Thanks for the Inspiration

Please share your card with us for this week's Bellariffic Friday challenge on Splitcoast Stampers using keyword BELLARIFFIC0812! We'd love to see it and there's some $$$ incentive too! One random contibutor will win $20 in Bella Bucks. Every girl loves to shop, right?

So, today's theme is inspiration. For me, it comes from many places. Sometimes a stamp calls to me. Sometimes I find design paper or a layout in blogland. Stamping Bella's Uptown Girl Perry on her Laptop has two inspirations. First, it had Danabella all over it (for me). She keeps us babes organized and on track which is exactly what Perry looks like she's doing here. As Design Team Coordinator, it's typical for Dana to be sending us email with schedules, sketches, and updates. But mostly, she is our biggest cheerleader. The sentiment with Perry, "I'm here when you need me" is Dana to a "T"! Next, is you! Yes, those of you who visit and leave comments and Follow me. I love to check you out too! You give me ideas that haven't found their way into Crafty Cath's head yet; it's like learning a new language. This week, one of my newest Followers, Mary J., inspired me. I was checking her creations out on her blog and saw her card of Perry here. I loved ex Bella Babe Elaine's sketch but better yet was the way Mary chose to showcase Perry; it's Brilliant! Thanks Mary for the inspiration!

Since today's Bellariffic Friday challenge was to use Polka Dots, I upholstered Perry in a nice green polka dot print chair. Hehe, I used My Mind's Eye Lost & Found Two Breeze design paper throughout. I loved the colors and the combination of stripes, polka dots and florals. To get started, I stamped Perry onto Bella's Bestest paper using Memento Tuxedo black ink and colored the ruffle edge with a teal copic and cut it out. I then stamped the image again onto the green design paper. I trimmed the upholstery print out and placed it on top of the first stamped image. At this point you have a trimmed out white cardstock piece with colored ruffles and green upholstery which looks wierd with Perry in Polka Dots. I'm not done yet, I stamped the image one more time onto Bella's Bestest paper so that I could color Perry. Which I did with my copics and then I trimmed her out as well and placed her on top of the green polka dot design paper. I then added shading with prismacolor pencils blended with gamsol and Tim Holtz Distress ink applied with a very small paint brush to the cushions (this little trick was taught to me by Paulabella). Now she's all set to sit in her floral papered room. Before I added the sentiment and striped paper, I cut a strip of teal cardstock with the edge of a Nestie Die. I loved the way the jagged edge tied with the ruffled edge of the chair. The sentiment comes with the image and was highlighted here with two sage Dew Drops. Needless to say this card took a lot of time to complete but I love the result!

Do you want to play along with us next week? Ya know you do! We've got another one of Ebru's awesome sketches to make it easy for you. Just ink up any Stamping Bella image and send a photo of your card to Emily@stampingbella.com by next Thursday. Emily will showcase it with the rest of the babes and sistahs. One lucky commentor and one lucky contributor will be winning some Bella Bucks. Then to double your chances, link a copy of your creation onto Splitcoast Stampers using keyword BELLARIFFIC0912. We'll be randomly selecting one submission to win another $20 in Bella Bucks. Woo hoo!

Thanks for stopping by! Enjoy your weekend.

Cath