Friday, August 30, 2013

Flower Power!

Happy Bellariffic Friday folks!  Our theme is flower power and I've used an image I bet you wouldn't expect!  This card is heading to someone I know that just found out she is expecting again.  She has a house full of boys and I wanted to send her my wishes for a baby girl!  Of course, another boy would be just fine as hers are so dang cute but I thought a girl would be nice to try to even out the household.

 
 
I've used Mo Manning's image Toby is Two which is released in rubber through Stamping Bella.  This one cracks me up.  I know I've seen many a child throw a tantrum like this.  To bring in our flower theme I went with the design paper My Mind's Eye, The Sweetest Thing, Bluebell 6x6 paper and then the MFT Hibiscus flower die.  The sentiment comes with the image and I've stamped it onto Bella's Bestest paper and cut it out using the MFT Fishtail flags die-namic.  The background die is also from MFT, it's the Oval Decorative Doily Die-namic.
 
Next week we have another sketch...are you catching the pattern here?  Sketch, theme, sketch theme.  It sure makes it easier for me to remember!  So take a look and maybe you can play along.
 
 
Now I know the date shows the 13th but trust me - this is for the 6th.  And remember to send a photo of your creation to Emily@stampingbella.com by Thursday night.  She'll include you in the blog lineup and one lucky creation will receive some Bella Bucks.  Want another chance to win some Bella Bucks, just leave her a comment.  She picks one each week for $10 in Bella Bucks.
 
Now I have some celebrating to share with you.  Today I turn 50!  Yup, and I'm happy about that!  I also will be celebrating my third anniversary as a Bella Babe.  On August 30th, 2010 Emily sent me an email to ask if I'd like to join the Babes.  I'm so glad she did.  I love her images and I love working with all the Babes since then.  So, I'm feeling the need to share.  I have a gift card for $25 in Bella Bucks to share with one random comment I receive on this post from now until September 7th!  No gimmicks, just leave me a comment and I'll pick a name when I get back from vacation!  I'm heading to Salt Lake City to celebrate turning 50 and surviving!  This has been a very full year and I'm so thankful for everything!   Oh and Emily posted that she has a new release coming soon!  Wouldn't you like to have some bucks to go shopping???
 
Enjoy the last dog days of summer!  I know kids head back to school soon and nights will be coming much quicker.  Get out and have some fun before the leaves start falling.
 
Thanks for stopping by!
 
Cath
 
 

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

The Little things can actually be the big things!!!

Hello folks!  I absolutely adore the image by Christine Grove released through Stamping Bella.  This is Tallulah in her Tutu and she's heading to my husband's friend who was in the motorcycle accident.  He's still in the hospital - 45 - days and counting but he was moved from ICU to a rehab floor.  Big move too since he finally got to see his twin 2 1/2 year olds.  I have a care package being shipped their way.  And this card just made me chuckle.  I hope it brings a smile to them as well.

 
 

I stamped the image onto Bella's Bestest paper and colored with copics.  I added some glitter to the ruffles just to make it more fun...glitter for a guy, I mean seriously!  Then I cut the image out and backed it with black Bazzil cardstock.  I stamped the sentiment onto the MFT Die-namic textile rectangle frame die.  Design paper is Echo Park Be Mine.  I again thought this elephant would look great decked out in pink and the pink and black theme is so un-guy like I thought he would get another chuckle.

I must say I love to look at an image and use it in multiple ways.  I love this one and actually all the funny and cute images by Christine.  Check them out at the Bella Shop.

I'll be back on Friday if I can keep the internet up with my Bellariffic challenge card.  I'll let you know that I used an image you wouldn't expect for our flower power theme.

See ya later and enjoy your week!

Cath

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Ever Have one of those weeks?


I'm a little late for my Bellariffic Friday post.  My dang internet keeps going out!!! I live in the boonies and they upgraded my modem and I haven't been able to keep a signal since.  Grrrrr... So I also didn't see that the image I colored for this week's sketch challenge wasn't in the shop any longer.  Double grrrr...



I'll share the details with you anyway.  We had a great sketch.  I colored up Puff with copics after stamping him onto Bella's Bestest paper.  Ground shading is prismacolor pencils blended with gamsol.  I've also added glitter to his wings to make him a little more magical.  The design paper is for My Mind's Eye, Lime Twist Out of the Blue.  The sentiment is also from Stamping Bella but it's not in the shop any longer either.  Are you feeling my pain yet?

Green hemp, Spellbinder Circle die and MFT mini-tabs Quartet die-namics were also used.  Dew drops placed in the upper right hand corner finish this off.  Card is 6 1/2 x 5.

Next week's challenge is Flower Power!  Hope you can find time to play along with us.  Email a copy of your creation to Emily@stampingbella.com and she'll include your creation in our Friday lineup.  We love comments too and each week one lucky person receives Bella Bucks!  Stop on by the Bella blog and say hello.

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

Cath

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Mickey has Birthday wishes

Today I have a just for fun post with a card to share I made for my nephew.  He adores Mickey Mouse - and at age 2 what child doesn't?  I found some Disney coloring book pages that I reduced in size so I would fit on a card.  Then I printed it onto Bella's Bestest paper so I could color with copics.  A little shading was done with prismacolor pencils blended with gamsol.



When my image was done I used a Nestie Square die to cut the image out but I left some of the balloons to extend over the edge.  Black Glaze pen was used to brighten up the black parts...I really think this helps make them pop.  I backed the panel up with black Bazzil cardstock.  The banner is MFT Fishtail flags which I cut with red Bazzil cardstock and topped with black brads.  I attached all this to October Afternoon Sidewalk red stripped design paper.  Pretty easy.  Finished card is 5x7.

For the inside I stamped an MFT sentiment along with the number "2" I cut using my Slice machine (haven't used that in forever!) I then placed them on a panel I cut using another Nestie. Check it out...

 
Phew...this is late but I like the way it came out.  Now I have to make one for nephew #2 and hopefully his will be early to offset the one I sent late.  Goal is to finish that this week too.  Let's see if I can stick to that.
 
Enjoy your week!
 
Cath

Sunday, August 18, 2013

Molly is heading to College

 
Hello folks.  I have another card using Stamping Bella's Uptown Girl Molly Makes a Detour.  This one was a special request and does double duty as a birthday card for a young girl heading off to college for the first time. With all her bags, I thought she was perfect for the occasion.
 
 
 
I stamped her onto Bella's Bestest paper and colored her with copics.  Shading for the ground is prismacolor pencils blended with gamsol.  A corner punch was used on two of the edges.  I then placed the image over postage stamp design paper.  Finishing touches are a ribbon and sentiment banner flag.  the sentiment is also from Stamping Bella - I pulled it from Bye Bye Girl, a Mo Manning image released in rubber through Stamping Bella.  

Hope you all have a great week!

Thanks for stopping by,
Cath

Friday, August 16, 2013

Polka Dots and more...

Happy Bellariffic Friday!  Today's Stamping Bella challenge is to add polka dots.  I used K&Company paper to help me out with that and a really cute image - Spit Happens by Mo Manning and released in rubber through Stamping Bella.

 
I stamped the image onto Bella's Bestest paper and colored with copics.  I then added shading for depth using prismacolor pencils blended with gamsol.  Then I cut the image out.  This one was pretty easy to do.  Then I combined paper and Nestie dies to add the trim, rectangle and sentiment panel.  This is making it's way to a niece that just found out she's expecting.  I love this baby and the sentiment cracks me up!
 
Next week our challenge is a sketch.  Hope you can find time to play along! 
 
 
Don't forget to send a photo of your creation to Emily@stampingbella.com by Thursday night.  Then stop on by the blog to see the inspiration and leave a comment for a chance to win some Bella Bucks.
 
Have a great weekend.  I'll be helping daughter number two move into her first home!  She's so excited.  Things are good!
 
Thanks for stopping by,
Cath

Monday, August 12, 2013

Mimi is the perfect chick!

Hello folks!  I'm sharing a card with you today that just fell together.  Literally!  I stamped up Mimi the Chick misses you - one of the new Christine Grove images released through Stamping Bella.  Oh my she makes me smile.  I think she'll make the recipient of this card smile too!  It's for my husband's friend and his family - he was in a serious motorcycle accident and has been in the hospital for a month now.  I know this sentiment and adorable Mimi will make everyone chuckle.


I felt that Mimi would look great decked out in plaid with her pleated skirt and beret so I hunted down My Mind's Eye Collectable "Notable" 6x6 design paper and paper pieced both!  The rest of the image was colored with copics.  I then cut her out and had her sitting on my desk when I pulled down some precut cast offs from other card attempts.  The black Nestie cut Labels 20 die looked great for the background and then I found the sentiment which is also from Stamping Bella and I had hand cut into a banner...perfect!  I backed it up with more paper from the Notable pack and machine stitched it to Black Bazzil cardstock.  Moral here is that what doesn't work today may work tomorrow so set it aside until the opportunity presents itself!  And I love the simplicity of this card. 

Thanks for stopping by - hope you have a great week. 
Cath

Friday, August 9, 2013

Going places in style...

Happy Bellariffic Friday Folks!  Our challenge this week was a sketch and I loved it!  I found it nice and easy and this card came together in record time.  I remember when I looked at a sketch and cringed, now I find them as such a great tool.  I rarely make a card without one anymore.  I've learned to not get so hung up on all the parts.  For instance a circle doesn't have to be a circle it just means placement.  But I pretty much followed today's sketch...let's take a look.

 
I chose Mo Manning's image Prince Edward Island released in rubber through Stamping Bella.  I just love the vintage feel of this chicklet so I continued that theme with the floral and stripped paper as well as the cording and Picot edged Nestie Die.  Papers are Glitz Cashmere Dame 6x6, the flower was made using MFT felt and their Flower Trio die-namic which I then topped with a Kaiser 1/2 pearl.  The sentiment is from Stamping Bella as well but I don't see it in the shop any longer.  I've also added some glitter to make this extra girly and sparkly.  The photo just doesn't do it justice.
 
Next week our challenge is to use Polka Dots!  Another easy one.  Hope you can join us.  Just send a photo of your creation to Emily@stampingbella.com by Thursday to be included in the Friday lineup.  And stop by the Blog to see some inspiration for the rest of the Sistahs.  We have Bella Bucks up for grabs weekly for one lucky contributor and one commentor. 
 
Enjoy your weekend!
 
Cath

Friday, August 2, 2013

Photo Inspiration full of color!

Hello folks!  For today's photo inspiration challenge there was lots to work with.  Take a look again.

 
I can't wait to see what the sistahood came up with.  Me, I loved the blues with the pop of green so I went with that.  And I loved the wall with frames of different shapes.  So I added buttons with varying color and shapes.  Check out my take.
 
 



The image is The Way you Move by Diane Duda for Stamping Bella.  The design paper is My Mind's Eye Notable 6x6 - grosgrain ribbon and colorful buttons add dimension.  An EK Success punch was used for the scallops.  Coloring was done with copics but I did add shading with prismacolor pencils blended with gamsol.

Next week we have another sketch.  Hope you can find some time to play along.  Be sure to send a photo of your creation to Emily@stampingbella.com so you can be in next Friday's lineup.

 
 
Have a wonderful weekend!
 
Cath