Merry Christmas to You and Yours!!!!!

Hello everyone: As always, I hope and pray you and your families are doing well, keeping each other healthy and safe. 

So here we are at the last challenge of the year for     RETRO RUBBER, and of course, the theme is Christmas, so we hope you find a bit of time to come and play along.

We know this month is a busy one, with all the preparations, shopping, cooking, tending to visits from relatives, etc., but, we can all use one more Christmas card for our stash, right? so, I hope you come and play along.  Here's my card, I hope it inspires you to come and join us in our gallery. 

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This is the inside.

And this is what I used.

Stampin' Up! "Beautiful Season" (2011)

Stampin' Up! "Quite Curvy" dies.

Flourishes "Christmas Candles" (2011) for the inside sentiment.

Power Poppy "Bough Wow Wow" (2014) for the holly and berries on the inside corner.

Prismacolor pencils.

Kraft card stock.

I hope you can come and play along with us for the last challenge of the year 2021, please don't forget to use stamps that are older than a year, these stamps are still beautiful, as you can see, I used very, very old sets.

I want to wish all of you a Beautiful Christmas, with dear family and friends, and a happy and healthy 2022.

Thank you for stopping by and for leaving me your comments, I appreciate them so very much.

Please, stay healthy and safe.

XO

Maria.

 

Snow Much Fun.

Hello everyone: As always, I hope and pray you and your families are doing well, keeping each other healthy and safe.

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The SHOPPING OUR STASH challenge theme for December is "SNOWMAN" so we hope you find some time to come and play along with us in our gallery.

This is the card I created to inspire you to join us.

 

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This is the inside.

And this is what I used.

Stampin' Up! "Snow Much Fun" (2011-2012)

Power Poppy "Merry Littles" (2010)

Power Poppy "Poinsettia" (2014)

Prismacolor pencils.

I hope you come and visit the SHOPPING OUR STASH challenge blog and check out my teammates' awesome creations then, join us in the gallery.

Thank you for visiting me today and for leaving me your comments, I appreciate them so much.

I want to wish you and your families a very Blessed Christmas and a happy and healthy 2022. 

Stay healthy and safe.

XO
Maria.

 

Roses, Snow Drops and Holy.

 Hello everyone: I hope and pray you and your families are doing well, keeping each other healthy and safe.

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THE FLOWER CHALLENGE for the month of December is, well, what else.......CHRISTMAS!!  So let's add a few more Christmas cards to your stash.

Here's mine to inspire you to play along.

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This is the inside.

And this is what I used.

Power Poppy "Serene Scenes" 

WOW "White Pearl" super fine embossing powder.

Kuretake Gansai Tambi watercolors.

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I hope you come and join us at THE FLOWER CHALLENGE gallery and show us your beautiful Christmas creations.

Thank you for visiting and for your comments, I appreciate them so very much.

Please stay healthy and safe.

XO
Maria.

Flying By With a Holiday Hi!!!!!

 Hello everyone: As always, I'm praying you and your families are doing well, keeping each other healthy and safe.

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Well, I'm here sharing a totally, completely non traditional Christmas card for the december 2 OLD BATS HALLOWEEN CHALLENGE, I'm sure you agree that, aside from the pretty paper, that by the way is sideways, 😩(didn't noticed until the whole thing was glued together, sheeesh!!) and the golden accents, this little withchy is almost out of place.  but I say "almost" because she's looking so darn adorable, all dressed up for a holiday party.

This beautiful gal is from one of my all-time favorite Stampin' Up! halloween sets called "best friends", truly a vintage one dating back from 2006.  Back then, I was completely immersed into triathlon, I didn't even know anything about rubber stamps, making cards, blogs, challenges, etc., so I bought it from e-bay.

Anywho, here she is, dressed up in her finest, prettiest dress, with gold trim, wearing this awesome red hat, with a golden band and a rhinestone on the flapping tip.

As you can see, she's carrying a little gift for the gift exchange, which is always so much fun.

The golden spider web I think I got it from Stampin' Up!, but I'm not too sure, they are black on one side, white on the other, so I sponged some gold ink on the white side and cut it to fit it on the corner.  I also sponged gold ink on the dotted edge and on the gift, which is from the 2016 Power Poppy set called "simple joys", I fussy cut it and attached it with some string to her hand.

The sentiment is a combination of 2 stamp sets.  the words "flying by with a Halloween hi" is from an old flourishes set called "witching you a happy Halloween" (2010), I stamped the word "holiday" where the word Halloween is, from the Power Poppy set called "Under Glass Christmas keepsakes" (2017)

this is the inside.    

the sentiment is from the power poppy set called "simple joys" and the mitten is from a power poppy set called "merry littles". 

so there you have it, a super cute and not scary at all, holiday card, I hope you like it and it inspires you to come and play along at the fabulous 2 OLD BATS HALLOWEEN CHALLENGE.  also, come and take a peek at my teammates awesome creations.

I appreciate your visit and your comments so very much, thank you.

until next time, stay healthy and safe.

xo

maria.

Festive Snowman.

Hello everyone: As always, I hope and pray you and your families are doing well, taking care of each other and staying healthy and safe.

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 I have a quick card to share with you using an image that I stamped a while ago and never used, it landed on my box of "pending projects" but I went and fished it out because I saw a challenge in which it will fit just right.

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This is the inside.

And this is what I used.

"Festive Snowman" from Stamps Happen.

The hats are from a Power Poppy set called "Merry Littles"

I cut their noses with an Exacto knife to be able to fit them on their heads.

WOW Glitter.

The sentiment inside is from a Power Poppy set called "Poinsettia"

The snowflakes on the border are from a Power Poppy set called "Glitterhouse Village".

Prismacolor pencils.

I want to play with:

The Divas that Cut.....Paper 

Crafty Catz Challenge # 574, Anything Goes 

optional twist "Christmas: Non Traditional colors"

Your Next Stamp Challenge #173 "Sparkle and Shine"

Thank you for stopping by today.

I appreciate your visit and your comments.

Stay healthy and safe.

XO
Maria.

A Sketch for Retro Rubber # 172.

Hello everyone: As always, I pray and hope you and your families are doing well, keeping each other healthy and safe.

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The Retro Rubber Challenge has this fun sketch designed by our teammate Claire, I hope you will come and play along.

Here is the card I created to inspire you to join us in our gallery.

This is the inside.

And this is what I used.

Stampin' Up! "Pretty Pines" dies.

Power Poppy "Glistening Paper Whites"

for the sentiments. (2016)

Memory Box "Precious Hearts" for the bows.

Stampin' Up! "Detailed Bands" Dies, (2020)

Thank you for stopping by today.

Thank you in advance for your comments, I sure appreciate them.

Please stay healthy and safe.

XO
Maria.

3 Of a Kind for SOS.A

Hello everyone: I'm always hoping and praying you and your families are doing well, keeping each other healthy and safe.

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Welcome to another SHOPPING OUR STASH challenge, this time we want to see cards featuring 3 of something, 3 cups, 3 trees, 3 critters, etc. 

Here's my card to inspire you to play along.

This is the inside.

And this is what I used.

Power Poppy "Mushrooms" for both the front and the inside.

So I hope you come and play along with us over at SHOPPING OUR STASH, you can go to the challenge page to check out my teammates' beautiful creations and come join us in our gallery, we can't wait to see what you create.

Thank you for visiting me today, I appreciate your comments so much.

Please, stay healthy and safe.

XO
Maria.

 

Fabulous Florets.

 Hello everyone: As always, I hope and pray you and your families are doing well, keeping each other healthy and safe.

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Sympathy cards are the hardest ones to create, I'm sure you agree.

I created this one for my youngest daughter's cousin in law who's mom passed away Saturday.

This is the inside.

And this is what I used.

Stampin' Up! "Fabulous Florets" (2011)

Ranger "Liquid Platinum" embossing powder.

The little butterfly I think it's from Penny Black.

The sentiment is from a 2011 Flourishes set called "Calla Lillies"

The inside sentiment is from "My Sentiments Exactly"

The border is from a 2017 SU set called "Delicate Details"

I want to play with:

"Less is More" challenge #456

Crafty Sentiment Designs

"Anything Goes"

Thank you for visiting me today, I appreciate your comments so much and, if you have a question, please don't hesitate to ask.

Stay healthy and safe.

XO
Maria.

An Oldie but still a beauty.

Hello everyone: I always hope and pray you and your families are doing well, keeping each other healthy and safe.

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I have a good stash of very old Stampin' Up! stamp sets that I bought at least 10 years ago and the "Forest Festivities" (2011-2012) is one of them, I just love the sweet images on this set.

This is the inside.

And this is what I used.

Stampin' Up! "Forest Festivities" (2011-2012)

Flourishes "Christmas Classics" (2010)

Prismacolor pencils.

I want to play with these challenges.

CAS Christmas Card Challenge

All Sorts Challenge Week 650

"Christmas"

Thank you for visiting me today, I very much appreciate your comments.

If you have a question, please don't hesitate to ask.

Stay healthy and safe.

XO
Maria.

The Flower Challenge #62 Reminder.

 Hello everyone: As always, I hope and pray you and your families are doing well, keeping each other healthy and safe.

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The Flower Challenge is at the halfway point, this is the card I created to inspire you to come and play along.

This is the inside.

And this is what I used.

Altenew "Persian Motifs"

Stampin' Up! "Painted Harvest"

Altenew "Beautiful Day"

Kuretake Gamsai Tombi watercolors.

Stonehedge black watercolor paper.

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Thank you for visiting me today.

Please stay healthy and safe.

XO
Maria.

Tic, Tac, Toe with SOS.

 Hello everyone: As always, I hope and pray you and your families are doing well, keeping each other healthy and safe.

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Welcome to another SHOPPING OUR STASH challenge, this time is a fun Tic, Tac, Toe grid .

This is the card I made to inspire you to play along.

 

I used the first horizontal row, and believe me when I tell you, I did a lot, a lot of smushing, 5 panels in all to get this one that, well, let's just say it's the better of them all, which tells me I need more practice with this technique.

This is the inside.

And this is what I used.

The embossing folder is from Stampin' Up! but I forget the name.

Altenew "Enchanted Iris"

Cas-ual Fridays "Foxy" for the word "Friend" (2018)

The "smooshed" colors are from Tim Holtz distress inks.

Thank you for visiting me today, I appreciate your comments so very much and, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask me.

Visit the SHOPPING OUR STASH for more inspiration from my awesome teammates and then, come and play along with us.

Please stay healthy and safe.

XO
Maria.

 

Retro Rubber Challenge #171, "Fall Colors"

  Hello everyone: As always, I hope and pray you and your families are doing well, keeping each other healthy and safe.

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 Welcome to another fun challenge over at RETRO RUBBER.  Use the inspiration photo to create your card and come and join us in our gallery.

This is the card I made to inspire you to play along.

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This is the inside.

And this is what I used.

Flourishes "Gerbera Daisies" (2009)

Flourishes "With Gratitude" (2011)

Prismacolor pencils.

Please remember to use your older than one year stamp sets, it's fun to get new stuff but we must not forget those older images that brought so much joy to us when they were new, as you can see, this 12 year old "Gerbera Daisies" set is as beautiful as the day I bought it.

If you can, please let us know how old your stamps are, we would love to know.

Thank you for visiting me today.

I'm grateful for your comments, if you have a question, please don't hesitate to ask me, I will answer it the best way I know how.

Please, stay healthy and safe.

XO
Maria.

More Cuteness Overload.

Hello everyone: As always, I hope and pray you and your families are doing well, keeping each other healthy and safe.

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I have another cute card created with the beautiful and utterly adorable Sweet Stockings Designer Series Paper.

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This is the inside.

And this is what I used.

Stampin' Up! Sweet Stockings DSP 

I fussy cut all 3 of the images.

Stampin' Up! "In the Woods" dies (retired)

Stampin' Up! "Succulent Framelits" (retired)

Stampin' Up! "Hardwood" (2014, retired)

Penny Black "A Bright Tomorrow" (out of stock)

Power Poppy "Simple Joys" (2016)

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I want to play with these challenges.

Aud Sentiment Challenge #287 "Christmas"

Addicted to Stamps and More 

Challenge #417 "Christmas"

The Paper Shelter

Challenge #490 "Christmas is Coming"

Thank you for visiting me today.

I'm so very grateful for your comments.

Stay healthy and safe.

XO
Maria.

THE FLOWER CHALLENGE #62 ADD LEAVES.

   Hello everyone: As always, I hope and pray you and your families are doing well, keeping each other healthy and safe.

 

THE FLOWER CHALLENGE new theme for the month of November is:  

We know that flowers have leaves but we want you to add a few more to your design.

This is my card.

This is the inside.

And this is what I used.

Creative Expressions "Classic Poinsettia"

The sentiments in the front and inside of the card are from Power Poppy "Glistening Paperwhites".

The leaves are from SU "Poppy Moments" die set.

The silver detail is from SU "Pretty Pines"

The frame is from Spellbinders but I forget the name. 

The inside top border is from SU "Curvy Dies"

The Corner Poinsettia is from Power Poppy's

"Merry Littles".

I hope you hop over to THE FLOWER CHALLENGE blog for more inspiration from my talented teammates and then, come and play along with us in our gallery.

Thank you for stopping by today and for your comments.

Stay healthy and safe.

XO

Maria.

Irresistible!!!!!!!!

 Hello everyone: I'm always hoping and praying you and your families are doing well, keeping each other healthy and safe.

Ok, I've been having loads of fun fussy cutting the adorable critters on the Stampin' Up! DSP called "Sweet Stockings", I can't resist these images, all of them are just so sweet and incredibly cute.

So I created a couple of cards using these little friends.

This is the inside.

Here's my Twofer.

This is the inside.

And this is what I used for both cards.

Stampin' Up! Sweet Stockings DSP.

Stampin' Up! "In the Woods" Framelits dies.

Stampin' Up! Succulents Framelits dies.

Stampin' Up! "Ornament Keepsakes" (2012)

Power Poppy "Glitter House Village" (2017)

Sentiments.

Power Poppy "Geraniums Take 2" (2014)

Power Poppy "Tweet Tidings" (2017)

Power Poppy "Serene Scenes" (2019)

Penny Black "A Bright Tomorrow" (2012)

Gina Marie Designs Rhyne Stones.

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I want to play with these challenges.

Paper Minutes. Challenge #716 "Pastel Christmas"

Through the Craft Room Door "Anything Goes Christmas"

Thank you for stopping by today.

Please stay healthy and safe.

XO

Maria.

2 Old Bats November Challenge.

 Hello everyone: As always, I hope and pray you and your families are doing well, keeping each other healthy and safe.

It's time for a new challenge over at 2 OLD BATS HALLOWEEN CHALLENGE, here is the inspiration board for the month of november.

Here is my card.

This is the inside.

and this is what I used.

Flourishes "witching you a happy Halloween" (2010)

for all the images and sentiments in the front.

Stampin' Up! "cauldron bubble" (2018)

for all the images inside.

Stampin' Up! "tee-hee-hee" (2014)

for all the sentiments inside.

I hope you come and play along with us at

"2 OLD BATS HALLOWEEN CHALLENGE", this is a great way to have

a good stash of cards by the time October rolls along.

Please stay healthy and safe.

xo

maria.