Bloggabella

So I get back from Florida sistahs (you listening?) and I am DELUGED with orders, catchup, emails GRRRRR.. you name it.. it happened.

First had to deal with a HUGE Archivers ordah.. so If you are near an Archivers, you will see some new BELLA UPTOWNIE RUBBAH!

captured just a portion of the packages

and today I sent a huge lot of orders to the post office… if you haven’t received your shipping notice yet, please bear with us.. AHEM.. me…I’m trying my absolute bestest to get everything out!!

2 rows deep in here.. hmph

Ok I am gonna stop complaining and will share some photos from Florida k?  I hope not to bore you to death.. LOL

here are some highlights of course with my peanut gallery comments underneath LOL

We celebrated my mom's birthday in an AMAZING japanese buffet.. wanted to faint three times over it was so good.. LOL. Anyone wanna grab some SOOSH with me? (p.s. We finally found the PERFECT (tyler's words) FEDORA for Tyler.. ahem, the KID DID NOT TAKE THAT HAT OFF! LOL

And here's Jayden and my mom.. and you can see THE HAT in the mirror..LOL

SEE THE HAT??? LOL

Tyler and I played Backgammon every night..

We went to the "SWAP SHOP" fleamarket in Fort lauderdale and were "accosted" by this amazing Jamaican man.. so talented we couldn't resist these handwoven palm hats.. Ya we knew we were suckers but we loved the guy and the kids loved the hats.. that "thing" dangling in front of tylers hat is a "fish" LOL. Jayden looked like a pineapple..LOL

And this is Smoky.. the man we could not resist LOL

We visited Ryan's 91 year old grandmother... IS she not AMAZING??? I tell you.. she is so WITH IT.. so active..unbelievable

Ryan took the Kidlets to a baseball game.. (please note DA HAT)

They went to JAI LAI.....

And Ryan and Tyler went to a MONTREAL game in Florida (yes we are HABS fans..LOL).. please note.. no hat. we hadn't bought it yet ..LOL

Doesn't he look calm and peaceful here? I can't even EXPLAIN what a horrible traveler he is LOL.. don't get me started LOL

seeing these smiles made my WHOLE vacation.

Mwah to da sistahs who share every moment with me

ALSO PLEASE DON”T FORGET BELLARIFIC FRIDAY!  a sketchypoo!

Em

productive and focused I can be at times (I am sure there are a few reading this saying.. EMILY?  FOCUSED? )  But it’s TROO!!! (i love how that’s spelled.. and WHY isn’t it spelled that way?)..  Anyway, one of my goals since closing bellaland was to really FOCUS.. focus on my job.. focusing on what I want to achieve.. focusing on marketing.. product.. and REUNITING da sistahood.  It’s been so long!  Since I owned the store, I felt torn into a kajillion pieces.  I was never able to FOCUS.. I was never able to do WHAT I WANTED TO DO.  That’s not to say that I didn’t LOVE my store..and the people surrounding me but I just wanted MORE.  More for my brand.. I wanted to get back to my real passion which was to be creative, to inspire and unite sistahs all around the world to chat about things in common.. to feel “normal”.. LOL. As I have mentioned a bajillion times here on my blog.. my “normal” friends have no clue what a high you can get sniffing beautiful paper and licking washi tape and HUFFING on a rubber stamp.  But my sistahs GET IT.  And that’s why I have wanted to create a “safe” (lol) environment where we are not judged but we embrace this sickness *ahem* PASSION that we all share.

Having said all of that I have accomplished having my stamps CLING MOUNTED… check! (which was one of my FOCUSES).. and now I am focusing on my sistahood, my DT and social media.  We have the most AMAZING DT out there (if I do say so myself).. Kind, loyal and amazingly talented sistahs who have helped me showcase my product throughout the years.  This DT is growing and making me so proud.

Elaineabella has taken on the responsibility to work closely with me (actually on her own but I want you to think i do SOMETHING around here..LOL)..on firing up our Splitcoast Forum by presenting challenges, blabbing and becoming as close to eachother as we can get!  So if there is anything, any topic, that you would like to see shared, please email us and we would love to have the forum grow!

If you would like to post your creations on our SPLITCOAST GALLERY.. we would LOVE to see them there!  I actually think I will be doing a weekly roundup with cards from the gallery.. so stay tuned if you would like to see your card or project featured here!

Elaineabella has also set up a fantastic FACEBOOK GROUP that I would love for all of you to join!  We will also have contests and giveaways etc..  would love to have you “LIKE” us

it’s called the STAMPING BELLA SISTAHOOD and you can find it right here

So am I PRODUCTIVE or WHAT?  hmmmmm?

Hope you can join us in all these venues.. would love to see you there!!

mwah to da sistahs who like the “LIKE” button

Em

Hiya sistahs

where IS everybody??? LOL.. on SUMMAH vacay?  ignoring DA BELLA?  hmph.

So everybody around me is technologically more “on the ball” than I am… which drives me crazy.. first I hear Helen  talking about all the TWITTERpaters  that she follows.. who did what, with whom.. where etc.. then Dena starts following tweets.. then my “NORMAL” non crafty friends follow people on Twitter and I’m like.. ok I have to investigate this a little… So Off I go into Twitterland.. but I really don’t like it so much.. I don’t have patience to READ 34 words or less of where people are and what they are doing..LOL.. but MORE than that.. I don’t feel like being CONSTRAINED by 34 words or less (could be more words but you know what I mean)…

ENTER INSTAGRAM.. which I have signed up for AGES ago as I love the app…  But kinda left it on the sideline and ignored it.

Enter DENABELLA… blablabla INSTAGRAM blablabla BLAbla INSTAGRAM blablabla…

Ok.. WHOA there Denabella.. NOW what do I need to get obssessed with?  hmph.

So I talk to her about it… I listen to what she has to say and who she is following and I am MESMERIZED.  NOW we’re talkin’ …  Like I said, I never got da TWITTER but Instagram?  They say a picture is worth a 1000 words, no?  I LOVE to look at pictures and get inspired and see what people are doing.. SOOOO off I go and I RELOG into my Instagram account and LO AND BEHOLD?!  I already have 60 followers!  So I ask.. do accounts come pre”loaded” with followers to make you feel bettah? LOL.. but no.. I guess people founded me before I found myself!

So I am a PROUD instagrammer.. I just loaded a little goofy collage I made on there.. and I am gonna try my best to be FUNNY .. I LOVE taking pics and what could be easier?

So yup.  I’m instagramming.  If you wanna follow me, just look for stampingbella and that’s MOI!  and if you see a chicklet with her tongue sticking out at you.. *ahem* that would be my avatar ..LOL

Ok ready… set… GO!!!!

Let’s have fun with this!

Mwah to da sistahs who INSTA.

Em

Hiya sistahs!

just thought I would announce on my bloggypoo that “bellaland”  AKA the Stamping Bella physical retail store will be closing as of August first.  We sent out a newsletter yesterday and I was SHOCKED at the feedback I received.. some crying.. devastation and sadness.  I hate to see people sad and it made me really sad to have this response.. but Bellaland really was the happiest place on earth.

Business on the online side has exploded.  Literally LOL.  If you looked at our office, you would agree.  We are buried under rubbah!  And what can I say.. I really thought I was a superhero but alas.. I am just a FORTY year old chick with 2 kids and a husband who need her …

So this is the scoop.  STAMPING BELLA IS NOT GOING ANYWHERE!!  Business is AMAZING.. online and in the direction of distribution and that is why I had to give something up and I am SOOO happy with the decision so please.. if you are local and you LOVE stamping bella, PLEASE don’t be sad because I am kicking up my heels! LOL … I love everyone I have met and I don’t even have the GUTS to call them customers as once people stepped over our threshold they were in MY territory BWAHAHAHA and they became MY FRIEND.

Stamping Bella’s website will have a BIG facelift (why can’t DA BELLA have a facelift..hmph)… I will be able to create more..try to explore this artist TUG that is pulling at me and BEGGING me to explore it… I will stamp and follow my original passion.  RUBBAH!  I will continue to offer you the most current, beautiful yummalicious stamps.. and MORE OF THEM!! can you handle that sistahs?

I will be updating my blog more often… CAN YOU HANDLE DAT, my sistahs??

I will be showing more samples… CAN YOU HANDLE DAT, my sistahs?

Cuz DAT is what’s gonna happen!  We will sell Rubber stamps, and all associated with the beeyootiful magical craft.. ez mount, blocks and ink..  I can’t wait!!!

I will also continue to update my Facebook page (so you can like STAMPING BELLA and EMILY BLOCK) to see what is going on…

So let’s celebrate.. who’s getting da MARTINIS?

mwah mwah mwah!

Em

Yesterday I was in my studio (FANCY for BASEMENT).. and I was working on a piece I am going to show you.  It started off one way and ended up in a completely different direction.. it was really weird how that happened.  Colors changed, composition changed but the subject stayed the same.  And the message came to me at the end.  I wondered why I stamped that message in and today it dawned on me.  This was created for Tyler.  It was a message for HIM.

In this piece I used MICROPHONE by Rheea.  I can’t tell you enough how much I adore these stamps.. they pull at my heartstrings.. they make me think.. and they make me want to stamp them everywhere that doesn’t breathe or move… now tell me, is that normal?  hmmm.. it depends who you ask..LOL.. my “regular” friends think I have finally lost it LOL ..  This is one of the reasons I started this blog..

(1)  to create a testament to my family and friends

(2)  To provide inspiration and humor

(3)  to connect people (sistahs) all around the world who are JUST LIKE ME and can’t seem to convince their regular friends that they are NORMAL..LOL.. It’s ok sistahs.. Our sistahood knows that you are normal

Here is my birch cradled “canvas” I made for my Tyler.. I love the vintage brown and the neon just peeking through it… (oh and I decided to create AMBIENCE with the baby roses from my garden)

I so hope that my kids one day will scroll through these entries and realize how much they mean to me.. if they don’t , I will FORCE them to..LOL.

Tyler is a DECADE old.  A DECADE.  I remember when they wrapped him in a pink blanket in the hospital because they ran out of blue (that stuff only happens to me) and my mother came RUNNING in from Montreal right after I gave birth .. grabbed the baby and said  OH YOU HAD A GIRL!… I cleared my throat and had to explain that HE was a BOY.

I could go into the details of the birth..LOL. but I won’t.  Just want to make a tribute to Ty.. who makes me proud every single day.  It’s crazy to stare at someone who displays your traits both good and bad and sometimes I say, I can’t believe I created HIM.  He is a super athlete, a conscientious student but MOST OF ALL.. he is a wonderful human being.  He has a heart of gold and would never hurt a soul.  So empathetic.  he feels what other people feels.. it’s uncanny…. oh and did I mention his sense of humor and goofiness? LOL

ahem.. still using his fingers to count (this was taken yesterday..LOL.. I think I still do that too.. shhh)

Cool dude.. the THEriouTH (serious) look

Fine. I did TELL HIM to shove the playdough up his nose.. IS THAT WRONG??? LOL

ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS a disaster.. food around his mouth. ALWAYS.

Always a smile on his face and a MONTREAL CANADIENS shirt or some paraphernalia on him

There is no description of a mothers love. I never thought I could possibly feel what I feel for my children. Really.

Thank you to my sistahs for listening to my little personal stories .. and reading

Mwah to my SON who is legally allowed to stay home alone (lol.. it’s so good to have a little scaredy cat)

Em

anybody home?  haven’t heard from DA SISTAHS in a while.. am I boring you or something?  hmph.

Ok, just for you not saying hi, I am gonna TORTURE you a little.. n’k?

Scrapfest in Kitchener is this weekend and we are STRESSED in Bellaland.. but not STRESSED ENOUGH to find a product, try it out.. make sure it works, love it, and then show it to you!

You will see in these two sample bookmarks that Christine whipped up that they are colored in BEEYOOTIFULLY no?  Wanna know what we used?  Well if you aren’t coming to Scrapfest this weekend, then you will just have to wait until next week.. bwahahaha.. and I may even have Ryan video me using them.. whatcha thinky?  See what you get when you don’t say HELLO?

see how BRIGHT and VIVID our FLOWER GARDEN is? how BEEYOOTIFULLY shaded it is… OMG.. having palpitations…

So will you come visit us at BOOF # 415 (i think.. LOL)

Vicki Boutin will be hangin’ out with us between classes.. we gonna have FUNNNNN!!!!!

mwah to da sistahs who will NEVAH go a day WITHOUT saying HI.

Em

Yes.  I admit it sistahs.  I am addicted to ripping vintage paper apart, tearing, cutting and sniffing *ahem* I mean using a glue stick.. I’ve mentioned it before but I will mention it AGAIN… Collage is CATHARCTIC!  and using your stamps as your focal point is even MORE fun just you wait and see ‘ENERY ‘IGGINS (henry higgins).. just you wait and see!

So here is a second “installment” of my little 4*4 series… I am in LOVE with Jane Davenport’s  silhouettes.. they make me so very happy

the paint…the cigar label.. the vintage text.. the vintage advertisements… yum!!  I used Jane Davenport’s JANE GIRL stamp..

here’s another little collage I did on a very vintage flashcard.. I used JANE’S BLOW A KISS STAMP.. see how versatile these stamps are?  Canvases, art journals, cards..  The collage tells a story.. I am the jane girl (can you see the similarities?) and I LOOOVE playing bingo, gambling etc…except I NEED to save $$ (hence the discount coupon).. I know lots of stuff going on but it means something to me

Hope you can be crafty today!!  would love to see your works of art

Mwah mwah mwah

see you tomorrow!

don’t forget our sketch for BELLARIFIC FRIDAY!!!

sistahs.. I have been playing around in between migraines and kidlets and boy did I have fun.. After experimenting in art journaling for the last 2+ years, I have figured out what I LOOOVE to do (i know I’m a little slow).. I LOOOVE collage.. there is something about vintage ephemera, embellishments.. the action of  ripping, cutting and placing “just so” that makes me giddy.  i LOOOOVE painting… layering… colour makes me HAPPY… I love STAMPING (imagine if I didn’t??? LOLOL)  and the fact that it makes me feel like an artist… it’s so magical and of course I love everything else.. hmph.  But I am trying to be more focused and concentrating on what I really LOVE to do… LOL.. which is all of the above.

anywayyyyy… I digress.  Just wanted to show you a little som’n som’n I made using our brand new LANTERN FLOWERS (I LOOOOOVE THEM SOOOO MUCH!!!).   One of my suppliers gave me these teeny tiny weeny winy blocks of wood wrapped in canvas.. I think they are 4*4′  She had no idea what to do with them so she gave them to me.  Not only are they great to hang up.. but they can just sit there too.. I LOOOVE them.

it's honestly so much nicer in person

So really sistahs.. are stampies only for cards?  Nope.  there’s LOTSA things to do with them…

What have you used your stamps for (other than cards)?

Mwah

Em

hehehehe

because

(1)  I am working on a GINORMOUS release

(2) I am working on a GINORMOUS release

(3) and because I LOVEY you I am working on a GINORMOUS RELEASE

wanna see it?

hehehe

let me know….

waiting…

did you comment yet?

mwah.

I TOLLLD YOU!  If you don’t know what “FRESH” means.. please refer to THIS POST

Now for this morning’s text..

Happy Monday everyone!

AJ MONDAY comin’ right up (hold the mayo.. cuz it’s FRESH)

Em