WELCOME TO BLOGABELLA

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,

Sorry I was MIA yesterday.. I decided to have a retail therapy day with my friend Mary (shhh don’t tell my BOSS).  We had SUCH an amazing day shopping for shtuff we both love and adore.  It’s so amazing to go with someone who doesn’t say “take your time, I’ll just be waiting in the car for you”… or “really?  you NEED this?”… LOL.. I have plenty of friends and a HUSBAND who does that to me all the time.. so it is refreshing to have friends who love the same things you do! I love supporting local businesses, so here goes.. if you are in the Toronto area, I DEFINITELY recommend these shops.   So this was our route.. we went to WOOLFITS art supplies .. we went to THE PAPER PLACE. they have GORGEOUS papers for collage, and little japanese doohickis that I LOVE.. and tools and paper and paper .. OMG and paper.  Just GORGE.  We also went to another amazing stationery store which has EVERYTHING under the sun called MIDOCO.  I absolutely LOVE that store as it reminds me of my youth.   Being born and bred in Montreal, we are so used to European brands, European style toys etc… and this store just transforms me back to my youth.. I literally felt like a kid again.  They have SOOO many goodies, from TOYS to ART SUPPLIES, to STATIONERY to OFFICE SUPPLIES… I definitely recommend a visit. In the middle of our shopping, the fire alarm went off and we were escorted out and had to wait to purchase our goodies.  The “ME” who has Type A, and no patience, just wandered around outside, had lunch, went to the dollar store and then returned when the alarm was deemed false.   THERE WAS NO WAY I WAS LEAVING MY BASKET OF GOODIES there..LOL.  Then we ended our day going to a sweet shop called HANJI on Bloor st West.. Catherine, the owner was a DOLL and has such a beautiful shop filled with papers, and korean stationery/stamps/ and goodies.  It was an amazing way to end our adventure (Oh did I mention that Mary almost ran over someone?  LOL  we will leave that for another day)..

so if you ever have a chance to visit the above stores, I TOTALLY recommend that you do.. they are my favorites 🙂

Stay tuned for PART DEUX with Mary…. bwahahaha

Ok Now for ART JOURNAL TOOSDAY ON WEDNESDAY..

Only one contributor this week… where is everyone>??? HMMM?

well I decided to show a couple of pieces.  The theme this week is RUBONS.  Rubons are really an amazing easy thing to use in your work.  They add texture and dimension.. they fill gaps that may need a little “some’n some’n”.. they are great.  and I KNOW that everyone has to have SOME in their stash 🙂  from 600 years ago..LOL

I picked up some 5*7 canvas boards at michaels.. already gesso’d and pretty and a perfect size to send to someone.  I think of people like my mom who love the artwork on cards but then don’t know what to do with the cards..LOL… So I was thinking.. why not send a little piece of art to your friends or loved ones INSTEAD of a card?  This way they can stand it up in their studio, frame it and they have your inscription or message on the back of the board  from you to them.  I think that would be such a special gift.  NOW DON’T GET ME WRONG sistahs.. I LOVE  LOVE LOVE making cards.. and sending them to people who appreciate them.. But I also love my mixed media and stamps and using them in a different way.  I have people who ask me all the time for one of my pieces, and this is just an easy and FUN way to do it.  Doesn’t cost much to mail and really ready to hang up 🙂  What do you think?

So in this piece, I just painted and layered and glazed and smudged and had the bestest time.  I used CHRISTY TOMLINSON rubons I had as the scallop and the stitching element.  It’s still not finished but would be so much fun to receive no?

Here’s another one I did.. ALL WITH MY FINGERS.. my favorite way to paint and smudge.  It is quite “raw” and was intended to be that way.. I love the naivete of the marks and I was also able to incorporate some stamping on vintage speller paper.  I used the SQUARE FRAME from Teresa Mcfayden’s YOUVE BEEN FRAMED set and I also masked and used the butterfly from our NATURE SILHOUETTES set.. it became my focal point and I LOVE IT.  The saying came from my little bin of words I cut out from magazines.  *sigh*.. this piece incorporated my MARK MAKING, my PAINTING, and my COLLAGE passions.  It was fun.  Of course there had to be a little neon red in there for punch or it wouldn’t be ME! (oh and you will see the stitching and loopy rubons through the painting)

and Now Jennifer B made a beautiful page using our stamp IZZIE HAS A LETTAH lots of rubons and chipboard.. you can tell she had so much fun with this page!

Don’t forget to leave a comment on the last bellarific post for a chance to win $10 in bella bucks!

NEXT WEEK’S THEME:.. you ready?  I WANT YOU TO USE YOUR FINGERS.. finger paint, smoosh, draw and smudge.. water soluble oil pastels.. whatever.. just be free and use your hands

Mwah to da sistahs who aren’t scared.. LOL
Em

Where has the week gone sistahs?  WHERE??? Well it was a great week for us.. shipping the new gorgeous rubbah to our sistahs.. the feedback has been amazing!  THANK YOU!!!

Let’s discuss some winnahs shall we?

Winnah for COMMENTAYTIN’ last week goes to ($10 vouchah)

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

9- Karen M you win!  Please email me and I will send you your VOUCHAH!

Timestamp: 2012-11-09 13:59:10 UTC
Now for da CONTRIBUTIN’ winnah! ($20 in bella buckeroonis)  goes tooo

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

4- Leslie you WIN!  send me an email and I will send you your MOOLAH

Timestamp: 2012-11-09 14:00:40 UTC

Now down to BIDNISS.

This week’s challenge was to add SNOW to your card.. and now that our baberoonis have received their stamps.. you may see some of the new releases peeking out 🙂  AND.. We have our FULL baberoonihood with us this week… SO EXCITED to show you all the cards.  Ready?  Set?  LET”S GOOOOO!

Gorgeousness, no????  *drool*

Now for our DROOLY sistahood

I just LOVE bellarific fridays don’t you?

Don’t forget to leave a comment for a chance to win $10 in bella bucks

Mwah to da sistahs who can’t wait for SNOW!

Next week’s theme?  A SKETCHYPOO

mwah mwah mwah

I Love looking at my baberooni’s blogs and seeing gorgeous pieces of art 🙂  In case you haven’t gone to their blogs (which I urge you to do),  take a looky at a few samples here to get your creative juices flowing… (I’m drowning in mine..LOL)

*** JUST A LITTLE NOTE!  We are looking for some SPLITCOAST / SOCIAL MEDIA bellarific babes.  Take a looky here to see if you qualify.. and if you do, send your info my way!  This is our first “open call”.. so take advantage!**

I Just sat down quickly to use my new JAVA SPILLS stamp (which I LOVE) to make a background for a card.. I used Distress ink and a water brush to SHMOOSH the ink (YES shmoosh is a technical term..LOL)… I used some sharpies to add some dots and a copic multiliner to write my sentiment.  Sentiments are great to purchase as rubber stamps.. but sometimes you just can’t find the right one.. know what I mean, bean?  I recommend writing it.. making your card a little more personal 🙂  remember : IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE PERFECT!! repeat that after me “IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE PERFECT”.. K.  I think you got it.

Carlabella is BACK and here’s an inspiring card using our THINKING BIRDS stamp and the sentiment that goes with MABEL REACHES for the STARS

and of course what’s the OUTSIDE card of Carla’s without the INSIDE..LOL

Paulineabella used uptown girl PERRY on her LAPTOP

Elaineabella used our POLAROID FRAME here and UPTOWN GIRL QUINN and her BOOTS

Marybella used UPTOWN GIRL POSH and her PRESENTS

Vickibella used PREGAPEEP

Cathabella used HAT and MITTS

Danabella used LULU’S SNOWMAN

Is that inspiring or what?

Now I was thinkin’… if you, da sistahood upload your cards in the splitcoast gallery , I would LOVE to showcase YOUR card on our blog.. I think  I may do these on wednesdays 🙂  .. I will go scouting for some goodies and check back and see if your card shows up here!

Mwah to da sistahs who are feeling INSPIRED.

Em

Hiya sistahs

So we are busy shipping the new mounted stampies and so excited to hear your reaction to them so if you have feedback, we would love to hear it!

Today is art journaling TOOSDAY and our theme was to use STICKERS on your page!

Let’s see what everyone came up with shall we?

What ABSOLUTELY AMAZING entries sistahs!  LOVE them!!!

So for next week’s theme?  hmmmmm…  RUB ONS.  Do you have rubons?  I DO.. LOTS OF THEM.. so that’s what I am gonna use 🙂

If you don’t have any rubons, don’t let that stop you.. you can submit ANYTHING you want.. I just want you to play!

Mwah to da sistahs who LOVE/WANT/WILL TRY to art journal

P.S  I am in the midst of “DESTASHING” from my personal collection.  I will be posting very reasonable products in my specials section over the next few weeks.  Please keep in mind that these are 1 of’s  so if you WANT it.. or NEED it.. you bettah BUY it.. LOL

Em

Hiya sistahs!  hope you had a great weekend 🙂

I couldn’t resist stealing one of my JAVA SPILLS stamps.. first to make sure the quality was amazing (hehehe).. and second of all I am always the shoemaker with no shoes so I swiped it.  hehehe.  Im so sneaky..

Anyway here’s the report

THEY ARE FREAKING AMAZING…. can you hear me through your monitor?  FREAKING AMAZING!!!  Not only do I stare at the colour to inspire me but to stamp with them??? DEEEVINE!

I will make a card with them shortly but just wanted to play around in my journal and show you what they looked like in walnut stain distress ink… gesso… num num

See you tomorrow for AJ TOOSDAY!  STICKER THEME

mwah!