What's Cooking

I had so much fun coloring Turtle Tots Baker from Stamping Bella. Hehe, this was a test run for this week's polka dot challenge. Ha but it didn't make the cut. I do however, think it's still pretty neat.

The October Afternoon design paper was perfect inspiration for me for coloring the apron - the flowers matched! I love when that happens. Then I couldn't resist coloring a bowl of chocolate cake batter. I'll even share a secret with you, I messed up the chef hat. I tried it in shades of red first but then decided it clashed. So I simply stamped another, colored it up the way I wanted and then pieced it on top. Voila, fixed!

I created the sentiment on the computer and sent my Bella's Bestest paper through my printer once I had the placement of the image set. The ribbon is from my Grandma Soporito stash...I love being able to incorporate her supplies into my cards. Each time I pull them out I have such wonderful memories of the woman who saved everything.

Card details: finished size 4 1/4 x 5 1/2, October Afternoon design paper, Bazzil black cardstock, black rhinestones, black grossgrain ribbon, dimensionals copics, prismacolor pencils blended with gamsol

You still have time to create a polka dot creation for this week's Bellariffic Challenge. I'll see you back here on Friday.

Thanks for stopping by.

Cath

Some More Bella News

Have you been to the Bella blog today? We have three new Sistahs that have joined the Babes. I've been stalking them for quite some time now so I think that you will be very inspired if you visit their blogs. And please visit them.. so you can help me in welcoming these gals.

Tammy Hershberger - Stamp Happy
Jessica Diedrich - The Whimsical Butterfly
Robin McKinley - Stamper Extraordinaire

To help you find them, I've also updated the links on my side bar.

Now how about a card?


I have been dying for Bessie LuLu from Stamping Bella since I saw Paulabella color her up last year. She finally made her way to my craft room. And I thought she would look great in soft yellows and Kraft which meant I could enter her in Jeanniebella's That's Krafty Thursday challenge.

Inspiration came from a piece of design paper from the Sassafras Ellie's Tale 6x6 paper pack I found online at the Bella shop. I stamped on Bella's Bestest paper and colored her with copics. Of course I couldn't resist adding grass with prismacolor pencils blended with gamsol. Nesties helped me ground the image and an EK Success punch gave me a little contrast with brown cardstock along the bottom.

Check out Jeannie's blog for some more kraft inspiration. She has a huge following now so there is lots to see. You can participate too, just use kraft cardstock on your card. How easy is that?

Edited to add that I have also had a tip from a follower about another Kraft blog...The Kraft Journal. They too have weekly Kraft challenges and this week it's flowers so this fits. I've entered this card there too.

Of course I'm going to prod you to participate in Friday's Bellariffic Friday challenge - polka dots this week folks. There's still time to make a card and send a copy to Emily@stampingbella.com by Thursday night.

I'll be back soon with yet another card using my new paper stash.

Thanks for stopping by.

Cath

Betty Bombshell is in the house

This week lots of goodies have found their way to Crafty Cath's house. I have been dying for all the new 6x6 paper packs and they finally arrived. I could not wait to play. To start the week is Betty Bombshell from Stamping Bella.



Wish I was heading on my way to the beach...instead we've had some more cold weather and even a flurry or two on Friday. We had dinner in the mountains last night and they still have lots of snow. Ok, enough already. I'm ready for spring! I found this funky, exotic looking paper from Basic Grey titled Hello Lucious and thought it would help put me in a warmer mood.

I started by stamping Betty with Memento Tuxedo black ink on Bella's Bestest paper. I colored her with copics and added some soft sunshine with prismacolor pencils blended with gamsol. You'll notice that I added lots of dots in varying copic "E" shades to create the sand. I then cut this image out using oval Nesties.

Base cardstock is Dusty Durango by Stamping Up and the teal is by Core Dimensions. All three design papers are from the Basic Grey Hello Lucious pad. I placed the bottom layer through the Polka Dot Cuttlebug embossing folder. I also wanted to create the appearance of waves along the bottom so I used one edge of the Ric Rac die-namic from MFT.

Since Betty is a chichibuile fairy I had to add some glitter to her wings with the Quickie Glue pen. I then finished this off with a satin ribbon bow from my Mary Maxim stash and two pink dew drops.

Hope you have some sunshine headed your way.

Thanks for stopping by.

Cath

Stamping Bella News!!!

Have you seen Emily's post on the Bella Blog announcing the latest and greatest? Well for those of you lucky enough to live next to an Archivers store, this should be good news for you...Bella's will be coming to town. Yup, you heard that right. Stamping Bella will be sold at an Archiver's location near you. Of course, I just left Michigan and the convenience of having an Archiver's around the corner...thank goodness Bella's still ship.

Now, are you ready for a card? Today I share Clementine the Teapot girl from you guessed it, Stamping Bella.


I couldn't resist using my new Stella & Rose design paper and coloring with copics. Of course, I started with Bella's Bestest paper and stamped Clementine with Memento Tuxedo black ink. I did add some soft shading using prismacolor pencils blended with gamsol. Then to dress this up I added teal half pearls, seam binding ribbon and a Bella sentiment.

card details: finished card size 6x5, Neenah Classic Crest solar white cardstock for the base, My Minds Eye Stella & Rose Hattie design paper, Papertrey Ink colored cardstock, Bella's Besstest paper, Memento Tuxedo black ink, copics, prismacolor pencils blended with gamsol, pearls, seam binding tape, Nesties circle dies, machine stitching.

Don't forget that we don't have a Bellariffic Friday challenge this week so you have plenty of time to work on your Polka Dot challenge for April 1st.

Enjoy the rest of your week and thanks for stopping by.

Cath

An MFT Spring Fairy

How many stamps have you bought that have yet to see ink? Be honest now! I know that I often fall for stamps but it's finding the time to create that I fall short on. Take this MFT Pure Innocence stamp for instance, I've had it so long that they have now introduced it in rubber (I bought it as a clear stamp) and now it's new again. I thought it would make a great spring card and paired it with some Webster's Pages paper that has been collecting dust.

Since I'm loving my new fiskars finger cutter, I decided that this cutie needed to be trimmed and then mounted on the stacked circle Nesties. The border is also by MFT as well as the sentiment. I added some pink twine, a big button and a pearl to finish it off.

Hope you can find some time to create this week.

Thanks for stopping by,
Cath

Happy Day

It's finally Saturday! Now that I'm back to a work schedule, can't tell you how much I treasure my lazy Saturday mornings. Well, lazy means I can head to my craft room and indulge myself. Today I created with a purpose. I wanted to participate in Jen DelMuro's March SFYTT and Joanne Basille's 4th blogaversary celebration. To the rescue came Bettina Buttercream, a Chichibuile fairy from Stamping Bella. Her cherry topped cake seemed fitting.

I met a few new crafters in my area last night and brought Bettina along. Since it was too cumbersome to bring all my copics, I brought my prismacolor pencils. Of course, I started with Bella's Bestest paper and stamped my image with Memento Tuxedo black ink. For the first time in forever, I just colored with no particular design paper in mind. It took me a little longer to find something to put together, my turning to my stash of Basic Grey came through. You can see that I added machine stitching, some twine and a cute little sentiment to send wishes Joanne's way. I also added Stamping Up! crystal effects to the frosting, Viva Decor paper pen in red to the cherries and glitter to her wings.

To particpate with Jen, we had to follow the sketch - check
To participate with Joanne, you had to incorporate three elements. I used Kraft cardstock, multiple stitches (straight and some wacky curves) and twine.

Hope you find time this weekend to relax, create and have fun.

Thanks for stopping by.

Cath

Eggs in a Row for Bellariffic Friday

Happy Bellariffic Friday folks. Wow, the week has flown by. Hope you were able to play along with our sketch challenge this week. If not, head on over to the Bella blog to catch a glimpse at what the sistahs did.


Me, I made another Easter card. I couldn't resist the Spring feel of this stamp titled, Row of eggs with Bunny by Stamping Bella. I've turned the sketch sideways to fit the image in the oval panel and think it fits perfectly with the October Afternoon Ducks in a Row design paper. How funny is that - ducks in a row, eggs in a row, see the theme here? He he.

I also rounded the outside edges with my corner punch and matted in black for some pop. I used Copics to color but did add prismacolor pencils blended with gamsol for the grass, blue sky and shading. Notice that I also kept the image in the Nestie die and shaded with VersaMagic chalk ink in wheat for some additional shading.

I love having a sketch to follow, it makes short work of putting a card together. Thanks Dana for a great one!

card details: finished card size, 5 x 6 1/2, Bella's Bestest paper for image stamped in Memento Tuxedo black ink and colored with copics, Viva Decor cream paper pen, Bella row of eggs with Bunny stamp and sentiment, black rhinestones, yellow grossgrain ribbbon, machine stitching, dimensionals, October Afternoon Ducks in a Row design paper, Stamping Up! colored cardstock, machine stitching, corner punch, oval Nesties.

The Mini-Bella's played along too and have some fun cards to share...

McKenze has a Ketto


McKenna and Lauren share Meredith the Teacup girl and DaisyBella.




Thank you everyone for your encouraging comments each week. They love to hear from you and look forward to your weekly cheering on.

Next week we're taking a break. We'll be back again on Friday April 1st with a Polka Dot challenge and that's no April fool's joke. So you have plenty of time to create. Don't forget to leave a comment on the Bella blog for your chance to win some Bella bucks! Woo Hoo - it means more shopping money.

Have a great weekend.

Thanks for stopping by!
Cath