How about some Wedding cake?

I'm working on a theme here...first it was the Bridal shower card and now on to the Wedding Cake. I was inspired by an ad in Martha Stewart Living for her annual Wedding Issue. The cover was a colorful cake with orange and pink blossoms cascading down the sides and I had an Aha moment. I knew that Lulu's Wedding Cake, a stamp from Stamping Bella, had the same wonderful design.

I started with Bella's Best paper, memento tuxedo black ink and copics. Having a good sketch helps and I love creating on Sunday's because I can catch fellow Bella Babe Dana and the Sweet Sunday Sketch challenge. If you want to play along here's the sketch. You can link your card on Karen's blog here.

I found this awesome design paper from the Bella online shop. It's Crate Paper's Emma's Shoppe collection. Yup, I'd say it was a perfect match. Some soft shading was added with prismacolor pencils blended with gamsol. The pearls were made with cream and kiwi green Viva Decor Paper pens. Love these! I have a tip to share though...have your image all colored, cut and ready to go. I added the pearls first and then had a heck of a time trimming it...the pearls were wet and can't go under the arm of my Carl paper trimmer, at least not without some casualties. I think I salvaged it anyway just don't look too closely at the lines.

The sketch called for three accent lines so I chose to use my Martha Stewart heart scalloped border punch. I also added a ribbon rose and added some leaves cut using a Nesties die.

Hope you enjoyed your weekend. Thanks for stopping by.

Cath

Christmas to Beat the Heat

Happy Bellariffic Friday folks! This week we were challenged to dust off our Christmas Bellas 'cuz it's Christmas in July! Good thing too! Every year I say I'm going to make two Christmas cards a week - alright I hear ya laughing already - ok maybe just one. Still laughing aren't ya? I know - life happens and I barely have the energy to do all the normal errands let alone think about the Holidays in July. Now that I've started, however, I just might be able to keep at it.


So how about some details? This is another adorable image illustrated by Mo Manning and released in rubber last summer titled The Choir. I've had the darn stamp that long and this is the first it's seen ink. I was a little intimidated as most of the Babes have done a phenominal job of coloring it in the past. I googled choir boy images to help me with color - I didn't want the typical red and white robing instead choosing to add a splash of blue. So I settled on blue with white and gold over robes adding the red in the music books.

The background design paper is Cosmo Cricket Be Good Believe which I have also had for a year without getting into... see the pattern here? The blue is new though, it's Basic Grey Oxford which I picked up this week on my adventure to see the family in Maryland. A fun time was had there but let's get back to the card. The music notes paper is from October Afternoon Very Merry Sing the Carols...of which the other side is a fabulous pink with snowflakes and the reason I bought the paper. Got a little lucky there didn't I?

Of course I stamped this onto Bella's Bestest paper using Memento tuxedo black ink and colored it with copics. Prismacolor pencils blended with gamsol were only used this time to add ground shading and the soft blue glow around these angels. A soft seam binding ribbon made into a bow was topped with a felt snowflake and a flat bottomed pearl. The scallops were made with EK Success punches while a corner punch was used on the blue paper. Of course I had to add a little glitter to the star so I pulled out my favorite Quickie Glue pen to apply it.

Next week's challenge is Heavy Metal. No, not music...add some metal embellishments to your card. Now this I can't wait to see. Hope you can play along. There's some Bella Bucks on the line for one participant. Not able to play you say? Well head over to the Bella Blog anyway and post a comment, we've got some bucks for one commentor as well. And I've heard rumblings of a new release soon so what would be better than some Bucks to go shopping with?

Enjoy your weekend and thanks for stopping by!

Cath

It's Wedding time!

Summer brings so many invitations to weddings and showers. I know I've colored this stamp already but daughter called and needed an engagement card for a college friend. I couldn't resist Wedding Gown Circle by my favorite stamp company, Stamping Bella.

Coloring was easy. Copic colors BG10, BG70, and C2 along with a little shading using French Grey 50% prismacolor pencil blended with gamsol made short work of it. But I added lots of glitter applied with Quickie Glue and some soft grey pearl buttons using a Viva Decor paper pen. Then the rest was done using various circle and square Nesties and my Cuttlebug. I even put the background paper through it using the Polka Dot embossing folder.

The design paper is by 7 Gypsies and added enough pattern to make this girly. While I stamped the image onto Bella's Bestest cardstock all the remainging white is Neenah Classic Crest. The soft blue is Bazzil.

This is short but sweet I hope...I'll be enjoying some time with my family for a few days but I'll be back.

Enjoy your week and thanks for stopping by.

Cath

Sparkle Baby!

Hello folks it's that fabulous time of the week again...Bellariffic Friday. Woo Hoo. This week Ebru has given us a wonderful sketch challenge with some options too, a circle or a square card. Ebru anticipated your indecision so she still added a circle image panel regardless of the card shape you chose.


I went square and chose Addy'tude loves to Sparkle. I've had this Diva for some and decided to give her some love. Of course, I stamped her with Memento Tuxedo black ink onto Bella's Bestest paper and colored her with copics. Some shading was added with prismacolor pencils blended with gamsol around Addy. I was excited to pick a somewhat smaller circle panel than would fit the whole stamp so that I could have her scarf flow off it. I simply cut and colored another one and paper pieced it on top after the image went through the Nestie. Easy Peasy.

This girl looked like she was decked out and dressed for an evening out on the town so I wanted a nice classy look. The black design paper is by Pink Paislee called Bayberry Cottage - love the sound of that. The pink dp is from the My Mind's Eye Stella and Rose Hazel collection. White cardstock base is Neenah classic crest solar white and the pink is by Papertrey Ink. The black is a scrap of Bazzil I had laying around.

I wanted to add sparkle to fit the sentiment so I added a black rhinestone for the clasp on the purse, glitter around her ring and black glitter on her dress, as well as clear rhinestones around the edge of the scalops of the circle. The big blue rhinestone was meant to be...I had already stamped and cut the sentiment panel and then went on the hunt for the perfect anchor embellishment. The square was the perfect size without any triming and I thought it added a nice new color too.

Have you been sweltering in your next of the woods this week? It's been wavering towards 100 degrees most of the week here. I'm dying with no central air. I'm not really fond of it most days becuase it locks out the world and I like to hear the birds and life around me but I sure could have used it this week. We have a window unit in our bedroom and I found myself running in there to post this just so I wouldn't continue to swelter.

Next week's challenge brings thoughts of snow for most - it's Christmas in July. Yup, we're going to help you with your Chirstmas collection - so dust off your Holiday stamps and play along. And you know there is some Bella Bucks too. If you can't make a card, don't worry, head on over to the Bella blog and leave a comment - one lucky one will win some bucks too!

Stay cool and thanks for stopping by.

Cath

A Potter's Bench

We all need a good work station. If you've seen my craft room you know that my Executive desk is my pride and joy. For my gardening, I've always wanted a nice potter's bench. Mo Manning has a wonderful illustration which was released in rubber through Stamping Bella, aptly named Potter's Bench. You can bet it caught my eye.

Not surprising I stamped this onto Bella's Bestest paper using Memento Tuxedo black ink. Then I added color with copics. I also added ground shading using prismacolor pencils blended with gamsol. This image comes with the sentiment too so you get a twofer. I wanted this to look a little like a state fair prize ribbon so I used a Nestie die to cut out the flower and made the sentiment to look like a banner.

The card base is Neenah Classic Crest solar white, and colored cardstock is a combination of Stampin' Up! Dusty Durango and Bazzil. Design paper is from the 6x6 Basic Grey Hello Lucious paper pack. Machine stitching and a dew drop are the finishing touches.

Hope you all have a great week. Thanks for stopping by.

Cath

Sneaky Sneaky Bella

Another Bellariffic Friday is upon us. What I love most about the characters Emily and co bring to life, is the limitless occasions they fill. Have you ever perused the Stamping Bella store? I mean Bella, Stella, Izzie and Lulu take us through so many of life's important and trivial events. So it's quite a challenge to enter the coffers and pick just one each and every week. Guess that's why it's called a Bellariffic challenge huh?

Today I share Sneaky Sneaky Birthday Bella. I started by stamping the image onto Bella's Bestest paper using Memento Tuxedo black ink. I then did a combination of coloring with copics, sakura gel pens, and prismacolor pencils blended with gamsol. I even paper pieced the couch and added additional shading with prismapencils. The pillows were stamped onto Bella's paper again, colored and cut out and placed on top of the couch pattern. Design paper is from My Minds Eye Stella and Rose collection and the colored cardstock is Bazzil.

A soft pink hand-dyed seam binding ribbon was added to make a bow and then topped with a yellow button tied with a thread bow. Machine stitching finishes this off along with a Bella sentiment stamped directly onto the design paper.

So are you ready to play along with us next week? We've made it easy for you - our very own Ebrubella has given you a sketch that you can make into a circle or square card. Whatever floats your boat.


But don't forget to send a copy of your card to Emily@stampingbella.com by Thursday to be included in the Friday lineup and try your luck at winning some Bella Bucks.

Enjoy your weekend.

Cath

Biker Babe

Hi folks. Hope you enjoyed your weekend. Wanna know how I spend mine? The weather as been super cooperative here so we've been out and about exploring the glorious mountains - on motorcycle. Now don't think I'm the typical biker babe type - I'm more of the Ralph Lauren of bikers. In fact, many times you'll see me wearing Ralph instead of Harley. But I must say that there is nothing better than hopping on the back of the bike, armed with a map to explore the countryside. In fact, Hubby and I have already been out more here than any summer in Michigan. And I'm lovin it!

Crafting time is also a must! After this weekend I felt compelled to bring out Bikababearella by Stamping Bella. I stamped her with Memento Tuxedo black ink onto Bella's Bestest paper and colored her mostly with prismacolor pencils blended with gamsol. We ride a Red Harely Davidson Road King Classic...nice and big with black leather saddle bags. Bella here doesn't have saddle bags but I wanted her bike red. I also decked her out with jeans and her leather. Hubby has a rule about that here - jeans and steel toe boots are a must but he has given me some consession with the leather with the hot summer sun. I'm now sporting a nice little tan thanks to tank tops. I've used My Mind's Eye Stella and Rose 6x6 design paper and paired it with Papertrey Ink Kraft as well as Stampin Up Dusty Durango and Baja Breeze cardstock. The sentiment was cut with a Nestie die and shaded with Tim Holtz Distress ink. The rhinestone swirls gave me the vision of dust kicking up as Bella races by...ha I've got quite the imagination don't I?

Here's some views of the mountains I was able to capture as we zoomed by...they are so much more majestic in person.





Don't forget to grab your favorite Bella or Stella to play along this week with the Babes. You still have time to create and send a photo to emily@stampingbella.com before Thursday evening.

Thanks for stopping by.

Cath

Love Ewe

I have loved the sentiment "I love ewe" placed alongside a sheep since I can remember. I don't know why but it's endearing to me. It's probably why I couldn't resist buying the sentiment from Stamping Bella along with Curly Ewe.

Stamp in hand I could't think how to color a sheep. When in doubt Google it. I found that most really aren't white, they are more dirty ivory. Armed with my favorite tan like copic shades of E44, E43, E42 and E40 I set about coloring this cutie up. First though I had to stamp him on Bella's Bestest paper with Memento Tuxedo black ink. Coloring this took no time at all...the layout was a different story. After many starts and stops the result finally appealed to me.

Various circle and square Nesties were used to make the many layers to the image panel. The paper is some scrap design paper I had laying around. An EK Success border bunch was used for the center white strip, I then topped that with red seam binding tape and made a nice bubbly double bow.

Hope you had a great weekend. Thanks for stopping by.

Cath

Glorious Geraniums

Happy Bellariffic Friday folks. Can't believe how fast two weeks flew - after having a little break so everyone could celebrate the Canadian and American holidays we are back with a ribbon challenge. Hope you found time to enjoy your families, friends, food, ok and maybe some creating time too. Hubby and I decided to explore the fabulous Catskill mountains by motorcycle and I have to tell ya the views are breathtaking here. From one peak we actually had a 5 state view. But we also had a day of rain so I found time to create and complete this weeks challenge.

Summer at the Groden's always has geraniums. I struggle between choosing pink ones or red ones. I LOVE red, reminds me of the front porch of the Grand Hotel on Macinac Island in Michigan. They have about a bazillion red geraniums in white window boxes lining the front promenade. With that in mind you'll know why I just had to color Rustic Window box, a Mo Manning image released in rubber through Stamping Bella, in brilliant red. I chose Cosmo Cricket Garden Variety 6x6 design paper and paired it up with my favorite compliment - black cardstock. The solid red cardstock is Ruby Red by Stampin' Up!

The image was stamped on Bella's Bestest white cardstock using Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored with copics. I have to tell you that I drew inspiration from Tammybella's card a while back...she colored the windows in. Windows usually intimidate me but after looking at hers, I tackled this and really like the result. Thanks Tammy!

Of course, I needed to add a ribbon for the challenge so I made a bow out of black grossgrain and added a red button tied with black Bella jewelry cording I found at JoAnn's. I know you probably thought it was a Stamping Bella product but no - it seems like I find lots of Bella's in my life to love. I also added a small sentiment using one of the Billboard sentiments stamped on a tag cut using the Nestie Tags 5 die. I also chose to use black machine stitching so it would pop with all the white and red. Oh and the scallop was made using the MFT big scallop die-namic.

Now head on over to the Bella blog and see what all the sistahs have to share. If you want to play along next week, the challenge is to use a Bella or Stella. And don't forget to send a photo of your creation to Emily@stampingbella.com by Thursday so she can put it in the post and we can see too.

Enjoy your weekend and thanks for stopping by.

Cath

Where's the Beach?

This month on the Stamping Bella Forum, Jessabella is hoping you'll play in our "Citrus Cool" challenge. You have until the 14th of July to enter a photo of your creation here. Up for grabs is $25.00 in Bella Bucks. Woo Hoo!

I decided to color up Mavis builds a Sandcastle. I have a feeling that lots of them are being made this week as everyone gets into Summer mode. I chose a combination of Basic Grey June Bug and Marrakech 6x6 design paper as my color inspiration. I then paired it with AC Cardstock and Neenah Classic Crest solar white. Mavis was stamped with Memento Tuxedo black ink onto Bella's Bestest paper and colored with copics. Then I cut her out using the Fiskars Swivel Bladed fingercutter. Love that tool. I didn't want a white border on this one so I simply went over all the edges with the corresponding copic marker and voila it looks like I cut right up to the image.

Other extras are a sentiment that was computer generated and cutout using the Petite Oval Nestie, machine stitching, an EK Success border punch and sunglasses covered with Stampin' Up! Crystal Effects for the appearance of real glass. The card layout was one I saw on Karen Giron's blog while surfing this weekend.

I hope you can find some time to play along with us too! And you still have plenty of time for this week's Bellariffic Friday challenge to use ribbon.

Enjoy the summer sun and carefree days. And thanks for stopping by.

Cath

Happy Fourth of July

It's been poouring all day today. I mean raining cats and dogs pouring. So what's a girl to do but spend some time in her craft room. And since it's been raining so much, I thought I would finally color Rain-never-stopped-me-abella. I felt it was fitting for the day, where although it's been wet and dreary - it's still a day off and that's better than a day at work. Ok, I didn't dance in the rain but I did do the happy dance since we celebrate the holiday tomorrow and have one more day off.

Now you've probably guessed that I stamped this Stamping Bella image on Bella's Bestest paper using Memento Tuxedo black ink and colored her with my copics. I added surround shading with Antique Linen Tim Holtz distress ink. Nesties helped make the star cutouts and the layout is Jen del Muro's July SFYTT. The sentiment is a bonus as it comes with the image. I simply made a banner out of it and topped it off with a button tied with a jute bow. If you haven't tried Scrap dots, you might want to - it was perfect for adherring the button on this card. The glue by Helmar goes on wet and allows you to balance objects that don't lay flat - like buttons. It dries rock hard though so no more buttons falling off because glue dots can't hold the weight of em.

The design paper is from the Cosmo Cricket Togetherness 6x6 mini deck. Ack, it's the first time I've dipped into this pack and I've had it for about 4 months now. Told you I hoard things. Colored cardstock is Ridinghood Red by Stampin Up! and some dark blue from my stash. Card base is Neenah classic crest solar white.

You still have time to play along with the Bella Babes this week for our Bellariffic Friday challenge. This week your challenge is to use ribbon. Not much of a challenge right - I mean I use ribbon on just about every card I make. But give it a whirl and share your creation with Emily@stampingbella.com by Thursday evening so she can include it in the weekly line up. You never know, you might be the lucky winner of some Bella bucks. Sweet huh?

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

Cath