Bella Blvd Studio Blog

Layouts On Wednesday

Happy Wednesday! Today, we have a few layouts to share with you.

"My Sweet Valentines", by Brook Stewart.

Once Christmas is over, I am already gearing up for Valentine's Day. It's one of my favorite holidays and I love doing layouts about Valentine's! Maybe because red is my favorite color and it gives me an excuse to use pink, even on my boy layouts! ;) I went through my Bella stash looking for some fun reds and pinks, adding in gray, my favorite neutral color. I cut the heart background with my Silhouette and layered from there! The photos are from last year of my boys...those big heart-shaped lollipops kept them still for a long time!

Supplies:
Hello Beautiful: Cute Cuts; Christmas Wishes: Christmas Love; Spring Flings & Easter Things: Egg Hunt Paper; Tail Waggers & Cat Naps: Alpha+Bits, Ciao Chip Icons; Family Dynamics: Alpha+Bits; Sophisticates: Quattrofina Alphas Milk & Oreo, Essentials Chipboard Peep & McIntosh

"Niko Boy", by Laura Vegas.

It's been a while since I've made a boy page. I was really wanting to scrap some fun boy photos, with fun papers in bright, primary colors. I have two daughters, but I'm lucky enough to have lots of daycare boys to take photos of and scrapbook about. For this layout, I used photos of cutie Nikolas. And I had the product covered, with one of my favorite Bella collections, Mr Boy! I love to use pattern paper for the base of my pages, but I don't like to use full sheets, when most of it will be covered up. One of my best paper saving tricks, is to cut four strips of my pattern paper (usually 1 inch wide). I adhere those strips around the outside edge of a sheet of cardstock. It's a great way to use up cardstock colors that you're not fond of anymore. Then I just finish layering the rest of my papers on the page, and you'd never know that wasn't a full sheet of star paper ;)  

Supplies:
Mr Boy: Heroes, Follow Me, Dinomite, Alpha+Bits, Chit Chat Ciao Chip, Icons Ciao Chip

"This Moment", by Loredana Bucaria.

Hello everyone! Hope you're having a wonderful new year! This is my first page for Bella for the New Year, and I'm so excited! For this page I wanted to play with papers and embellishments to make a different layout. So the key word for this creation was "Play"! I had a lot of fun! It's so fun to mix up chipboards, pictures and papers! I love it! This is a page for my New York City album! These tones are perfect for what I had in my mind for these photos! What do you think? Sometimes we should dare ourselves to try something different:)

Supplies:
Sophisticates Ciao Chip: Essentials Brownie & Champagne, Essentials Apricot & Banana; Finally Fall: Apple Holler, Cute Cuts; All Inclusive: Bookin On The Beach; Sophisticates: Petite Pieces, Miniatures Stickers; Hello Beautiful: Borders and Blocks; Plastino: Bits A Bella; Man Of The House: Alpha+Bits; Family Dynamix: Alpha+Bits; Clear Stamp: Super Stud

January Guest Designer: Summer Fullerton

Today, we want to give a very warm welcome to our January Guest Designer, Summer Fullerton.

Hi everyone! I’m Summer Fullerton, and I am a craft-a-holic. Thanks for letting me stop by the Bella blog today. I live just outside Portland, Oregon with my 2 kids (Grant and Corinne) and husband of over 17 years. I have been scrapbooking as we know it today for about 14 years. But really I started when I was in High School taping photos and memorabilia to typing paper and putting it in 3 ring binders. When I am not running my kids around or paper crafting I also love to cook, sew and the occasional round of golf.

"Snow Silly Layout", by Summer Fullerton.

I was super thrilled when Laura emailed me about guest designing this month. I have been a huge Bella fan for a several years. The papers are so easy to work with they practically scrapbook themselves. When I first opened my box I jumped on Winter Wonder. I always find my winter photos are hard to scrapbook because they tend to have white mixed with a smattering of random colors from the jackets and sleds. This line is so great because it mixes so many colors from red, to pink and even teal. This made scraping these photos so easy.

Baby Blooms-A-Bella Headband, by Summer Fullerton.

My box was full of Bella Blvd Baby Blossoms. I can remember the first time I saw these little treasures at CHA. I immediately thought they would make great little hair accessories. How could I resist making this head band for my daughter. I used a simplicity headband from Joann’s Fabrics and wrapped it with simple grosgrain ribbon then I hot glued the flowers to the headband.

"Easter 2007", by Summer Fullerton.

I admit I don’t scrapbook in chronological order. I stopped years ago and found it a liberating experience just scrapbooking what ever inspired on a given day. I pulled out some photos from 2007 to pair with Bella’s Easter line. I have actually had these photos on my flash drive to scrapbook for quite sometime I just needed to find the perfect papers. I was inspired by the look of the Becky Higgins project life albums when I designed this layout.

"Happy Birthday" card, by Summer Fullerton.

I love chipboard number sets and was thrilled to see them in my box. I really wanted to show them off in a birthday card. This is what I came up with.

Thanks for letting me play this month. I had a blast. Bella’s graphic designs and small patterns are tops in my book. Happy Crafting everyone!    ~Summer

Socialite & Lovey Dovey Giveaway

We're getting a late start on the blog today. Just a sign that it's Monday, right ;) All of us at Bella have been crazy busy with CHA planning all weekend, which is why I got such a late start this morning. I've been working with the new collections and product all weekend, and I just know that you're all going to LOVE them! It won't be too much longer, before we can let you in on what Stephanie has been hard at work creating for you.

In the meantime, we thought we would spotlight two older collections, that are perfect for this time of year. Socialite and Lovey Dovey. There might even be a giveaway involved, if you read to the end of this post ;)

First up, we have Socialite. This collection is perfect for scrapping those New Year's Eve and New Year's Day parties, or photos from a girl's night out.

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Next up, we have the Lovey Dovey collection. Perfect for the next holiday. Valentines day!

We want to give away both of these collections this week! We will randomly choose two winners, and announce them this coming Friday. One will receive the Socialite collection, and one will receive the Lovey Dovey collection.

To be entered in the giveaway, just leave us a comment, telling us what you'd like to see NEXT from Bella Blvd. While we already have our collections and products set to go for our Winter releases, we're already thinking ahead to what we can do for the Summer release in July!

We also wanted to wish our Local Designer, Beth Gerlach, a very happy birthday today! Hope you have a fabulous day Beth!!!

Saturday Sketches on Friday

What's this? Saturday Sketches ... on Friday? I know that I have been confused all week, as to what day is what. My girls are still on Christmas break from school, and my high schooler had to ask me what day it was yesterday. Take into account it's a shorter, holiday week, and add in the fact that we here at Bella are in full blown CHA mode, it came as no surprise that Stephanie didn't realize today was Friday either. She's super busy sorting new product and getting it out to our designers to create with for Winter CHA, and preparing the new catalog. So we figured we would just move up tomorrow's post, to fill up the blog for the day, in her absence.

Sooooooo. With that all explained, it's time for another round of Saturday Sketches. Twice a month, we'll be bringing you a new sketch, and showing you a few takes on the sketch by our designers. Today, we have our first sketch of the month, and the first sketch of the year!

"My Three", by Kimberly Neddo.

One thing I love about sketches, is how they inspire me to think outside the box, but with a plan already in place. For this sketch, instead of using 4 photographs of the same size and grouping them together, I used an enlarged photograph with a smaller one to compliment it. Sometimes I want to do a layout showcasing my children right where they are in life. Not necessarily a story, but still fun. It doesn't require a lot of journaling of a certain occasion, just something real and to the point. I drew the viewers eye around this layout, using the rule of thirds with the color blue. Have fun with this sketch, and thanks for stopping by! :)

Supplies:
Sophisticates: Short Stories, Tall Tags, Sprinkles & Lace Oreo, Sprinkles & Lace Banana, Petite Pieces; Baby Blooms-A-Bella: Azzini; Simply Simona: Oyster

"Snow", by Becky Williams.

I stayed pretty true to the sketch this time, only I flipped it 90 degrees. This is a great sketch to use for lots of pictures; I opted to use two small pictures and one larger one to fill the space. One of my favorite Bella products is the stickers. I really like to add the little phrase stickers to my photos and elsewhere on my page and also used a couple of the border stickers. 

Supplies:
Winter Wonder: Borders, Alpha+Bits, Just Write Journaling Stickers, Miniatures; Spring Flings and Easter Things: Alpha+Bits; Lovey Dovey: Bear Hugs; Sophisticates: Simply Simona Ciao Chip Brownie

"Beach Babes", by Julie Johnson.

I love this sketch. It was so easy to follow, yet it allowed me to add in plenty of extra details...but that's what a sketch is for, right? I love having a starting point where I don't have think, especially when my days are filled with other busy stuff and my brain is to cluttered to think. Sometimes I will stress over how to layout my photos so sketches allow me to "just do it" and I give myself permission to let it go and quickly add my photos to a layout. I find the fun part about scrapbooking is in the details of page. I love the little extras; flowers, buttons, twine, and for this page I love the Bits a Bella sheet with all the cute tiny cut out designs and word phrases. I cut them out, backed them with thin chipboard and then cut them out to add a bit of dimension to them. I hand punched out a flower and added a button with some twine. Using the phrases I was able to create my journaling for the page.

Supplies:
All Inclusive: Bookin' on the Beach, Bits a Bella, Billboards, Skippin Stones, Ocean View, Alpha+Bits

"Everday Is An Adventure", by Beth Gerlach.

Since I don't have sons of my own, I use my daycare "sons" for all my boy inspiration. Mr. Boy is my all-time favorite boy collection. I have seperate folders for each of my Bella Collections, and always keep my Mr. Boy folder well stocked.

We hope you will take some creative time for yourself, and try out our sketch! Whether it's a card, or a layout, we would love to see what you come up with. You can link them here in the comment section, or share them on our Facebook page!

Cards On Thursdays

Are you ready for another free-for-all day? Today, it's all about cards. And this time, we even have a bonus sketch for you. Card designer Gretchen McElveen decided to create her own sketch, and then use it for all three of her cards. And she wants to share it with all of you, to use as well!

Card Sketch by Gretchen McElveen.

Whenever I need to make several cards at a time, I find myself leaning toward the same basic design to knock them out. That is exactly what I did with these 3 cards: same basic design, each card with a couple of its own unique features, equals 3 handmade cards completed in no time! And today I am sharing the sketch I used to make these 3 cards. Maybe you can use it to make a few cards of your own!

"Happy Winter" card, by Gretchen McElveen.

Supplies:
Winter Wonder: Borders, Alpha + Bits Stickers, Miniatures

"Play Hard" card, by Gretchen McElveen.

Supplies:
Making the Team: Soccer, Wall of Fame, Cute Cuts, Borders, Quadrants, Alpha + Bits Stickers, Just Write Journaling Stickers

"Happy Easter" card, by Gretchen McElveen.

Supplies:
Spring Flings and Easter Things: A Tisket a Tasket, Borders, Just Write Journaling Stickers, Alpha + Bits Stickers; Winter Wonder: Blizzard

"New Year's Eve" card, by Kathy Martin.

It’s a new year and what better collection to get crafty with than Socialite!?!? It’s all about celebrations, New Year’s Eve and getting together with friends.

Supplies:
Socialite: Tango, RSVP, Borders ‘N Blocks, Alpha+Bits

"Happy Birthday" card, by Kathy Martin.

A new year reminds me of birthdays so I thought I created a birthday card using the Family Dynamics line!

Supplies:
Family Dynamix: Quadrants, Tight Knit, Borders N’ Blocks, Alpha+Bits; Miniatures: Card Sentiments

"Sweet Stuff" card, by Kathy Martin.

Love is in the air and Valentine’s Day is heading our way! I had fun creating this card of hearts with the colorful Flirty collection!

Supplies:
Flirty: Heart Throb, He Loves Me, Omigosh, Bits A Bella

"Love You" card, by Gail Hoecker.

I admit, it was hard to think of anything but Christmas while making these cards. I stayed with it and guess what? I now have a card ready to give to my husband on our anniversary, Valentine's or just because. I will be happy I have that in my stash since I'm usually a last minute nellie! I also had fun with all the flowers on the "hello" card. I've said it before, but I just love the way all the Bella Blvd papers coordinate with each other!

Layouts On Wednesday

We're here with another round of free-for-all layouts from our designers. We have an Easter layout, a winter layout, a Christmas layout, and an everyday layout. Something for everyone!

"There Is Something Magical About Easter", by Kim Arnold.

I love the Spring Flings and Easter Things collection, but it does have a lot of pink in it! I really wanted to use the range, without a lot of the pink, to scrap an Easter layout for my son. I also wanted to incorporate a bit more blue, since he was wearing blue pjs, so I used touches from the Winter Wonder range. I am really happy with the end result – what is even better, I used a part of a quote from the Winter Wonder Alpha & Bits stickers for my title – cutting of “brand new snow” and substituting “Easter” with the large letter stickers!

Supplies:
Spring Flings and Easter Things: Sunny Sunday, Borders, Cute Cuts, A Tisket A Tasket, Egg Hunt, Alpha & Bits; Winter Wonder: Alpha+Bits, Miniatures

"Nativity", by Melissa Stinson.

I wanted to scrap a layout about our cute little nativity set that I bought last year on Etsy. The colors in the set are more pastel than normal Christmas colors, and the Winter Wonder collection was actually a much better fit for them than the Christmas Wishes line I had originally planned to use, so I ran with it! I used my Silhouette Cameo to cut the star background out of Ice Sophisticates paper, and the title is cut from a sheet of Winter Wonder paper.

Supplies:
Winter Wonder: Borders, Icy, Blizzard; Sophisticates: Sprinkles and Lace - Ice

"Favorite Toy", by Megan Klauer.

The rainbow from the Cute Cuts sheet may just possibly be my favorite from the Spring Fling collection! Rainbows always make me think of my favorite toy when I was little; my Rainbow Brite doll. So when I came across this photo of Ella on her favorite toy, I knew the little rainbow would be the perfect touch. Before now, I hadn't had a chance to play with the Blooms-a-Bella flowers but they just fell into place so perfectly for me. Love when that happens; don't you?

Supplies:
Spring Fling & Easter Things: Cute Cuts, Sunny Sunday, Egg Hunt, Alpha+Bits, Just Write Journaling stickers, Mom's Bouquet, Miniatures stickers; Blooms A Bella: Rossini Pink

"Santa's Helper", by Sheri Feypel.

I was going for a playful look when I created this layout. Lots of layers, bright colors and journaling (gasp!! I know, I need to do that more!!). Everything about Christmas Wishes is playful, so it was the perfect fit for my pictures! I wanted to mix several different patterns, so I chose the Borders paper. I also cut a few strips from the Star Stripe and Cute Cuts to add into the mix as well. This layout came together rather quickly, it only appears to be lots of cutting, but really very minimal cutting here. I used the Chipboard Icons to add lots of dimension to my layout. Some of the chipboard has double stacked foam pop dots behind them, mostly because I am a pop dot junkie! Seriously I need to start buying them in bulk. I am not big on Journaling, I'm trying though. I added my journaling last, where ever there was some open space. I promise you will see more journaling on my layouts in 2012!

Supplies:
Christmas Wishes: Star Stripe, Cute Cuts, Borders, Chipboard Icons, Alpha+Bits Stickers, Miniature

Altered Project Shares

Today, we have some altered projects to share with you, from our Altered Project Designers. They have been creating lots of holiday themed projects for the last few months, so for January, I left it wide open as to what they wanted to create. I thought it was kind of fun, when I received all their projects in my inbox, and realized they all sort of had the same theme going on. Altered notebook covers, notepad holders, pencil cup, mini notebook, and chalkboard easle. Check out what they came up with for us!

Altered Notebook, by Suzanne Sergi.

One of my favorite things to begin the New Year, is a blank journal. Ready to be filled with ideas, thoughts, prayers, and memories. Luckily for me, my daughter also loves journals. Of course, she loves it when I can personalize them to make them her own. This journal has a kraft hard back cover, and it made it easy to alter with Bella's gorgeous patterned paper. I mixed two of the collections, Spring Flings & Easter Things and Winter Wonder, to create a cover full of color.

I used many of the stickers from the journaling sheet, and the alpha sticker sheet to personalize it a bit more. I added lots of layers by mixing in a journal label, a sticker flower, and a kraft tag. Each time my daughter sits down to write, I do want her to know how special she is. So, I used a diecut for part of my sentiment, that I embellished with a stick pin, and twine.I  finished my sentiment with a Ciao chip, and one last word sticker. This book has lots of texture on top, and now it is up to my daughter to fill the inside.

Supplies:
Spring Flings and Easter Things: Alpha+Bits, Just Write Journaling Stickers; Winter Wonder: Icy, Ski Slopes; Sophisticates Ciao Chip

Teachers Gift Set, by Marie-Josée Hamel.

This year, I wanted to create something useful for my daughter's teacher for Christmas, so I created a note pad, a Post-it note holder, as well as a pen holder. I chose the Finally Fall collection because the colors were just perfect for an apple-themed project.

To create the small note pad (3" x 3"), I used sheets for a memo pad, so there was no need to cut anything! I then created the front and back covers using kraft cardstock as well as Bella Blvd patterned papers.

For the Post-it note holder, I measured the size of my Post-it note pads and cut the covers accordingly. I had to use two pieces of kraft cardstock and adhered them together, because each cover measures approximately 6" x 8" and the Post-it note pads are about 1/2" thick. I then decorated it with Bella Blvd patterned papers.

Finally, I used a recycled can to create the pen holder, and decorated it using Bella Blvd patterned papers.

Supplies:
Finally Fall: At the Patch; Bliss; Leaf Pile; Apple Holler; Just Write Journaling Stickers; Hello Beautiful: Alpha+Bits

Altered Chalkboard Easle, by Jennifer Edwardson.

I am so excited to share this project with you. Our daughter is home-schooling this year for Grade 6 and I am LOVING having her with me every day. We set up a desk and computer in the kitchen. So when I found this cute little chalkboard easle, I couldn't wait to make it to add to her workspace! I surprised Emma with it one morning with a note telling her to 'have a great day' and she LOVED it too. She keeps her pencils in it and I have fun changing the note to her every few days too!

The easle stands approx. 11" tall and is 7 1/2" wide so it's the perfect size for her desktop. I wanted to use a collection that had lots of primary colors to keep with the school theme so I headed straight to my stash of "Hello Beautiful" and got to work.

To cover the 'tray' I used both sides of my patterned paper making sure to sand the edges before adhereing, to add a bit of a distressed look.

To frame the outside of the chalkboard I used strips of patterned paper and added a border sticker at the bottom. I absolutely LOVE the name of this collection and thought it was appropriate to 'title' this project to Emma so I added 'hello beautiful' to the top of the chalkboard! 

I precision cut out the calendar pieces, hearts and tree, sanded a few and adhered flat and raised too to add more fun to the edges of the easle.

Supplies:
Hello Beautiful: Just Because, Thanks A Bunch, Alpha+Bits, Borders 'n' Blocks; Quattrofina Cardstock Stickers: Salt Water & Pacific; Family Dynamix: Cute Cuts.

A 2012 Inspiration Mini Album

Yesterday our Mini Album Designer, Wendy Morris, shared the mini album she created about her affirmations as she head's into the New Year. Today, we have another mini album to share with you. This time we have our Local Artista, Wendy Wagner, here to share her inspirational mini album she created as she goes into 2012. Let's check out her album.

"Inspiration for 2012" mini album, by Wendy Wagner.

This book was somewhat of a challenge for me to do. Looking forward to 2012 means possibilities, but it also means taking time to reflect on the past year. 2011 was a HUGE year for me. It was the beginning of the next part of my life. Me. Living on my own, entering the 'single' world again after 15 years of marriage, being a single mom, working a job (other than one that starts with 'stay at home') and evolving into the new and improved and fabulous me!

I have done lots of changing this past year, and I can honestly say I am very pleased with the way I will be entering the new year, 2012. There is an email that arrives daily in my inbox, from The Brave Girls Club. A letter to me (or anyone that signs up for it) with a wonderful inspirational message. That is where many of the quotes in this book are from; parts of those emails. I also put in the words from my theme song from 2011 by Sarah Evans called 'A Little Bit Stronger'. 

There is a page dedicated to some of my girlfriends. Because what is life, if you don't have those friends that stand beside you, with you, or with you across many miles? I have amazing girlfriends and I am so thankful for them!  

I also included a page for my lovely daughter, who inspires me every day! She is the reason I get out of bed every day, and she is what keeps my heart happy. She, my sweet little girl, is my everything.

I finished off the book with a page dedicated to the man in my life. He has been amazing for both me and Annalise. There are lots of places left in the book for me to add little notes throughout 2012. But so far, I see so much good as I enter the New Year! Have a blessed 2012 ... and believe in yourself! xoxo

Supplies:
Family Dynamix: Alpha+Bits, Just Write journaling stickers, Ciao Chip Icons; Sophisticates: Peep, Ice, Chlorine, Oyster, Calendars; Simply Simona chipboard alphabets: Peep, Oreo; Ciao Chip Essentials: Peep & Mcintosh, Ice & Chlorine, Oyster & Oreo; Socialite: Alpha+Bits; Lovey Dovey: Alpha+Bits, Blurbs, Sweetheart; Baby Blooms A Bella: Rossini

New Year's Daily Affirmations Mini Album

Happy New Year's everyone!!! We hope you're all enjoying 2012 so far! How many of you make New Year's resolutions? Personally, I have never made any. But I know a lot of you do. So I asked our fabulous Mini Album Designer, Wendy Morris, if she could whip up a mini album based on the idea of resolutions, and hopes for the New Year. And she really out-did herself on this one! Let's check it out.

"Hello 2012" mini album, by Wendy Morris.

Hello all! Wendy here to share my daily affirmations for 2012. I don't really pledge New Year's resolutions, but mostly shoot to live by daily "affirmations" that keep me strong, confident, and motivated.  

We all need those reminders in life, right? Usually those "resolutions" get broken in a heartbeat on Jan 2nd, right? Ha! So, affirmations are the way I roll with it. With this in mind, I pulled a twist on my project for the month, in a mini book of 24 daily affirmations. Yeah, 24. Most of them I've pinned over at my Pinterest (see my board pins under "Just the Right Words"). These just steal my heart or catch my breath.  

You know when you hear "just the right words" that speak to you?  (Come on, don't make me think I'm alone and belong in a crazy nut house).  It's nice to have them all in a journal form that I can flip to for inspiration. I'm thinking you'll really like the perspective of my mini. Enjoy. And be sure to check out my blog, for more looks at my album.

Me & my vintage typewriter made a bond and I typed up a bit of these "words" that inspire me. I used random journaling stickers from Bella Blvd (see supply list below).  

Supplies:
Sunny Happy Skies: Magic in the Sky; All Inclusive: Bookin’ on the Beach; Socialite: Countdown, Borders & Blocks, RSVP; Making the Team: Wall of Fame; Spring Flings & Easter Things: A Tisket A Tasket; Christmas Wishes: Star Stripe; Flirty: High Maintenance, Bits-a-Bella; Winter Wonder: Icy; Sweet Celebration: Treats & Sweets; Sophisticates: Short Stories, Ciao Chip, Simply Simona; Tail Waggers & Cat Naps: Just Write; Christmas Wishes: Just Write