Bella ATCs

I've been hard at work makin' up my 20 ATCs for the swap I'm in. These are becoming easier - much better than the one I did last year...boy was that one lame!!! I think that these are real cool to make and give a sort of challenge especially when the stamp is bigger than the base.

Here is my Fella ATC. It's Fishafella with Bazzill cardstock as the two bases, Rusty Pickle patterned paper, two brown brads and the sentiment from MFT.

This is my Snowbunnybella. I used Bazzill as the two bases (green & pink) and Memory Box Sugar Collection patterned cardstock. I used pink ribbon, this "snow stuff", a pink button, and pink bling dot.

I tried to find the popular liquid applique - to no avail. So I thought that this "snow" stuff would work the same - Not! Although it was puffy, it was a little grainey. But it did the job. I did, however went out yesterday and got the real stuff!! Now all I have to do is try it out!

Let me know if you like them. Don't forget to reply to the Tag -Your it! blog so I can draw names tomorrow before our adult overnight stay somewhere. My husband is refusing to tell me where he's taking me for my B-day/Valentine's present.

Keep posted for the winner!

My Birthday Bonanza Swap Peek

This is the card I made for the Bellas Birthday Bonanza Swap due this month. I used Fishafella with colored pencils. The striped paper is Sweetwater Sprinkles. I used SU cardstock Blue Bayou and River Rock. I paper pierced the corners and used Papertrey Ink Year Round Puns Happy Birthday Sentiment attached with two brads. Thanks for looking.

Birthday Bella Cards

Yes, I'm still here!! I was on a weekend trip with Mark at baseball camp in Erie and Alan tagged along. Husband had issues and stayed home - enough said with that! Glad we came home early as I drove the 2 hrs in the snow/sleet/rain and wound up with a migraine and sleep deprivation. I had to call off work on Monday and slept in till 11:00!!

Well, you should know by know I can't sit still - yes, I took some card projects to take with me on the overnight trip. I finished my birthday cards I wanted to do.

I did both of these for Sharon Johnson's Stamp Simply Challenge #17.

This one is for my niece Kelsey for her 14th birthday - boy does she like to shop!!

And this one I made for my other niece's daughter who turns one this month.

I am still working on a few more projects. Some of the girls from the store invited me to be a part of their Valentine swap. I am so excited!!! Finally some friends!!! (LOL!!) We have to fill a 12" Valentine heart with goodies-in 20 cupcake papers - and decorate the box. I have almost all my stuff ready to go inside - I have a cupcake pan on the dining room table and I fill it with stuff everyday. (HA HA Joyce - I'm not going to spill the beans!!) Going to Erie, I was able to shop at A.C. Moore and pick up a few things that we don't have here - YIPPEE!! You know I had fun there!!!

I received my "Tag your it" package from Michelle at Mish Mash. The post man crushed one of the bling dots, so I had to replace it. I am in the process of making my sets, so stay tuned. I think I might have some blog candy soon!!!

Well, getting kinda late and wanted to do some tag coloring....Thanks for visiting.

Cards made of: Memory Box cardstock; Stamping Bella images;Fiskars sentiment; Studio G stamp; ribbon; Prima flowers; $1 Darcie crystals from Pat Catan's.

Still no coloring needed...

A few days ago I made a Javabella card that didn't need coloring. So I had stamped a few more images and made these cards. These are similar with just a little variation.

I mailed them with more Bella images to some new Bella members. I have heard that one has received hers and the other "newbie" I haven' heard from yet. So if you get something in the mail, are new to Stamping Bellas, and it's one of these cards - IT'S YOU!!

Thanks for looking....

What I used:

Card 1- JoAnns packaged cards; ribbon, Javabella stamp, inkainkadoo sentiment stamp; MME Tres Jolie card stock paper; Marvy scallop oval punch.

Card 2-JoAnns packaged cards; prima flowers, brads; MME Tres Joilie card stock paper; Javabella stamp and MFT Stamp Rain or Shine Sentiment.

Improv

Do you ever pack all your stuff up in your creating "luggage", wanting to take it to work, on a trip, or to a friends house to work on a project and you forgot the most important piece??? UGH!!

Well today, I was planning on stamping some images to send to a new "Bella" member, pulled out my stamps at work during lunch, cut my cardstock, and searched my caddy for my acrylic block and....nada, it wasn't there. GEESE!!! So what was I to do....the only thing....IMPROVISE!!! I looked around my desk, nothing....I was desperate...looking, looking, something to stick bella to....then (*insert light bulb flash*)...My ink pad cover!!

I had an ink pad (Joanns dye ink - I like it better than some I've used and it doesn't bleed)anyway, because my Bellas have Aileene's Repositional Tacky glue on them, I used the ink pad lid. Yes, the LID!! Although it has a slight hump, it's clear so I can see where I have to stamp, and it's a surface that my Bella will stick to. It was great!! I had to do a little rockin', but got my images done and they went postal today.

Dawn in NJ should feel real lucky that her bella images will arrive a little earlier than if I hadn't IMPROVISED!! Enjoy new Bella member!!!

Storing stamps

I just wanted to let you know how I store my Stamping Bella Rubbah Stamps and most of my other acrylic stamps.

I start out with one of those old CD cases that you can remove the middle black part that holds the CD. For my Bellas, I use the pink insert and tape it to the cover (underneath).

Before I start I apply Aileene's Repositional Tacky glue to the underside of my rubber stamp only - not the acrylic ones - they are already sticky.

Then I stick the stamp to the inside of the case -making sure you don't put too close to the left edge because it will close on the stamp and ruin it.

For these specific stamps, I write on the back of the label what size cardstock I need to cut for the image to be stamped.

Then I use my Brother P-touch labeler to make the outside lable for the case edge. The tape size is 3/8".

Today I was shopping at Staples and found on their clearance table, a set of 3 little crates with 12 cd cases and 2 clear drawers for $3.50! I got 3!!! What a deal!! I can't wait to set them up. I will post pics later - once I get my space organized.

I hope you found this idea helpful on how to store your stamps.

Thanks for stoppin by!

Purple Bella Card

Ok, here is the other card I made for the Color of the Rainbow Swap. A very basic card I think. I had a bella colored already, so I just went with it and made more. This is Feelabella with her partial sentiment. I used my JoAnns cardstock and Stazon ink. Ribbon, white brads, and prima flowers.

NOW FOR MY NEW TRICKS....

One neat trick I used on this card....some of you use the ticket punch from SU...well, I am not fortunate enough to have one yet....YET!! I improvised on this card by taking my scalloped scissors (they can't be the real small ones cause it wouldn't look right), turning them just enough to make one scallop on the end - neat huh?? You need to try it on scrap paper.

The other thing - not really a trick - but what do you do with the square left over after you have used all your dimensional pop dots? CUT THEM UP!!! I waste nothing! It still does the same thing and works better if you have a straight piece to pop out. I didn't use any circle dots on these cards. Pretty cool huh?

Well, that's all for now. I've been completing my swaps and have some images to stamp for some bella buddies, then I think this weekend I will try a challenge or try a new technique - maybe masking....hmmmm, that sounds good.

Hope you all had a great "short" work week....FRIDAY TOMORROW - YIPPEE!!!!

Thanks for visiting. **HUGGS**

P.S. GO STEELERS! GO PENS!! Pens are up by 4 this game I'm watching now and Malone is fighting.....oooooo.....

No Coloring Required

Hey Sistahs...

I had to make this card for the Color of the Rainbow swap with the Stamping Bellas. I came up with the idea by perusing a cool magazine I ran across while gift card shopping at Barnes & Noble. The magazine is called Stampers Samplers Take Ten. It is geared towards cards/projects made in 10 minutes or less. There was a round bella card and it wasn't colored....so I thought - COOL!! (and it saved time!!LOL!!)

Well, as a newbie, it surely took me more than 10 minutes to make this and it definitely looks better in person.

I just loved the idea of not coloring it....Thanks for stopping by to look!

I used the following:

STAMP: Javabella; Sentiment by InkaInkaDoo

INK: was my 15 +yr old SU stamp pad Close to Cocoa - no lie!!, and antiqued with Cat's Eye Dark Brown

$1 Ribbon; Marvy Scallop oval punch; an orange flower brad

PAPER: Joann's package of orange card/envies; cardstock from Pat Catans

My Bellas

Here is my first Bella I did for the Bella Babe contest and another challenge. I also posted her for one of the other challenges. (I didn't have time to do more than two cards today) I got her from one of my swaps. It's Billboardabella with white, aqua, and kraft color cardstock. I aded Prima flowers, brads, and a ribbon. I colored her with colored pencils and if you look hard enough, you can see her Stickles glitter on her hair bow, heart on her shirt, and buckle.

She was real fun to do!

Here is my glamorous Bella I did for 2 other challenges. I think it's Winobella. I also got her in a swap. I colored her with markers and applied clear sparkly Stickles to her dress, hair band and shoes! It came out sooo great! I even added Stickles to the green circle "flower" below. I added green shimmering ribbon to add more shine. If you look close enough, I think I added a little toooo much lipstick...oh well, she could have added more lipstick after a few wines - right?

Thanks for looking....back to the basement to work on the Christmas cards.

Sneak Peek..

Here is a sneak peak for those of you in the "All Through the Year Swap" with Angie and the Bellaholicsanonymous's ending soon. All who signed up - 12 people with one image for their month - you make 12 cards. Then when swapped, we will have a Bella card for every month of the year. I finally finished mine tonight and just had to post a pic as I have been slacking lately in posting - not creating!!! Nervous now...my class is in two days...no wonder why I can't sleep!! Well, I gotta get to bed now for sure. Can't wait to hear from Charmaine and Joyce - both are expecting new ones in the family. Joyce will be a GRANNY!!! Hope all goes well and all are healthy. Thanks for looking - Good night!

Beate's Weekend Sketch Challenge #24

Well, here is my first challenge.

I used my new Chefabella stamp - I just love them! I cut cardstock and used a mauve color for the left side and was able to match it up with the Prima flower. I used "Fun Fur" knitting yarn for the fiber.

I think the most challenging is not the sketch itself, but the time to stop during a busy weekend to put it together. I started it on Friday at work during lunch and put the finishing toucheson just now by putting on the Prima flowers and brad.

I had to do this during half-time watching the Steeler's game. It is the 4th quarter as I type and we are tie! (Overtime??)

Thanks for looking... I have to get back to the game!LOL

Lunchtime projects

Bella Bag Tag

I had a Bella all colored, but wanted to do something different with my Chefabella. So I had these bags with me at lunch, I tried them, and my Bella just fit. Pulling the color from the image, I matched the background (two sided paper) with matching pull out card. I stamped the card for the inside with part of a tag stamp from SU Tags so Much. It worked perfect!

Get Well Card

This card I made for a co-worker I found out will be out of the office for a while due to a fall. I had my Bella all done, just needed to put her to paper. I actually had her stamped on bright white cardstock and was too white, so I got my dard brown chalk ink and went over her ever so lightly to take out the real white. It was just right. I also used a bosher and actually knitting (yarn??) my sister bought a whole big skein of at Walmart for $2! This will last me a good while for sure!! I stamped the Bella words to make it complete. I cut the card from cardstock and used my leftovers for the rest.

How about that - see girls, I made BOTH of these at lunch (I had my bellas colored already though). It's not that hard. Maybe I'm too spontaneous - who knows.

Well, it's late again...so I will have to sign off for now...till tomorow! Thanks for looking.

Last nights Bellas

Here are the bellas I made last night but couldn't post due to some kind of error (anyone else getting an error??).... This one I used the felt border by Queen & Co. It was a little hard to use adhesive but got it to work. It looked a little too puffy maybe for a card, but I used it anyway. It added a different touch - I guess it wasn't too bad. This one was a hurry up job but just a basic card...used fiber to add a bow.

Got my SU Tags so Much today from seller on SCS. I was so excited to get them. I can't wait to make some xmas tags to go on my 2-5-7-10 boxes I'm going to start to make for the craft shows coming up...only doing two more so I have to make a lot of stuff.

Who knows, maybe after "The Unit" I'll try out my new stamps..... Thanks again for looking!

Bellas, Classes, and more- Oh my!

Well, here it is....I am officially in the bellaholicsanonymous group and purchased my first Bellas! Chefabella, Feelabella, and Merrybella. I couldn't wait to use them...made my first the other day. Sorry for the delay in posting, I have been extremely busy.....baseball Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday...(lost the playoffs on Saturday), basketball on Thursday for Alan (this is where I made these as samples for MY FIRST CLASS to teach!! I will be instructing a class of boxes in November at YMP (Your Memory Page in Pittsburgh). I posed this to the owner, and before you know it, I was elected to do a class. I am so excited (and nervous), but I wanted to share all these great projects with others. I will keep you posted or you can visit YMP yourself.

So, getting back to life (somewhat). Saturday was also a cold 10:30 am baseball game for Alan, then off to Mark's playoff game (as I said before - they lost), then the rush home, get dressed and off to the wedding. Kids went to my sisters to help watch the girls, no problems there. Sitting at the wedding reception, I was thinking....it has been 13 YEARS since we went to a wedding (my sisters, and the night Alan was conceived TMI!) Boy did I have fun!!! I made this card for the newly weds...outsideinside. Luckily no hangover today, but didn't feel like I got run over like a truck either body wise. It was a busy day...driving almost 2 hrs to our summer place to cut grass and hang out with my sister/brother-in-law and the girls who arrived later unannounced. Mom/Dad & Mark went with me and Mark did all the cutting with the riding mower. It didn't seem to take as long as normal. They also cut some downed trees for my dad's fireplace and we brought it home.

Got home at 9 just in time for Desparate Housewives. I read my emails, and now finishing up my blog for the day.....more projects next week. Stamped a bunch of Bellas, so I think I will be coloring alot! Maybe not so much of a busy sports week...........we'll see.......

Good Night! Thanks for the ear!!