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

Izzie has a Cherry on top!

Today I thought I would give one more shot at the June SFYTT. Since Stamping Bella is this month's sponsor, I decided to color an Izzie. They are one of my all time favorite Bella's. This one is Izzie with a cherry on top. I paired it with October Afternoon Fly a Kite design paper and thus the colors began.

First I stamped her on Bella's Bestest paper with Memento Tuxedo black ink. Then I colored with copiccs. I did add some shading with prismacolor pencils blended with gamsol. Soft shading with French Grey 90% was done on the skirt and the cupcake, Burnt Ochre was used on her face and Scarlet Lake for the frosting. Since I cut her out, I didn't have to add any surround shading or ground. I did add Black Glaze pen to her shoes and Stampin Up! Crystal effects to the frosting for some shine.

Machine stitching pulled it all together along with Nestie Circle, Blossom and Petite Oval dies. The sentiment is also a Bella. It's not currently in inventory but there are plenty of others.

You still have a few more days to participate in Jen's challenge. Hope you can play along.

Thanks for stopping by.

Cath

A Sketchy Bellariffic Friday

I must say that I love sketch challenges more and more. I used to be scared stiff of them and have now grown comfortable in the fact that half of my guess work is done. And I even feel free to interpret the sketch in my own way. This week's Bellariffic Friday sketch from Jeaniebella was no different. When I got it, I immediately turned it on it's side and said sweet! Yup, it was just like that. Then the ball started rolling with the image. Cupcake princess Violet, a Mo Manning image released in rubber through Stamping Bella is a rather wide image. I didn't want to take up that much real estate on my card so I decided to leave some of her dress outside of the edges. The rest is coloring.

The story starts with Bella's Bestest paper and Violet stamped with Memento Tuxedo black ink to be colored with copics. But I wanted depth in the folds of her dress so I added my favorite French Grey 90% prismacolor pencil and blended with gamsol. I left the edges of the image free this time but I did add ground beneath her feet with pencil as well. Design paper is from Prima Marketing - The Madeline collection of 6x6 papers. Cardstock is Bazzil and the card base is Neenah Classic Crest solar white. The sentiment is from Bella as well and I framed it with a Nestie's Labels 10 die. I added soft shading using VersaMagic Wheat chalk ink. Then I added some glam with pink rhinestones and glitter to the dress ruffles.

Next week the Bella's are taking a break for the Canadian and American holidays. Don't worry, we'll be back the folowing week, July 8th, with a RIBBON challenge. Now that's a pretty easy one and you have plenty of time to get creative. If you need some Bella time before then, hop on the Bella Forum and see what's up there. Jessabella is always pulling something together. Like a Book club chat on Friday the 1st or the new monthly Forum challenge which happens to be a Citrus color challenge this month.

See ya soon and thanks for stopping by.

Cath