Mother's Day Tulips

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

Hope all of you out there who are Mothers had a great celebration day yesterday. I spent the day with my son and daughter-in-law. We started off with a brunch at a restaurant in the city that we like. Then I went back to their house for several hours. 

I had a call from my CA son, and we talked for quite a while. Then both my grandsons and granddaughter checked in as well. So, I felt very special and loved yesterday. Not that they don't make me feel that way on other days, but I love a day set aside that we get special honor as Mothers. 

Now onto my card for today. This one I created for my sister-in-law. It was a last-minute card that I hand delivered with a bunch of tulips. She loved the card by the way. 

The background designer paper is from the Spring Flowers Pad 2 by Divinity Designs. This pad is filled with such beautiful papers that make for a quick card if you chose to go that way. 

I stamped my sentiment on a stitched cloud and attached the paper to a yellow card base. This was also entered in the Splitcoaststampers Inspiration Challenge #962. The site for inspiration was Liz Marie. I chose this Spring Collection as my inspiration and picked up on the tulips.  

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: daffodil delight, white (Stampin' Up), flowers 2 paper pad dsp (Divinity Designs)

Paper Size: 4 1/2" x 6"

Ink: broken china distress (Ranger)

Accessories: stitched cloud die (CottageCutz)

I am also entering:

1.  Gem of a Challenge is anything goes. 

2.  Addicted to CAS - code word flower. 

3.  Crafty Calendar challenge is anything goes.

4.  Crafting Happiness has a Blooms or Birds challenge.  

5.  Polkadoodles has an anything goes challenge. 

Mother's Day Wishes

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

Here we are at the start of another weekend. This weekend is Mother's Day. I will be going out to brunch with my son and daughter-in-law. My hubby will be with his Mom. That's just the way it has worked out the past several years. 

His Mom is homebound now. She doesn't want to go out anymore and she is not very mobile. She lives with my hubby's sister. So, they will go there and bring a restaurant meal to enjoy together. 

Now onto my card for today. This is the card I made for my daughter-in-law for Mother's Day. I will hand deliver this on Sunday. I used the colors from this week's color challenge #CC999 on Splitcoaststampers.  

Our colors were sweet sorbet, coastal cabana and flirty flamingo. Optional was to use a die cut. 

sweet sorbet, coastal cabana, flirty flamingo

To create my card, I used a Poppy stencil from The Ton Stamps. It's a multi-layered stencil.

To achieve the look of 3 colors on the poppy, I used a blender brush and a light layer of flirty flamingo for the first layer.
The 2nd layer is also flirty flamingo, but I applied it a bit heavier.
The 3rd layer I used festive berries distress ink. It's a close match for sweet sorbet.

For the leaves I used salvaged patina distress ink. It's a close match to coastal cabana.

I stamped the Mother's Day sentiment in flirty flamingo ink several times to get a darker shade. The Wishes die cut is from CottageCutz.

To finish off my card I scattered a few flirty flamingo enamel dots. They are from the Stampin' Up "rainbow collection".

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

Card Details:

Stamps: may good things grow (March 2018 PP)

Paper: flirty flamingo, white (Stampin' Up), Bristol smooth (Canson)

Paper Size: 4 1/2" x 6"

Ink: flirty flamingo(Stampin' Up), salvaged patina, festive berries, black soot distress (Ranger)

Accessories: Precious Poppies Stencil (The Ton Stamps), Wishes w/Shadow die (CottageCutz), rainbow enamel dots (Stampin' Up)

Techniques: stenciling

I am also entering:

1.  Aloha Friday has a flowers challenge. 

2.  Cut It Up has a sentiment challenge + using die-cuts. 

3.  Just Add Ink has an inspiration challenge. My shade of pink flowers fit perfectly. 

4.  Cardz 4 Galz has a Mother's Day challenge. 

5.  Craft Rocket Challenges #114 is flowers. 

Mother's Day Fun Fold

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

Hope your weekend was a great one. We had 6 couples over for dinner yesterday. So, I spent Saturday prepping and Sunday cooking. It was a Mexican food fest and everyone loved what I served. 

My first time making Carnitas. I found a great recipe on Pinterest, and the pork roast cooked up perfectly in my crockpot. It shredded so easily.  I also made a Mexican slaw to go with the pork for tacos. That was another delicious Pinterest recipe. 

I wanted to serve quesadillas as well and again with the help of Pinterest I found a delicious recipe to make them in the oven. I was able to make 7 at a time and then cut them in half. I also had black bean & cheese taquitos but those I bought from Trader Joes. One of the helpful employees recommended them and they were so good. Something I would buy again for sure. 

I had homemade guacamole, a black bean & corn salsa, and a couple of other store-bought salsas. A couple of my friends supplied dessert. We had Tres Leche cake and a cheesecake assortment. It was a great night of conversation and delicious food. We had lots of leftovers so today was no-cook Monday!

Now onto my card for today. This one I made for the color challenge #998 on Splitcoaststampers. I was the hostess, and I chose boho blue, calypso coral and pecan pie for the color trio. Optional was to use designer paper. 

I used the Stampin' Up "flight & airy" designer paper for my card. It has all the challenge colors. I saw this card on Pinterest and decided to re-create it. I chose a different pattern from the dsp, added enamel dots and stenciled the circle background with clouds.

This above photo shows the card closed. I die cut the "Sending" phrase 3x in boho blue cardstock to give it a bit more depth. The bird images are fussy cut from the designer paper.

This is a view of the card opened. The bird images are fussy cut from the designer paper. I also added 3 calypso coral enamel dots to the z-fold panel.

I stamped my Mother's Day greeting and a leaf branch to complete this card. 

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

Card Details:

Stamps: 10 years of growth (PP Kit March 2023)

Paper: boho blue, white, flight & airy dsp (Stampin' Up)

Paper Size: A2

Ink: boho blue (Stampin' Up)

Accessories: stitched circle dies (CottageCutz), Sending die (SSS)calypso coral enamel dots (Stampin' Up), cloud stencil (MFT)

Techniques: z-fold

I am also entering:

1.  A Place to Start is anything goes w/option for a lady. 

2.  Aud Sentiments has a foiling or flowers challenge + a sentiment. 

3.  Beautiful Blossoms is anything goes with flowers + optional mood board. 

4.  Creatalicious Challenge is anything goes w/option use something new. My designer paper is new.

5.  Lil' Patch of Crafty Friends is anything goes. 

You Are Mermazing

Hello Blogger friends! Thanks for taking the time to stop and visit with The Charmed Life Blog today. Hope you week went well and that you have some fun plans for the weekend. 

It's been a busy here in my household. So I am looking forward to the weekend. we are having friends over for dinner on Sunday. We have 6 couples that are part of our Sunday night prayer group and we decided to have a night to fellowship with each other over dinner. 

Since Sunday is Cinco de Mayo, I am having a Mexican food feast. Carnitas, black bean & cheese Taquitos, cheese quesadillas, Taco Salad Cups, Black Bean & salsa dip and homemade guacamole. For the carnitas, I will slow cook the pork for 8-10 hrs. and serve with a Mexican slaw. We will make tacos out of these.

The taco salad cups are made with baked wonton wrappers and you fill them with seasoned ground beef and top them with lettuce, tomato and sour cream.   I will also have a cheese queso & chips. I think I will have enough food for sure and I will be busy in the kitchen all afternoon. 

Now onto my card for today. This card I made for my precious granddaughter. I just wanted to remind her that she is an amazing girl. She lives right at the Pacific Ocean so a water theme is perfect for her plus she loves mermaids. What little girl doesn't?

I used the colors from an older Splitcoaststampers color challenge #798. I thought these colors were good for an ocean scene. Optional was to use waves or scallops. So that fit right with my mermaid image. The colors were pacific point, gorgeous grape and bermuda bay. 

pacific point, gorgeous grape, bermuda bay

On the background I used a cloud stencil and peacock feathers distress ink and a wave stencil and salty ocean distress ink. They are both a close match for bermuda bay and pacific point inks. I used a light touch with the sponge dauber.

I cut her fin and starfish in the gorgeous grape cardstock, her bra is cut from gorgeous grape designer paper, the fish in her hand from bermuda bay cardstock . Her face and body are colored with Copic markers. I used E000, E11 and E13. Her hair is colored with Prismacolor pencils and gamsol odorless mineral spirits. Those pencil colors are PC1082 Chocolate and PC946 Dark Brown.

I stamped the sentiment with a stamp set from MFT- "mermazing" and added a few enamel dots to finish off my card. 

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

Card Details:

Stamps: Mermazing (MFT)

Paper: pacific point, whisper white, gorgeous grape, bermuda bay, gingham dsp (Stampin'-Up)

Paper Size: 4 1/2" x 5 3/4"

Ink: pacific point (Stampin'-Up), tumbled glass, peacock feathers, salty ocean distress (Ranger)

Accessories: mermaid die (CottageCutz), cloud stencil (MFT), wave stencil (A Colorful Life), pacific point enamel dots (Stampin'-Up), Copic Markers E000, E11, E13, Prismacolor Pencils PC1082 Chocolate, PC946 Dark Brown

Techniques: stenciling

I am also entering: 

1.  Crafty Catz is anything goes w/optional of summer. 

2.  Creative Fingers Challenge is anything goes. 

3.  Cut It Up challenge wants us to add a sentiment. 

4.  Creative Knockouts has a for the kids challenge. 

5.  Creative Inspirations is anything goes. 

 

To An Incredible Woman

Hello Blogger friends! Thanks for taking the time to stop and visit with The Charmed Life Blog today. It's the last Saturday in April and I am just wondering how this month went by so quickly?

I started a reorganization of my craft room. I am trying to get things in a more orderly and less space taking design. I started with my stencils. After reading online how other stampers store them I decided to go with putting them in a binder. I have them organized by companies.  Hopefully this system works out for me. 

Next, I am reorganizing the dies I have from CottageCutz. I had them in binders but again that takes up too much space. So, I took them from the binders and decided to put them in bins I had on hand. They are mounted on adhesive backed magnetic sheets in heavy duty storage envelopes.  Once this is finished, I am moving onto my MFT stamp & die collection. Not sure what I am going to do there as yet. 

Now onto my card for today. This one I created for the color challenge #CC997. we were to use gorgeous grape, daffodil delight and fresh freesia for the color trio. Optional this week is anything goes. I chose a 4th color of green and I used old olive and mossy meadow.

gorgeous grape, daffodil delight, fresh freesia

I created a Mother's Day floral arrangement with these beautiful colors. I send many cards to family and friends so Mother's Day will be on my card making agenda for awhile. The die is "Spring Blooms" from CottageCutz.

The stamped sentiment is from the March 2023 Paper Pumpkin Kit. The background paper is from the Stampin' Up "flight & airy" collection. I added a few gorgeous grape enamel dots to complete my card.

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

Card Details:

Stamps: Ten Years of Growth (PP Kit March 2023)

Paper: gorgeous grape, daffodil delight, fresh freesia, mossy meadow, old olive, flight & airy dsp (Stampin' Up)

Paper Size: A2

Ink: gorgeous grape, daffodil delight (Stampin' Up)

Accessories: Spring Blooms die, Pierced Wide Rectangle die (CottageCutz), glossy dots (Stampin' Up)

I am also entering:

1.  Craft Rocket Challenge is to layer it up.

2.  Paper Craft Crew has a floral image challenge. 

3.  Daring Cardmakers has a something old, something new challenge. I am using a die from 2020 and new designer paper. 

4.  Retro Rubber Challenge has a tic tac toe- I chose line 1 across- die cut-gems-Spring. 

5.  The Card Concept has an April Flowers challenge. My design is clean and layered. 

Mother's Day Easel and Treat Box

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

Well primary election day is over in PA. I worked the polls for 3 hours passing out literature. I like doing this because it gives me a chance to talk to people in the district that I represent. I am an elected committee woman here. I only got involved 2 years ago and I like being a part of the activity.

Now onto my card for today. This is an easel treat box I created for a Mother's Day gift. I have all the design steps below. 

Design Steps:

I used a card base from my stash and cut off ½" on the solid part of the base. Then I scored at 2-3/4", 5-1/2" (is already scored), 6-1/2" and 7-1/2".

I used Scor-Tape on the dotted end of the card base and then folded on all the score lines. The small tab gets taped to the inside to form a box shape.

Easel Card Assembly: 

I used a curry shade of cardstock measuring 10" x 2 1/4" and scored at 2 1/2" and 5". I used double sided tape and attached to the top of the box.

Then a 2nd piece of the curry cardstock (5" x 2 1/2") that will be for the image panel. I attached this to the easel panel with double sided tape to the bottom half of the panel only.

Inside Drawer Box:

Crushed curry cardstock measuring 9" x 6 1/8" and scored at 3/4" x 1 3/4" on all 4 sides.

Then you are going to cut the shorter ends only to form tabs. Cut the first 2 squares off each corner. Then cut the 1st square in the 2nd row. On the 2nd square in the 2nd row you will cut at an angle to form tabs. Add Scor Tape to the panels as shown in this photo. 

Peel the backing from the tape on the short sides first and fold over each tab on the score lines towards the inside. Next remove the backing from the long sides and fold these over the angled tabs. The box will look like this photo when folded.

Decorating the Image Panel:

I cut a piece of white cardstock 4 7/8" x 2 3/8". This panel is decorated with the CottageCutz Spring Tulips in a grape cardstock. I also used the Fence & Grass die on this panel. I cut the fence in white for a background, but I didn't want it prominent. Stamped a Mother's Day sentiment.

To make a stop for the easel, I used a banner from my stash and stamped a sentiment in grape ink. This is secured with dimensional adhesive. This is the easel image standing up. I used the celebrate with shadow die and added another tulip and greenery.

This is a photo showing the box with the chocolate kisses inside.

Whew! This was a long post but I hope I have given you an idea for a Mother's Day card and treat box.

That's it for me for today so until next time......God bless.

I am also entering:

1.  Crafty Gals has an anything goes challenge. 

2.  Paper Craft Crew #567 challenge is florals. 

3.  Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge is anything goes. 

4.  The Paper Funday is anything goes w/optional of sweet treats. 

5.  Shopping Our Stash has a Mamma Mia challenge. 

6.  Moving Along with the Times has a fancy fold challenge. 

7.  TTTC246 challenge - I chose bottom row- gems- patterned paper- die cuts. 

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.