First MOJO of the Year!!!!!

Hello everyone: Well, I've taken some time off my blog, with the Holidays, family visiting from Mexico, reunions and shopping, not to mention cooking and eating, I really didn't have time to concentrate on making cards, participating on challenges etc.  But things are getting back to normal, tomorrow 3 of my grandchildren will go back to school, my other 2 on Thursday and my dear hubby will also go back to work so I will have again time in the mornings to get back into the swing of things but, for now, I have this little card I started in the morning and finished a short while ago, not much stamping or water coloring but still, I like the way it turned out, hope you like it too.

The golden mask is from a Verve stamp set called Masquarade and it has a companion die set that I used to die cut the mask and the stick out of gold glimmer paper. The pattern papers are from my local hobby store, the ribbon and sequences from Stampin' Up! and the sentiment from a retired SU set called "Whimsical Words", I just masked the word "today" and only used the "Celebrate".

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Here is a picture of the finished inside of my card.

Again, the sentiment is from the same SU set called Whimsical Words, the little candles from my stash.

I want to link this card to the following Challenges.

Mojo Monday 

Country View Challenges Anything Goes.

Crafting Musketeers Party Time.

Creative Craft Cottage #78 Anything Goes.

Sparkles Monthly Challenges #87 Happy Birthday.

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 this more than words can express.

Until next time, happy stamping.

Hugs from Maria.

Let it snow.....

Hello everyone: I hope all your Christmas shopping is done, the Tree is trimmed and your Holiday cards are on their way to family and friends. This time at SHOPPING OUR STASH, we want to give you a break from making Christmas cards so, our challenge for next week is SNOW, SNOW, SNOW.
We want to see cards with snow, snowflakes, snow men, etc. anything with snow in it but not a Holiday card.  Here is mine to inspire you to join us in the gallery.

This image is from Purple Onion and it's called Snowy Winter Owl, from the fabulous Stacey Yacula collection, he is just adorable, don't you think?

I created this Winter scene all with Purple Onion stamps. I used the Birch Tree Background, the Snowy Fence and the Sign, only after I colored it, I snipped just the board and wrote the words myself, since I didn't have a stamp small enough to fit that said "Let it Snow".

First I stamped the fence then, I made a mask of it with plain copy paper and put a bit of Two Way Glue and let it dry so it would be just sticky. Then put the mask on top of my stamped fence and stamped the trees, finally I stamped the Owl.

Colored everything with SU markers, the aqua painter and highlighted all the images with a bit of Prismacolor pencils. I gave my little Owl some "feathers", hope you can see them.

When everything was dry, I applied some embossing paste, (used this for the first time ever) with a snowfall stencil, let it dry (it dries super quick) and then sponged a bit of Broken China for the sky.

I made the mistake of not sponging the sky first and then apply the embossing paste because my snowflakes turned blue when I was done so, to save my card, I grabbed the aqua painter and, one by one, I carefully applied a bit of water with the brush tip and quickly wiped it with a paper napkin, I was very happy that the snowflakes returned to their white color.

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Here is a picture of the finished inside of my card.

Sometimes, I combine several stamp sets to get the look or the sentiments I want and in this case, the sentiment is from a retired SU set called "Snow much fun" and so is the little bird playing with the snow ball in the lower corner.

So I hope you go dig up some old favorites in your stash of Winter themed stamps and join us in the gallery and don't forget to go check out my teammates blogs for even more fabulous inspiration.

Please read our rules, they are few and easy but necessary.

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 this more than words can express.

Until next time, happy stamping.

Hugs from Maria.

Bundle of Joy.....

Hello everyone: I've been absent for a short while from posting, I think it's all of the Holiday preparations, shopping and wrapping gifts plus, my usual grandma taxi service, the cold weather and gray days don't help my MOJO at all so, I'm hoping that, after the Holiday rush and a brand new year, things will again feel normal.
Today I have a sweet little card for no one in particular, but the "Less is More" challenge had a great idea to break a little bit the Holiday theme.  Their theme is ''CHILDREN" and that is why I made this card.

This sweet image is a digi I bought a long time ago, I've forgotten where, but at the time my printer was working ok so I printed several of this images on Vellum so I could have them at hand for who ever is having a baby. You can color the little hat any color, I colored it blue with my Prismacolor Pencils, the tiny baby was given a bit of color with chalks, I tried on a scrap piece of vellum to color it with markers and pencils but the lines were to harsh so then, I remembered I had a box of chalks I bought a long time ago, never use them really but they were perfect to color this image. Using a Q-tip, I rubbed the color in circular motion all over, applying a bit more on the shadow parts and edges, I was very careful with this sweetie's cheeks 😉, I hope you can see the blush on his little face.  The embossed frame is from SU and it's called "Filigree Frame" (retired), the sentiment is from a retired Flourishes set called "Baby Love".

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Here is a picture of the finished inside of my card.

The sentiment is from another retired Flourishes set called "Hello Baby".

I will link this card to:

"Less is More" Challenge #307 and #308, Theme "CHILDREN"

Challenge up your Life Challenge #56 "Vellum"

Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge #312 "Cute or Anything goes Christmas"

I'm taking a chance with this card, I hope you guys think it's cute enough.

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

Until next time, happy stamping.

Hugs from Maria.

Purple Onion Holiday Tags.....

Hello everyone: With Christmas just around the corner, here at SHOPPING OUR STASH we want you to make some tags for all those gifts for family and friends that will go under your tree.
Tags are quick and easy to make, choose a pretty stamp and a sweet sentiment, use a die or a punch for the tag, string a festive ribbon and you are done.  Here is a couple of tags I made, hope it inspires you to make some and share them in our gallery.

First I punched the tags with the Stampin' Up! Scalloped Punch, I then embossed the left side with the retired Stampin' Up! Filigree Frame embossing folder and then, stamped my little images from the Stacey Yacula collection from Purple Onion Designs. Both the Jingle Bells and the Winterberry Small Snowman were stamped with Stazon black ink and colored with Prismacolor pencils and paper stumps dipped in baby oil. 

The sentiments are from the same collection. I punched a separate tag in red and blue as a background and I added a little white piece of card stock to write something. The ribbon is from my bottomless drawer and so is the metallic thread, I have a huge stash of this threads so I need to use them more.

Feel free to make any kinds of tags, they don't necessarily have to be for the Holidays, I just made these because I've been neglecting my Purple Onion stamps, they are so beautiful so I really don't know why I've been forgetting them.  This is the purpose of this challenge, to go dig out your neglected stuff, whether it's papers, embellishment, stamps, punches or dies, go on and Shop YOUR Stash and join us in the gallery and, while you're there, check out my teammates awesome tags so you can get even more inspired.

I would like to link this tags to the following challenges.

Stamps and Fun=Creativity Challenge #291

Make My Monday Challenge #36 "Show me a Snowman"

I have a Jolly green one. 😉

Crafty Boots Challenges "Christmas"

Coloring in Scrapland Reto de Diciembre NAVIDAD

(December Challenge CHRISTMAS)

Dream Valley Challenge #146 "Christmas"

Scrapbook Stamp Society Challenge #106 "Anything Goes, option "Christmas"

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 this more than words can express.

Until next time, happy stamping.

Hugs from Maria.

Peace on Earth.....

Hello everyone: This post is super late, I usually do my posts in the morning but I had some last minute shopping to do for my grandchildren so, it was totally necessary to venture out, although the moment I arrived at the Mall, I almost turned around, the parking lot looked like they were giving away the merchandise, sheeesh!!
But anyway, I have this quick card I whipped out a bit before I left, I just needed to take the pictures so I waited for the sun to come out to do that, it was really gray this morning.
I will link up this card to a few challenges at the end of this post.

This images are from the new Power Poppy by Marcella Hawley set calledWreaths Plain and Fancy, I stamped it onto plain white card stock with Stazon black ink and colored it with Prismacolor Pencils, I added a bit of spark with Dazzling Diamonds.  

The sentiment is from another amazing Power Poppy set called O Holy Night, and it was heat embossed in gold.

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Here is a picture of the finished inside of my card.

The sentiment is from the set "O Holy Night" and the little candle is from another Power Poppy set called Merry Littles, which is my "go to" set to adorn the inside of my cards.

I would like to enter this card onto the following challenges.

Addicted to Stamps challenge #137 "Christmas"

Crafting When We Can challenge #134 "It's Christmas"

Dragonfly Dreams Challenge "Christmas"

Come and Get It Christmas Challenge

AAA Cards CAS game #79 "Christmas"

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 this more than words can express.

Until next time, happy stamping.

Hugs from Maria.

Golden Ornament.....

Hello everyone: I have a super quick card to share with you, I needed a few more cards to send out and this one is super simple yet very pretty. I will link it to a few challenges at the end of the post.

I used the retired SU Ornament Punch on one of the designs on the also retired Winter Wonderland Designer Vellum Stack, such delicate designs on each sheet.

I punched just the top with gold foil paper and attached gold cord to "hang" it from the edge of the embossed panel, I used a Cuttlebug embossing folder called "Grace's Frame", so pretty.

I die cut the word "Merry" with Penny Black "Love and Joy" die set using gold Christmas wrapping paper, I have tons of it.

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Here is a picture of the finished inside of my card.

The sentiment is from a retired SU set called "Joy to the World", the little gifts at the bottom are from a retired Flourishes set called "Christmas Borders".

I would like to enter this card onto the following challenges.

CASology Week 227 "SPACE"

Creative Corner Challenges "Christmas Time"

Dragons Liar Design Challenge "Christmas Wishes"

Jingle Belles "December Wrap-Up"

Kitty Bee Designs Challenge #86 "Christmas Mid Inspiration"

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 this more than words can express.

Until next time, happy stamping.

Hugs from Maria.

A Little Reminder.....

Hello dear friends: We are at the half way point on our The Flower Challenge #3, where we asked you to create a card using your older stamps or dies so, I'm here to remind you that you still have time to join us in the gallery with your creations.  I know it's a busy time of the year but this will give you a chance to create one more card for your Holiday card giving or for a birthday or just about any occasion. Here is my card, I used a very old stamp set from Flourishes that made it's debut back in 2010 called "Beauty Within", I hope you get a little inspiration from me and join us.

I love the images on this set, they look like stain glass windows. I stamped this one onto a panel of Strathmore multi media paper and colored it with my SU markers and an aqua painter. Since I don't have the die to cut this image, I just fussy cut it leaving a small border. 

The pattern paper is from Lili of the Valley, (sadly discontinued), the card stock and ribbon, from my stash, the sentiment is from the set.

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Here is a picture of the finished inside of my card.

The flower is from the set and the sentiment from another old favorite from Flourishes called "Picking Wild Flowers" also from 2010.

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 this more than words can express.

Until next time, happy stamping.

Hugs from Maria.