is from The Ton Stamps. The "Round Pumpkins" set.

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

Card Details: 

Stamps: Gather Together (Stampin' Up), Round Pumpkins (The Ton)

Paper: pretty peacock, lost lagoon, basic white, come to gather dsp (Stampin' Up)

Paper Size: A2

Ink: Pretty Peacock, Wild Wheat (Stampin' Up)

Accessories: Stitched Nested Label dies, wild wheat glossy dots, pretty peacock ribbon (Stampin' Up)

Techniques: Double Z Fold

I am also entering:

1.  A Place to Start Challenge is ATG + option of pumpkin it up for pumpkins. 

2.  Aud Sentiments is Fall/Thanksgiving or Ink Blending + a sentiment. 

3.  Neglected Stuff Challenge is ATG . I used dsp from 2019.

4.  Sisterhood of Crafters has a Fall challenge. 

5.  Creative Creases is ATG with a fun fold. 

Happy Fall

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

My day started off with church. I was supposed to teach Sunday School today but none of the kids were there.  My Hubby & I have the K-2nd grade class. We only have 5 kids, and I know that 3 of them were sick. I have my lesson and craft all prepared so I will just take next week's class.  

Then after lunch the rain started. It was just one of those days when I just lounged around, watched TV a little, scoured the internet and now I am posting on my Blog. I made Beef Barley soup yesterday in the crockpot so that's what we had for dinner. I like to make it a day before we are going to eat it to let the flavors blend. It turned out delicious. 

Now onto my card for today. This one I made using the colors from the Splitcoaststampers color challenge #1069. Our colors were pretty peacock, wild wheat and lost lagoon for the color trio. Optional was anything goes. I chose designer paper on this card.

Lost Lagoon, Wild Wheat, Pretty Peacock

For my card I used designer paper from Divinity Designs.  It's their Scarecrow Season collection and it's all about scarecrows. I thought the paper had this week's colors in it.

I cut the image with a square die and layered the image onto pretty peacock cardstock. That is also my card base color. The designer paper is from the Stampin' Up "Come to Gather" collection. I cut a strip of pretty peach and lost lagoon cardstock and layered it across middle of the designer paper. 

The Happy Fall words are a die from CottageCutz and they are cut in wild wheat cardstock. Added a couple of wild wheat enamel dots to complete my card. 

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

Card Details:

Paper: pretty peacock, lost lagoon, basic white, wild wheat, come to gather dsp (Stampin' Up), scarecrow season designer paper (Divinity Designs) Paper Size: A2 Accessories: Fall Scarecrow die for words (CottageCutz), in-color enamel dots

 I am also entering:

1.  The Crafting Challenge has an Autumn/Halloween challenge.

2.  The Four Seasons Challenge has an anything Fall goes challenge.

3.  We Love Stamping has an anything goes w/a Fall theme challenge. 

4.  Love Those Pretty Papers Challenge is anything goes using patterned paper.   

5.  Cut It Up Challenge is to use a die cut and add embellishments.