Bella Blvd Studio Blog

Beyond the Page with Akiko

It's Wednesday people!! Do you know what that means?! 4 more weeks until CHA! Omigosh, we just CANNOT wait to reveal the newest collections from Bella! Several of the designers are saying, "It's the best Bella Blvd release ever!" So stay tuned as we roll into July,

We have lots of exciting things planned for the sneak peeks and for CHA! The Bella Blvd CHA Class is nearly full, only ***THREE spots left!!! I can't wait for it. Sign up and details are here.

Today, we have this super cute mini album created by Akiko to share with you. From only a couple pieces of this Billboards patterned paper:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Designer Spaces: Akiko Kuroki

I love listening to music while scrapbooking. My favorite music is Japanese pop. When I have my music and scrapbooking it is like therapy for me, very relaxing.  I have so many scrapbooking materials, increasing everyday! This is my scraproom...

 

 

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All You Need Kit Giveaway Winner is Jennifer Hansen, "Super Cute Kit!"

Saturday

All U Need Scrapbook Kits is a brand new kit club company with scrapping experience at the helm. Inside one well-organized bag, you will find everything you need to turn your scrapping into a dream come true! Our mini album kits include full color, easy to follow directions, a unique album, and all the paper and embellishments necessary to complete an album in just a couple hours!This month's mini kit is full of projects! You will use the Man of the House Bella Blvd papers & embellishments to create a 2-page layout, a 4x4" accordion book, and a single 12x12" page. This kit retails for $26, and is available for purchase now! But today, Kara and Julie have donated one for a lucky winner!Leave a comment below for a chance to win.

For more inspiration check out the All U Need Blog, Facebook & Twitter Pages, and sign up for the Kit Club today!

Beyond the Page Tutorial with Celeste Smith {& Giveaway Winners}

I made this card using the Estate Sale product line. I'm going to show you how to make this easy paper flower.Supplies: Newspaper or old book pages, Distress Ink & blending tool, 2" scallop circle punch (or use die cutter), twine, and medium brad (it will not show.)

1. I printed sheets of newspaper onto white computer paper to make my flower. You'll want to use thinner paper - ledger, book, or computer paper as the paper will scrunch better. I didn't print the image on both sides of the paper, if I had to do it again I would.

2. Next, I lightly inked the newspaper with brown ink using a blending tool to make it look a little aged.

3. Punch 8 scallop circles out of the newspaper.

4. Now layer the 8 circles together and poke a hole in the center. Place brad through hold to keep layers together. I inked the edges of the scallops at this point for more definition.

5. Scrunch layers starting with the top one. The top one should be scrunched enough to cover the brad.

6. Fluff the layers and if you like, add a bit more ink to the edges to give the flower more dimension. 

7. Now you can adhere the flower to your layout or card!
 

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Giveaway Winner Announcements:

ScrapScription "Forever Friends" Kit Giveaway:

Wendy Crowe, "This kit is so cute! Love the album! Thanks for sharing!"

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ScrapFreak "Oh Boy!" Embellishment Kit Giveaway:

Brittny A. shared this great link with us!

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Canada's Crop for Kids Class Seat Winners:

Fleur Smith "I would love to take a class and the sneak looks awesome!"

Mandie, "Amazing! I would love to take a class with you!"

Rebecca, "This sounds fun!"

Bella Blvd + ScrapScription Kit Givaway Part 2

Don't you just love this "month of giveaways" we're having around here! I mean, how much better does it get than stopping by and having the chance to win something *free* nearly 2 times a week!

We told you we'd be back with Part 2!

Remember ScrapScription? We gave away this awesome Man of the House Mini album earlier in June. And now Lori has donated one more kit from their June debut! The fun continues during ScrapScription's "Month of Bella" with their second kit release for June, Forever Friends, which features Bella's Estate Sale products! For non-subscribers this kit is available for "single purchase" and retails for $37!!

The album in this kit is from Melissa Frances and comes ina  large 7x9" size! Now there's even more room for all those pictures of you and your life-long best friend! From whimsical florals to classy damask prints, you're going to love putting this album together!  

Inside you'll have fun creating a cute penant banner, fun tags, pocket pages and more! 

The Bella Blvd 12x12" sheets of Alpha+Bits and Blurbs cardstock stickers will coordinate perfectly with each page.

 

 

Each kit comes complete with an entire bottle of pink paint to dress up the edges and backgrounds of the scalloped chipboard pages in this album. So pick a special friend, or a group of great friends and create this one of a kind album today!

So here's the scoop! The June 15^th release is also part of the ScrapScribers kit club. ScrapScription automatically ships the 15^th of the month release to ScrapScriber members for just $30. Club kits are shipped out on the 12^th of the month so members will have their kit before it even hits the website for sale. As a ScrapScriber member, you also get every 6^th kit shipped for free! And after 12 months, you will receive a special "members only" kit for free!

As part of today's giveaway, ScrapScription would like to offer the chance for any NEW ScrapScribers that sign up to receive their first month kit (that is the Forever Friends Mini Album Kit above!) shipped FREE! Take advantage of this offer by using the code "BELLA" through June 30^th! Learn how to become a ScrapScriber here!

Want to win this beautiful mini album kit? Just leave a comment below. Winner will be announced in Friday's post!

Sponsor: ScrapFreak + Giveaway!!

ScrapFreak, located in Colorado, is a fun and friendly online community with a forum and gallery that is sure to inspire you! ScrapFreak recently debuted new monthly embellishment kits in 3, 6 or 12-month subscriptions. They sneak peek the new kits each month on the 15^th and are available for purchase starting the 25^th of every month.This month's kit name is Oh Boy! and it includes some of Bella's Man of the House embellies!! It's an embellishment only kit that sells for $18 for a one-time purchase. These kits went on saly May 25^th and are available now while supplies last!! Today, Monica is donated a kit for us to have a little fun with ;) Here's how to win: find some Bella Blvd online and share it with us in the comments below. A page you've made, a card you see in an online gallery, or a shop it's for sale in. We want to get inspired!! Leave a link, along with you name and state below. Winner will be announced in Friday's post! 

The ScrapFreak Gallery is also full of some great stuff! Get inspired and buy your Oh Boy! Kit Today!

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Next up, we've got the winner from our Apron Strings Kit Giveaway. Congratulations Nancy in Baltimore! Please email me your mailing address, you've won this awesome kit!

Designer Spaces: Celeste Smith

I've recently moved out of my scraproom while my husband renovates it for my younger son. I will be moving into my son's room. So for now, I'm occupying a little corner of our living romo which has its pros and cons.

 Stacy Julian's The Big Picture changed the way I scrap. After seeing her system for sorting elements by color, I realized that I typically scrap with colors in mind. A couple years ago, I dumped everything I owned into the center of my studio floor and began to makes piles of colors. It was a huge undertaking, but I'm so pleased I did it. No regrets! All my little embellishments, ribbons, brads, etc. are in embroidery boxes by color. All items from a color go into my Expedit shelf in the Kassat boxes.Cardstock is sorted by color. Patterned Paper-well, I couldn't give up by manufacturer so that's the way it is ;) I believe that the way you organize your room should reflect how you scrap, so this method may not be for everyone. Really think about your process and how you scrap before chaging your organization method around.

 
 

 

Happy Father's Day

Man of the House is perfect for your Dad. Check out these great cards created by Bella Artista Gail Hoecker.

 

Card Inside:Bella Materials Used:

Patterned Paper: From the Man of the House Collection: Distinguished, Cuff Links, Wide Tie, Bits A Bella

Cardstock Stickers: Blurbs Journaling stickers, Alpha+Bits (from Man of the House)

Ciao Chip: Badda Bings (Man of the House)

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And if you don't have much time and need to whip something together real quick today, this sophisticated card was created from only a single sheet of paper, the Billboards sheet from Man of the House!Bella Materials Used:

Patterned Paper: From the Man of the House Collection: Billboards

Hope you're enjoying a great Father's Day weekend. Don't forget to leave a comment after this post for a chance to win a great monthly kit from our sponsor, Apron Strings! Winner will be announced in tomorrow Morning's (Monday's) post!!

Friday Giveaway: Apron Strings

We have a great kit club giveaway for one special Bella fan today! It's Apron String's "Smaller than a Breadbox" June kit, which has Man of the House in it. Apron Strings, located in Colorado, is an online kit club. Their monthly kits start at just $16, and there's a community that goes with it. Like sitting in the kitchen with a good friend sharing receipts, you'll gather scrapbooking inspiration from other scrapbookers at the Apron Strings blog by participating in the weekly challenges, contests and Cookie Jar Treats (fat free of course) chit-chatting at the Apron String Yahoo Group and via the online, full color newsletter with wonderful examples by the design team. With two scrapbook kits and one card kit, there's sure to be a kit that fits in your budget.

The kits are available now at the Apron String's online shop! Leave a comment below for a chance to win this darling Manly kit!!!

Guest Designer: Elsie Flannigan (keep reading...)

I met this beautiful gem of an artist almost four years ago, and we became friends instantly! Her and Jeremy (her musician of a beau) are the some of the sweetest, kind-hearted people I've ever met! The gal can do anything: from sewing to painting, drawing and scrapping. You name it, every single bone in her body is screaming creativity!! When she's not busy creating for her online shop, Red Velvet Art, she's blogging over at A Beautiful Mess, crafting, teaching online workshops and spending time with her family! She's always been a creative inspiration to me. So when I asked her to play with some Bella goodies I couldn't wait to see what she'd come up with! 

One of Elsie's gifts is color. She has a way with color unlike anyone I've ever met. So, just imagine....

"I Live on Hopes & Dreams"This is *exactly* what I mean. Elsie's used here several (10 to be exact!) different Bella Blvd collections (not worrying about the theme, but only the color) to create this tiled scrapbook page.Bella Paper Collections Used:

Pack Your Bags, Swing Into Spring, Sweet Celebration, Flirty, Camped Out, Family Tree, December -Details, All Inclusive, Super Stud, Man of the House

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A little bit more about Elsie!

I am in love with... 1960s dresses, pancake parties, mixing paint colors and learning a new craft.

I am not... a morning person.

I could live without... deadlines, oh I hate them so!

Random Facts About Me: I love my little midwestern town, I have a girl crush on Christina Hendricks, I love log cabins, baking cupcake, bubble baths and green tea lemonade.

If you won $20 million in the lottery, what would you do with the money? Start more businesses & fund more ideas. That's all I want to do!

What makes you happy today? Fun music, afternoon thrifting, good sleep and a visit to another city once per season, or so.

Tell us about your worst habit(s). I eat candy...like, all the time.

"1 Step at a Time"Keeping up with today's trends, Elsie created a paper banner with some patterned triangles and her favorite black pen.Bella Paper Collections Used:

Camped Out, Flirty, Sweet Celebration, All Inclusive, Super Stud

Black Alphabet Stickers from Pack Your Bags

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"Hush"Love how Elsie cut the Blooms A Bella flowers into her own handmade shapes!

 Bella Materials Used:

Patterned Paper: From the All Inclusive Collection: Ocean View, From the Swing Into Spring Collection: Rainbow Ribbons

Cardstock Stickers: Carla White (Alphabet Stickers), Label Addition (Sweet Celebration)

Blooms A Bella: Azzurra, Sole

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Elsie's got a little surprise for those of you who want to hop on over to her blog....a giveaway of sorts ;)

Thanks Elsie, for taking the time to play with some Bella! We hope we've managed to inspire you, just a little bit as well ;)