Having a bad day?

Happy Bellariffic Friday folks!   Today's challenge is a sketch.  I can see me using this one again.  I've pulled out Sumpin's Wrong designed by Mo Manning and released in rubber through Stamping Bella.  Isn't he a cutie?

He's stamped onto Bella's Bestest paper and colored with copics.   Shading was added using prismacolor pencils blended with gamsol.   Design paper is Farm House Country Kitchen 6x6, cardstock is Bazzil. 

I hand cut the flag pennants to follow our sketch and realized that perhaps I shouldn't have picked such a big image.  Ah well, for the 3 year old this is heading to I don't think he'll notice.  But I couldn't resist adding some red Swarovski rhinestones in the upper left corner. 

Next week our theme is a photo inspiration.  Check out the color in this one!

 

 

Check out the rest of the Babes creations on Em's Blog and leave a comment for a chance at some Bella Bucks. 

 

Have a fabulous weekend!

 

Cath

Uptown Girl Opal

Hello folks!  I have a birthday card to share with you today using a semi-new Uptown Girl!  This is Uptown Girl Opal by Stamping Bella and it's taken me a few months to color her up.  I had the need for a birthday card and the recipient is quite the wine drinker so I thought Opal was a perfect choice!  Actually there some other Uptown Girls who love their refreshments too!  I think it's why they're one of my favorite lines!

Opal was colored with copics but I did add shading with prismacolor pencils blended with gamsol as well.  As you can see I also added Tim Holtz Distress inks along the edge of the Nestie die while the die was left in place for additional shading.  I let my papers influence the color palette.  Soft yellows and greens can be found in the We R Memory Keepers Antique Chic 6x6 pack.

I've added some extras using MFT dies - the flag for the sentiment along with the flower die.  The border along the top and bottom is an EK Success die.  Finished card is 5x7.

Enjoy your week!!!

Cath

Christmas in July!!

This is one of my favorite challenges!  Here we are in a heat wave in Upstate NY and the thought of some cooling winter weather sounds somewhat appealing!  I said somewhat - I am still lovin' the sun!  The Babes at Stamping Bella will all be pulling out some holiday inspiration for ya and maybe you can get a head start on this year's stash.  I decided to color Uptown Girls the Three Amigas.  Oooh this was a fun one and I had some inspiration from Suzzane Dean.  I think I found her card while cruising  Pinterest. I was lovin' her green and black color palette and went with it here.

 

 

Don't you just love these girls?  Who wouldn't be having fun with a pretty holiday dress and a fun drink to boot!  Of course I had to add some sparkle too so there is an assortment of glitter as well.

 

Design paper is Making Memories, snowflakes are MFT Let it Snowflake Die-namics, pearls are Kaiser.  Finished card is 6x6.

 

Next week we have another sketch in Bella land. 

 

 

We'd love to see you play along.  Send a photo of your card to Emily by Thursday night to Emily@stampingbella.com and you'll be included in the weekly blog lineup.  No time to create, that's ok too.  But head on over to the blog for some inspiration and leave a comment.  There's Bella Bucks up for grabs every week.

 

Stay cool!

 

Cath

You take the cake..

Hello folks!  I have another graduation card to share with you today.  And it's another not so typical graduation image.  Can you tell I'm in a repurposing mood?  I love Mo Manning's image Cupcake Thief released in rubber through Stamping Bella.  That mischievous grin and mile high cupcake treat make me smile.  And I got to thinking that it would be perfect for another niece (yes, I have a rather large family) who graduated from college recently and with honors.  Actually the vision for this card is not my own, I was surfing the internet and so enjoyed Tracy MacDonald's version with the image appearing to run off the page that I decided to give it a try. 

I started by stamping the image onto Bella's Bestest paper and colored her with copics.  Once I was done and determined how big I wanted the card, I drew a line down the left side of the image and cut it away.  It left me with the image running off...brilliant Tracy!  Thank you for the inspiration!  The sentiment, which Tracy also used, fit right in with my graduation theme so I found a font I liked on my computer and ran this through my printer...that was a little scary especially since it was after all the coloring was done!  But alas all went well and I heaved a sigh of relief.  I matted the card with Bazzil cardstock and mounted it to Neenah Classic Crest solar white cardstock.  I added some glitter to her wings and shading with prismacolor pencils blended with gamsol around her.  A teal button and flag finish this off.

Thanks for stopping by.  See ya on Friday for our Christmas in July Bellariffic Friday challenge.

Cath

Chicks Rule!

Happy Friday everyone!  For this week's Stamping Bella challenge we were given a sketch to work with and I found a breeze to use.  I've pulled another Christine Grove image.. appropriately called Chicks Rule and isn't she just darling?  I'll be sending this as a graduation card to a niece.  She worked her butt off in college and had top grades.  I think this chick is just perfect for the occasion.

So I stamped her onto Bella's Bestest paper and colored her with copics.  There is a little bit of shading under her feet I used prismacolor pencils blended with gamsol on.  I then used Nestie circle dies to frame her.  Design Paper is Authentique.  The sentiment comes with the image and I used more circle dies to cut it out and frame it.  Finished this off with a pretty ribbon and button topped bow.

Next week our challenge is Christmas in July!  I've been thinking about getting a start on Christmas cards.....mind you just thinking about it so this will be the golden opportunity to make it happen.  Hope you can join us!  Feel free to drop into the blog and leave a comment or two...there are always Bella Bucks up for grabs each week.

Enjoy your weekend!

Cath

Uptown Couple

I was so psyched to spend some time in my craft room over the long weekend.  First up is a card using the image Uptown Couple Emily and Ryan under the umbrella.  This is going to my future daughter-in-law!  Yay, our son proposed on July 4th and she said yes!  We are thrilled.

I tried something a little out of the box for me, I stamped the image onto Bella's Bestest paper and then cut around the umbrella so that it actually became a covering for the image below.  I liked the way it came out and I liked how it let me use the design paper, Simple Stories Fabulous, behind it as a frame - especially with the love birds hanging out. 

 

Coloring was done with copics, embellishments are felt flowers made with MFT dies and topped with buttons.  The sentiment is computer generated.  Finished card size is 6 1/2 x 5.

Congratulations Justin and Cait!  Can't wait for the celebration!

Cath

If Pigs can fly...

Another week has flown by...and that brings us to Bellariffic Friday once again!  I have an image to share from one of our new designers in the Stamping Bella family, Christine Grove.  This is Parker the Superpiggy and I LOVE him!  Actually I love how all of Christine's images bring a smile to my face.  This little cutie is going to a friend of my daughter's.  She finally came to terms with a very very difficult decision she had to make.  Superpiggy is my way of sharing that although she can't see past today and this moment...there's hope and super hero's ready to help her! 

I started by stamping Parker onto Bella's Bestest paper and colored him with copics.  I also added shading with prismacolor pencils.  Then I actually cut him out.  My original intention was to have a colored background circle but once it was done I thought he was hidden rather than popped so I just glued him onto a white one.  Well that was a lot of extra work...ah, things don't always go like you planned in this craft right?  Onto designer paper, I used Authentique Glory 6x6.  I liked how it tied in the Americana and super hero status.  I've matted that with Stampin' Up! cardstock and placed it onto Neenah Classic Crest Solar white cardstock.  An ivory ribbon and star shaped buttons finish this off.  I know - our challenge this week was buttons and I probably should have used more, in fact I had more out but once I lined them up, they looked too much so I took them off.  Finished card is a 5 inch square.

Next week we're back with another sketch.  Hope you can find some time to create with us!

Enjoy your weekend!  And thanks for stopping by!
Cath