Charlie and the Frog

Happy Monday!!! I know, really...who ever says happy Monday? Me, I guess, cause there's only one more sleep til I jet off to CHA and I'm super excited!!! But don't worry, I spent the day in my stamp room yesterday and I have posts scheduled while I'm away so that you have something to look at.

I picked up this sweet Charlie image from Stamping Bella while I was there a couple of weeks ago. Isn't he just the most adorable little guy ever with that frog on his head! Totally makes me think of my nephews. The layout is Mercy's Tuesday sketch from last week, MTSC83. I have lots to tell you today, but let me start first with the card details.

The image is stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black onto Bella's Bestest Paper and coloured with copics. I popped it on foam tape onto a circle of brown and used patterned papers from my October Afternoon Farm Fresh 8x8 pad. The felt ribbon is old SU stuff which I thought was perfect for a masculine card. I used Glitter dots for the other circular element and I love how it kinda looks like the trail from the frog jumping onto Charlie's head. LOL!!!

Now for all the news:

1. In case you haven't heard, Stamping Bella is having a release this Wednesday, July 28th and all the new images will be posted on Bloggabella. I have a fun sample with a new image to share on Friday.

2. This week's Bellarific Friday Challenge is Christmas in July. To participate simply create a Christmas card using Stamping Bella images and email a photo of your project to Em by Thursday evening to be included in the Friday round-up on Bloggabella.

3. Tomorrow is another Tantalizing Toosday at Stamping Bella so be sure to check Bloggabella for the newest sale item!

4. This is the toughest news to share. This will be my last week as a Bella Babe and my final official post will be Friday. I really need to open up my schedule a little and spend more time on my flying lessons...I never seem to get my homework done. LOL! So as difficult as the decision was, I talked to Em while I was at Bellaland earlier this month and she was so understanding! Thank you Em!!! Oh, and this in no way means that I'm going to stop using Stamping Bella images...uh uh...I love them too much to ever stop using them!  :)

Thanks for stopping by!
Karen

Sweet Sunday Jet Setter

It's time for this week's Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge, SSSC79. You'll find the sketch on Karen Giron's blog The Sweetest Thing.

I decided to continue with the travel theme from Friday because so many crafters will be making their way to CHA this week. So this card goes out to everyone who's travelling...wishing you a safe and uneventful trip! Only two more sleeps til I arrive in Chicago...yahoo...and I'll be able to give Karen Giron a big hug in person and thank her for all the fabulous sketches!!!

I combined one of the Dare to Get Dirty challenges from Splitcoast (girls and gingham by the talented Denise) with today's sketch. I stamped the sweet Pure Innocence girl Are We There Yet? from MFT with Memento Tuxedo Black onto Choice Snow White and coloured part of her with copics. Her shirt, bag and luggage are paper pieced with patterns from MME Quite Contrary. I added a few Tiny Twinkles for a little sparkle then mounted her and the luggage on foam tape for dimension. In my mailbox yesterday was a gorgeous array of Divine Twine from The Cat's Pajamas...yummy! I couldn't wait to break into it so I used the cotton candy twine on my card. It's so nice to work with, pliable yet still has some body too.

I hope you'll play along with this week's Sweet Sunday Sketch and link your creation on Karen's blog. Now let's go see what the rest of the Sweet Sunday Stampers came up with.
Jen Tapler
Joanne Basile
Laura Fredrickson
Lynn Put
Sarah-Jane Kale'
Vicki Burdick
and Karen Giron

Thanks for stopping by!
Karen

Bellarific Globe Trotter

Happy Bellarific Friday!!! This week's challenge was to use a Bella or Stella image from Stamping Bella for our creations.

I decided to use Globetrottabella because I'm starting to get ready for my trip to CHA next week. I stamped her with Memento Tuxedo Black onto Bella's Bestest Paper and coloured her with copics. She's cut out with my Petite Oval Nestabilities. I realize as I'm typing this that I didn't add any sparkle to her at all...shocking!!! Well maybe she's trying not to set off the detector as she walks through security at the airport!  LOL!

The patterned papers are from my October Afternoon Thrift Shop 8x8 pad...I thought the map was perfect with this image and I embossed it with my new Polka Dots folder that I picked up while I was at Bellaland last week. I used my double arches MS border punch along the green piece and tied a cute bow with my Bow Easy. The flat dots at the top are marble fig Bella dots.

Next week's challenge is Christmas in July, so break out your Stamping Bella Christmas stamps and get a head start on the December rush. To play along simply email a picture of your creation to Em by next Thursday to be included in the Friday round-up. And don't forget to pop over to Bloggabella some time today to see all of this week's creations from the Sistahood!

Also, did you see on Bloggabella that Em has started Tantalizing Toosdays? Basically it's a featured product that will be on sale for a week and she'll change it up every Tuesday. So be sure to check out the details on Bloggabella each Tuesday because there's also a giveaway on the blog. Read all about it in this post.

Thanks for stopping by!
Karen

Center of Attention Product Spotlight - Taylored Originals

Today some of the Baker's Dozen are sharing samples made with fun embellishments from Taylored Expressions. These Taylored Originals products are things that are only available in the TE Store in exclusive configurations designed by Taylored Expressions.

I worked with Candy Crystals...so sparkly and yummy looking! The ones I worked with are from the Orange Creamsicle collection...doesn't that sound delicious!!!! There are several other colour combinations all with equally delicious names like Bubblegum, Cotton Candy, Orange Tootsie Pop and Razzleberry Lime. But these Candy Crystals are guilt free at zero calories! LOL!!!

I used TESC121 for the layout and pulled out my CreativiTEA set. I thought the sparkly Candy Crystals would coordinate nicely with the damask tea pot. The tea pot is stamped with Memento Rich Cocoa onto apricot appeal then adhered with foam tape to the Choice Buttercream circle. I added a little sponging with Memento Desert Sand around the edges of all the layers. The patterned papers are from Basic Grey's Kioshi 6x6 pad. I layered the cream ribbon onto some gorgeous brown crochet trim then tucked the Candy Crystals into the bow for plenty of sparkle. I used a few glue dots to adhere the Orange Creamsicle Crystals to the bow but they come on long wire stems so you could easily wrap them around something to secure them in place.

All of the Taylored Originals featured on the Baker's Dozen blogs today will be on sale for 15% off until July 25th. You'll find the Orange Creamsicle Candy Crystals and the rest of the Taylored Originals on sale in the What's the Deal section of the TE store.

Now let's go see what the rest of the Baker's Dozen created using different Taylored Originals.
Alex Maldonado
Carolina Butching
Jackie Pedro
Jeanie Witmer
Sankari Wegman
and Taylor VanBruggen

Thanks for stopping by!
Karen

25th Anniversary Card

We were back home in Canada last weekend for my brother-in-laws 25th anniversary party and it was SO much fun! They were married in the 80's (obviously!) so the entire party had an 80's theme. Us ahem-older folks were singing along to all the songs and the kids had no clue what the music was!!! It was kinda funny!!

When I saw the new Banner Day Die-namics from MFT I knew I needed it for their card. You know when you see something and you know exactly what you want to do with it? Well, I could see this card in my mind so clearly and I love how it turned out. Best of all, with Kim's super quick shipping my order arrived in plenty of time to whip up this card before I headed to the border last Wednesday...woo hoo! Thanks again Kim!!!

I wanted to incorporate silver into the card because it's their 25th, and I paired it with blues for two reasons...it looks great with silver and my sister-in-law likes blue (her eyes are such a pretty blue it's crazy!). I used patterned papers from an SU paper pack, Urban Garden (I think that's the name). The letters on the banner are from the MFT set Banner Day Alphabet (which I almost didn't order because I thought I already had an alphabet that would work with the banner Die-namics, but I'm so glad I did order it because it's THE perfect size!!). I covered some chipboard numbers and die-cut letters (for the "th") with silver glitter, wrapped some silver cord around the card and called it done!

Totally by coincidence, I just checked out the MFT Wednesday Stamp Club challenge on Splitcoast and it's to use a banner...sweet!!!

Thanks for stopping by!
Karen

Blog Hoppin' with Taylored Expressions

Welcome to this month's Blast from the Past blog hop with Taylored Expressions. Be sure to start the hop at Taylor's Blog so you don't miss any of the eye candy.

For my card today I reached for one of my favourite sets for masculine cards...Boys Will be Boys.

I needed a card for my brother-in-laws birthday recently so I used the ties with the coordinating sentiment then stamped Happy Birthday on the inside. The layout is TESC120. The ties are paper pieced with patterned papers from my In the Kitchen Project Pantry...so fun! I added a little stitching to help define the image then finished the card with two cream brads.

There's plenty more to see along the hop so have fun!!!

Thanks for stopping by!
Karen

Sweet Sunday Tree Time

It's time for this week's Sweet Sunday Sketch, SSSC78. You'll find the sketch on Karen Giron's blog, The Sweetest Thing.

I went with Christmas again this week...the flowery element on the sketch was perfect for a ghost snowflake!!!

The image is Car with Tree on Top from Stamping Bella. I loved going to get the tree with my brothers and father when I was little...trudging through the snow...my dad trying to "make a day" of it. But I think the best part was coming home to a big mug of hot chocolate and warm cookies!!! Thanks Mom!!

The image is stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black onto Bella's Bestest Cream Paper and coloured with copics. I paper pieced the tree and added ruby red Bonbons for the ornaments. There's also a little yellow Spica glitter pen on the star and clear glaze pen on the car windows and lights.

Don't forget that this week's Bellarific Friday Challenge is to use Bellas or Stellas. To be included in the Friday round-up on Bloggabella simply email a picture of your creation to Em by Thursday evening.

I hope you'll play along with this week's sketch and link your creation on Karen's blog. Now let's go see what the rest of the Sweet Sunday Stampers came up with.
Jen Tapler
Joanne Basile
Laura Fredrickson
Lynn Put
Sarah-Jane Kale'
Vicki Burdick
and Karen Giron

Thanks for stopping by!
Karen

Bellarific Ruby and Rose

Happy Bellarific Friday! Get your sunglasses out for my post today...this card is b-r-i-g-h-t!!! Did you play along this week? Be sure to pop over to Bloggabella to see the weekly round-up.

I chose Ruby and Rose from Stamping Bella for this week's sketch because they work so well with the circular focal point. The entire line of Lulus is so sweet with their black hair...love them!

I wanted to use my Cosmo Cricket Delovely mini deck so I knew this would be a cheery looking card! I stamped the girls with Memento Tuxedo Black onto Bella's Bestest Paper and coloured them with copics. I gave their hair lots of shine with my black Glaze pen. I ran the background paper through my swiss dots Cuttlebug folder before stitching it to the melon mambo layer. I added the black rhinestones to help tie in the black in the image then finished the card with two fuschia Bonbons.

Next week's Bellarific Friday challenge is Bellas or Stellas!!! I love both of these characters so it's going to be hard to choose which to use. To play along simply email a photo of your creation to Em by Thursday evening to be included in the Friday round-up and you could win Bella Bucks just for participating!

Thanks for stopping by!
Karen

Join the FUN!!!

This month's Blast from the Past Customer Blog Hop by Taylored Expressions is on July 20th and the deadline to join is quickly approaching. The last two hops were so much fun and you only have until July 15th to sign up for this month's hop. One lucky participant will win a stamp set of their choice from the TE Store!!! Please read this post for all the hop details and send an email to bloghop@tayloredexpressions.com to sign up! My card is all made and ready to go...see you at the hop!!!

Thanks for stopping by!
Karen

Envie Full of Cheer

I thought I'd start the work week with a Christmas card since I didn't get one made last week. And once I decided to make a Christmas card I thought I'd make two of the same to try and get caught up. Well, as I started stamping I only stamped one image, coloured one image, then realized I was supposed to make two...doh! Too late...the moment was gone so I'm still behind on my Christmas-card-a-week.  :)

The image is Envie Full of Cheer from Stamping Bella and I used Jen's Sketch For You To Try for the layout. It's stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black onto Bella's Bestest Paper and coloured with copics. I added some sparkle to the berries with my red Spica glitter pen then cut it out with square Nestabilities.

I pulled out my SU Ski Slope patterned paper and paired it with baja blue and riding hood red. I kept the sentiment banner plain but added a ghost snowflake to separate it from the white image. A little stitching and some ruby red Bonbons finish the details.

Don't forget about this week's Bellariffic Friday Challenge...it's a sketch that I put together. I hope you'll play along. Email a photo of your creation (using Stamping Bella images of course) to Em by Thursday evening to be included in the Friday round-up on Bloggabella. And as usual, there are Bella Bucks up for grabs to one lucky participant.

Thanks for stopping by!
Karen