WELCOME TO BLOGABELLA

Hiya sistahs!

I hope you had a great weekend.  We set up our patio furniture and had a marshmallow roast in the PROPANE pit in the middle of our coffee table (I told Ryan that CANNOT be safe can it?..LOL).. but everyone enjoyed and that’s what counts..  We had great celebrations over the weekend for his birthday.. just all in all one of them GOOD weekends 🙂

Now our Art journaling monday is a bit MEEK this week… where is everyone? HMMMM?

Our theme this week was to write or draw about your PET PEEVES, or things you dislike!

another piece of good news is that our VERY OWN BETH FULLER (3 sisters stamps) has been featured in ARTFUL BLOGGING SUMMER! If you go to Beth’s blog and read her entries you will literally pee in your pants.. she is HILARIOUS and her sense of humor comes out in her artwork.  She is my collage inspiration.. OBSESSED..LOL..

Here is the cover and pages just to make you wanna go buy the mag.  It is such a gorgeous magazine.. the colors, the pictures.. oh the COLLAGE CUTTING POTENTIAL! LOL

and she didn’t forget about da sistahood..!

*sigh*  I love her.

Next week’s theme?  SCRIBBLES and MARKS.. use whatever medium you would like.. create a background with doodles, scribbles and marks!  have fun and let loose!

Don’t forget to place a comment on our BELLARIFIC FRIDAY post.

Mwah

Em

Hiya sistahs…

sorry I have been MIA this week.. it’s been a little stressful.. but all good stresses 🙂  Working on a new release..and running around like a chicken with it’s head cut off (thank goodness I have never SEEN that..LOL)

Today is Ryan’s 40th birthday.  It amazes me that I have been with him for exactly half of my life.. crazy ay?  I know it’s sometimes boring to read about all the personal intricacies of one’s life but out of respect and adoration, I must devote an inch of text to my hubster 🙂

a very happy birthday to my Ryan.. amazing husband and father and truly a best friend.  He takes my &*(&*% (most of the time..LOL).. and is my number 1 fan (again, most of the time..LOL).  Of course everyone has ups and downs.. no one is perfect… but in the 20 years that we have been together (OMG that means that I am turning 40.. insert KLEENEX here).. we have been so happy together and for that, I will be forever grateful.  I love you my Ryan and wish you another 40 of happiness and bliss.. (*ahem* with ME of course..LOL)

ok, his inch is over..LOL.. let’s move along to another 16 inches of bellarific friday shall we?  (I’m just moving on cuz I don’t wanna cry..LOL)

Winnahs from last week’s bellarific friday goes to

For commentaytin ($10 in bella bucks)

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

12-DOLORES you win!  please email me and I will send you $10 in a vouchah!

Timestamp: 2012-05-04 13:43:41 UTC

Now for da CONTRIBUTIN’ winnah ($20 in bella bucks)

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

7- MARGO you win!  please email me and I will send you your VOUCHAH!

Timestamp: 2012-05-04 13:45:09 UTC

OK so for this week’s theme, we had another EBRUBELLA sketch!

I decided to contribute this week with an art journal page using one of my funky barcodes (LOVE that set).. it’s great for graphic cards and for grungy art journaling pages.. YUM

Now let’s see what the wonderful and talented BABEROONIS did this week shall we?

Cathabella used LULU’s wedding cake

Danabella used UPTOWN GIRL EVE UNDER THE MISTLETOE

Ebrubella used SPROUT

Lindabella used her new KOI markers on this DAHLIA FLOWER  HEAD

Natashabella used our FLUFFY FLOWER HEAD

here’s PAULABELLA’s card using ROLLANDA KETTO

and here’s the inside

Here’s PAULINEABELLA’s card using PEACHY PIXIE

Regabella used JUST MY TYPE

PHENOM, no?

Now for da phenomalicious sistahood cards

don’t forget to leave a comment to :

(1) say hi cuz I am lonely

(2) to be able to have a chance to win $10 in BELLA BUCKEROONIS!

next week’s theme is

STITCHING!  (real or FAUX).. and don’t forget to use a bella image with it..LOL

Don’t forget AJ monday!

and don’t forget to have a great weekend!

mwah mwah mwah

Em

Hiya sistahs!  I hope you had a great weekend.. ours was quite eventful running from one arena to the next.. but had some crafting time set aside (why can’t i have SAVINGS set aside? hmmmm?)..

anyway sorry for the late AJ post..

the theme this week was to complete the sentence “I WISH”

here goes

next week’s theme?  THINGS YOU LOATHE.. pet peeves… things that make you angry/sad/etc.. you can write, draw, scribble the emotions it makes you feel when you think about it

Don’t forget bellarific friday sketch for this week

and to leave a comment on the post from last week’s bellarific friday for a chance to win $10 in buckeroonis!

I am also putting together a GORGEOUS release.. just you wait!

mwah to da sistahs who LOVE da bloggy

Em

and boy am I TIIIIIRED

Ryan and I played hooky today (shhhhh) and we went out together and spent quality time.. we had so much fun!  I really recommend “hookying” to clear your head and give you time to chill and enjoy each other’s company.

Another reason why this post is late is because Tyler was “scouted” for tryouts for single A hockey so we had to drag him from one arena to the next to watch him.  The great news was that he was asked to join the team for next year… he and I were bawling…LOL  I was so proud.. and one other father on the team looks at me and says “ohhh you’re one of DOZE”.. and I said “yep, I’m one o’ DEM”.. and he backed off..LOL and I continued to cry with pride.. my son… da GOALIE.  so cute..

Ok enough gushing..  since I am late and should be in BED.. I will make this quick and painless for us all..LOL
First for some winnahs from last week..

Winnah for COMMENTAYTIN ($10 in bellabuckeroonis) goes to

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

12    Bren you win!  please email me and I will send your bucks!

Timestamp: 2012-04-28 03:30:27 UTC

Now for da winnah for CONTRIBUTIN’ ($20 in bella bucks) goes to…

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

3- Larissa you win!  please email me and will send your goodies!

Timestamp: 2012-04-28 03:32:08 UTC

Now let’s see some BABELICIOUSNESS shall we?  The theme this week was FLOWERS!

BEEYOOTIFUL??? Yep!

Now for da sistahood!

These cards are DEEEEELISH sistahs.. thank you so much for submitting!

Next weeks theme is a beeyootiful ebrubella sketch!

I also made a collage for this week’s theme but please don’t make me go upstairs and take a picture..LOL.  I will do it in the morning and post it k?

Don’t forget to leave a comment for a chance at winning $10 in bella buckeroonis!  if you contribute in next week’s theme you have an opportunity to win $20!

Have a great rest of the weekend

mwah mwah mwah

bella has to go night night

mwah.

But I have to say that I am OBSSESSED with “DRAW SOMETHING”.. an app on the iphone…

anyone wanna play???

Mwah

~the strong and silent type 😉

Sistahs, I wanted to thank you for embracing the “RAW” bella.. LOL from last post.  We are all the same aren’t we?  so why hide it.. cuz strangers will see me without mascara on?  nahh.. who cares.. we love eachother no mattah what!

I know I have promised more vlogs in the past.. but now I really mean it.  I am going to be doing this more often.. can’t promise when.. but will surprise you.  I was quite proud of myself that I was able to actually do it but now my issue is, that I have to teach myself how to edit.  hmph.

Ok so now down to the subject at hand.  I will never forget when I started this business, my mother said to me “making cards?? you’re gonna build a business around people making cards?  people THROW CARDS OUT!!”.. I was angry at her I must say, but in the end, she is unfortunately right… Most people who don’t appreciate this craft (like my mother.. not to say she doesn’t appreciate it.. but she doesn’t share the passion in THIS craft.. but in many others she does).. will look at the card, read the contents, and throw it out.  Or they may put it on a fridge with a magnet.. right?

I tried to explain stamping to my mother as best as I could 7 long years ago when I first started.. and what I said to her was that stamping is a “magical experience”.. she looked at me like I was cracked.  but I explained to her  that those of us who don’t feel like “artists”, or those of us who can’t draw and have the opportunity to choose an image that we love, adore, and want to hug (lol) and then stamp it in black and you see that crisp image for the first time (or the kajillionth) time,  for a moment.. just a fleeting moment feel like WE actually created that perfect little image… then as we colour, embellish, glue, stick, emboss, crackle, shpritz, glitterize (is that a word?).. this magical moment continues to grow as we slowly make this image as much our own as we can.  That, my sistahs, is the magic of  stamping.  And that is why every day, I thank my artists for making these creations come to life for all of us allowing us to experience this magic as long as we can.

Having said all of that.. I have an ideaR.  Our little creations are OUR masterpieces.. no one else’s.  We LOVE the journey in creating them and that’s why we are passionate about this hobby.  I consider ALL of our cards  as ART.  So why not have the recipient treat it as art.  Once you accept that you ARE an artist, you will convey the message to all around you (ya I know, Im a big talker.. but I’m working on it).. So this is my idea.  I need some feedback though.

What if we put removable  tape under our final layer of our card.  (ok I know you’re gonna say it’s going to fall apart.. but I actually don’t think it will).. and what if we create a stamp for the back of the card (or we handwrite it) and say

I made this especially for you and you can remove and frame if you so wish… or something like that.. give the recipient an idea of what to do with the actual card… since it IS art, why not TREAT IT AS ART?  I think the wording still needs to be worked on for the back of the card but you get the drift (really what does THAT mean).. getting the drift)..LOL

you know sometimes you will get a card or a kids card with an attachment of a bracelet or ring or something they can remove and use?  that’s the idea.  I want people to appreciate our hard work..LOL.  And I am sure that 99% of our recipients LOVE what they receive.. but I do think we should give them ideas of what to do with them.. people like my mom for instance.

OHHH this is long.. honestly, either I don’t say a PEEP or I have verbal diarrhea (sp?). LOL

Ok so having said that, I found a new substrate that I am LOVING working on.  They are CANVAS SHEETS (which come in a pad) and we will be getting them soon in Bellaland but they are available at craft stores, art supply stores..etc.  They are primed (with gesso) and READY to take a beating! LOL.. you can use any medium on them, stamp on them, sew on them.. die cut with them to make your own tags or embellishments.. they are really amazing.

So not only did I find a new substrate I like to work on, but I found the PERFECT SIZE to work on… 4*4.  I have shown two canvases done in that size in THIS POST.  I cut my sheets up in 4*4 and I am loving it.  The fact is that the size is ADORABLE and it’s not intimidating!  You can stamp on it,  collage on it, you can try your hand at sketching the focal point.. you can use new papers, or vintage papers (another SICK obsession at the mo).. and it’s fun!  It’s just enough room to try new techniques in any medium.. I can GUARANTEE that you will have so much fun with these.  After you are done, you SIGN IT cuz you’re an ARTIST.. and you mount it on a card (with repositionable tape) and put a message on the back that the receiver can frame it!…. you can also mount it on an actual gallery canvas, you can nail it to it.. you can put it in your journal.. It’s YOUR art.. you can do what you want with it..

Ok so here are my little pieces of art.. now most of them are not complete but I just want to show you a little som’n som’n to make you start making your own 🙂

here’s a little collection of them..

Here I used our SOLID FUNKY DANDELION.. ahh.. the magic of stamping!  they are amazing for focal points, no?  (this is not complete yet)- this may looked ‘warped” from the way I took the photo but it’s a perfect little square.. LOL

here I used random vintage ephemera and somehow, the story came together.. the map, the statement about far away.. then I stamped the word far, and then the bike.. (think I wanna go far away? LOL.. it’ll pass. it’s the whole turning 40 thing..LOL). .here I used our I WANT TO RIDE MY BICYCLE stamp

here I used our SHADY LEAF stamp.. and I sewed around it.. I left a little spot on the left.. I kinda liked it that way..  This little QUINCHIE  (quad inchie.. get it?) has a KAJILLION layers.. white paint, distress ink.. it was fun!  I also used our NUMBER 8 TICKET BACKGROUND but you can’t really see it.. I swear it’s there though!

Here’s my TO THE MOON collage where I hand sketched the moon and stars (lol.. as if it isn’t clear).. I realized that the ephemera I glued on was a letter to an astronomer.. so I made it all make sense to me..and told my story in there.. QUITE BOLDLY  ( i was looking for my smaller letters and couldn’t find them)

she also is a little lopsided in the photo LOL but she is a perfect Quinchie too!  She is hand sketched by me. and hand painted

So that’s the scoop.  All the above can be mounted on cards, canvases, journals.. they are little works of art.

I would love to hear your feedback regarding the removable tape.. trying to tell people that you are an artist, that you did work hard on the piece of art that they received from you  and the stamp to tell them they can frame it 🙂

Create

be happy

consider yourself an artist and others around you will too.

I promise

Mwah

Em