Warm Woolen Mittens.....

Hello everyone: Well, I have yet another Christmas card to add to my stash, believe me, I have more than enough but, you never know if I will have a last minute request from my family for a card for a teacher or friend. I will link this card to a few challenges at the end of this post.

This image is from a Power Poppy set called Bough Wow Wow, love this cozy and warm looking mittens.  I stamped the image on Strathmore watercolor paper with Versafine black ink and clear heat embossed it, I really line the outline of the melted embossing powder to add color because it stays in place without running to the next section. I used SU markers to color the image.  The sentiment is from another Power Poppy set called Merry Littles, love the little images on it.  The embossing folder is from SU and it's called Pretty Paisleys, which is on sale right now, I love it. 

I added 4 brads to the corners from my stash.

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I always finish the inside of my cards, saves a lot of time when I mail them and they look nicely finished, believe me, it's worth the few extra minutes.

The sentiment is from the Ponsettia set from Power Poppy, the mitten from Merry Littles.

I'm playing along with the following challenges.

Merry Monday. Use Kraft card stock and the color RED. 

Daring Cardmakers "Warm Woolen Mittens"

Craft Rocket Challenge #43 "Christmas is Coming" 

C.R.A.F.T Challenge #441 "Winter"

Cute Card Thursday Challenge #503 "Sparkles"

Thank you for stopping by, I always read every single comment you so kindly leave on my posts, I want you to know I appreciate them more than words can express.

Until next time, happy stamping.

Hugs from Maria.

My Favorite Season.....

Hello everyone: I love Autumn, my reasons.....the COLORS!!!!! besides the temperatures, not to hot, not to cold, are great for working outside raking leaves and getting the garden and flower beds ready for Winter.  I have a card today made with one of my favorite Altenew stamp sets called Persian Motifs, I love it for it's versatility, this flowers are perfect for any season of the year.

I stamped this images on watercolor paper, (Strathmore) and colored them with Sakura Koi watercolors. The sentiment is from a retired Flourishes set called "Lots of Thoughts", which was heat embossed in gold. I added some Rhine Stones for a little sparkle.

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I always finish the inside of my cards, it saves me a lot of time when I mail them and they look nice.

I'm playing along with the following challenges.

Creative Sketchy Girls challenge #17 "Autumn"

ATC Around the World challenge #35 "Autumn"

Creative Knockouts challenge #219 "Favorite Color Combo"

Cardz 4 Galz challenge #60 "Thank You/Thanksgiving"

Tic Tac Toe Challenge #23

Thank you for stopping by, I always read every single comment you so kindly leave on my posts, I want you to know I appreciate them more than words can express.

Until next time, happy stamping.

Hugs from Maria.

Naturally Merry.....

Hello everyone: One of the best ways to have a good stash of Christmas cards when the Holidays roll over is to participate in Christmas challenges so, here is this card to add to my stash that I will link to a few challenges at the end of this post.

This fabulous Pine Cone image is from an old and retired Flourishes set called "Naturally Merry".

This is one of my favorite sets dating back to 2012 when this company was still in business and the fabulous Marcella Hawley was designing for it. This is one of her amazing images in this set.

I stamped the Pine Cone on watercolor paper with Versafine black ink and clear heat embossed it then, colored it with Sakura Koi watercolors. When it dried, I fussy cut it and placed it on the die cut panel with foam dimensionals. The sentiment is from the set stamped with Barn Door distress ink, I placed a few red Rhine Stones to add a bit of bling, the ribbon for the bow is from my stash.

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I started finishing the inside of all the cards I make on January of this year as one of my New Year resolutions, believe me, it saves a lot of time when I mail them and the cards look nicely finished.

The sentiment is from a Power Poppy by Marcella Hawley set called Spice it Up, the little Pine Cones and Branch are from another Power Poppy set called Merry Littles, this is my "Go To" set to add some sweet detail to the inside of my cards, all the images are sweet and beautiful.

I'm playing along with the following challenges.

The Paper Players with a challenge from LeAnne.

Christmas Card Challenges, with the option of using kitties on your card, I went with the Anything Goes as long as it's Christmas.

Get Creative Challenges #64 "Holidays"

Cards und More Challenge #197 "Anything goes with RED. 

Thank you for stopping by, I always read every single comment you so kindly leave on my post, I want you to know I appreciate them more than words can express.

Until next time, happy stamping.

Hugs from Maria.

Sitting Here.....

Hello everyone: The SHOPPING OUR STASH Challenge has a beautiful color palate for you to play with this week, these colors are warm and bright at the same time. This card started with a totally different image, I wanted to make a leaf bouquet or spray but I just couldn't get the colors right, so I searched for another stamp set in which I can combine the colors on different images and I found it on this sweet set from Stampin' Up! called "Sitting Here" from the 2016-2017 catty, I love each of these images, perfect to create beautiful scenes for any occasion.

I also used 4 stamps from an Altenew set called "Birch Land", the branch, which I stamped twice, the leafs and the two birds.

The bench, doggie, kitty and pillows were stamped with Stazon black ink onto watercolor paper and colored with SUmarkers and inks. I did a quick watercolor wash for the sky and grass.

The sentiment is from the set and it's heat embossed with white embossing powder.

This is the color palate from which I chose the colors that were as close as possible.

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I've been finishing the inside of my cards since January of this year, this was one of my New Year resolutions, I'm loving this, it saves me tons of time when I mail my cards, I don't have to be scrambling to finish the inside anymore.

The sentiment is from my stash of unmounted rubber stamps, the little flower pot is from the set.

I'm playing along with the following challenges.

Dream Valley Challenge #167 "Add a Sentiment"

Crafty Calendar Challenge "Autumn Colors"

Hiding in my Craft Room Challenge #325 "Fall Colors"

So I hope you come along and play with us this week at SHOPPING OUR STASH, be sure to stop by the challenge blog and check out my teammates beautiful creations, you'd be happy you did.

Thank you for stopping by, I always read every single comment you so kindly leave on my posts, I want you to know I appreciate them more than words can express.

Until next time, happy stamping.

Hugs from Maria.

Every Leaf is a Flower.....

Hello everyone: There is a new challenge over at RETRO RUBBER that will help you get your Autumn/Thanksgiving cards started so, hop over to the challenge blog and check out what the rest of the team has created for your inspiration, here is my card for this challenge.

This images are from "Scene in a Garden", one of my all time favorite stamp sets from Stampin' Up!, it came out back in 2009 in the Occasions Mini. I stamped this images on watercolor paper with Stazon black ink and colored them with SU markers, Sakura Koi watercolors and the aqua painter. I masked the little pot I stamped on the left so I can just use the bottom one to stamp some little flowers from Arts Impressions. The pattern paper is from Lili of the Valley, the spray of leaves are die cut with a die set from Impression Obsession.

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I always finish the inside of my cards, saves a ton of time when I'm ready to mail them.

The beautiful sentiment and leaf are from Our Daily Bread.

I hope you go and dig out some of your beloved, older than one year stamps that haven't seen ink in a while and come and play with my teammates and I in the RETRO RUBBER gallery and be sure to stop by their blogs to see the way they created their beautiful cards. Please tell us how old your stamps are or how long you've had them, we surely appreciate that.

I would like to play with the following challenges.

Always Fun Challenges #31 "Watercolors" I colored the images with watercolors.

Addicted to Stamps Challenge #156 "Autumn"

Glitter 'N' Sparkle Challenge #264 "Fall Colors"

Thank you for stopping by, I always read every single comment you so kindly leave on my posts, I want you to know I appreciate them more than words can express.

Until next time, happy stamping.

Hugs from Maria.

Have a Meawy Christmas.....

Hello everyone: I'm here with another Christmas card to add to my stash, you can never have enough Holiday cards to send out, right? I will link it to a few challenges at the end of this post.

I absolutely love these cats from the Katzelkraft stamp set called Les Chats Russes, you can create cards for any occasion, the expressions on their faces are just fabulous.

I stamped these two cats on a piece of Strathmore watercolor paper with Stazon black ink and colored them with SU markers and then, Prismacolor pencils for shadows and highlights. I give the images an even watercolor wash and when it's dry, I go in with the pencils.

I stamped the Christmas hats on a couple of watercolor scraps and colored them the same way.

The hats are from a Power Poppy set called Merry Littles, I just had to cut them a bit so they will fit the front panel.

The sentiment and the little music notes are from a Stamping Bella set called "Caroling Chicks", I just snipped the notes to be able to use them separate from the main image. I keep them safely stored in a mini ziplock bag with the stamp set.

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I always finish the inside of my card, this saves me time when I need to mail them.

The sentiment is from an old Flourishes set called "Naturally Merry" and the little Christmas Tree from "Merry Littles".

I'm playing along with the following challenges.

Christmas Card Challenges  Have cats on  your card.

Challenge Up Your Life "Use die cuts or punches" I used the cross stitch die.

Inspired by All the Little Things I took the colors red, black and white.

Crafty Friends Challenge #70 "Christmas"

Jingle Belles "Not a CREATURE was Stirring"

Get Creative Challenges "Holidays"

Thank you for stopping by, I always read every single comment you so kindly leave on my posts, I want you to know I appreciate them more than words can express.

Until next time, happy stamping.

Hugs from Maria.

DANCE!!!!!

Hello everyone: The sentiment on this card says some pretty amazing words that I deeply believe in. 

I think I've followed this quote to the letter pretty much all of my life, after all, if you don't try something because it might be hard, you will always wonder if you could have been successful.
I don't know if any of you have heard THIS SONG BY LEE ANN WOMACK, the lyrics always make me very sentimental, I hope you like it.

I'm not a ballet dancer but one of my Triathlon friends has a ballet studio so I often make her some tags with this beautiful ballet shoes image to give to her new students along with some goodies when they start taking the classes.

I stamped the image from Stamp Addicts on vellum with Stazon black ink and dried it a bit with the heat gun, then colored it in the back with SU markers. I stamped the sentiment (from Hampton Art) on the front. The pattern paper is from Lili of the Valley (discontinued line), ribbon and charm from my stash.

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I always finish the inside of my cards, saves me a ton of time when I mail them.

The sentiment is from Stampabilities and the flower from a retired SU set called "Fast and Fabulous"

I'm playing along with the following challenges.

Moving Along with the Times Challenge #57 "Add a Charm or Tag"

In the Pink Challenge #126 "Ribbons and or Bows"

As You Like It Challenge "Christmas or Not Christmas and why?"

I have a good stash of Christmas cards so I wanted a little bit of change.

Brown Sugar Challenge #272 "Breast Cancer Awareness"

Alphabet Challenge "Q is for Quote"

Thank you for stopping by, I always read every single comment you so kindly leave on my posts, I want you to know I appreciate them more than words can express.

Until next time, happy stamping.

Hugs from Maria.