Merry Christmas

I wanted to send Christmas Greetings to everyone in Blogland. If your life is like mine, it gets hectic for the holidays with all the preparations, cooking and baking and then the visits to share time with family and friends.

Mine got a little bit crazier last Saturday as we packed up my craft room and did the mad dash to get all our belongings into two PODS for the move from Michigan to New York. I thought I could find time to post a card or two but that just didn't happen. We barely had time to shove the bed we slept on into the POD on Thursday morning before it was picked up for its journey to NY. We've made a stop in Rochester, NY to spend the Holidays with our family and our belongings arrive in our new home on New Years eve. I am so sorry that I couldn't keep up with the blog.

I've so enjoyed sharing my creations with you and I thank you for all your visits and comments throughout the year! Please be patient and I promise you that the I'll be back again in 2011.

May you have a joyous Holiday!

Cath

Happy Birthday Dana!

Woo hoo it's Saturday and fellow Bella Babe Dana White has a birthday. Dana's BFF Karen Motz asked us to celebrate with a BLOG HOP. How cool is that? If you've just stopped in, you'll want to head back to KAREN'S blog to start at the beginning. If you've followed the hop, then you should have arrived here via Jeanie.

In honor of Dana's special day, I pulled out Izzie has a birfday cake. Yup, she just looked too perfect with her yummy chocolate cake. At least that's how I envisioned it.

A Bella needs a Bella right? So I started with Bella's Bestest paper. Of course I had to pull my Copics. You'll never guess the colors I used. I was cruising some blogs the other night and found a combination I wanted to give a try...it was E08 placed on a glossy surface (I used an ordinary plastic bag that was in my craft room) and pulled it with R00 to apply it. Whataya think? Nice "pinky" color right? I pulled out my black Glaze pen to give Izzie's shoes some shine along with the dots on her dress and her headband. If you've never tried this tool - you must. You'll always reach for it to highlight black details. I know I do.

A Classic Rectangle Nestie die was used for the image panel and was matted with black prism cardstock. Big Scalloped Rectangles backed that with AC Cardstock. Design paper is October Afternoon's newest line titled Modern Homemaker. I picked this up in my last Bella order and couldn't wait to use it. The sentiment, also found at Stamping Bella, was framed in a Label 10 die. I added a distressed look by shading with Tim Holtz antique linen distress ink. Then I topped it off with tiny pink Swarkovski rhinestones. Every girl needs a little bling.

If you'd like to follow along on the hop your next stop is Michelle's. A complete list of the blog hop participants can be found in order below. I know that you'll want to stop by and see what all the gals have to share with us and don't forget to head to DANA's and leave her some Birthday Cheer so she knows you were thinking of her.

Karen Motz
Leslie Good (participating through Karen's blog)
Wendy Bond
Elaine Hughes
Linda Heavens
Joanne Basile
Jodi Collins
Paula Williamson
Ebru Vatansever
Nancy McKinney
Ann Kranitz
Janet Rossi
Jeanie Witmore
Cath Groden - you're here!
Michelle Leishman
And the Birthday Girl herself - Dana White
Hope you have a wonderful Birthday Cclebration Dana! We love ya!

Thanks for stopping by!
Cath

Mimi Lulu plays in the snow with her Mommy

It's our last Bellariffic Friday post of the year folks. That makes me kind of sad. But don't worry, we'll be back after the Christmas and New Year's Holidays. That should give you some time to prepare for your celebrations and then play with all you new toys. Hope Santa brings you all you're wishing for. Maybe you'll even have a few new stamps to show us!

This week we had a sketch challenge from Paulineabella. It was an awesome one! I had no trouble picking papers, colors and an image to color up. I've been having some fun with Kraft paper so I used it as my card base - besides it went perfectly with the We R Memory Keepers design paper. I selected Mommy and Mimi Lulu in the snow from Stamping Bella to sit center stage.


Mimi was stamped with Memento Tuxedo black ink onto Bella's Bestest paper. Then I pulled out my copics and played. Remember, I'm challenging myself to play with some of the colors that otherwise sit in the case. So I pulled BG72,BG75 and BG78. Yum!

I added a strip using my new Martha Stewart Pine needles punch. A satin ribbon from Mary Maxim topped with a stray button I found in my drawer (love when you clean house - you find all kinds of neat goodies) along with some hemp cording. The image pops because I added a black Glaze pen on the hair. Liquid pearls were used to highlight the snowflakes and glitter makes them glisten.

The sentiment can also be found at Stamping Bella.

Stop by the Bella blog to see what all the other Babes and sistahs have to show us and leave a comment for a chance to win some Bella bucks.

Thanks for stopping by. Enjoy your Holidays!

Cath

Have you built a snowman yet?

Hello folks! Our winter wonderland continues. And it's so cold that the snow crunches underfoot. I LOVE when that happens. Of course it was so cold that many of the schools were closed again today. On my way home from work, I admired the snowmen the kids made on their day off. It inspired me to ink up Snowman Circle from Stamping Bella.


Did ya notice that I started with Kraft cardstock? Yup, I decided to change it up. Still pulled out the Memento Tuxedo black ink. Then I colored with copics and "painted" the white snowman with Close to my Heart White Daisy pigment ink. Glitter applied with a Quickie glue pen helped make him glisten. A Sakura black Glaze pen helped add some shine to the top hat and buttons. Various Spellbinders Circle Nesties and Lacy Circles (which I finally found in stock at Mary Maxim - Woo Hoo) cut the papers for matting the image panel. The center border strip was punched with a Martha Stewart punch. The sentiment is also a Bella. It too was cut with a Nestie. The snow was created using Liquid Pearls adorned with glitter.

Machine stitching brought the image panel together. Cardstock is Papertrey Ink Kraft, prisim red and black. White is Neenah Classic Crest Solar White. The design paper is from K&Company.

Enjoy your week and see you back here on Friday for our last challenge of the year. I've got my card done. How about you? Come on play along with us one more time this year.

Ciao,
Cath

How about some sunshine?

Well, I don't know about you but it's a winter wonderland here today. It started snowing in the wee hours of the morning. How do I know you ask? Well, I was up - creating a card to show you - that's how I know. Now, I usually really love days like today. I like sitting on the couch and having a fire going and watching the snow fall in our big picture window while the hubby and I find movie after movie to occupy us. That DID NOT happen today! I've been packing and while I have tons done and the rooms are sparce and we could hardly scrounge up plates to eat dinner on last night...there is still more to be done. OMG my craft room is taking forever. My nieces asked how that was so and I told them that I didn't move it all here. I've acquired most of it in the past three years. UGH!!! There's tons of stuff. I only have a week to finish it all up!

So in light of all the craziness, I decided to ink up a little sunshine. Meet Maisy Sunshine from Stamping Bella.

I've also made a resolution to ink up copic colors that I haven't used other than to fill in my color chart to show me I have them. Do you do that? Do you go for your favorite colors and have others that you had to buy so that you could get closer to having all 334 colors? Well, I do. So today I grabbed my Blue Violets and matched them with Green at Heart design paper from Basic Grey.

I started with Bella's Bestest paper, Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored in a base with copics. Then I pulled my prismacolor pencils out and again pulled colors that I have sharpened but haven't used. It's a new goal since I see all the stuff I have that sits on shelves and doesn't get played with. You should give it a try. I'm sure there's a few things you've been hoarding that still have original wrappers and price stickers on. Come on, get 'em out and feel good about using 'em.

I've added my basic embellishments; a silk ribbon, a clear flower and a dew drop colored with copics to match, Glitter adhered with a Quickie Glue pen on the flower and Maisy's wings. The scallop border was cut with the MFT die. Colored cardstock is by prisim and it's scraps I'm bound and determined to use.

It's hard to see but I did add some green ink along the edges of the image panel applied with a sponge. It's soft and pretty in real life but it's very faint in the photo. Here's a close up so you can get a better look.



This week's Bellariffic Friday challenge is a sketch which you can find on my previous post. It makes it nice and easy for you. It's our last challenge for 2010 so get out your supplies and play along - a fond farewell to another crafting year! Send a photo of your card to Emily@stamping bella.com by Thursday night so she can display it on the blog and you might win some Bella bucks.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend and thanks for stopping by!

Ciao,
Cath

I love you a Latte

Another Bellariffic Friday is upon us. This week we were challenged to make a gift or giftcard holder. I love to give the daughter Starbucks gift cards for Christmas. She so enjoys her daily brew. This year I thought I would dress up the packaging with Lattebella from Stamping Bella.


I picked up some plain white gift boxes on clearance a while ago and had an aha moment. Luckily they hadn't been packed so I covered one with Basic Grey Figgy Pudding design paper and adorned it with some Nesties and a Java drinking Bella.

This was also designed with Wendy Bondabella in mind. She has a style of cutting images out and putting them center stage. I wanted to give it a try. So I started with Bella's Bestest paper, Memento Tuxedo black ink and copics. Then I cut the image out using scissors and an Xacto knife. Prismacolor pencils blended with gamsol helped me add some shading. I even added a clear Sakura Glaze pen on the cup of Joe.

Here's another look...

Check out Frosty's matching cup of Joe. Big Scallop Oval Nesties along with Large Oval Nesties were used on the image panel. A Cuttlebug embossing folder and Martha Stewart border punch helped dress up the center strip. I felt it needed a ribbon but I didn't have the right color. No problem, I had lots of ivory on hand. I pulled out my R37 copic marker for a perfect match and inked it up. Kaiser rhinestones along the scallops finish this off.

Join us next week for a sketch from Paulineabella.

Now I love a sketch challenge, the design is picked for you and you simply have to choose which Bella image will see ink. Send a photo of your card to Emily by Thursday night to be included with the rest of the sistahs on the Bella blog. Who knows, you might be the lucky winner of some Bella Bucks for Christmas cash.

Enjoy your weekend!
Cath

Do you have enough snow for Lulu?

Hello folks! Were you able to stay warm this weekend? It's been colder than heck in South Eastern Michigan. No snow though. Well, lots of little fluffy flakes blowing around but nothing has stuck yet.


Now Lulu here, sure likes having an accumulation of snow so she can make her snowman. And isn't he cute? This is aptly titled Lulu's Snowman from Stamping Bella. I ordered this the day of Emily's release and I was thrilled to have this waiting on my doorstep when I returned from the Thanksgiving Holiday. The Echo Park paper defined the colors I would use and I have to tell you that I loved making this card.

I colored Lulu with copics but added shading with prismacolor pencils blended with gamsol. I've found that Bella's Bestest paper and Memento Tuxedo Black ink work great for the foundation so I started there. Snowflakes were added with liquid pearls and the blanket of snow was made by adding glitter. I've packed up almost all of my ribbon - I know, silly move, but I've been a pack rat for so many years that I am finding odds and ends I've saved from packages anticipating that I could reuse them down the road. And look what I found, this great piece of hunter green grossgrain ribbon. I actually think it came from an Eddie Bauer box - woo hoo. It's recycled and matches perfectly.

I'm off to pack another box or two.... Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Cath

Snowbunnybella...I think I am

Happy Bellariffic Friday to you. I have to tell ya that this weeks Stamping Bella challenge is getting me in the mood for some winter snowy fun. I know, you probably think I'm crazy but I love a cold snowy day when the ground crunches beneath your feet and your breath floats softly on the air. Can't wait to head to the Catskill mountains for some skiing this year too. Let's pray that my RA coopertes so I can actually enjoy it.

Today, I show you Snowbunnybella by Stamping Bella. She looks so happy in her little fur parka even with her bare legs. Ok, so maybe I should have made them black stockings but I had a color theme going on.


To get this going, I started with Bella's Bestest paper, Memento Tuxedo Black ink, and copics. The soft shading at her feet and around her was done with prismacolor pencils blended with gamsol. Check out the detail of the liquid pearls topped off with glitter to make the snow at her feet and the fur on her parka. I love the way it actually looks real! The little flakes falling were left without glitter but I think it still sets a wonderful winter scene. How about you?


Cardstock is Bazzil, while the design paper is a combination - K&Company shimmer and specialty paper. I added a snowflake border along the bottom with an EK Success punch. See Sissy - that's card number two that I was able to use this punch on and you thought I didn't need another snowflake punch. A girl can NEVER have enough snowflake punches in my book! He he - picked up a new Martha Big punch I can't wait to get at. Sorry, back to the card...the ribbon is Papertrey Ink's Ocean Tides and it is a wonderful teal - seafoam green. A few Stamping Up! felt snowflakes adorned with a teal bauble sit on top. Of course, I had to add a little machine stitching as well. Ta da.. easy peasy.

Now take a look at Mini-Bella Ashley's Snow day creation. She couldn't entice Madison and McKenzie to play along this week but she's caught the Bella bug. Great job Ashley and thanks for joining the sistahs!



Now next week's challenge is going to take some thinking...but I think you will put the result to use in the upcoming holiday season. Make a gift or gift card holder using Stamping Bella images. I know that I could use a few of these. So put your thinking caps on and get creative. Then send a copy of your creation to Emily@stampingbella.com by Thursday night.

Hope you enjoy your weekend. For a change I think we are actually staying put. That means I've got major packing to do. But at least we secured a house to rent in our new town...Coxsackie, NY. Move in date is set for New Years Eve. What a way to ring in the New Year aye?

Ciao Bellas!
Cath

Alice visits for a Birthday Celebration

Woo Hoo. Sometimes searching the web pays off. Today I headed over to Jeanie Witmore's blog because it's Thursday and she typically has a Krafty Thursday Challenge. Typically it means we are challenged to use kraft cardstock in our creation but today she mixed it up and gave us a sketch. Yeah - it takes most of the guess work out for me. Love it!


Here's Alice a Cristy Croll creation for Stamping Bella. I found her too cute. And I have a niece with a Birthday tomorrow so I thought she would make a perfect image for Jeanie's challenge.

Would you believe me if I told you I didn't use Bella's Bestest paper? Good, 'cause I did and then I pulled out Memento Tuxedo Black ink, and copics. Shading with prismacolor pencils was only added for the grass and sky shading around her.

Design paper is Cosmo Cricket Girl Friday and cardstock is Bazzil. The sentiment is by Stamping Bella. I've added some blue rhinestone crystals in the upper left corner, cream dots with the Viva Decor Paper pen for the ruffles on her skirt, and the Black Glaze pen on her headband and shoes. Totally love the way everything pops. If ya haven't guessed I even paper pieced the coffee mug.

Now why don't you head over to Jeanie's blog to see what everyone else is linking up or better yet, give the sketch a try yourself.

See ya tomorrow for a snowy Bellariffic Friday.

Cath

A Peeps Pink Christmas

Hello folks...bet you thought you lost me. Sorry, life has gotten just a little hectic. Couldn't sleep last night so I thought it would be more productive to make a card. So in the wee hours, I colored up Christmas Peeps by Stamping Bella. Went a little non-traditional too with a pink tree.


Since the day I saw this image I knew I wanted to color the tree pink. Ever have a vision like that? I started of course with Bella's Bestest paper, Memento Tuxedo black ink, and my copics. Then I added shading with prismacolor pencils blended with gamsol. I know you've heard that forever from me but if the formula works why change it right?

I can tell ya that the colored cardstock is a combination of Bazzil and AC cardstock. I'm trying to use all the little snipets I have laying around. The design paper has a shimmer to it. Couldn't tell ya where it's from though. My craft room looks like a bomb went off in it. I started packing it but then had to leave some stuff out - no card making for 3-4 weeks would kill me. So, I'm living in craziness right now. And check this out, the ribbon is a small piece that came in a bag of scraps from Mary Maxim. I've packed almost all my other ribbon up. How cool is it that the color I needed was still in the drawer? It's as if it was meant to be. I little liquid pearls adorned with glitter were used for the snowy blanket and Martha Stewart glitter in a sage green adorn the ornaments but I applied it with Quickie Glue.

You still have time to participate in this weeks Bellariffic Friday challenge. The theme is SNOW. We had a few flurries of the white stuff yesterday. I'm sure you can scrounge up a suitable image or just add snow to a summery one for a little Christmas in July fun. Be creative, have fun, but then send Emily@stampingbella.com a picture of your card so she can post it on her blog so we can see it too. And you never know, you might win some Bella bucks. I'll bet the new Lulu's are on your wish list. Mine were waiting for me on my doorstep when we got back from Thanksgiving. Woo Hoo!

Thanks for stopping by!

Cath