Bellarific Friday: Make It Pop

Hi all,

TGIF - I hope you all have a nice weekend planned!  I think I'm gonna have fun on Saturday and do some cleaning and attend a family dinner on Sunday - good balance, right?
We've been getting a bit of rain this week in Toronto, so I'm really hoping for a break :-(
Or a vacation to Cuba!  But, I don't really see that in my immediate future, let's face it.

Well, on to happy things - it's Bellarific Friday!  Last Friday, Em challenged us to add dimension to our cards and make them pop.  So, now we get to see what everyone has come up with!

Here's mine:

My base is Kraft CS, the DP is from the Sassafras Wee Bundle collection, and all my mats are black and white.  That paper is kinda cool - it looks like it has knitted doilies on it.
The black strip across the middle was punched with an SU scallop edge punch, and I added a bunch of rhinestones to the scallops (and I also put one in the middle of the doily).  I tied some So Saffrom grosgrain ribbon around that.
The sentiment is a cute little ticket from the Scraplines Tickets collection (there are 3 stamps in this one, and lots of other collections to browse through).  It was stamped in black ink onto DSP, and onto white CS, and I layered them with foam dots for dimension, and I added some brown sponging to the DSP portion of it.

I stamped my fave Lollipop (Pookie Lollipop) onto Bella's Bestest Paper with Memento Tuxedo Black ink.  I coloured her in with Copics and added some shading and grass with my Prismacolor Pencils and OMS. 

I stamped the big petals and one of the smaller flowers onto the DSP as well, added some brown shading, and popped them up on foam dots for dimension.  And a rhinestone on the smaller flower. 

Copics used:
*Skin: E0000, E000, E00, E11, R02
*Pot: E31, E35, E37, E49
*Yellow flower: Y32, Y38
*Pink flower: R20, RV34

Next week's challenge??? Fall colours!  Get out a Stamping Bella image you love, as well as your reds, oranges, browns, yellows, rusts, and greens, and show us what you've got!  Send your card to Emily (emily@stampingbella.com) by Thursday night, and your card will be published on the Bloggabella, and you will be eligible to win some Bella Bucks!

Hope you enjoyed, and thanks for stopping by!

Sneak Peek: Magician Tobie

Hi all,

It is the second day of sneak peeks over on the Some Odd Girl blog!  There are so many new digi images being released, and we are letting you have some awesome peeks at them all!
The ODD team is doing such an amazing job - you will get inspiration thrown at you from every corner!

Today, I'm showing you Magician Tobie! 

Here he is:

My base is Kraft CS, and my patterned papers are from the Basic Grey Scarlet Letter pack.  The base layer is matted with black and white pieces, and the white edge was punched with an EK Success edge punch.  I added a black strip across that, using the same punch, and topped it with a white strip and some black gingham ribbon. 
The side panel is DSP, matted with black and Kraft CS, and the sentiment was made using a label maker I bought at Michaels.

I printed Magician Tobie onto Whisper White CS, coloured him with Copics, and cut him out with a thin white border around.  I think he's totally adorable, and I chose not to use him for a Halloween card, just to show he can be useful for other things!

Make sure you head over to the SOG blog to see everything the ODDies are showing, as well as the other images being released!  There will be sneaks over there every day up until Friday!

Hope you enjoyed, and thanks for stopping by!

Sneak Peeks: Mummie Tobie and Halloween Tia

Hi all,

Welcome to the week of Sneak Peeks over on the Some Odd Girl blog!  I know we just had an AMAZING release of clear stamps, and Kristy has come up with some new and amazing digi images! We are showing tons of new images this week.

Today, I'm showing off 2 newbies: Mummie Tobie and Halloween Tia!

Here they are:

For this card, my base is Pumpkin Pie CS, and all the papers are from an SU Halloween DSP pack (something with the word Creepy in it, I think).  My mats are black and white, and the fancy edges are punched with my Martha Stewart crown edge punch.  I also added a couple of black Martha Stewart pearls to one panel. 
The fences are Martha Stewart Halloween rub-ons - they are super fun. And the sentiment is an SU rub-on as well.

I printed Mummie Tobie onto Whisper White CS, coloured him with Copics, and cut him out with Label 14 Nesties - and I added some Basic Gray sponging inside the stencil.

Next up:

My base is Whisper White CS, and the papers are from the same DSP pack from SU.  I rounded the corners on 2 of the strips (a la Kristy - she used this layout a while back, and this is the second time I'm CASE'ing it), and I added 3 more black pearls to those strips.  I snuck in a bit of fence rub-on there as well.

I printed Halloween Tia onto Whisper White CS, coloured her with Copics, and cut her out with a thin white border around.  I love this layout - the simplicity is effective, I think - Thanks, Kristy!

Make sure to stop back here tomorrow, cause I have another image to show you.  And hop over to the SOG blog to see everything the ODDies have done and all the images being released!  Hit up the STORE too when you're ready!

Hope you enjoyed, and thanks for stopping by!

A Pixie Post

Hi all,

Well, as you may have read, I have been lucky enough to go to Bellaland a few times to participate in the colouring classes that Lindabella and Paulabella put on.  It doesn't matter how much practice I get, I always love to learn something new.  And they are MASTERS at what they do.

So, this card is one that I really liked, that I wasn't able to complete in the class. 
Have you seen all of the pixies that Em has in the store?  They are all so whimsical and fun - I love them.  Hard to choose, really.  But Linda chose one image from the Pixies Set A to use on the card for everyone.

Here it is:

The base is white, but I don't know what the patterned papers are - they were pre-cut for everyone prior to the class, so I don't know where they came from.  Love the colours though.  I added black mats to a couple layers and I added some black zig zag stitching with my Janome Sew Mini machine.  I popped some pink Martha Stewart pearls on to the corners as well. 

The pixie was also pre-stamped for us, but you can pretty much bet it was stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black ink onto Bella's Bestest Paper (we all love using that combo), and we coloured with Copics.  I added some shading with Prismacolor Pencils, and I added some glitter around her as well - gives it a magical touch. Finally, I sponged around the edges with Wheat Versamagic ink.

That's it for today.  Don't forget about this week's Bellarific Friday challenge: to add dimension to your card.  This one is so simple, so pull out any stamp you have from the Stamping Bella store, make sure something pops out, and send it to Em by Thursday night!

Hope you enjoyed, and thanks for stopping by!

Bellarific Friday: A Sketch

Hi all,

Happy Friday everyone!  I hope you have some good stuff cooked up for this weekend.  I've been so busy at home - we are preparing to sell our house, and me trying to get my stamping done is almost comical...but we shall get through it and I'll be super happy once it's all done with!

Well, we had a loooooong 2-week break over at Stamping Bella - there was no challenge last week.  So we are back with an awesome sketch by Pauline-abella!  Just to remind you, here it is:

Well, that large square panel in the middle is just asking for an awesome image, don't you think???

Here's my take on it:

My base is Kraft CS, all the black paper is from SU's Groom Specialty pack, and all the mats are white.  I added a bunch of white Martha Stewart pearls all over for some extra interest (I really love those pearls - I use them all the time).  The strip across the middle was punched with the Martha Stewart crown edge punch as well - love that one too!

I stamped You Are Unique onto Bella's Bestest Paper using Memento Tuxedo Black ink (trusty 'ol routine).  I coloured it in with Copics, and added a black and white mat to it.  I added some black Sakura Glaze pen to their eyes as well.  I wanted the card to be pretty plain so that the colours on the image would stand out.  This image is so adorable and perfect for any girlfriend!

Next week's challenge???  Pop it up!  We want you to add dimension to your card.  This one should be soooo easy, and there is no excuse not to play!  Make a card using any of the images sold at Stamping Bella and add dimension to it - send it to Emily (emily@stampingbella.com) by Thursday night, and you will be entered to win some Bella Bucks, and your card will be published on the Bloggabella!

Hope you enjoyed, and thanks for stopping by!

SOG Challenge: Holiday Colours

Hi all,

OK, first, let me explain.

I have been without a computer for a while now - so I've been running to my parents' house to set up my posts and email my projects, etc.
I just had a birthday, and my mom built me a computer from a bunch of parts - it's actually a MAC mini.
So, I'm all stoked to get started with it and have the freedom of my own computer.....
So, I take some pictures of an old card to post, and when I go to put the pics on my computer, the new computer is not picking up my camera.  So, I guess they're not compatible :-(
So, for this challenge, I had to take a pic with my iPhone and email it to myself so that I could post it. LOL
The quality is sub-standard, let me tell you.  So, I apologize in advance, and I will eventually get it sorted out, k?

**Added: OK, so I couldn't post the original picture - it made me cringe.  I rushed to my parents' house and re-took it with a proper camera. LOL

So, let's get on to it.  It's Thursday, which means we are giving you another challenge over on the Some Odd Girl blog!  This week, we have a really awesome picture to use for inspiration:

Isn't it GORGEOUS??? I love these colours for the holiday!
So, the whole DT is working with the new clear stamps for this challenge, and I'm using a holiday image from a past release, since I haven't received my stamps in the mail yet :-(
Poor girl, huh?

Here's my take with these fab colours:

My card base is Pretty In Pink CS, my patterned papers are from an Echo Park collection (I think it's called Everybody Loves Christmas, or something like that), and my mats are black.  I added a white strip across that, punched with my Martha Stewart icicle edge punch, and some Pretty In Pink grosgrain ribbon across that.  I also added some pink Martha Stewart pearls to the corners.
Next, I cut out a Soft Sky square, embossed it with my Cuttlebug Snowflakes folder, and matted that with black CS.

I printed Penguin Love onto Whisper White CS, coloured him with Copics and cut him out with a thin white border around.  I also added some Crystal Effects to the fluffy parts of his hat, and his eyes were done with black Sakura Glaze pen.

I cannot WAIT until I get my stamps...believe me, you will all hear about it. LOL

You have 2 weeks to play along with this challenge, so head over to the SOG blog and link up your card so we can see it!

Hope you enjoyed, and thanks for stopping by!

Christmas Carol

Hi all,

Well, it's sad to say it, but I'm pretty sure summer is on its way out :-(  The weather has been so cool, and I've switched to pants and sweaters, etc.  Sigh...
Well, it's only a few months to get through, and we're back on track, right???

Anyway, I was going through my Bella images, and I found a Mo Manning that I haven't coloured up yet - can you believe it??? A Mo Manning that hasn't been coloured!

Well, here it is:

My card base is Kraft CS, the designer papers are all from the SU pack called Christmas Cocoa, and all the mats are black and white.  I punched the white strip with an SU scallop edge punch and added some black grosgrain ribbon around it.  It's pretty simple, but these papers are delicious!

I stamped the ever-so-cute Jingle Bells by Mo manning onto Bella's Bestest Paper using Memento Tuxedo Black ink, as usual!  These images are so fun to colour - I can't even tell you how much I adore them!  I coloured them with Copics, and added some shading with my Prismacolor Pencils and OMS.  I added some Wheat sponging around the outside, topped it with a black mat, and I'm done!  I think they are super adorable, and Mo has outdone herself!

Make sure you are checking out the Bloggabella regularly - all the challenges are posted there each week, and Em has so many things to show everyone and talk about that you are sure to be entertained!  Don't forget about the sketch challenge for Friday!

Hope you enjoyed, and thanks for stopping by!

Bookmark & A Blog Hop!

Hi all!

Welcome to Friday, and welcome to the Some Odd Girl clear release Blog Hop!  If you started on the SOG blog, then you are now on the next step!  If you happened upon my blog coincidentally, you may want to start back at the beginning (there may be some prizes in it - wink, wink)!

So, I have some rough news - Canada Post has been playing with us a bit.  Kristy sent us our clear stamps AGES ago, and the two Canadians on the team have not received their packages.  If you noticed, we haven't been able to participate in the sneak peeks this week, because we don't have our goodies :-(

I did make a project with one of my newer digi images to show you today though.  And I'm still gonna show you what the clear sets will look like afterwards!

I made a fun, school-themed bookmark!  I am a reader, so I can always use another bookmark, and I have a few people in my family that are the same!  So, they always come in handy.

My base is Kraft CS and punched the 2 top corners with the Tag Corner Punch, then I used a lovely piece of patterned paper from Basic Grey's line called Olivia, with black and white mats.  I punched a slot at the top, and tied some Bashful Blue taffeta ribbon in a knot, and I added some pink Martha Stewart pearls to the corners.
I also added an extra patch at the top - Kraft CS punched with the Martha Stewart Lattice edge punch, then a white piece, then an SU rub-on for the sentiment.

I printed the adorable School Mae onto Whisper White CS, coloured her with Copics, and cut her out with a thin white border around.  I don't usually do blondes, but I was feeling daring! LOL

So, here are the two sets that the rest of the team will be previewing today, and they are 4" x 6" in size:

Deck the Halls Tobie, including lots of extras

And Warm Wishes Tia, including lots of extras

They are too cute, and I'm bummed I don't have them in my possession!  They will officially be released in the store on September 19!

Make sure you complete the entire hop - comment on every blog for a special surprise giveaway. You have through Sunday at 11:59PM EST to get your comments in! Winner will be announced on Monday.
The next stop on the hop is Sandie! Woo hoo!

Here is the entire hop order, so you don't miss anything:
Some Odd Girl Blog
Robin <-----------------You are HERE
Sandie
Sarah
Amy
Caz
Leah
Vera
Corry
Lou
Elena
Natasha
Christina
Melissa
Kristy


Hope you enjoyed, and thanks for stopping by!

All Boxed Up

Hi all,

Have I ever told you what my favourite Bella is?  I'm sure that I have - it's allboxedup-abella!  She is the most versatile Bella that Em has, in my opinion, and she's fabulous for every occasion that calls for celebration.

Here's my card with her:

My card base is Chocolate Chip CS.  The patterned paper is from an old SU pack called Afternoon Tea - it has some of my favourite colours in it!  The mats are black and white, and I added some brown sponging around that paper, and some Martha Stewart pearls to the corners. 
I tied some Groovy Guava ribbon around that.

I stamped the Bella onto Bella's Bestest Paper using Memento Tuxedo Black ink.  I coloured her with Copics, and added some shading with my Prismacolor Pencils and OMS.  I added some Wheat Veramagic ink around that, and matted it with black CS.  I really like the way these colours came out!

Copics used:
*Skin: E000, E00, E11, R02
*Hair: 100, C7, C5
*Shirt/brown present/brown bow: E71, E74, E77, E79
*Pink present: R0000, R00, R02
*Polka Dots/blue bow: BG000, B00, BG11

Hope you had an awesome weekend - welcome Monday in with a smile...

Hope you enjoyed, and thanks for stopping by!

Bellarific Friday: Animals

Hi all,

It's Friday again - TGIF!  Gotta be in the running for the best day of the week, right???  Well, I can't believe it, but as I type this, I am wearing long jeans, socks, and boots!  What the heck happened to the summer weather?  I'm not ready to let it go yet - I refuse, in fact.  But I hear the weather will redeem itself, so we shall see.

Well, on to important business - it's time for anothah Bellarific Friday challenge!  For today, Em had challenged us to incorporate animals into our project - papers, embellies, image - whatever you've got!

I couldn't resisit - I had to bring out the adorable Mavis again.  She's a cat, so she definitely qualifies for the challenge!

Here she is:

All my cardstock and patterned papers are from SU's School Days Simply Scrappin' Kit - lots of bright an fun colours to work with.  The white piece was punched with my Martha Stewart edge punch, and I added some turquoise grosgrain ribbon around the whole base. 
The sentiment is from an SU rub-on pack.  All in all, I kept it pretty simple.

I stamped Mavis in her KINI onto Bella's Bestest Paper using Memento Tuxedo Black ink, as always.  Really, you can't go wrong with that combo.  There are several cute Mavis images, as well as DT samples with her, so check them out!
I coloured her totally with Prismacolor Pencils and OMS - it works well for the fur and the stripes.  I cut her out with Label 14 Nesties, and added some Wheat Versamagic ink sponging to the inside of the stencil.  Love that shape!

We are actually taking a little break from Bellarific Friday for this week, so you will get 2 whole weeks to submit for the next challenge, which will be due to Emily (emily@stampingbella.com) by Thursday night, September 22.  Next challenge???  A sketch from Pauline-abella!  Use any of the images sold at Stamping Bella with the sketch below and submit to Em, and you will be entered to win some Bella bucks and your project will be published on the company blog!

Have a great weekend.  Hope you enjoyed, and thanks for stopping by!

SOG Challenge: Stitch It Up!

Hi all,

It's been 2 weeks since our last one, so, it's about that time for us to release another challenge on the Some Odd Girl blog!  We always have such amazing entries, and I'm sure this time will be no exception!  Kristy has challenged us to Stitch it up!
That means we want to see stitching as a focus of your project - machine stitching, hand stitching, or faux stitching - let's see it!

Here's mine:

My base is Kraft CS, and I also used some Whisper White and Basic Black CS, as well as some patterned papers from the DCWV pack called All Dressed Up - it's glittery and yummy!  I added some rhinestones to the corners, some silver organdy ribbon, and a couple of eyelets to the right side.  The bracket piece of patterned paper was cut out with my Die-Namics die.  I added stitching to the bracket, as well as the black strip.  The sentiment is a miscellaneous rub-on that I bought from Michael's. 

I printed Punk Kaylee (from the newest release!) onto Whisper White CS, coloured her with Copics and cut her out.  I added some funny piercings to her - nose ring, eyebrow ring, and an extra earring!  She is the coolest chick ever...right? 

Make sure you submit your card with stitching - you have 2 weeks!  And you'll be eligible to win some awesome prizes!  If you have Some Odd Girl images, we would love to see those as well!

Hope you enjoyed, and thanks for stopping by!

Bellarific Friday: Back To School!

Hi all,

It has been a crazy couple of weeks!  I only have a few days left of vacation, so I am squeezing every last ounce I can!
This week's Bellarific Friday challenge was to make a card with a back-to-school theme!  Em has some adorable images with a school theme, so this was definitely a fun challenge!

Here's mine:

My base is Baja Breeze CS, and my patterned papers are from the SU DSP pack called Slumber Party.  I added some studs across the top and bottom (bought them at Michael's), and the black strip across the middle was punched with my Martha Stewart crown edge punch.  I also sponged both the DP pieces with some dark brown ink.

I stamped Spencer the Bookworm onto Bella's Bestest Paper using Memento Tuxedo Black ink.  I coloured him with Copics and added some shading with Prismacolor Pencils and OMS.  I outlined his glasses with my black Sakura Glaze Pen so he would look extra nerdy too.  I cut him out with Rectangle Nesties and added some Wheat sponging inside the stencil. 

Next week's challenge???  Animals!  Make a project with animals (image, papers, embellishments, etc) using any of the images at Stamping Bella, and send to Emily (emily@stampingbella.com) by Thursday night.  You will be entered to win some Bella Bucks, and your project will be published on the Bloggabella!  We can't wait to see what you've got!

Hope you enjoyed, and thanks for stopping by!