Sassy Girl

Hello folks! This week's Bellariffic Friday challenge was a sketch and that so pleases me. Half my guess work was done and this came together like a breeze. I chose one of Mo Manning's newest additions to the Bella lineup, Talk to the Bear. I just love all the sass this little girl is giving off.

She kind of gives me that country charm appeal too so I chose Crate Paper Farmhouse design paper to work with. I started by stamping her onto Bella's Bestest paper using Memento ink and colored with copics. And yes, I did add some shading with prismacolor pencils as well as the surround shading under her feet and along her body. I forgot to pull the glitter out but I think she's ok as is. The sentiment comes with her and I simply stamped it, cut it and embellished it with a nestie flower topped with a button and Kaiser Craft rhinestone.

The background was dry embossed using a Cuttlebug folder and the scallop border was done with EK Success border punches. Machine stitching and rhinestones in the upper corners finish this off. I know the sketch called for a ribbon, but I have to tell ya it looked like too much for me so I toned it down. You ok with that?

Next week our challenge is Sum Sum Summertime....lots of great stamps to choose from. Don't forget that there are Bella bucks up for grabs for participating and commenting. Now before you head on out to see what all the other sistah's have made check out the newest Bella Babe - Carla Murphy. Carlabella seems to already have a fetish for Bella's and her cards are amazing. Check out her blog CardsbyCarla.

Ok now head on out. Have a wonderful weekend and thanks for stopping by!

Cath

Dripping with Birthday wishes...

I finally found time to create with the new release stamps and my list July to-do cards was filled with a ton of birthdays so I thought I could incorporate Uptown Girl Isabelle loves her Ice Cream into a perfect summer birthday card.

I started with a sketch that I found wondering blogland....started but not ended up with. Ya know how you see one and it looks perfect and as you try to pull everything together it starts to look busy? Well that's what happened here. So it looks a lot like the past few cards I've done - but unintentionally. The striped seat in the image drove me to find coordinating striped paper as it reminded me of a candy shoppe. I found it in the October Afternoon Sidewalk pack along with the pretty floral background paper.

So I stamped the image onto Bella's Bestest paper using Memento and colored with copics. I did add some shading with prismacolor pencils blended with gamsol too. Of course I had to add a touch of sparkle with glitter along the hem of her dress and I made the ice cream shine with Stampin' Up! Crystal Effects.

My new Nestie Romantic Rectangles were itching to be used so I cut the image out with one and then backed it with cardstock. The sentiment was also cut with various circle nesties. I wanted more - buttons, ribbon, scallops but everytime I added them they just looked too much so with that this is done!

See ya back here tomorrow for Bellariffic Friday!

Cath

Christmas in July

Hello folks! This week's Bellariffic Friday challenge was Christmas in July. Now I know that waiting until November to start Holiday cards is not very wise but I have to tell ya I felt a little wierd pulling out my Holiday stamps when I've been sweltering in the 100 degree heat. It's been a very dry, hot summer so far - not that I am complaining since my little neck of the woods was flooded at the end of last summer, but it sure has made it a little challenging to find creative mojo. Especially since my wonderful craft room doesn't have air conditioning grrrr..

Ah well, we must make use of the resources we have so to save time and energy and simply because I loved it, I used the SSSC by Karen Giron once again! It was perfect for Uptown Girl Eve Under the Mistletoe. I even liked the way her skirt was flared out of the image panel! So, I started by stamping Eve onto Bella's Bestest paper using Memento Tuxedo black ink and colored with copics. I did add depth shading on the ruffles of her skirt using Tuscan Red prismacolor pencil with gamsol as well as the surround shading. The belt buckle was given a little shine with a Sakura Black Glaze pen. The fur was given a little leopard look by adding Charcoal Opaque glitter by Sparkle N Sprinkle. The mistletoe berries were popped with a Viva Decor paper pen in cream.

The image panel was cut and matted using Nestie dies. The sentiment came with the image and was hand made into a tab using a corner punch. The design paper is Christmas Home by Teresa Collins. I love snow flakes - all colors - and this simple black and white pattern made me so happy! I knew a splash of red would be the perfect pop and the swirls on the pattern reminded me of a snowy, blowy day. I know I have quite the imagination. I finished it off with a seam binding bow topped with a button I found in the parking lot...ya just never know where you'll find embellishments...and tied with black twine.

Next week we're helping you out with a sketch again. Sure hope you'll give it a try with us. Just send a photo of your creation to Emily@stampingbella.com. There's Bella Bucks up for grabs to one lucky participant. If you don't have time to create, drop in to the Bella Blog to see some inspiration from the sistahs and leave a comment, we have Bella Bucks up for grabs there too!

Enjoy your weekend!
Cath

Vintage Birthday

Hey folks. Thought you mike like to see a new card I made today. I've used Izzie has Balloons another Cristy Croll image from Stamping Bella as my focal point. I love the vintage feel of her hat and coat. To keep that theme, I pulled out the October Afternoon Thrift Shop design paper. I went with a very neutral tone by using the black as the background and added bursts of color for the clothes and balloons paper pieced from various papers.

Of course, I stamped the image onto Bella's Bestest paper using Memento Tuxedo black ink and colored the face and hat with copics. The rest is all paperpieced. Surround shading was added with prismacolor pencils blended with gamsol. The image was cut using a Nesstie die and then shaded with Scattered Straw Distress ink while the image was still in the die. Two black rhinestones adorn the upper left corner and a sentiment tab adorns the right. I made this using a corner punch on both papers and attached it to the back of the image panel. An EK Success punch was used to make the scroll border. I finished off with a sheer black ribbon bow and machine stitching.

The sketch is this weeks SSSC over on Karen Giron's blog. It was oh so easy to follow.

Hope you're staying cool and can find some inspiration in your air conditioned room to make a Christmas card for this week's Bella challenge. I know I'm about ready for some cooler weather but I don't think I'm quite ready for snow though...

See ya later.
Cath

Pixie Ponderings

Happy Bellariffic Friday again! Today we had a sketch challenge and I've pulled a Dana (fellow Bellababe and sketch flipper extraordinaire!) by flipping the sketch to fit my image. I've had this cutie since her release but haven't found the time to color her. I thought she would be perfect with this week's sketch. Meet Peachy Pixie, a cute design by Cristy Croll released through Stamping Bella. Well, maybe you've already seen her around but this is her debut here.

I loved the way she seems to be pondering life in her favorite tree. Wish I could escape all the day to day challenges and watch the world below too but alas my fear of heights just might be the death of that thought!

Ah well, there are dreams you know. Let's get on to the details...I stamped Peachy onto Bella's Bestest paper using Memento Tuxedo black ink. I colored her with copics and then added shading using prismacolor pencils blended with gamsol. I used a Nestie die to cut her out and then added shading around the edges using VersaMagic chalk ink in Wheat with the die still on. I like the way that gives you a white border when you finish. With the coloring done, I found scraps of design paper and put them together with some spare ribbon, threw in a button and machine stitching. Since Peachy is a fairy, I had to add some glitter to her wings and around the background too...as if her mere presence was magical.

Next week your challenge is Christmas in July. I know we all say we're going to start our Christmaas cards early but then life gets in the way and before you know it we are like crazy elves running around doing a 1000 things in mere days. So to help you avoid this and to motivate you to start (if you haven't) I'd like to see what you can come up with. Pick your favorite Stamping Bella stamp and give it a whirl. Then send a photo to Emily@stampingbella.com so we can see it too.

Enjoy your week!
Cath

Beat the Heat...

Oh my - summer is in full swing here. And that always has me thinking of the Beach and fun times in the sun. So I hunted up Clara Lulu by Stamping Bella today. Here she is all decked out with her floaty and sparkly bathing suit.

I started by stamping her onto Bella's Bestest paper using Memento Tuxedo back ink and colored her up with copics. I also added Prismacolor pencil French Grey 90% to the darker areas of the inner tube and bathing cap for some depth shading. To help make her hair pop I added Black Glaze Pen. Couldn't pass up the opportunity to give her some divaness so she has sparkly glitter added to her suit and bathing cap border.

DP is October Afternoon Farmhouse that I bought eons ago and have hardly touched. The cardstock is Stampin' Up! Baja Breeze and Ridding Hood Red. The sketch was found while surfing the net and I can't even tell you where cuz hubby borrowed my laptop and searched over my page...grrrrr! Ah well I thought it looked like a neat beach sign so I added the sentiment to the bottom of the image as if this would hang from the driveway to your Beach house. I know, I have quite the imagination.

Ah well, I'm off to head into the mountains for a nice ride on the Harley - first of the season. I can't wait.

Enjoy your day and thanks for stopping by!
Cath

Young Love

Has this been a crazy week for y'all? It has been for me. In the States we celebrated the 4th on Wednesday...it felt like a double Monday week having the day off in between. It's almost been more exausting because of course we played and celebrated on Tuesday night and Wednesday. Ah well, wish I was a kid again and the summer was mine to enjoy each and every day. But here we are on Friday, my favorite day of the week! Not only is it the start of the weekend, but I get to see you and your creations for Bellariffic Friday! Woo Hoo!

Today we had the challenge of adding embossing to our creations. I've added dry embossing to the hearts in the left hand corner using a Sizzix folder and then applied Tim Holtz Distress Ink over the impressions for a neat vintage aged look. Today Hubby and I celebrate our 10th Wedding Anniversary so this is his card. I didn't want it to be too girly and yet I didn't want it dark either. I chose Mo Manning's Young Love image which was released in rubber through Stamping Bella. I can only hope that we'll still enjoy each other's company as we age like this couple has...I mean look at the contentment on their faces. It says it all!

I've stamped the image onto Bella's Bestest paper and colored with a combination of copics and prismacolor pencils blended with gamsol. The shading along the edges was added using VersaMagic chalk ink in Wheat. The distressing on the hearts was Tim Holtz Rusty Hinge. Nestabilities were used to cut the hearts and scalloped backing. The banner was hand cut and I remembered I had the Anniversay sentiment from Stamping Bella that would be perfect. It's no longer in the shop though. I couldn't resist a little bling, so I added some swarkovski crystals in black to the hearts as well. Machine stitching and I was done. DP is a combination of My Mind's Eye Be Happy for the background and So Sophie for the hearts.

Next week we go back to a sketch. Hope you can find time to play along and don't forget to email a photo of your creation to Emilly@stampingbella.com so we can see it in our Friday lineup! I'm heading over to the Bella blog now - won't you join me.

I must say I'm looking forward to July...we were on the go all but one weekend in June and there is nothing on the calendar for July. Let's keep our fingers crossed it stays that way.

Enjoy your weekend!
Cath