LOVE ME DO! Stamping Bella Blog Hop

Welcome to the LOVE ME DO Blog Hop sponsored by Stamping Bella! I'm so excited because this is my first time being a Blog Hop Stop AND it's with my favorite girl, Bella! If you didn't follow the hop to my place from Michele's blog, you'll want to hop back to Jamie's blog to enjoy all the Bella-riffic creations right from the start! What a great way to spend a snowy Saturday, hopping with Bella!

One of The Girl's best friends is getting married next year, and The Girl is a bridesmaid, so it was a no-brainer to feature Sposabella in that role! I love the soft, spring colors of the papers, and I threw in a piece of dotted Swiss vellum for good measure. A few Primas and pearls finished my Joy fold card! Hope you likey! (You'll find instructions for the card fold HERE in the SCS Resources. Super easy!)

How about a prize? In addition to the fabulous eye candy, we have decided to hide a prize somewhere along the hop! One pre-selected blogger will draw a random winner from the comments on her post, and the winner will receive a $25 Gift Voucher to Stamping Bella!!! The fun part is...we're not telling you who it is! So as you hop, make sure you leave comments on every post so you have a chance to win!! We will announce the winner on Friday in the Splitcoast forum.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Now it's time to hop on over to Debi's blog!

Have fun! {{{MWAH!}}}

DETAILS
Image: Stamping Bella "Sposabella"
Ink: Memento
Cardstock: SU
Patterned Paper: K&Company, The Paper Copmany vellum, other floral
Copics: 0,E31,E000,G40,G99,R20,R22,Y23
Other: Primas, pearls, Nesties

Cruisin' On a Snowy Afternoon! A KitCat Challenge

FINALLY – It’s my January KitCat Challenge Card! I *never dreamed* I would be this late in posting, especially since I was the hostess! Those reasons later; on to the card!

I was *really* tired of winter, so it was a no-brainer to feature Bella cruising in her Vette! I threw in some summery papers and fun Bella-like embellies for the rest of the kits, and only asked that the Kittens choose a card fold that they either hadn’t yet tried or that was their favorite.

I chose to make an Easel Fold card and I love this fold!! I know I’ll use it for a picture frame card, a calendar card, all sorts of fun cards!

And just wait until you see the GORGEOUS creations by Michelle, Catherine, Lorie, Kelly, and Jeanette!

Okay, there are 2 reasons I’m late in posting:

REASON #1. Little did I know that Mother Nature was about to slam us with one of the worst storms the East Coast and Mid-Atlantic states had ever seen: Snowmageddon 2010!
Here’s our patio area around 6 PM Friday:

And 12 hours later around 6 AM Saturday, with 20 *more* inches of snow than they had predicted for us.

Not only did we get close to 40 inches of snow between the 5th and the 10th, we also lost power for almost 36 hours. Not fun, especially since we have well water. So laundry and dishes and general housecleaning piled up for almost 2 days. Fortunately, The Man has a 4WD & The Girl has an AWD, we have 2 gas fireplaces, and snow is nature’s freezer, so we could make runs for coffee and food, we were warm, and we didn’t lose any food except the containers of leftovers that no one was going to eat anyway.
Here’s our fridge, from left to right: Meats, Deli, Dairy! LOL!!!


REASON #2. I strongly disliked my original card, so because of one of my personality traits, I totally redid my card. (I know; I probably need an intervention.) But I’m so glad that I did, because I really like this one!

Be sure to hop along at the Love Me Do Bella Blog Hop tomorrow, February 13, starting at 10 AM Eastern at the StampingBella Blog! I'm so excited to be playing along as one of the Blog Hop Stops! My first one!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you'll visit again soon!

Anytime You Need A Friend Bellas!

This is the card I made for my first spot in my friend Paola's What Song/Music Are You? swap over on SCS. It was a no-brainer that I would take a spot, because she is, after all, The Temptress, and you just can't tell her no. LOL! After whirling around TONS of song titles and styles in my head, I heard Anytime You Need A Friend by Mariah Carey one morning and just *knew* that was the song! I have met a group of caring, funny, supportive, wonderfully talented gals on SCS -- affectionately called The Sisterhood -- who are always there, giving support and a shoulder when life seems too heavy to bear, and giving cheers and high-fives when life gives reasons to celebrate, and for everything else in between. This card is dedicated to *each and every one* of you gals in The Sisterhood. Even though we're miles away, I'm by your side.

I was at a loss for what image to use because this song is not what I originally had in mind. So I went surfing -- I really wanted to use HuggyBella, but don't own the stamp. *light bulb moment* I'll ask the Sisters--they have everything! And of course, the wonderful Jeanette came through and stamped me up some images, which I colored with Prismas and blended with baby oil.

I used SCS sketch challenge SC105 for the layout. I find that is the first place I go when I'm getting ready to make some cards. I figure, why reinvent the wheel when there are over 200 great layouts at my fingertips?

The card base and mats are SU Going Grey. The flowered SU DP circle was cut with my Nestie, but the GG mat was cut by hand with scissors! (note to self: add a circle cutter to shopping list) I bought the SU DP last month from a "cash & carry" table, but I don't know what it's called. A simple cream satin ribbon was just enough to finish the circle. I just think this pink and gold background DP is to die for!! There were only 2 sheets left and I had no idea how I would use it, but I just had to have it. Turns out it matches really well with the flowered DP!

I created the sentiment on my PC and printed it on Whisper White, then added gold brads to tie it in to the background DP. For the inside message panel, I printed "I will be here" on WW.

I like the way these turned out and hope Paola and the recipients like them too. I wish I had enough of that pink & gold DP to make one for every Sister.

Anytime you need a friend

I will be here.

You'll never be alone again

So don't you fear.

Even if you're miles away

I'm by your side.

Don't you ever be lonely

Love will make it alright.

May I ask all of you SU demos out there for a favor? Would you please tell the SU Powers-That-Be that customers want the option to purchase 8.5x11 Going Grey cardstock in individual packs? I know I am not the only one who loves this color - it is the perfect medium grey shade. I am sad and disappointed to find that the only way I can get it is 6 sheets at a time in the Neutrals assortment. I would really appreciate it!

Tomorrow, I'll post Card #2 and the reason I took a second spot for Paola's swap. Hope you all have a great Saturday!

Happy Creating!

Susan

Tasseled Bella, Game Winners, and An Award!

Wow, there is a lot being covered in this one post!! First the Bella ...

Lattebella is ready for spring, so she put on a perky pink top and soft yellow trousers to enjoy a latte at her favorite spot! The image was colored with Prismas and blended with baby oil, then I added some sparkle to her hair and cup flowers' centers with a Sakura Clear Star pen.

The card base is Pretty in Pink and layered with a So Saffron panel that I ran through the 'Bug using D'Vine Swirls. The pretty DP is from the 6x6 Basic Grey Sugared pack that Tanja sent me. LOVE the colors in this pack - baby pinks, honey golds, moss greens, paprika reds, dark chocolate browns - yummy!

I was going to add clear rhinestones to the Nestie panel corners, but suddenly remembered I have a Crop-A-Dile, still in the package!! Why I waited so long to try it, I cannot answer; but I'll be using it again ... soon. It still needed something; ribbon perhaps. Then I remembered that I had all these little tassels I found in a clearance bin somewhere, so I decided to try one out and liked it! Finally, I added some more sparkle by outlining the Nestie shapes and mats with the Sakura, then added dots to the card base border. YESSS! Another birthday card done!

On to the game winners ... the "winners" of my You Need! game are Karen, Lindalee, Mary, and Michelle!! WOO-HOO!! It was a no-brainer really; you 4 were the only ones to comment. It's okay, really. I don't judge myself by the number of comments left on my blog posts! LOL! So let me know what you want - an altered somethin' for your craft space or a crocheted scarf - and include your color choice(s) from SU color families. I'll have 'em done by the end of March.

Finally, the sweet and beautiful Kelly gave me this cute award! You warm my heart, too, Kelly!!

Well, I have more than 10 people to bestow this award upon, so all you STC Sisters, here you go! Grab it up and pass it on to those who warm your heart!

I'm off to work on some swap cards for the rest of the day. Hope you're enjoying your weekend so far!

Happy Creating!

Susan

Cheers!

I am finally getting caught up on my birthday cards!! I am *so* far behind, BUT I do see the light at the end of the tunnel, and that is a good thing. By the weekend, I plan to be *ahead* of schedule, which is an even better thing!

I am hooked on Bellas right now. For this card, I chose Cosmobella - mmmm, cosmos! (is it 5 o'clock yet? somewhere . . . )

Once again, I used a sheet from the the fun DP pack that Lorie sent me--love it! The card base is Pretty in Pink and the mats are Perfectly Plum. I ran a piece of Pretty in Pink through the 'Bug using Lots of Dots, then clear embossed it for a little pop. The sentiment is stamped in Elegant Eggplant and framed in some HodgePodge Hardware. Oh, and I had to add a few of my new fav embellishments -- rain dots!!

It is a *gloriously* sunny day here in Western PA! Looks like you could walk outside without a coat . . . but you can't! It was 10 degrees when I woke up this morning, and it *might* be 20 now. I am so ready for spring!! Hope it's bright and sunny in your corner of the world!

Happy Creating!

Susan

Bella Birthday Cards!!

My oh my, I have SO many birthday cards to make and have just begun to scratch the surface! Here are a couple of the cards I managed to squeeze in some time to make!

My DD asked me to make a birthday card for a good friend of hers. They met as figure skaters and have been through all sorts of things together, and they still coach together at a Pittsburgh area rink. I am really happy that she has managed to maintain friendships with some of these gals --- it's too easy today to just let people drift away, especially when they go away to college and then begin their careers.

Anyway, back to the card ... I asked Stephanie to pick an image for Jenny's card, and I thought it would be GlideaBella, but then she saw SavvyShoppaBella and said, "Oh that's so Jenny!" (yeah, that's so DD too LOL!)

The base is Groovy Guava the sparkly DP is matted on Rose Red. A Nestie shape from Rose Red, a piece of velvet rikrak, and some touches with a Sakura stardust pen finished the card.

Next, for my STC sister Judy's birthday, I grabbed PartygirlaBella along with some really fun DP from a pack that my other STC sister Lorie sent me. (I just love this paper pack!) Dont' the plaid and these colors remind you of summer Bermuda shorts?!?

The card base is Apricot Appeal and the textured lilac for the Nesties is from Colorbok. I really like how the Nesties shapes make the images stand out even more. Before I started using them, I was second-guessing why I purchased them. Now, I use them on almost every card!

I colored and cut out the heart balloons and the cupcake and popped them up on dimensionals. I "frosted" the cupcake with some Martha Stewart glitter, and of course, I had to add some organza ribbon to the sentiment shape.

Oh, there will be more ... there are several cards in various stages of completion on my craft desk, waiting for my attention! Hope you're squeezing in some stampin' time for yourself!!

Happy Creating!

Susan