how do i love thee...

...let me count the ways!

YUP...I'm talking about my card today! It is my current most fav card I have EVAH made! EVAH! Why? I dunno!...the image, the paper, the colours, the scallops....EVERYTHING! This is Betty the Bookworm, an Ellia Hill image available in rubber at Stamping Bella.


I have to fess up about this paper.....I've been hoarding it...for a few years now! Ya...I need counselling! When I first got my copic markers they had just recently hit the stamping market and Debbie Olson was my idol. I would check her blog daily and drool over her cards and her ability to blend those markers. I would blow up the pics from her blog, study them, make note of the markers she used and practice, practice, practice! And just about every paper she used, I had to buy! This is one of them from Cosmo Cricket called Little Girl and was in a pack of 8x8 sheets.

Here are some links to Debbie's tutorials that I STILL have bookmarked!

copic tutorial on leaves
harvest fruit
lockhart hydrangea
peachy keen

My style has changed a bit since then, mostly due to practice, experimenting and searching for my comfort zone, but I remain indebted to Debbie for getting me hooked on these markers!

So, for you who are interested in what I used and want to experiment yourself...here goes starting with copic markers:

E0000, 000, 00, 11 (face...but arms and legs are soooo tiny I only used E00)
E50, 51, 52, Y32, E31 (hair)
G20, YG93, 95 (the green book...used lots of tip to tip on the markers due to vast difference in color range)
R81, 83, 85, RV10, 11, 13
YR0000, Y000, 00, 11 (and shaded with E30...if the Y's are a little TOOOOO acidy looking for you, try putting a base of YR0000 first and it will tone down that yellow)
E40, 41, 42, W5

Now for the prismacolor pencils I used to add just a bit more shading and texture
Henna and Black Raspberry on the pink book
Goldenrod on the yellow books
Kelp Green and Moss Green on the green book

Now go get inky and practice, practice, practice...and in the meantime, you just might wanna check out Emily's blog to see what she's got going for Tantalizing Toosday!

Simple Sunday

Good afternoon fellow stampers and friends!

How's your day going so far? I have accomplished NOTHING yet....checked out a few blogs...still pondering on who to vote on in the Bella Babaroonie contest (soooooo difficult!) and sipping on my second cup of coffee. Pauline just stopped by because she was in Michigan on Friday and picked me up a couple packages of Thomas Bagel Thins...why can't we get stuff like this in Canada! And I'll need those 1pt bagel thins today because last night we took the fam, the girlfriend, and the grandparents to Mazaar's in Windsor for a Lebanese feast as a farewell dinner together before the boys head back to school in a week. I think I ate everything that was not WW friendly....even indulging in a Falafel....ouch on the calories, but ooooooooh so good!

Before heading out yesterday I did manage to colour one of Stamping Bella's latest releases....this is Little Peep's Flower Vase and after seeing Paula's Little Peep's b'day cake I wonder why I didn't have that one in my basket too! These are most definitely cute overload and so simple to color.


I stamped it with brilliance ink on Bella's bestest paper and coloured it with the following copic markers:
E000,00, 11, 31, 35
Y15, 38, YR16, RV21, 23, 34
V0000, 000, 01
YG01, 03, 25, BV02, 04

As usual, I added some shading with prismacolor pencils blended with gamsol and finished it off with glitter, a dot of liquid applique in the flower centers and ranger glossy accents over the vase. I did keep the shading rather subtle though to keep with the simplicity of the image. Just a tip...when you are colouring a vase like this and then want to add green for the stems...color the vase first, then color the rest of the image and as a final step go back with your think line of green on the stems. You want to make sure the ink on the vase is completely dry before putting the green in there, or the green will bleed out.

I even got a bit creative and used some of the scraps for the inside of the card and added the flower for you sentiment that came with the Turtle Tot's picking posies image. A great little gem for my stash if I need a quick birthday or thinking of you card!

That's it for me today! I'm gonna catch up on Dexter season 4 and maybe, just maybe get a bit more colouring time in!

The search continues...and exciting news!

I think I'll start with my card but if you wanna skip the card BE SURE to go to the bottom of this post to get the newzzzzzz and the deets on next week's FINAL challenge.

I'll be honest...I had serious issues with the sketch. I searched and searched and in all of my EIGHT bindahs I could not find one that fit nicely into a square turned on it's point. So I finally settled on bella baby buggy bumper...(love that name!) and coloured it up to match the Cosmo Cricket paper. I'm not even gonna list the markers I used because I pretty much covered the entire thing with pencils. Ya, I was having colouring issues too!


Then I felt the need to deal with the empty space so added the ribbon (which I now think is too loud) and the red jewel flowers (which I didn't like after I added them but couldn't remove them without ripping the paper!)...oh my...well, it is what it is and that is why it is a challenge! I'll be wowed I'm sure by what the sistah's come up with this week. If you can pull off this sketch, I say you should be in!

Now for the BIG NEWS....Stamping Bella now has its VERY OWN FORUM. YUP...a place for all us sistah's to unite, share news, share cards, share tips and tricks, ask questions and share our love of all things pink and Bella! I don't know about you but I want this to be THE BESTEST forum out there and I've been a bizzy babe all last evening uploading my fav cards, and even some of my not so fav's. You can find my gallery here (there is also a link on my sidebar), and the sistah's gallery here. And HERE is a link to the instructions on how to create your very own gallery album. SOOOOO EXCITING! I just took a peek and I see we already have some crafty sistahs starting to upload their cards. What a fabulous ONE STOP shop to get all your bella inspiration.! I think I'll create a forum section on my sidebar with all these quick links to make it easy for ya...including me!

On to our DT Challenge news...

We have had some AMAZING creations submitted to the DT challenge. It has been sooooooo so hard to choose only two cards each week and I must say, from my personal voting, I know it's gonna be a tight race! This is your last chance and GIVE IT ALL YOU GOT! That's right, it is an open challenge. Ink up that bella rubber and submit your bestest work to Emily and best of luck to everyone!!! I'm cheering for all of you!

Let it snow!

Okay...seriously folks ...I DO NOT WANT SNOW, not now, not EVAH! But I could be really happy with a bit less humidity. So I thought if I posted a cool weather card that just might send some vibes up to the weather gods to give us a break. And I think it worked! We have a lot less humidity today and the skys are clear blue with just the teeniest amount of crisp white clouds here and there. Picture perfect!

This is a Vol.25 Jessica Rose hanging block stamp called Winter Clothes hanging block. I think it looks like a winter store window display with the little awning I created and it will make a good card for my Christmas stash. Don't know about you, but I really like these hanging block stamps. Winter clothes as always, was stamped with brilliance ink on Bella's Bestest paper and coloured with copic markers. Very little pencil went into the shading here, I coloured it with the following copic markers.

COO, 1, Y23, YR21, 23
R24, 27, 89
G0000, 00, 02, BG72

Today I took the day off work to recoup from our annual steak/lobster BBQ with my side of the family....we have a small family so can splurge on this treat once a year. It was not a picture perfect day...just as we were about to sit outside for dinner the rain gods dumped torrential water from the sky! We did need the rain, but it would have been nice if it could have waited just one more hour.


I have been prepping the deck all summer for this event and this is what a part of it looked like last week....how pretty is this and how perfect it would have been to sit out there under the umbrella's, sip some wine and indulge in blackened filet and lobster tail! Last year it was so cold we had to light a fire in the fire pit just to stay warm. Oh the joys of weather in Southwestern Ontario....just never know what you will get. But I have to say, even with the wicked humidity, I'd take this hot summer over last years cool one any day.

Well...it is like 3pm and I haven't even had a shower yet! I've made my card for Friday's challenge...remember, it's a sketch and you can find it this post and I've cut paper and stamped images for Wednesday's pickle class....beware girls....I've discovered that the wrist can manage a single image, but doing several repetitively is a bit more straining than I anticipated so the images might not be quite as crisp as usual.

Now I think I'll go get that shower and decide what to make for dinner, oh how I could get used to the life of a stay at home kept woman!

Week 2 of our Babe search!

OMG! So excited! Did you give it a thought and enter last week? There were AMAZING entries. Do you know how the winner will be chosen? Well in case you don't I'll tell ya. Each of the current team members votes for two cards which we submit to an undisclosed babe....she is the only one who knows all the votes and which sistah is in the lead. The rest of us don't even know who got the most votes. Personally, I don't even want to know the vote standings because I don't want to be influenced. I'm not gonna tell you who is holding the 'votes' though just in case she can be bought! ...LOL!...I seriously doubt it, we are an upstanding honest bunch! And sometimes we can get down right funny...betcha didn't know that about us!

Enough gushing about our amazing group and on to my card for the Bling it On challenge. I'll admit, and it will be no secret for those who have been following me for a while...I don't do lots of bling! I like glitter, and love ribbon...but 'stuff' cluttering up my card in the name of bling, not so much. So Kissy got some glitter, got some glittery ribbon and to add the extra bling I added some tiny pearls.

As always, I'm gonna sound like a broken record and say she was stamped with Brilliance ink on Bella's bestest paper and coloured with copic markers. AND, as I always do, I added some extra shading with prismacolor pencils and gamsol. On this image I also used a white color pencil to highlight and lighten up her dress. (no gamsol with the white pencil though!...just leave it as is) I coloured her tights pink because my original inspiration piece of paper was from Basic Grey Lily Kate but then I misplaced it and couldn't find it. GRRRRR....I have serious issues with misplacing things! So pink tights with green papers it is!

These are the copic colors I used:
E0000, 000, 00, 11, R20
E50, 51, 53, 31, 33, 35, 37 (hair)
E40, 41, 43, W0, 2, 3
YG0000, 00, 21, Y11, 35
R0000, 00, 01, 30, 32, 85
RV11, 32, G40, 82, 99, YG67
BV11, V15

In other news...do you know that Stamping Bella is on Facebook! YUPPERS! There is also an album for the sistahood. THIS IS THE LINK! Say something nice and add a photo of your card to your comment. That's it....easy peasy! Then click on the photo's tab and you should find your card here in photo's by others...see mine, there he is in all his whining glory! why is he whining? well because he is there ALL BY HIS LONESOME AND WANTS SOME FRIENDS! now get on FB and share your bella love. If you don't have a FB account, just sign up cause it is easy and it is FREE! And who knows, like me you may just find your long lost BFF's from public or high school on your journey! So let's connect!

Finally, for those who are here for the NEXT CHALLENGE!!!!!!!!!!!! It is a sketch! Ya, for all you (including ME!) sketch challenged sistahs we've got you covered. Paulabella came up with a nice simply amazing sketch to work with. Get your mojo going, you've got an entire weekend to get started and BE CERTAIN to check out the contestants this week over on Emily's blog. And while you are there, scroll down to see what is in store for this weeks tantalizing Toosday...OR...check out the specials page HERE cause you just may find something that you SIMPLY MUST HAVE!

If last week was an indication....this week should be amazing!

the cat's out of the bag....

...AND the arm is out of the cast!

LOL! this was gonna be my comeback card but I ended up sneaking in something else instead. But it would have been good...NO?

This is a Mo Manning image called appropriately the cat's out of the bag and my inside sentiment will be 'you are old!'. pretty good eh?


As always it was stamped with Brilliance ink on Bella's bestest paper and coloured with copic markers with prismacolor pencils and gamsol for shading on and around the image. Sorry, but I don't have a list of colors today, but t0 create that cute kitty hair, you want to use short whispy strokes with that marker. Work quickly with several colours for a soft blend, then let it dry and add some strokes with a darker color to create some 'sharp' dark hairs and finally take a lighter color pencil to add some 'highlights'. that's it...kitty hair!

For those who care I have a wrist update...I had a physio appt today and I had some good progress. She thinks in the next two weeks my strength should be close to normal and I have a couple new exercises to help get the full range back. I complained about pain in areas where there was no break and she said due to the nature of the accident I likely incurred some compression injuries which would not show up on x-rays and if it ain't broken, the surgeon won't address it. Every time I see her she stresses that it will probably be 6-12 months before I have full recovery. I'm okay with that...I just need to be reminded of it often so I don't get down on myself. The other crappy thing is that there is this 'lump' near the break which I find unsightly, and it takes up space so I may not be able to get my Thomas Sabo braclet back on! She said that some of it is still inflamation, but some could be bone because the bone has grown over the break and fracture to heal it! That makes me kind of sad because I have always had rather petite wrists...and they were the ONLY petite part of my body! Oh well, I'll get over it eventually! I'll just have to get a new bracelet that is 1/4" larger!

That's it for today folks! Don't forget about our Bellarific challenge Friday which is Bling it On!...use bling, glitter, or anything sparkly to catch our eye and grab a vote at being the NEXT BELLARIFIC BABE!

And one more thing! Today is Toooosday...that means Emily will have another tantalizing Tooosday special announced on her blog at some point today or check out the specials page. Keep checking 'cause the deals have been incredible! Did ya even know she had a specials page? Well now you do!

See ya all on Friday...hint hint...I used some pearls!

Let the games begin!

The hunt for our new babe begins TODAY! Did you play along? Remember in order to be eligible to win the honoured place as the next Bellarific Babe you must

• have a blog
• be prepared to update it regularly
• and participate in each of our challenges during the month of August using a Stamping Bella image

Now that the rulezzzz are out of the way, how 'bout a peek at my card for the Paper Piecing challenge. This is the Big Guy Grilling, a Mo Manning image available in rubber from Stamping Bella. I also used it's a girl thing, but replaced the girl with a guy cut out with one of my sizzix alphabet dies.

This card will be going to my brother...a bit of a belated b'day card since they were on a family European vacation last month and I figured that was a good excuse for me to be late with the card...his b'day was July 17th! And next weekend we have our annual family steak and lobster bbq where Paul will be taking COMPLETE charge of the grill. The timing is perfect I think!

Of course he was stamped on Bella's bestest paper, coloured with copic markers, and shaded with prismacolor pencils and gamsol. And just because I paper pieced his shirt, that doesn't mean it got off the hook for a bit of shading!!! Try it...it will give your paper pieced card an entirely new lift!

Don't forget to hop on over to Emily's blog later today because I'm fairly certain it will be OVERFLOWING with some FANTABULOUS cards!

And get that rubber and ink ready along with glitter and bling because that is our challenge next week....Razzle and Dazzle with Bling!!!!!!!

Finally, on a personal note, tomorrow I'll be heading to Novi with some local friends (including my new BLOGGING buddy Pauline!) and meeting up with Paulabella at the Heirloom Rubber stamp Festival! Last year you may recall I met the now infamous Kraftin' Kimmie...who knows who I may see this year....maybe Dave will be there!

Clementine the Teacup Girl

Hi everyone...

Did ya miss me? LOL! I started back to work last week on modified hours and it sucked the life blood outta me. I had to come home and lay down for a while and the last thing I wanted to do was LOOK at a computer. This week seems to be a bit better, although I am not up to colouring at all after getting home. I have to reserve that for the weekends I guess.


This is Clementine the Teacup Girl and and I coloured her up a couple weeks ago. She was the FIRST image I attempted after getting the hand in motion again and since it had been over two months since I held a marker, I thought I would start with something easy and not too detailed.

I used the Basic Grey Kioshi paper as my inspiration and after finishing her up I thought I should have done the teapot in soft green instead, but oh well, she is what she is and I am sure there are some purple fans out there. As the story always goes, she was stamped with Brilliance ink on Bella's Bestest Paper and coloured with the following copic markers:

E0000, 000, 00, 11, R20
V000, 01, 12, 15
E50, 51, y21, 26, E31, 33 (for the hair...yes all of these!)
YR31, Y15, 38
YG21, G82, YG67

As I always do I used some very deep purple pencils to add a bit of depth to the teapot. And all shading and grass was also done in pencil.

Now don't forget!!!!!!!!

This is our first week of recruiting our next babe and the challenge is paper piecing. Use a Stamping Bella image and submit your card to Emily by Thursday 5pm. You must play along in all challenges for August to be eligible!

Oh ya....had to pop back in and remind you about all the TANTALIZING TOOOZDAY goodies...I'm not gonna list them all, but let me say, if you like to emboss...check out the deals HERE.