ChiChiboulie blog hop

Welcome to my blog, I hope you are not too tired from all the hopping yet, you're nearly there. Isn't this fun, it's the first time I participate in a hop and it's so exciting.

Now if you are not sure what this post is all about, then please start at Emily's blog. You should have come to me from Jackie's blog, if not then go back, or you'll miss lots of inspiration.

I choose Cecily Cinnamonstick for my card, and decided on some bright vibrant colours, as it is summer here in South Africa after all. Yeah you hopped all the way down to the bottom of Africa. Hopefully you still have the strength to hop on back, all the way to Canada, lol!

I coloured her with my Lyra pencils, blended with grumtine (gamsol or sansador) and layered her on a nestie mat. I added some glamour dust with my quickie glue pen, and a few highlights with my glaze pen. The crocheted flower is one my mom made for me. The green background was done with the Swiss Dot cuttlebug template. LOVE that template!!!

Now don't forget to leave a comment. One pre-selected blogger will draw a random winner from the comments on her post, the winner will receive a $25 gift voucher for Stamping Bella. But of course we're not telling you who it is! 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. Don't forget there's a new release at Bellaland, that gift voucher could come in very handy, lol!!!

Okay time to hop on over to my fellow Bella DT member, Linda. I am sure she has the most gorgeous chichiboulie for us to drool over.

Thanks for visiting. Have a great weekend.

Meahni

Dare to be different

This is what my little card is all about today. It's Bellarific Friday, our theme was anything kids and I thought a little boy card would be something a little different as we generally steer towards female cards - yeah I know, they are SOOOO much easier.

Anyhow, I thought I'd dare to be different, a boy card and a robot called kilo watt that's made of lots of scrap metal! Isn't he cute??? I love him, with that one big eye - oh it makes me laugh every time I look at it.

This is the usual stuff of course, coloured with prisma pencils, blended with grumtine (sansadore or gamsol), cut with nesties, layered on nesties, a bit of distressing and that's it. Short and sweet. That sentiment is also from Stamping Bella, when I looked through my sentiments I was like what shall I use, came across this one and jumped for joy. Could you find a better sentiment, I don't think so.

Don't forget the new release at Bellaland today. I can't wait, it's all cute stuff, which is right up my alley. I could buy every single cute stamp out there, but I guess I won't, I would be 104 and still not have used them all, lol!

Also, there's the chi-chiboulie blog hop tomorrow. If you Don't join us then at least try and join in the hop, there's bella bucks up for grabs. The hop will start at the Bella Blog.

Have a great weekend.

Meahni

Surf's up!

I don't really have a story to go with this card... maybe I should make one up, lol!

I bought the stamp, cause I figured it would be a handy image to have for male cards, we all LOVE to make them don't we. I coloured it just for fun and don't have anyone it's going to. Gee another for my stash. I don't live anywhere near the coast, so it might stay in my stash for some time to come.

Surfafella is from Stamping Bella, of course, and he was coloured with a mix of prisma and lyra pencils. Only cause some of my lyra's are always next to me and I was too lazy to pull out some of the prisma's I needed and didn't get out from the start. I cut the image with nesties, tried something different by cutting some of the image out and then only the rest with the nesty. I quite like that. I also created a distressed flower, I've seen it so often and love them, and finally had to make one myself.

I am soooo tired tonight, I can't keep my eyes open. But I have to share quickly that this week's theme for Bellarific Friday is 'something for the kids' or 'anything kids'. How about that. Easy and fun and guess who's card is done... yeah yours truly. Now go on and get started and join us on Friday. You need to send your entry to Emily by Thursday evening, details are on the Bella Blog. ..........AND DON'T FORGET THE NEW RELEASE ON FRIDAY - THERE'S THE CUTEST STUFF COMING.

Oh no one more thing, no sleeping for me yet, there's a Bella chi-chiboulie blog hop this Saturday, details are here if anyone wants to join us.

Now I am off to bed. Sleep tight, sweet dreams, chat soon.

Meahni

Cuppa Tea?

I actually wouldn't mind a cuppa tea right now. It started raining, nice rain though, not an ugly storm, but still lots of thunder and lighting so I'm sitting here posting with my little Misty (my Jack Russell) on my lap. She has to hang off a little, cause she doesn't quite fit, but she is not moving. She's safe and warm, just the way she likes it. Not sure who's going to protect me from the thunder cause it frightens me too, lol!

I made this card just for fun. I loved this cuppa tea stamp when Stamping Bella released it. I'm a tea drinker see, not big on coffee. So I had to have it. To me it's the kind of image that can be used for many occasions, even though I don't have one right now. I guess it will go into my stash.

I coloured the image with my prisma pencils, blended it with grumtine (gamsol or sansador), then cut it out with nesties and added some ribbon and a little tea-pot charm, it's oh so cute.

Oh the thunder is getting worse.... I must hurry and turn the computer off before it gets struck by lightning......

So quickly then, Stamping Bella has a new release on the 30th, this week! Lindabella has already shared a sneak peak, so go check her blog, and then you can also check the artist Lori Boyd's blog, she also has a little sneak peak. They are just tooooooo cute, I can't wait.

Okay that's it from me today, really short. Enjoy what's left of the weekend.

Meahni

Something simple

It's Bellarific Friday, and this week's theme was flowers / nature. I am not very comfortable with that theme. Give me easy stuff, not such fancy themes. I went a little cold (lol) when Emily told us, I was like what on earth am I going to do. Thank goodness I had this Gerbera in vase stamp in my collection, and how lucky was I, I even had it stamped out ready for colouring.

This is something way out of my comfort zone, I have never made a card that is so plain and simple, I felt a bit guilty and thought I must spend more time on it, or I have not done my fair share, but there just wasn't more I wanted to do. I loved it, just plain and simple. I wish all my cards could go as quick as this one went. I could make loads more and catch up on the ones I'm behind on!!

The image was coloured with my prismacolor pencils, blended with grumtine (gamsol or sansador), cut with nesties then I added some ink to the edges and cut the mat with the scalloped nestie regtangle. Of course I added some glamour dust, but that was it, it took so little time to make compared to some of my cards.

I wanted to add a sentiment, but wasn't sure what, seeing the card had no real purpose it was difficult to decide. However, I chatted to a lady at the office earlier in the day, she asked if I had any get well cards with me, she needed one for her sister. I said no, and definitely not on me, lol. So when I looked for a sentiment, it was like... THAT'S it, Have a speedy recovery is perfect. I took it to the office the next day and it got snatched up and taken to the hospital, sweet.

The reason I bought this stamp was because of the vase, it reminds me of one my gran had. When she passed away I asked my mom if I could have it, it was the only thing I wanted. Whenever I look at it, it reminds me of her. Last Saturday I went to see a friend for her birthday, I took her a beautiful yellow rose from my garden, she pulled out a vase to put it in, and guess what the vase looked like, just like this one! Is that weird or what - all of them this dark blue colour.

Okay I know I have have waffled on again. I am finished, got to get going for work. Have a great weekend............... Meahni

Just a note

That's what I thought made a good sentiment for this card. Actually my sister phoned me earlier tonight and asked if I could make a farewell card for my niece's choir leader, hmmm, I think that's what she said. Anyhow, I know it was farewell, I got that right.

I had this image coloured up and said that I would finish the card and tomorrow they can check my blog and let me know if the card makes the grade or if I have to make another. I hope it makes the grade, cause the only other image I have coloured up is a surfer fella, from Stamping Bella, lol!!!

This image however is Ketto's Dolly, from the Stamping Bella Ketto range. It was one of the more recent releases, and I didn't have any Kettos, so I started my collection with the doll. Somewhat odd I think, but I liked it. I used the new nesties book shape for the image and that made me think the 'just a note sentiment' would go perfectly. It's a note from a book and a note to say goodbye. Okay, I'll move on, enough already.

I coloured it with my prisma pencils of course, layered it on a nestie mat, and added the sentiment which was cut with nesties too. I must say this image was really quick to colour, I felt a bit guilty, and thought maybe I didn't do enough or didn't try hard enough, but there was only so much I could do, before I had to just let it be.

Well I got to go, I can't keep my eyes open, it's past midnight already and I have a dentist appointment first thing in the morning :-(((

Oh before I go, do go to my fellow Bella DT member's blog, Joanne B, and check her bow tying video. It is awesome, and I could not believe how simple it was for her to make her gorgeous bows.

Don't forget Bellarific Friday!

Meahni

How time flies

Isn't it unbelievable how time flies. It feels like just a month ago when my cousin told us she's expecting again, and now it's almost time for her baby shower. Soon I'm gonna be in a rocking chair in the old age home. Hmmm, can you make cards while in a rocking chair, lol!

To me Pregabella is ideal for a baby shower card, cause the baby isn't there yet, and it is all about the mom now, okay somewhat!

I originally had other colours and paper intended for this card, but it so did not want to work out. I can only sit there for so long struggling with something till it's time to break away and do something that will work.

I coloured her with prismacolor pencils and blended it with grumtine (gamsol, sansador), then cut out with nesties and this time I 'framed' the image with nesties, instead of matting it. I like it, and I used silicone to layer it. Was easier to manoeuvre and get nicely lined up that way.

I distressed the edges of the last mat a little, it looked like it needed 'something' and I must say the distressing just did the trick. The crocheted flower is one of my mom's but I added a little glamour dust with my quickie glue pen. Baby stuff just has to have glitter!

I'm so sad the weekend is finished, it went far too quickly. I only got time to make this one card, that's just wrong, there should've been plenty more. Okay I was out yesterday, I went to Jo'burg Day, a music festival with local artists, but it rained, and we got wet, and we really tried to be brave and pretend we didn't notice that it was raining and that we were soaking wet, but that did not last long. We cut our day short and went home. Such a pity cause it would've been really good!

So that is it for the whole weekend. One post, short and sweet, and almost bed time for me. In fact I feel quite sleepy now from the glare of the screen. Have a great week, and make lots of gorgeous cards for me to get inspiration from, lol!

Meahni

A colour purple

It's late and I can hear my bed calling my name loud and clear, so I'm going to be quick tonight, now don't look so happy about that, lol.

I have made another Christmas card, this time with a Bella image which my friend Paula, the pencil wizard, sent me. Yes she's a wizard, have you seen what she does with a pencil?? Go see her blog if not, but please don't stay there too long and forget about me!

This image is called 3 Little Trees, which funny enough, is exactly what it is hahaha!!! It was coloured with prisma pencils, blended with grumtine (gamsol), and cut with a craft knife, no nesties poor nesties. The mat in the background was done with my swiss dot cuttlebug folder, and I added a little glamour dust with my quickie glue pen. Oh the wavy border was an EK Success punch.

Lastly don't forget Bellarific Friday, the theme this week is flowers/nature, and my card is already done. Okay I made a really simple easy card, but I loved it plain and simple, it was not a case of being lazy, O.K.

Also go and check our new babe Jeanie, she just joined, and she is so talented. She has her own unique style and I love visiting her blog and leaving comments. Don't we all love comments, it's strange hey, makes you feel you are not doing all this blogging and sharing for nothing.

Off to bed I go, I couldn't sleep last night and now of course I know all about it.

Meahni

My very first Ketto

AND I baked! Okay that is not a first, but it is a first without egg.... but I'll get back to that later in this post, keep on reading :-)

This is my very first Ketto I have ever coloured and made a card with. Can you believe it. I actually don't own any Kettos, DON'T ask why not, I have no idea. All the Ketto images that I have in my collection were kindly sent to me by Paula! I had to make a card for a ten year old girl (can you see the HUGE 10), and the request was for something pink, yellow and red. (Don't tell but I thought what a strange colour combo, yet now I love it, and really wanna use it again, lol).

Charlotte Ketto, by Stamping Bella was coloured with my prisma pencils, blended with grumtine (gamsol), and cut with long rectangle nesties. I added a little ribbon, and brads, and a big bow, which I made with my bow easy, and is it easy to make a bow with this little thing! I love it. It's the second time I've used it, I made a double bow on the baby card on my previous post, and to me they look so professional. Just what a useless bow-maker like me needed!

Here are my biscuits, okay not all of them, there's more, but I took a picture of only a few. Just so you can see them when I tell you about them, rather than trying to imagine them, lol!! I like biscuits, especially in the mornings around 10 when I start getting hungry. I don't do breakfast, so around 10am I usually want something to eat, just to fill that empty spot. I haven't been able to have biscuits since I stopped eating egg. Then last week a friend at the office sent me an egg free biscuit recipe, and today I decided to try it. I had such fun I made two batches, I know, it's cause I'm greedy and want lots of biscuits.

They are just a little on the sweet side, but still fantastic! I am definitely going to make more. The recipe is really easy to follow and very quick to make. Even for someone like me who absolutely does not enjoy spending time in the kitchen, unless it's to eat food someone else has prepared for me :-)

I just heard the loudest gun shot coming from up the road. I hope no-one got hurt, except a burglar. My poor Misty is frightened of loud bangs, and immediately came running to me for safety. I am not sure what she thinks I am going to do, but I try and console her nonetheless.

I can't believe the weekend is over already, it goes far too quick. But let me get going, things to do, cards to make, images to colour....

Meahni

Baby Buttercup

It's Bellarific Saturday, yes Saturday, I didn't make a typo, and the theme this week was Baby, anything baby.

I used Baby Buttercup by Stamping Bella, to make my little baby girl card, actually it's for my cousin's baby shower, which is in 2 weeks time. We have been told that she's expecting a little girl. At least that helped choosing the colour. I used no DP, just card stock. The white background was done by running it through an embossing tool that I have, but I have seen Paula do this with her Scor Pal and it looks great!

My image was coloured with prismacolor pencils, blended with grumtine (gamsol), cut with and mounted on oval nesties. I added glamour dust with my quickie glue pen to the background, and also a little to the flower. I have to add quickly, glamour dust is really fantastic. If you want a really professional glitter look then that is clearly the best. I have a lot of glitter and lots of glitter glues, but none of them look as professional as glamour dust does.

I think I might need to have a little nap this afternoon, although I want to keep all my spare time rather to do some crafting, but the alarm for my electric fence around the house went off at 4 am this morning. I couldn't see any thing out of the ordinary, and the dogs went outside and were pretty relaxed, I figured it must've been the rat that lives in the garden, hopefully it didn't hurt itself. But after that I couldn't sleep for about 45 minutes, worrying that someone wasn't trying to break in, and now I think a little nap is just what I need, lol! That means I need to end this post so I can get going, and still have lots of crafting time.

Enjoy your weekend everybody!

Meahni

Can I have those birds

This image by Stamping Bella is called Birds Decorating Trees - I WANT birds like that. I love Christmas, and I love having my tree up and decorating almost every room in my house with something Christmassy, but boy would I love it if I had clever little birds to do it for me, especially the lights, they are such a pain to try and get around the tree, and my tree is big. But I guess that isn't going to happen so I'll move on and tell you about my card.

I coloured the image with my prismacolor pencils and blended it with grumtine, oh and it's stamped on Bella paper - it's great if you've been looking for good paper for stamping, and added bonus it works with pencils and copics. Cut the image out with nesties and matted it on nesties. I feel like a broken record, the same info every time, maybe I should consider getting copics - NOT!

I added only a little bit of glitter and then used my br-A-nd new Martha Stewart punch for those borders. I can't wait to use this punch again, but there are always so many ideas and so many things I want to try and use again, but to find the time is such a pain. Maybe I should buy less stuff, then I could use the same things more often - good idea - no, I agree, lol!

Remember how often I moaned and complained about HOW cold I was in my study, well guess what, it's summer, it's boiling hot, and now I am so hot in here I just wanna finish this post and get out - will I ever be happy. Well, I know one thing for sure, I'd rather be too hot than cold!

If you haven't visited the Bella blog yet, then I guess you don't know the theme for this week is BABY - anything Baby - and you have until Friday night to send your card to Emily. She is running late this week and gave everyone a little extra time. I have got the cutest little card to share for this theme, so do come back to visit and see what I've done.

Off to bed I go, have a great day, or evening, depending on your time zone.

Meahni

I'd love a cat

Yip, it's true, I would really love to get a kitten to add to our little family, but there are two reasons why it would be a bad idea. One, I have two parrots, and Pepi the African Grey comes out of his cage, two, we feed the birds in the garden, seeds, fruit, bread.... and I am pretty sure if a cat came to live here the birds will be gone within the week. So for now, no cat in this house, but I REALLY would love to get one. There are so many that need rescuing :-(

I have in the meantime tried to satisfy that 'need' with this little image from Stamping Bella. Now if I have ever seen an appropriate name for a stamp then this is it. Attitudy Cats is what it's called, and cats are born with attitude, aren't they!?? They are just the best, so independent and so full of it, but I love it and I am sure every cat lover out there does too. Actually I will let you in on a little secret, I think Simby, my Jack Russell, is half dog half cat - she is SO full of cattitude it is unbelievable, lol!!!

I coloured the cats with prismas, blended it with grumtine, and didn't cut it at all, it was already cut perfectly, just as I wanted it! Thanks Paula, this image was one of the MANY which Paula has sent me over time. I looked through them the other day, and of course the many which Debbi has sent me, and there are so many, and so many I can't wait to use, but there just isn't enough time.

I got to get going, but before I do, just a quick reminder to go check the Bella Blog later for this week's Bellarific Friday theme, and try and join us. It will be such fun so see some of you share your gorgeous work with a Bella theme.

Have a great Tuesday, I hope it's purrrrrrfect!

Meahni

Halloween

Now there's a subject I didn't ever think I would use on one of my posts. But we had a theme for the Bellarific Friday challenge this week, no more sketches for a while, and the theme was either halloween or fall (autumn as we call it here).

Seeing we don't 'celebrate' halloween here I was a bit nervous at first cause I had never done a halloween card, I have no halloween theme paper nor embellishments, BUT I do have Stamping Bella halloween stamps - only cause they were so cute I had to have them. See sometimes an obsession can work out in your favour, lol.

This little witch, or Bewitch-a-TUDE as she's better known, was coloured with the usual prisma pencils, blended with grumtine, then the image was cut out with nesties and mounted on 3D foam. I added a little glaze to the buckle on her hat, and that was pretty much it. Seems like it should just take 15 minutes to do, but no, I am not that lucky, I take quite a bit longer to colour and put a card together... I am hoping one day that WILL change - hehehe.

Don't forget to head on over to the Bella blog to see all the wonderful creations by all you talented people out there! It is always so inspiring to see what everyone comes up with, if only I had the time to try all those wonderful ideas :-(

Bellaland is also going to be very busy tomorrow for World Card making day. Linda and Paula are going and they'll be teaching class, and I won't be there and that is SO not fair :-( ...... but I am sure no-one wants to hear me moan so I'll keep quiet now.

Oops I nearly forgot, Beth Norman did a Reader of the Week article on me, I can't believe I'm so important it was such an honour, so if you're interested go check her blog.

Now I'm off, got to get to work some time today! Have a GREAT Friday!!!!