Mother's Day Daisies

Hello Blogger Friends! Thanks for taking the time to stop and visit with The Charmed Life Blog today. Hope your weekend was a good one and you had some crafty time or even "me" time which is also very relaxing. 

We had family time on Saturday. First visiting with my Mother-in-law for a few hours and then we headed over to spend time with my son and daughter-in-law. So needless to say Saturday was a rewarding day for us. 

Then Sunday we had church and Sunday evening we have a couples prayer group that meets at our home. Sunday was also a rewarding day. 

Now onto my card for today. This one I created for the color challenge #996 on Splitcoaststampers. We were to use lemon lolly, polished pink and parakeet party for the color trio. Optional was to use an embossing folder.

I created a Mother's Day card. My daisy images are a die from CottageCutz. I cut in the challenge colors. I used an arch die from Spellbinders and cut my white cardstock then embossed with the Scrollwork folder.

My original intent was to have a white card base, but I placed my embossed panel upside down on the base. So, I cut the white card base and layered that on a polished pink panel.

Added a few polished pink enamel dots to complete my card. Well, that's it for me for this post. So until next time.....God bless. 

Card Details:

Stamps: may good things grow (PaperPumpkin 2018)

Paper: polished pink, lemon lolly, parakeet party, white (Stampin' Up)

Paper Size: 4 1/2" x 5 3/4"

Ink: lemon lolly

Accessories: stitched daisies & Tulip die (CottageCutz), scrollworks ef (Cuttlebug), polished pink enamel dots (Stampin' Up), essential arches (Spellbinders)

Techniques: dry embossing

I am also entering:

1.  A Place to Start has an anything goes challenge with option of flowers. 

2.  Can You Handle the Pressure is anything goes w/option of weather. 

3.  My Time to Craft has an everything die cuts challenge. 

4.  Craft Rocket Challenge is to layer it up.

5.  Just Add Ink has a leaves-flowers-pots challenge. 

Fun in the Sun

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

Another weekend is upon us and hopefully you have some crafty plans. Although this time of year there are many outdoor projects to start as well.  I am fortunate that my hubby takes care of the outside. I am responsible for the inside. It's a fair deal in my mind. We have a big front, 2 sides and back yard. He has it beautifully landscaped with flowers for all seasons.  And that is in addition to his vegetable gardens. 

I just finished my cleaning and now I have time to get crafty. This card I made for the Free for All Challenge on Splitcoaststampers. We are to use the word "happy" in the sentiment or create a design that reflects joy. This card will go to my California son for his birthday, and he is an avid surfer. When he is out in the ocean that definitely brings him joy. 

I used the contents of the July 2023 Paper Pumpkin Kit from Stampin' Up. Instead of making a fun fold, I turned the contents into a slimline card for a bit of an upstyle. I had this card saved on my Pinterest board and used it for inspiration. Changed it up some by eliminating the ribbon, adding starfish, a clam and keeping the boat that was on the designer paper. I also used a different stamp set.

Stamped my sentiment using a stamp set from MFT in azure afternoon ink and this card is complete. Well, that's it for me for this post. So until next time......God bless.

Card Details:

Stamps: Mermazing (MFT)

Paper: white (Gina K Designs)

Paper Size: 8 1/2" x 3 1/2"

Ink: azure afternoon (Stampin' Up)

Accessories: July 2023 Paper Pumpkin Kit (Stampin' Up)

Techniques: slimline card

I am also entering:

1.  Cut It Up has a starts with a "B" challenge. This is a beach card plus the boat.

2.  My Time to Craft has a die cuts challenge.  

3.  Just Us Girls has an inspiration challenge with a moodboard. 

4.  Double D Challenge is water related- ocean, rain waterfall.

  

Artist Palette

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

It was a beautiful Spring Day here in Pittsburgh. We were out early this morning for our 2-mile walk. It always feels so good to be out walking with the sun shining and it's not cold. 

We have been having a lot of carpenter bees, honeybees and wasps here the past few days. Maybe because there was 2 weeks of rain, and none were around. I guess they are looking for places to make a hive. 

We have lots of trees here, so I am never quite sure why they go for the porch or the deck or even the garage. When they nest in an inappropriate place my hubby has to knock the hive down for our safety. He always catches the hive formation in its early stages. Mostly it's the wasp nests that he discovers. 

Anyway, onto my card for today. This one I created for the color challenge #996 on Splitcoaststampers. We were to use lemon lolly, polished pink and parakeet party for her color trio. Optional this week is to use an embossing folder. The option didn't work for me on this card. 

My card is using a new to me die from Spellbinders - the painter's palette. I created a shaped card using the die. My daughter-in-law is an art teacher, and this will be her card for Mother's Day.

I cut the artist palette in ivory cardstock. The paint blobs are cut in the challenge colors + designer paper in crumb cake and smoky slate. 

I cut two of the blobs in lemon lolly cardstock and added the same color ink to get a deeper yellow shade.
The brush is pecan pie and metallic silver (neutrals).

To get splatters on the palette, I used a brush and the challenge color reinkers to flick ink on the palette. What artist would have a clean palette?

I used the Tim Holtz "chitchat stickers" to add the sentiment. The Mother's Day greeting will be on the card inside.

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

Card Details:

Paper: ivory, polished pink, lemon lolly, white, metallic silver, perfectly artistic dsp (Stampin' Up)

Paper Size: A2

Ink: polished pink, lemon lolly, parakeet party (Stampin' Up)

Accessories: Painters Palette die (Spellbinders), Chitchat stickers (Tim Holtz)

I am also entering:

1.  Crafty Gals Corner has an anything goes challenge

2.  Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday Challenge is anything goes. 

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

4.  Unicorn Challenge Blog wants us to use dies.

5.  Creative Inspiration Challenge is anything goes.  

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