Happy Mother's Day

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

Well, our deck project is finished. We had a beautiful sunshine day yesterday and today. The workers were able to get a full day in and it's complete. The company we chose does excellent work and we are completely satisfied. I will definitely give a recommendation. 

My hubby has a couple of other home projects in mind, but he won't tell me what they are. I guess he thinks I might bug him about getting them done. Oh well, I just may think of some projects myself (LOL)!!!

Now onto my card for today. I am starting to make my Mother's Day cards. I send them out to both my daughters-in-law, my mother-in-law and several of my friends. I usually need about 10 of them. I just bought this paper pad from Divinity Designs, and they will make for some quick and easy cards. There are several designs of different Spring flowers. So more to come.

This one I made for the color challenge #995. We were to use granny apple green, crushed curry and black for her color trio. Optional was to use any other green. The other green is in my designer paper.

crushed curry, granny apple green, black

I let the designer paper be the star of the show. The paper is from the "Spring Flowers 2" collection from Divinity Designs. It had the challenge colors except black.

I added a couple of bees to the daffodil garden. I popped those up for added depth. I cut a stitched cloud from the designer paper and stamped my sentiment. I also popped the cloud up.

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

Card Details: 

Stamps: may good things grow (PaperPumpkin 2018)

Paper: granny apple green, black, crushed curry (Stampin' Up), Spring Flowers 2 Pad (Divinity Designs),

Paper Size: 4" x 8"

Ink: chocolate chip (Stampin' Up)

Accessories: bee die, stitched cloud die (CottageCutz)

Techniques: slimline card

I am also entering:

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

2.  Beautiful Blossoms challenge is anything goes with florals. 

3.  Daisy Chain Challenge is not square. 

4.  Die Cut Divas challenge is a Spring card. 

5.  Aud Sentiments challenge is Watercolor or Spring + a sentiment. 

A Little Christmas Spirit

Hello Blogger friends! Thanks for taking the time to stop and visit with The Charmed Life Blog today. Hope you are all doing well and have some time to get crafty this weekend. I am hoping to get some time in tomorrow. I just bought a new to me die from Spellbinders and I am anxious to give it a try. It's an artist's palette and would make a perfect card for my daughter-in-law who is an art teacher. 

Today though I was at a baby shower for the daughter of our good friends. It was held at a Golf Club and the luncheon was fabulous as were the decorations, favors and the cookie table. She received a lot of cute as well as practical gifts. She is having a girl. It's the first grandchild for our friends so they are super excited. 

Now onto my card for today. I created this Christmas card using the non-traditional Stampin' Up colors of pretty peacock, crumb cake and shaded spruce. 

For my Christmas card I started with my designer paper. It's from the Stampin' Up "brightly gleaming" collection. I saw this card on Pinterest and used it as inspiration. Stamped my ornaments on vanilla in shaded spruce ink. I used the ornament keepsakes stamp & die set also from Stampin' Up. 

I cut the star from gold cardstock and added greenery in gold and pretty peacock. Added gold metallic ribbon to complete the card.

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

Card Details:

Stamps: ornament keepsakes, star of light (Stampin' Up)

Paper: very vanilla, pretty peacock, brushed metallic, crumb cake, brightly gleaming dsp (Stampin' Up)

Paper Size: A2

Ink: shaded spruce (Stampin' Up)

Accessories: holiday ornaments die, holiday rhinestone basic jewels, ribbon (Stampin' Up), star ornament, holiday greenery die (CottageCutz)

I am also entering:

1.  My Time to Craft Christmas wants us to use non-traditional colors. 

2.  Christmas Craft Creations has a non-traditional colors challenge. 

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

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Garden Bicycle

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

I have mentioned in previous posts that our deck is getting redone. The old wood is being replaced with a composite that is very low maintenance. The workers are doing a great job, but the weather just hasn't cooperated. It has rained every day but one in the almost 2 weeks they have been here. 

They started today and worked until about 11:30 when the downpour started. Hopefully they will be back tomorrow. Although the weather forecast is calling for rain once again. They have 2-3 days left to complete the job. 

Now onto my card for today.  I made this card for a friend who moved to the Pittsburgh area last summer.

It's been an adjustment for her, but she has been slowly finding her way around and starting to feel like she belongs. She is an avid bike rider and spent a lot of time on our dedicated trails that meander through wooded areas as well as along our rivers. So, I thought she would like this special card.

I started my card with a sketch that I had saved on one of my Pinterest boards. It's an older one but I thought it would work well to showcase the garden bicycle and the addition of the ribbon and the punched daisy edge makes it a bit more feminine.

I cut my bicycle in colors that coordinated with my designer paper and that look like her bike. Just to make it a bit more special.

For my background papers I used 2 different patterns of designer papers. The pink dotted paper (1 7/8" x 5 1/4") is from the Stampin' Up "pop of pink specialty paper" and it's layered on melon mambo cardstock (2" x 5 3/8"), the flowered paper (2 1/8" x 5 1/4") is from the "cheerful treat" collection" and it's layered on lucky limeade cardstock (2 1/4" x 5 3/8").

Next, I added a bow with a lucky limeade brad center and a daisy edge cut from a Martha Stewart punch.

I stamped my sentiment in gray ink on a white rectangle panel and attached the bicycle. I layered this  panel on a melon mambo panel.

To finish off my card, I attached the image panel with dimensional adhesive and added a few melon mambo enamel dots.

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

I am also entering:

1.  Crafty Gals Corner is anything goes. 

2.  Fab 'n' Funky wants us to add a sentiment. 

3.  Gem of a Challenge is anything goes. 

4.  A Perfect Time to Craft is anything goes. 

5.  Love to Craft Challenge is anything goes. 

   

  

Super Sized Hugs

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

This was the solar eclipse day that everyone has been buzzing about for a couple of weeks. We had 97% visibility here in Pittsburgh. The clouds cleared away just as the eclipse was happening. It wasn't totally dark because we didn't have 100% visibility. 

But when the moon covered the sun our dusk to dawn outside lights came on and we noticed a change in the temperature. We had our eclipse glasses and seeing the phenomenon was amazing. I also saw the one in 2017 in California. I was out visiting my son and his family. There seemed to be more chatter about this one in 2024 for some reason. 

It's over now and the next chance for the US to see one again will be in 20 years. So that being said, let's move onto my card for today. 

This one I created for my grandson's birthday. He eats burgers occasionally so sending him some super-sized hugs seemed like a good idea. I was happy with how the card turned out. 

My dies are all from CottageCutz- I used the Build-a-Burger die for the burger and fries and the stitched alphabet die for the Hugs phrase.

Stamped and wet embossed my sentiment. The stamp set is from MFT. The background designer paper was embossed with the xoxo backdrop die from Lawn Fawn.

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

Card Details:

Stamps: we make a great combo (MFT)

Paper: daffodil delight, real red, crumb cake, mango melody, baked brown sugar, cucumber crush, confetti white, crumb cake dsp, vellum (Stampin' Up)

Paper Size: A2

Ink: wild honey distress (Ranger)

Accessories: build a birger die, stitched alphabet die, coffee & cocoa warm wishes die (CottageCutz), xoxo backdrop die (Lawn Fawn), white embossing powder (Hero Arts)

I am also entering:

1.  Path of Positivity Challenge is anything goes w/option of power of words.

2.  Crafty Calendar Challenge is dry/wet embossing. I used wet embossing. 

3.  Polkadoodles has an anything goes challenge. 

4.  Crafter's Cafe has a Food challenge.

5.   Pearly Sparkles Challenge is for a man or boy. 

Sending Good Thoughts

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

We had weather all over the place today. The consistent thing was the cold temps. It rained, snowed and then the sun popped out and this pattern was repeated all day long. Our workers were here working on the deck in all of this. But they got a lot accomplished and expect to finish next week sometime. I will post some photos of the progress tomorrow since I forgot to take some today.

I have been working on taxes most of the day. Time is getting short to get them completed and filed by the April 15 deadline. I use TurboTax to complete the forms. It's so easy and walks you through all the forms needed. But I have to first gather all the info for the forms. Since I use Quicken software for my checkbook I have to first get that up to date. It's a process for sure. 

Now onto my card for today. This one I created for my brother-in-law for his birthday. I used some of the elements of the Stampin' Up July 2022 Paper Pumpkin Kit. The card base, the waves designer paper and the bottle are from the kit. I thought it had a masculine vibe to it. 

I used the colors from the Splitcoaststampers color challenge #908. They were basic gray, bermuda bay and fresh freesia.

basic gray, bermuda bay, fresh freesia

The sea greenery and the seahorse are dies from CottageCutz. I cut them in the challenge colors.
Stamped my sentiment on the bottle die cut and wrapped some linen thread to complete the card. My birthday greeting is on the inside of the card.

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

Card Details:

Stamps: sending good thoughts (July 2022 Paper Pumpkin Kit)

Paper: fresh freesia, bermuda bay, basic white (Stampin' Up)

Paper Size: A2

Ink: bermuda bay (Stampin' Up)

Accessories: Seahorse, Under the Sea dies (CottageCutz), Paper Pumpkin Kit (Stampin' Up)

Techniques: die cuts

I am also entering:

1.  Alphabet Challenge is "a" for adventure. 

2.  Crafty Catz challenge is any cute critter. 

3.  Creative Fingers Challenge is anything goes. 

4.  Crafty Gals Corner is anything goes. 

5.  Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday challenge is anything goes. 

Vintage Santa

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

Well, it was another rain day, but the workers came out to work on our deck remodel.  They came around 11:00 for a couple of hours anyway. We are having more rain tomorrow so I don't think they will get a full day of work, but we will see what tomorrow brings. 

Now onto my card for today. This one I made for this week's color challenge #994 on Splitcoaststampers. Our color trio is poppy parade, cherry cobbler and lemon-lime twist. Optional was to use plaid paper. I added a 2" plaid strip to the card inside. It's from the Stampin' Up "festive farmhouse" collection.

cherry cobbler, lemon-lime twist, poppy parade

I thought these colors called for Christmas and I had the perfect stencil. I bought this Vintage Santa stencil last year from The Ton Stamps but didn't get to use it last Christmas.

This layering stencil has 6 different layers including one to color your background which I did with lemon-lime twist ink.

I used poppy parade for my first layer and cherry cobbler for the 2nd layer for Santa's suit and gloves. Part of Santa's beard is blended with smoky slate ink. I used a flesh ink for his face.

My sentiment is from the Hero Arts "Christmas Messages" and OI stamped in cherry cobbler ink. To complete my card I added some cherry cobbler enamel dots. Now I have another Christmas card for my 2024 stash. 

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

Card Details: 

Stamps: Christmas Messages (Hero Arts)

Paper: cherry cobbler (Stampin' Up), Bristol smooth (Canson)

Paper Size: 4 1/2" x 5 3/4"

Ink: poppy parade, cherry cobbler, lemon-lime twist, smoky slate, festive farmhouse dsp, (Stampin' Up), twisted citron distress, black soot (Ranger), flesh pink (The Ton)

Accessories: Vintage Santa Stencil (The Ton Stamps), cheery cobbler enamel dots (Stampin' Up)

I am also entering:

1.  Crazy is our fame-Stencils are our game challenge is anything goes. 

2.  The Holly and Ivy Christmas challenge is anything goes. 

3.  Christmas Crafts All Year Round has a Santa, Gnomes or Elves challenge. 

4.  MLCCB #55 is anything goes Christmas. 

5.  Christmas with the Cuties has a 2 or more papers challenge

Easter 2024

Hello Blogger Friends! Thanks for taking the time to visit The Charmed Life Blog this first Tuesday of April. 

We are having some heavy rains here in the Pittsburgh area. It halted the work being done on our deck. We have rain forecasted for every day this week so I am not sure when the workers will be back. But it will be done in the next month and all set for summer deck nights. 

Here are a couple of photos of the teardown work. You can see that the wood is in bad shape.

They took the deck floor off on this photo. Note the greenery underneath. It's actually my hubby's garlic coming up. 

Now onto my card for today. This is my last Easter card of the season. I actually hand delivered this one to my friend. 

The background paper is from the Divinity Designs "Resurrection Sunrises" collection. There are so many beautiful patterns in this collection. I will be all set for next year because I only used on of the sheets. 

The Alleluia phrase is a die from Divinity Designs. It's a stamp and die combo. I like the word dies that have a shadow with it. It helps set the word off on your card.   

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

Card Details:

Paper: fresh freesia, gorgeous grape (Stampin' Up), resurrection sunrises dsp (Divinity Designs)

Paper Size: A2

Accessories: Alleluia Layer die (Divinity Designs)

I am also entering:

1.  Crafters Galore Encore Challenge is anything goes. 

2.  Creatalicious Challenge is anything goes w/option of Easter. 

3.  Love to Craft Challenge is anything goes. 

4.  The Creative Crafters Challenge is anything goes. 

5.  The Four Seasons Challenge is anything goes Spring. 

Egg Painting Bunny

Hello Blogger Friends. Thanks for taking the time to stop and visit with The Charmed Life Blog this first day of April. 

We had a great service at Church yesterday and then my brunch went well.  I served a spinach, sausage & feta quiche, a blueberry french toast casserole, baked ham and roasted asparagus.  There were a couple of new recipes and they turned out great. I will definitely make them again. 

No April Fools jokes from me today. Just posting one of my last 2 Easter cards. This one I made for the color challenge #993 on Splitcoaststampers. Our color trio was fresh freesia, soft seafoam and boho blue for the color trio. Optional was a Spring theme.

fresh freesia, boho blue, soft seafoam

With these subtle colors I decided to make one last Easter card. I had this card saved on a Pinterest board. I changed the colors, card shape and added designer paper to make it my own. It's from one of my old teammates from CottageCutz.

I started the card by stamping my white frame with the Stampin' Up  "gorgeous grunge" stamp set to give it the look of splattering paint. Looks like the bunny went wild with his paint (lol)!!!

I cut my Easter phrase, eggs and paint brush in the challenge colors. The paint can is cut in misty moonlight (neutral).

I used designer paper for the background. It's from the heavenly skies collection. It had all the challenge colors.

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

Card Details:

Stamps: gorgeous grunge (Stampin' Up)

Paper: fresh freesia, soft seafoam, boho blue, misty moonlight, gray, white (Stampin' Up) heavenly skies dsp (Divinity Designs)

Paper Size: A2

Ink: fresh freesia, soft seafoam, brocade blue (Stampin' Up)

Accessories: egg painting bunny die, stitched alphabet die

I am also entering:

1.  A Gem of a Challenge is anything goes. 

2.  Crafting Happiness has a "bunnies" challenge. 

3.  Polkadoodles has an anything goes challenge. 

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

5.  Daring Cardmakers has an Easter theme challenge. 

Paper Pumkin Alternative (2)- Bunny Kisses

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

I am having a brunch after church tomorrow instead of dinner. That is something completely different for me. I am having ham, spinach & feta quiche, blueberry French toast casserole and roasted asparagus. The quiche and French toast casserole are new recipes for me, so I hope they turn out. I usually can tell by the ingredients if I will like what I am making. That works out well for me.

I am going to prep the casserole and quiche tonight and that will make it easier when I come home from church to get my meal in the oven. 

Now onto my card for today.  This one I created for the color challenge #992. I was the hostess and I chose daffodil delight, petal pink and berry burst for the color trio. Optional was to use your favorite green. 

daffodil delight, petal pink, berry burst

For my card I used some of the contents of the Stampin' Up February 2024 Paper Pumpkin kit "Sweet Springtime". Instead of using the kit instructions, I decided to make an alternative design with an easel card.

The card base is petal pink cardstock. The image panel is part of the kit as are the daffodils. For the easel stopper I used one of the banners that came in the kit, and I added the die cut word "kisses". That die is from CottageCutz as is the bunny phrase.

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

Card Details:

Paper: petal pink, berry burst, white (Stampin' Up)

Paper Size: A2

Accessories: Paper Pumpkin Kit (February 2024), Bunny Kisses die (CottageCutz)

Techniques: Easel Card

I am also entering:

1.  Alphabet Challenge is "Z" for zoology. 

2.  Classic Design Challenge is anything goes w/option of 4 legged animals. 

3.  Creative Crafting Uncles has a Spring/Easter challenge. 

4.  Papercraft Challenge is Easter. 

5.  Creative Creases #79 is anything goes with a fun fold.