First day of Spring

Can you believe it's the first day of spring? It sure doesn't feel like it though. Cold and a few flurries coming down, although the sun did peak out for a bit this afternoon.

So with spring upon us, I thought I would colour up something 'springy'.  I'm show casing today an Uptown image called Lolly and her Brolly.

I stamped Lolly on bella's bestest paper and coloured her using copics.  The yellow shading around her was done with prismacolour pencils.

This card is packed with many die cuts.  I used all spellbinder dies - fancy lattice, A2 bracket borders one, oval, and oval scallop.

Designer paper is by Fancy Pants - Park Bench.  I like how the paper peaks through the lattice work.

Finished off with glitter, glossy accents on the sunflower,
seam binding ribbon and a couple of yellow prima flowers.

If you haven't submitted your entry for this weeks sketch  challenge you still have time.   See layout 2 posts down.
You can email Emily by thursday night for a chance to win $20 in bella bucks as well as your card up in lights on bloggabella.

Okay, I'm off to work on Friday's challenge card. I'm running behind this week.  See you back here on Friday.

Thanks for coming by, :)  

Garden Picks

Hi everyone, hope you had a good weekend. I spent most of yesterday afternoon working on cards for my sale  basket out in Dresden, so thought I would share one of them with you. 

I used a Flourish set called  Garden Picks  for my card today.  I must say Flourishes is one of my go to stamp companies for all my 'nature related' needs.  I just love the variety of flowers they have and they are all so real to life looking.  See for yourself:

I started by stamping the image on white cardstock from PTI using black memento ink.  What I love about this set is that you have your choice of 3 different floral arrangements, you just stamp the jar and then insert the flowers you want!.

I cut the image out using a rectangle s/binder die, then layered  it onto a piece of cream c/s cut using Labels 23 s/binder die.

DP is from MME - Miss Caroline - Fiddlesticks. I used the flip side (mauve polka dot) for the strip along the bottom. Martha Stewart sea shell border punched was used on the edge.

Finished off with some lace, mauve seam binding ribbon (Flourishes), and some pearls.  I think I will put a Mother's Day verse inside this one.

Thanks for stopping by, have yourself a wonderful day.
Snow and rain in the forecast for today - YUCK!!!

For the boys,

Hello, and welcome to another bellariffic challenge.  This weeks challenge was 'for the boys' and I must say I really didn't have much in the way of 'guy' stamps, but I did manage to find  one in my favourite image  lines - 'peeps', so today I'm show casing Beer Peep!

He was stamped on bella's bestest paper, then coloured with copics.  I sponged some versamagic wheat ink  around the image after cutting it out using a s/binder rectangle die.  
Designer paper is from Basic Grey - Oxford. 

Finished off with some dark chocolate twill ribbon by Martha Stewart.  

I guess this would also make a perfect St. Patrick's day card as well, with the green paper and the beer image!

Be sure to stop over at Bloggabella and check out all the other 'guy' creations, and leave a comment for a chance to win some bella bucks.

Next weeks challenge is back to a sketch.  This is sketch #6.
Hope you get a chance to play along, if you do, make sure you email Emily your entry by thursday night.

Thanks for stopping in today, and have a great weekend!  

Morning Glories

Hi - Just popping in for a quick post before heading off to work.  We had such a beautiful weekend here it made me want to colour up something 'spring'. So routing through my bella stamps I came across this one.  

It is called Morning Glories for Lulu, and also I see that this stamp has been reduced to a whopping $2.00.  If you want it grab it while you can because once this is gone it's gone forevah!

After stamping it on bella's bestest paper I coloured it with copics.  I then sponged some colour box plum berry around the image after I cut it out with an oval s/binder die.
This was then layered onto another piece of white c/s cut using the lacey oval s/binder die.  

Paper is from Memory Box (absolutely love the selections of papers in these Memory Box packs). Copics used are:
YG21, YG13, YG67, YG 97, BG0000, BG000, BV0000, BV01, BV04, V04, V25.

Finished off with a nice big mauve silk bow (do you think the bow is too big?) and some pearls and glitter.

I think I'm going to use this as a Mother's Day card for my stash bucket.

Well that does it for me for today, have to get going.


Don't forget about our bellariffic challenge this week - our theme is 'for the boys'.  You can email Emily your submission by thursday night for your entry to be posted on Bloggabella on friday as well as this gets you a chance to win some bella bucks.

See you back here on Friday.  Have a wonderful day, and thanks for stopping by.     

 

Sketch challenge #5

Hi everyone.  Hope you all had a good week.  So glad it's Friday, it's been one of those weeks.  I woke up yesterday morning thinking it was Friday, but was very disappointed when I realized it was only Thursday!

For this weeks Bellariffic challenge we had a sketch to follow. This is what I came up with.  I used Ramona Loves Cake.

As usual I stamped her on bella's bestest paper using black memento ink. I used copics to colour and used pencils for some shading.  

Designer papers are from American Crafts- dear Lizzy - Neapolitan.  I also used some yellow and soft rose bazzill paper.  The yellow piece behind the image and ran it through the cuttlebug using the swiss dot e.f.

Dies used are s/binder rectangle and Memory Box loopy border.

Finished off with lots of glitter, seam binding ribbon and a button.

Make sure you stop over at Stamping Bella's blog to see all the other submissions for this week.  Leave a comment for a change to win some bella bucks. 

Next weeks challenge is 'FOR THE BOYS'  so dig out your Stamping Bella 'guy' images and play along with us.
You can email Emily your card by thursday night to be included in the show down on bloggabella on friday.  Also, just by playing along you have a chance to win $20 in bella bucks!  

Thanks for stopping by, have a great weekend and don't forget to set your clocks ahead Saturday night! Darn, we loose an hour sleep! 

 

Banner card and Release Day!

Happy Friday! Not only is today bellariffic friday but it is RELEASE day- woohoo! So as you shop keep this in mind -

Any orders over 55.00 will receive  a surprise KETTO goodie bag (stamps will be randomly chosen) the value of the goodie bag will be approximately 30.00!!  

Our challenge this week was to use a banner on your card or make a banner.  For my card this week, I used the sentiment that comes with the new Uptown Girl Faith as my focal point.

Once I got started on this it all came together fairly quickly.
Lots of dies were used as well as some prima flowers, pearls, and silk ribbon.   

Please stop by bloggabella to see all the other gorgeous creations for this weeks challenge.  Leave a comment for a chance to win some bella bucks.

Our challenge next week is sketch #5.  If you would like to play along you can email Emily your card by thursday night.
 Here is your sketch to follow:

Thanks for stopping by today.  Have a great weekend.
   

Sneak peak #2

Hi, I'm back today with another sneak peak for the upcoming release from Stamping Bella. So what do you think so far? Aren't those 'duda' images adorable?

Today's card features one of the new Uptown Girl images.
This one is called "Faith the Fairy".

 I used copics to colour Faith, and a bit of shading was done with pencils.  This image also comes with it's own sentiment, but it was a bit big to fit it on my card, so I decided to use it on my card tomorrow, so you will have to stop by then to see how I used it.

Dies: s/binder oval & Floral oval
Paper: bella's bestest paper, gray, black and MME - in bloom
Misc: - seam binding ribbon, glitter, sparkler button

If you would like to play along with our challenge this week, you still have time.  You can email Emily buy tonight to be included on bloggabella tomorrow.    

Also, don't forget about the challenge we have going over on SCS - bellatastic tuesday #6 challenge. The theme is 'make it pretty'.  You can read all about it here.  Make sure when you upload it you use the key word BELLAMARONE2013.  There is $20 in bella bucks up for grabs to the winner!

Thanks for stopping in today, see you back here tomorrow! 
 

I carry your heart with me

I'm sure you heard the news that Emily is having another release coming up, so this week, you will be able to see lots of sneak peaks from the bella babes. You can also check out bloggabella because she will showcase the sneak peaks there as well. Emily is planning on the release date of next Monday, but who knows she could surprise us earlier!

She also has a new artist - Diane Duda and boy is she a talented gal.  You can see her artwork here on her blog.

So that brings me to what I have to share with you today.
I had a 'duda' image and this one is called
I carry your heart.

  
Isn't she adorable?  I used copics to colour her and prismacolour pencils for some shading.

This image also comes with it's very own sentiment which reads "I carry your heart with me".  I didn't put it on the front of the card, but think I will include it on the inside.

Dies used: s/binder resplendent rectangles, memory box - precious hearts, and lavish branch
Paper: memory box, bella's bestest paper, PTI aqua mist
Misc: rose chiffon ribbon, prima flowers, mini white pearls, glitter, stitching.

I'll be back later in the week with another sneak peak (Uptown girl).  Thanks for stopping by.
   

Baby Shower

Hi, hope you enjoying your weekend so far.  I was in the middle of colouring up an image for my post next week, when I remembered I made this card last week for a gal at work.  She was hosting a baby shower and wanted a card for the group to sign. Mother- to -be knows it's going to be a little girl, so this is what I came up with for her.

 Unfortunately, Emily at Stamping Bella does not carry this stamp anymore, but I know I will use this one over and over again.  It's one of my all time favs!  I think this is one of the first bella stamps I bought.

I coloured the image using prismacolour pencils and blended with gamsol.  Paper is The Girls Paperie.  I used a PTI scallop die for the two strips on the left side, ran the green through my cuttlebug using the sizzix dot folder. 

The green leafy vine is a Memory Box die - Lavish branch, and that it is - I love this die, I have used it several times.

Finished off with some tiny white pearls, prima flowers,  lace, some fushia seam binding ribbon, and lots of glitter.

Thanks for stopping by.  Okay back to my colouring.  I'll let you in on a little secret - stay tuned for next week - there will be some sneak peaks from the Stamping Bella Babes!! your gonna love them!

Sketch #4

Hi, happy Friday, and welcome to another bellariffic challenge. This week we had a sketch to follow, hope you had a chance to play along.

For my card today, I'm using an image from the Peep collection called Earl Gray Peep.  I just think these little peep's are the cutest! Although I'm not an Earl Gray tea drinker I do love a good cup of tea - Tetley - you can't beat it.

Well you know the routine, I started by stamping her on 
bella's bestest paper and then coloured the image with copics. I also used the sentiment that comes with this stamp. I paper pieced her dress as well as the flower on the tea cup.  I used pop dots on the flower to give it a bit of height.

I really like this weeks sketch!  Here are my card details:

Dies: s/binder circle and splendid circles, Martha Stewart border punch
Paper: bella's bestest paper, MME Mabel, bazzill peach
Copics: face- E000, E00, E01, tea cup - YR000, YR00, YR01, hair -  E31, E33, E35, tea bag- E41, E42, E43.
Ink: black memento to stamp the image, black versafine for the sentiment, and distress ink - dried marigold for around the image.
Finishing details: - lots of rhinestones, prismacolour pencils for the grass - limepeel, and marine green, and stitching.

Well, that does it for me for today, be sure to stop over at bloggabella to see what the other babes and sistah's came up with this week. Leave a comment for a  chance to win $10 in bella bucks.

Next weeks challenge is BANNERIFFIC - make a banner or use a banner on your card.  Email your card to Emily by thursday night  to be included on bloggabella on friday.

Thanks for stopping by today.  Have a great weekend. 

 

I love to shop

Hi everyone!  Sorry I haven't posted in a week, it was just one of those crazy busy weeks, but I'm back!! I'm just wrapping up a three day weekend, and I even managed to colour a card today. 

Today's card features a 'bella' image, another one of my favourites - Ilovetoshopabella. This image is now available in cling form.

As always, I started by stamping the image using black memento ink on bella's bestest paper.  I used prismacolour pencils to colour.  

Here is the recipe:

Stamps: Stamping Bella - Ilovetoshopabella, Verve - sentiment 
Paper: - We R Memory Keepers - Anthologie, kraft, sage shadow
Dies: - s/binder romantic rectangles, PTI - filigree border, SU- oval punch and scallop oval punch
Finishing touches: brown pearls & glitter

This weeks bellariffic challenge is a sketch.  If you get  a change to play along you can email Emily your card by thursday night and for a chance to win $20 in bella bucks.  Here is the sketch:

Thanks for stopping by.  

 

 

Sketch challenge #3

Hi folks, hope your week is going well, good thing is, it is Friday- TGIF!!!  And with that being said, I bet you are here for the Bellariffic challenge we have going this week.

This week we had a sketch to follow.  Knowing I always need baby shower cards, I thought this image fit perfectly for the sketch layout this week. I'm using Teddybella, now if you want her she is going fast.  I see she is at a reduced price of $4.99!! This image is one of my favs along with babycarriageabella which is no longer available (insert sad face).

As always I stamped her on bella's bestest paper and coloured her with copics.  Shading around her was done with prismacolour pencils.  After I cut her out using a square s/binder die I sponged some bashful blue (SU) around the image.

Designer paper is my MME -- On the sunny side. Button die is from Memory Box.

To finish this off I did some stitching, added glitter to her top to make her sparkle!, I also added some white dots using a white pen on one of the shopping bags.  Also added some buttons to the button border.

For more inspiration on this weeks sketch, stop over at bloggabella and leave a comment while your there for a chance to win $10 in bella bucks.

Next week challenge is  ANYTHING GOES -  easy eh? As long as you use a Bella image, your off and running.  You can email Emily your card by thursday night to be included in the show down on Friday, also a chance to win $20 in bella bucks.  

Also don't forget about our challenge we have going on over at SCS. The theme is 'thoughts of spring'.  You can read all the details here.  Closes Monday 18th.

See you again real soon.  Thanks for stopping by.  Have a great weekend, stay warm (cool for some), and stay safe- winter storm hitting southern and eastern Ontario today!!

Little Peep

Good morning! Just popping in to share another Bella card with you today.

I was going through the Stamping Bella website, to see what images were reduced, and when I saw this one, I thought "oh no, I love that image", so not sure if it's being discontinued or if Emily has lot's in stock, but regardless, I thought I best colour her up again.

This is Little Peep's Flower Vase. 

When I was out at Michael's on Saturday, I noticed they had some MME paper packs there, and immediately fell in love with this one I'm using on my card.  It's called In Bloom, funny thing is, they must make special packs for Michael's, because I went to MME website and this paper pack is not even mentioned!

Anway, this paper is what I based my colours on.  I stamped the image on bellas bestest paper and then coloured using copics, and shading done with prisma colour pencils. Dies used - spellbinders ovals and lacey ovals.

Finished with some stitching, seam binding ribbon (the ribbon is not that bright of pink in real) glitter and a prima flower. On her dress and hair bow I added some little white dots using a white pen - so cute - reminds me of the little swiss dot dresses I use to sew for my daughter.

Just a reminder for our bellariffic sketch challenge this friday.  For a chance to win some bella bucks, all you have to do is play along and email your card to Emily by thursday night!

Thanks for stopping by, see you back here on friday!

Pauline
 

Tree of Wonder

Hi Everyone, hope your weekend is going well.  

I thought I would share a card with you today, that I made using one of my new Memory Box dies.
Just when you thought the last release was the best, they come out with another one that is even better! This latest release from Memory Box just blew my mind.  Some of the intricacy of these dies  - just gorgeous.

Okay enough blabbing on, lets get on with my card.  The die I used for this card is called Tree of Wonder.  I guess you could use this for many occasions,  but again I think I will use this as a sympathy card.

I kept this in neutral tones, cream and smokey gray.  The cream c/s is actually a shimmer c/s - very pretty in real. It didn't need a lot of extra but thought it needed something, so I added an oval pearl on the trunk.

Well that's it, a very quick and easy card wouldn't you say? 
If your local and want this die, I purchased it through Kim at Paper Pickle.

Thanks for your visit, and enjoy the rest of your day! 

You are so sweet

Hi - can you believe it's Friday already, and not only that it is February, where did January go? 

But before I get on with my card I have an announcement to make.  Emily over at Stamping Bella is have a huge sale, everything is on sale - take 15% off everything even sale items - yep when it is gone it is gone, she is even clearing out some Bellas and Fellas, and lots of others,making way for some new lines.  Sale runs from today Feb 1 - Feb 3 (sunday at midnight), just use the code   ineedtopurge2013
 
Okay now on with why you are here. Our theme today is - You are so sweet.  So I dug through my huge bag of Bella images - I haven't had time to put them in my binders yet - and the Uptowns are too big for my binders - how do you store yours? would like to hear from you if you have any ideas.

I pulled out Uptown Lucille sends her love.....

I stamped her on bella's bestest paper  using black memento ink.  After colouring her with  copics, I cut her out using an oval spellbinder die, then layered this onto a piece of black cut using the spellbinder floral ovals. Designer paper is from Basic Grey - Little black dress.  For my card base I used cherry cobbler and used spellbinder grand labels twenty-three. 

For finishing touches I covered her black dress in black glitter, boy does she sparkle, I don't know if you can see the glitter or not.  I also used some seam binding ribbon from Verve.

After I finished this card, I wasn't so sure she really fit this weeks challenge - you are so sweet.  Oh well!

To see some more 'sweet' inspiration be sure to stop over at bloggabella, while there leave a comment for a chance to win $10 in bella bucks.

Next weeks challenge is back to a sketch.  If you play along, you can email Emily your card by thursday night.  Not only will your card appear on bloggabella but you have a chance to win $20 in bella bucks.

That's it for me.  Thanks for stopping by, and have yourself a great weekend!  See you again real soon.

Pauline