WELCOME TO BLOGABELLA

Hiya sistahs!! Hope you had a great week!  I was in the midst of a post about something CRAZY that happened to me this week but now will have to save it til next week.. It’s SUCH an Emily story… like the OLD DAYS Emily story.. so hopefully I can write it and post it by Monday 🙂  I promise you will enjoy it.. laugh at me.. and with me.. I giggle and blush every time I think about it.  Ok enough about me.

Let’s discuss DESIGN TEAM PEACE… When Stamping Bella was in her infant stages, I never wanted a design team.. I just wanted the stamps to sell themselves by the sheer artwork.. design etc.  Which they did and still do. I then did a little investigating to see how other stamp companies did it and realized what an ASSET having amazing talented sistahs work with you in showcasing these little mini pieces of art and sharing them with the world.  I never cared how “popular” design team members were.. I never cared if they were all over the magazines.. I really never cared “who” they were or “who they thought ” they were.. does this make sense?  The only thing I really cared about was how passionate they were about my images.. about my company.. how loyal they would be to ME as the owner…  I figured if they had all of DAT.. then I had it made.

I have made SO many new friends throughout my journey.. people I could not live without today..  Danabella (who has been on my team since it started.. now THAT’s LOYAL).. Elaineabella who has stuck with me throughout by colouring my images.. giving me daily advice (Sorry Elaineabella).. Lesliebella who has been a loyal customer in my shop and who you would hear SQUEAL outside when she was coming in with sheer happiness (and it was INFECTIOUS! LOL).. I could go on and on.. Sandiebella (who curses just like I do LOL)  who dabbles in different medias and takes risks and makes beautiful cards.. AmyRabella who I have also known from the beginning of Stamping Bella.. Angelabella who has always been a devoted fan then DT member.. so loyal and so talented.. Kerribella who also used to be a retail store customer.. always loyal and so talented.. the amazing Stephabella who is probably blind by all the fussy cutting she does LOL.. and is SOOO talented and so supportive..Alice wertzabella (a newbie) who I recognize as being uber talented and so down to earth and kind..  Tracybella who sends me cards 789 months in advance cuz she’s THAT good.  Her coloring and card design is amazing… and of course TRACYMACABELLA only because she lets me call her that.. LOL.. No of course not.  Her work is MAGICAL.. and when she made a card using nice to see you Petunia and found “just the right” paper and embellishment in her stash to use on a card for ME.. I knew we were soulmates.   I’ve come far from not wanting a design team no?

Enter SHELABELLA.  Michele Boyer who I have been wooing for the last 643 years.. a loyal.. talented.. funny.. amazing card maker and stamper.   She had me at Hello (just  like every single one of my DT artists).. And she finally said YES!!!!  and she is now the latest addition to our amazing design team.  So yes sistahs.. I have found DESIGN TEAM PEACE.  I a happy bella.

I am thankful EVERY SINGLE DAY for these women in my life.. the problem is I probably don’t say it often enough.  And for that I apologize and I hope you all read my blog (if not you’re FIRED LOL).. and see how much I really do love all of you.

#yesicanbesappy

#imeaneveryword

#letsgetonwiththeshow

Ok so now let’s discuss this week’s BELLARIFIC FRIDAY CHALLENGE!

Because it’s MAY 1st today AND Bellarific Friday.. it’s a double bonus!!  We introduce our new STAMP OF THE MONTH today AND you get to see the samples my baberoonis made with it!

Our Stamp of the month is LULU LOVES POPPIES

and this week’s theme was an INSPIRATION PHOTO!

Let’s see how our Baberoonis can tantalize you this week… BWAHAHAHA

let’s start with our New baberooni Shelabella

If this doesn’t tell you that you need this stamp in your collection, I dunno what will LOL.  I always say it but to this day, she is one of my most “FAVORITEST” stamps (yes that is a word)

And now for our amazing Sistahood!

Fantastic cards sistahs!

Thank you for putting up with my sappiness and grateful post today 🙂

Next week’s theme?  A SKETCHYPOO!

if you don’t know how to enter our Bellarific Fridays.. click here

Mwah to my sistahs!

Em

hiya sistahs!

Hope you had a great week!  it’s my favorite day 🙂

our challenge today was a sketchypoo

I love to see the different interpretations of the sketch.. sometimes all the elements just don’t agree LOL.. so we change things up to make them all get along nicely.  I speak from experience LOL

Let’s see what our baberoonis came up with this week.  You will fall off your chairs with the talent from both our baberoonis and our sistahood.  Have I mentioned that I LOVE bellarific fridays? hehehehhehe

Ok here we go!

ohboyohboyohboy are these AMAZING or WHAT?!

Now for our AMAZING sistahood!!!

love love love these contributions sistahs!!!!

Now for next week’s theme?

an inspiration sketch! and its GORGEOUS!!

Use the color theme.. the floral theme.. da world is your OYSTAH.

WOOHOO can’t wait to see what you come up with!

Mwah!

and of course don’t forget….

Hiya sistahs,

So a little while ago I picked up these mini cabinet cards by Tim Holtz because.. well..  I couldn’t resist.  I am SURE none of my sistahs have evAH felt that tug before LOL… So I bought them and they have been sitting next to me at my desk as I thought miraculously by osmosis I would get an idea of what the heck to do with them.  Well after long enough, I guess the osmosis thing worked.. because I would work on one project and see those cards.. work on another one.. then saw the cards.  Well  yesterday morning, after the kidlets left to school, I RAN to my craft room because I finally got my idea of what to do with the cards!  Sometimes it’s tough to mix the vintage with the whimsy.. and when it does happen.. and it does work.. it’s magical!

So Senioritas Mildred and Maude were SCREAMING my name.  They needed to be stamped (yes I really do take my stamps seriously).  and here is the final result.  Products used will follow the picture :). I actually stuck a magnet on the back so my bestie can stick it on her fridge and think of me every time she eats.. LOLOL.. I wonder which one I am.. Mildred.. or Maude… hmmm.   I think I’m both.  hmph.  You can also, put the magnet and then stick it on a card and write a message for them to remove the “gift” and put on their fridge.  Sometimes it’s nice to get a little “extra” in da mail 🙂

Ok so what I used here.  I stamped SENIORITAS Mildred and Maude with MEMENTO Tuxedo black ink (the ONLY ink that works perfectly with Copic Markers in my opinion)  on to Bella’s Best Paper    (The only paper I use)

cut it to size and slipped it into the Tim Holtz Mini Cabinet card frames

Actually I coloured it first before I slipped it into the frame LOL

Colours I used:

For both their hair:

COO

C02

C03

and then used Prismacolor COOL GREY 90% for extra pop

For their skin, I found some Kurecolor alcohol markers that I am now TOTALLY IN LOVE WITH.

used English Rose and Blush

For MILDRED (on da left)

I used E43

E44

and Prismacolor FRENCH GREY 90%

For MAUDE:

R32

R35

R37

Prismacolor Crimson Red

Prismacolor COOL GREY 90%

and voila! she be done!

Hope you love these pals as much as I do 🙂

oh and check out their sentiment.. it’s PERFECT! LOL

Alice WERTZABELLA (Alice thinks her new name sounds like an exotic cheese.. I think it sounds JUST PERFECT. LOL).

I have been admiring Alice’s work for a long time now.. one of her techniques which makes me say “WOW” every time is her “lineless” techniques.. just gorgeous!  You can visit her on her BLOG or you can drool on Instagram (@alicewertz).. .  So when she agreed to be on our team I was absolutely thrilled and I think all da sistahs will be thrilled too!  All of my babes inspire me every single day.  I am so lucky to have all of the babes and my whole sistahood.  Sheesh. Im getting sappy..

So before I start hysterically bawling (lol) I will start bellarific friday Right NOW..  Ready?

Ok so this week’s theme was a pretty simple one.. BIRTHDAY WISHES.. .

Let’s see what our baberoonis came up with shall we?

First we begin with ALICE WERTZABELLA (I giggle every time I write this)

Serious DROOLAGE over here (yes that IS a word)

And NOW for our  Sistahood!  I LOVE how our weekly group grows .. makes me so happy and I am also happy that it means you take the time for YOU.. to be crafty and to feel inspired 🙂   LET’S GOOO!

MORE DROOOOOLAGE!

Love love love this post!!

Now for next week’s theme?

A SKETCHYPOOOOO!  (I am addicted to sketches.. have I mentioned that lately?)

Mwah to my sistahs who love Bellarific friday ALMMMOOOST as much as I do 🙂

Em

hiya sistahs!

So I have been SO happy with my daily creative mojo and I am hoping I can share more and more of my creations with you through my blog.. our Facebook Page… our Facebook GROUP (over 550 members.. WOOOHOOO!) ..Instagram (@stampingbella)… AND Twitter 🙂 (@stampingbella)

What is your favorite social media platform?  Would love to know in the comments section below… Twitter is my LEAST favorite LOL..

Along with sharing my creations, I also want to share with you the materials used and HOPEFULLY I can set up my tripod and make a few videos too 🙂  Only if you’re interested 🙂

So on today’s card (you may have seen it on FB if you follow us), I used SMARTY CAT… I LOVE this image by Christine Grove.  I love her sense of humor and her style!  The image comes with 3 little background stamps you can use as embellishments.. or for making a background as well.. I will try to make more samples using him… and his sentiment is quite perfect too ifIdosaysomyself 🙂

So here is the smarty cat image available HERE

And here is the card I made with him.  Or is HE a SHE.. hmmmm.  I think it’s a HE.  He is quite MACHO no?  #butnotsomachowithhispinkglasses LOL

Sometimes I challenge myself by looking at my stash.. picking something up and then creating the card AROUND that piece.  On this card , I picked up the HELLO polaroid frame (I honestly can’t remember where it is from… hmph.. I should remember these things).. and then I worked around it.. choosing the image that would fit… coordinating the papers around it.. I love when it works out 🙂  It’s a fun exercise when you are just out of ideas.. pick something up and make that your challenge… to make a card with it.  Sound good?

What I ALSO love is a FRESH 6*6 paper pack where I love EVERY. SINGLE. PIECE. of paper in the pack.. I can NEVER EVER go wrong with a Studio Calico paper pack.   You will see me using this pad A LOT.  You can find it HERE.  You may end up seeing some of my favorite goodies being sold in my shop again.. you just may… it’s something I am thinking about…

I also used my COPIC MARKERS on Smarty cat..

I used

C00

C01

C02

C03

I also used my Prismacolor Pencil COOL GREY 70% or 90% just to make the shady parts POP.. I used it with gamsol and my handy dandy paper stump.

Now for coloring OUTSIDE of the lines which can be challenging but lots of FUN at the same time!

I used the following Prismacolors:
Deco Pink

Pink Rose

and Mahogany Red (for the pop)

I love when the 3 colors just work so nicely together. Oui Oui?

and of COURSE I used our Bella’s Bestest PAPER.. for all my colouring 🙂

So does this type of post interest you? with lots of details? Sources where to get the goodies..

Would you be interested in a video to go with the card?

I am trying to see what interests da SISTAHS.. and it would be SOOOO helpful if you would leave a comment and let me know what you are looking for..

Would you be interested in having a little Bella’s Favorite shop with goodies “other than stamps”?

Da Bella NEEDS ta KNOW. k?

MWAH.

Double Mwah’s if you leave a comment 🙂

Em

Oh Sistahs.. how much do I love stationery, papers, pens, agendas.. planners.. you have no ideaR.  Once thing I love even more, is receiving mail.  Sometimes I order goodies just so that I can get that jittery excitement when I go to my mailbox and see a package addressed to me! I then proceed to hyperventilate a little.. and carefully open my package to see the goodies I ordered.  Even though  I KNOW what is inside the package, it is still so nice to open.. spread the goodies out.. sniff them a little (DONT JUDGE ME)… and then stare at them for a while.  LOL.  Yes I know I am strange.  But I ALSO know that some of my sistahs are as much into this as I am.. (I AM NOT JUDGING LOL)

So every night, I review my YouTube subscriptions with my headphones while my family watches hockey or does their own thing.. its MY time too ya know.. and I just get lost in these videos watching how people set up their planners.. watching people colour.. hand letter… stamp.. It helps me decompress and also inspires me to no end.

One of the lovely ladies I feel I know (it could be deemed stalkerish but I would rather call it hmmm… an admirer.. ya..an admirer.. that’s me)..

this is her channel.. her name is Cara from AKCaraboo.. you can find her channel HERE.  I just love her videos 🙂

So I watched THIS video and got INTRIGUED

SO THEN… during the same DECOMPRESSION time.. I decided to search POCKET LETTERS on YouTube and OMG… the videos were ENDLESS!!!

So I watched THIS ONE (I believe she is the “creator” of this type of mail) LOVE HER

and watched THIS ONE..  

I loved her style.

Well it then became a deep hole of pocket letters..LOL.. and I decided to make my own for 2 very special people.  I’m not naming any names here… but you will soon see who you are 🙂

So basically what a pocket letter is, is a business card/trading card/sports card holder where you embellish each rectangle and include some goodies in each pocket along with messages… SO. Fun. for REALS.

Analog communication is so special I find.. I also find USING MY STUFF instead of HOARDING MY STUFF is even more special… this made this project even MORE fun because of this!

I used our stamps.. I used my stash of papers.. I used wooden veneer pieces.. I used letter stickers.. I used my punches and dies for embellishments.. I used vintage pieces from my stash… OMG Sistahs… this was FUN!!!

here are a few little snippets of my pocket letters without giving too much away 🙂

What’s a pocket letter WITHOUT A HOPPY POPPY in the center of it? hmmmmm?

I used some stashed stickers.. a printed the quote at the bottom left and sized it and slipped it in a pocket.. used some older stashed cards (like the sassafras umbrella card top middle)… LOVED LOVED LOVED LOVED making this!  have I mentioned that lately?

One of the ideas I got from the videos was to include my favorite tea.. so I whipped up a teabag with my favorite leaves… YUMMALISH!.. oh and the little blue tissues you see peeking out from behind the pocket under the “fragile” pocket are the cutest little tissues I needed to include.  Just HAD to.

I thought this quote was so cute.. also found it in one of my sticker hoard pile LOL.. thought it was so cute.  Yes.. it’s crooked.. because EVERYTHING I happen to stick down always seems to be at an angle.. don’t get me started.. hmph.

Yes, another thing I “collect” and LOVE are vintage photobooth pictures.  I have them EVERYWHERE.. even have a board on pinterest with interesting vintage photos.  They just make me smile.. and sometimes they are a perfect depiction of my mood LOL.  This little baby in the photo below.. I love how the parent didn’t know how high to put her so that the photo wouldn’t be the WHOLE curtain in the background LOL.. I love her expression.. I just love her LOL.  I also have her photo in my journal.  She makes me smile 🙂

So now here’s a little peek on the back side or the “Stuffies” that are in the pockets.. There are the balloon tissues.. I found some cute tags at Michaels bargain area that I thought were just PERFECT.  I bought the little postits from the dollar store.. and the little kraft envelope I bought and put some goodies inside 🙂 Fun no?

and OF COURSE everyone needs a mini pink pocket knife for their tool kits and mini flat doilies no?

So that is the eye candy for today!  I am going to introduce this on our FB group and see if anyone would like to organize this among da sistahs!  I think it’s fun to have pocket letter pals no?  Everyone needs one.. or a few… me thinks.

Mwah to da sistahs who love pockets.

Em