50 Shades of Pink....

It's Bellariffic Friday once again! Can't believe how fast the summer seems to be slipping by. We're finally starting to see the fruits of my vegetable garden. The 30 tomato plants are bursting with yellow pear and red roma tomatoes. I'm having to go out daily to see what the sun has rippened. Last night there was a nice fat red pepper for us too! Woo Hoo. Sadly some moth turned white wormy thing infected all my summer squash and zucchini. I was so totally sick by it that I just pulled them all out. I don't think I could have eaten anything after seeing the nasty buggers all over and I don't think I'll be planting those next year!

So on to today's card, I know that's why you're really here! We were gifted with another sketch and at first I was a little challenged to pull together 4 different papers to follow it. Ida Lulu by Stamping Bella was on my desk from last week so I decided she would be my focus. Now I've colored her in pink before and had visions of yellow to try this time but Paulineabella did such a fantastic job last week in that color that I thought I needed to switch it up. I was drawn once again to shades of pink. The Echo Park Be Mine 6x6 paper seemed perfect for lots of pink options and I actually found 5 to use here.

I started by stamping Ida on to Bella's Bestest paper using Memento Tuxedo black ink. I then colored her with copics and added ground, surround and detail shading with prismacolor pencils blended with gamsol. I cut Ida out using a Classic Oval Nestie die using care to extend the umbrella outside the edges. I placed this on a paper pieced background machine stitched together and cut using the Labels 25 Nestie die. Both layers were matted in black. I used a Stampin' Up! border punch for the vertical panel and topped that with a complimenting vertical stripe dp and then a satin ribbon and bow. The sentiment was cut into a tag and added underneath, it just didn't look right along the center panel as in the sketch so I improvised a little. Machine stitching and a twine topped button finish this off. Except... I forgot to mention the red gel pen framed glasses topped with Crystal Effects and the Black Glaze pen that made all the black areas pop. I just love using that pen - Ida's hair and the trim along her umbrella and dress look so much better after applying that pen.

Head on over to the Bella blog for some more inspiration. And then pull out your creative tools so you can play along with us next week. Our challenge is Birthday Wishes! I know I can ALWAYS use extra birthday cards.

Enjoy your weekend! I think we might be heading to Hunter Mountain ski resort up in the Catskills for the Octoberfest. I'm praying for sun, fun and beer!

Thanks for stopping by,
Cath

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun...

Especially on their Birthday! Hello folks, I have another birthday card to share with you today. I actually should have shared this with you last week so just ignore today's date and know that I'll still be squeaking in two more cards before Sunday. (Fingers crossed!) Stamping Bella's Uptown Girls Victoria and Juliette's Night Out was the perfect image to toast another year for one of my friends. I mean who wouldn't want to be sharing either the Appletini or Red Merlot these girls have?

I had Crate Paper 6x6 design paper pads on my craft desk and decided to use a mix of Emma's Shoppe Collection and Random. I love that the two worked together especially with the funky paper pieced dresses. So to start, I stamped the image onto Bella's Bestest paper using Memento Tuxedo black ink. I then colored the faces and bodies using copics. The dresses were stamped again onto the dp and then cut out. Shading was added using Prismacolor pencils blended with gamsol. Glitter accents both hem lines. To help give this pop, I matted the layers with black cardstock. Image panel was cut using Nestie Classic Circle and Petite Scallop dies. The sentiment actually comes with the image, I simply stamped right onto the design paper. Two black brads and machine stitching hold this together. Finished card is 5 x 6 1/2.

I'm off to work on this week's sketch challenge so I'll see you back here soon!

Thanks for stopping by,
Cath

I Love Ice Cream...

Yup it's my downfall. I could eat it every night! I also really love Mo Manning's images and am thrilled that many are released in rubber through Stamping Bella. So with our challenge this week to use a Sum Sum Summertime image I couldn't resist Lacie with Ice Cream. Love all her dimples and fun fun spirit!

I started by stamping the image onto Bella's Bestest paper using Memento Ink and coloring with copics. I added shading with prismacolor pencils blended with gamsol. The ice cream is complete with sprinkles AKA glitter. I know I had to gt it in! I also added Crystal Effects to the glasses for some shine.

You won't believe this but I used scrap 12x12 paper backed with kraft and distressed with Tim Holtz Tea Dye distress ink. I kinda fell for the American red, white and blue theme so I pulled out red brads and red gingham ribbon too. The sentiment is also by Stamping Bella and I hand cut it in a banner. Machine stitching finishes this off. Card size is 5 1/2 square. Center image panel was cut using Classic Circle Nestie dies.

Next week we're back to another sketch. Phew, our only decision is which favorite Stamping Bella image will we use. Hmmmm....what can I use? Hope you can decide and will join us for Friday's blog lineup. Send a photo of your creation to Emily@stampingbella.com by Thursday night and you might be the lucky winner of some Bella Bucks. And don't forget to leave Emily a message for another opportunity to win some spending money!

Enjoy your weekend!

Cath

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