Bella Blvd Studio Blog

Cards Galore: cards for every day

Hi everyone, Heather Leopard is here sharing a few of my cards that I designed for everyday use. The theme I was going for was FUN and these are great for 'just thinking of you' cards. 

Let’s take a look at how the three cards came together.

For the first card, I used a Bella Blvd cut file to create an intricate cut file called tile background. I cut it from the same white cardstock as the card so it would add a pretty background but not distract from the sentiment.

Then I cut the top pieces from another Bella Blvd cut file, squeeze the day, assembled it together and done!

For this second card I kept this simple.

I used cut files for this card too, from the strip of hearts that I backed with different patterned papers to the ‘love’, to the butterflies that I also backed with patterned paper.  

I saved my favorite card for last and guess what? It uses another cut file, or two or three.  

I cut the rainbow and applied it to the top of the card. I then layered clouds covering the bottom of the rainbow all the way down to the bottom of the card. I topped it off with a sentiment.  

So that’s it for me for now. Do you have plans for World Card Making Day this weekend?

Squeeze The Day Collection Kit and 6x6 Paper Pad, Ephemera Words, Matte Enamels, Epoxy Hearts, Plaids & Dotty 6x6 Paper Pad; Silhouette Cut Files: butterflies, sun & clouds, love word, squeeze the day, rainbow, rainbow heart border, tile background

 

 

Fun in the Sun Summer Scrapbooking Layout

Hi everyone! Heather Leopard is here with a fun in the sun summer scrapbooking layout that is an outcome of a happy accident.

So here's the layout featuring my youngest and one of her besties at the water park. Any guess what my happy accident was? I wanted to use an acrylic sentiment on the page and while I was looking for the perfect word, I noticed the pennants that are part of the Splash Zone collection. I struggle with using the pennants so I decided to face my fear head on and feature them in my design along with my acrylic word. "play" (love is chipboard).  

To create this layout, I measured the pennants and then drew some in my Silhouette design software. I sized them down and created 3 different sizes. I thought about laying them out across the page, making several rows of them but then I decided to put them in a large circle.

To create the perfect circle, I measured the length of the pennant and then cut a circle from the middle of the page so that the pennants would fit horizontally and vertically on the page.  Then, I started placing the felt and paper pennants around the perimeter of the circle.

Once the pennants were in place, I started thinking about what background I may want to use. I tried clouds, waves and plaids. It wasn't until I placed the large yellow plaid behind the circle that it dawned on me that I had created the perfect sun! Commence the happy accident dance!

I stitched the background and pennants to the page using my sewing machine and then I also stitched additional rays between the pennants because it felt like it was still missing something.

I then added the photo with layers of papers and embellishments in the lower left and then decided to extend the story up into the sun, finishing it off with some chipboard splashed at the top. And the finishing touch was the acrylic word, "play" on the layout.

I just love this happy accidental design and hope you do too.  

Splash Zone collection, Plaids & Dotty, Acrylic Word: Explore & Play, So In Love Chipboard, Pennants: Summer, Today; Bella Bows; DooDad Enamel Dots: Milk

Let's Go On an Adventure...at the park!

Good morning everyone! Kat popping in today to share my newest layout with the Let's Go On an Adventure collection!

This collection has a lot of campout and woodsy items, so I was a little unsure about how I would use it at first because we live in the middle of the desert and I'm not brave enough to take my almost-two-year-old camping just yet (haha)...but as I was looking at the collection, I realized that the elements actually complemented my playground photos really well!

And because I always have to incorporate as many patterns as possible, I cut up a bunch of different sized squares and went crazy matting my photos with them...I was able to get in a ton of the fun patterns and still keep my photos the focus:

Thanks so much for popping in!  Have a lovely day!

Patterned Papers: Plaids & Dotty: Guacamole; Let's Go On an Adventure: No Wifi Script, In the Woods, Shy Foxes, Morning Meadow, Fairy Garden; Florence Alphas: Blueberry; Ephemera Words: Let's Go On an Adventure; Ephemera Icons: Let's Go On an Adventure; Acrylic Word: Play, Word Salad Stickers

Celebrate Seven | Kim Watson

Do you ever scrap-lift yourself?

I am happy to admit that occasionally I do. I love the process of taking something old and making it new.

Celebrate Seven by Kim Watson

This page was based on a page I created for a well known kit club in 2015. With the focus of this week being 'Wish Big & Birthdays' and me coming to the end of my Wish Big products, it meant I had to be creative for today's assignment. My choice to scrap lift this particular page was inspired by the diagonal paper pieces, which I could translate into a creative way to use up paper strips I had left over from Wish Big, Borders.

 

Laying them side by side with a little space in between helps reduce the busy-ness of the patterns. Don't you love the subtle texture machine stitching adds to the strips? I think this is by far my most fave signature technique on my pages :D

 

Placing two different titles either side of the photo cluster along the diagonal, helps balance color, as well as keeping the cohesion of the design in tact. The diagonals are instrumental in drawing the readers eye towards the photographs which is the focal point of the page, so my thoughts are to have the titles blend seamlessly into the layout instead of 'disrupting' the flow. 

 

Dimension is imperative for this type of page; I achieved that by layering the photos onto a vellum and tissue paper mat. Being opaque means they add height & interest without being distracting. Further height and pops of color are created by raising multiple chipboard pieces under the photo cluster. A fussy cut banner, puffy stars adhered to paper clips and enamel dots add tactile bits and the circle sticker with it's red 7, add to the story telling. Each little piece playing a role in the design. 

 

Now, because I am all for a good chunk of journaling on my pages...I used the bottom edge to do so. It allowed me space without jeopardizing the balance of the layout and including a visual anchor, means your eye automatically travels there after looking at the photos. 

The result is a fun page that screams birthday, a perfect addition to my son's birthday album. It was great going back and capturing past photos...injecting fresh product and design among-st my older pages. Thank you Bella Blvd for your fabulous products. If you are keen to purchase some for yourself, follow the links below.

 

Wish Big Boy Collection kit, Puffy Stars, Wish Big Boy Embellishment Bundle, Plaid & Dotty Collection Kit, Florence Alphabet Bundle, 

 

 

 

Awesome || Fireworks & Freedom

Good morning everyone! Kat here with you today and I am so excited to be sharing my Fireworks & Freedom layout with you. Independence Day is one of my favorite holidays, so this collection definitely holds a special place in my heart.

Unfortunately, I didn't actually have an Independence Day photo to scrap...but I did have this fun photo from Memorial Day weekend...and I though it complemented the collection perfectly.

I decided to keep this layout fairly simple so that the photo could really shine. I grouped almost everything to one side of the page and embellished with a variety of products, including Heart Hugs and an acrylic word title. Here is the full layout:

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Papers: Plaids and Dotty collection: McIntosh, Fireworks & Freedom collection: Patriotic, Daily Details, Love the USA; Doohickey Stickers: Fireworks & Freedom; Ephemera Icons: Fireworks & Freedom; Florence Alphabet Stickers: Oyster; Heart Hugs: Wild Berry, Rainy Day; Acrylic Word: Awesome

Sweet Pineapple Scrapbooking Layout

Hi everyone, Heather Leopard is here with a sweet pineapple scrapbooking layout. This layout is quite the departure for me as I typically don't scrap about anything other than family and friends. Today's layout is an exception. It features a pride and joy for this brown thumb.

We discovered white pineapples when we visited our friends who live on Hawaii. They treated us to the sweetest pineapple we've ever had and we couldn't get enough. We wanted to bring it home but the island officials watch what goes in and out of the island very closely. We decided to strip the stem down to nothing, no leaves or anything. We knew the chances of the stem surviving was slim to none but we asked security to let us take it and to our surprise, they did. That began our quest to grow a white pineapple in our garden. It took two years but we finally got one. Not only that but it's so healthy, we got 3 baby keiki so we can plant those little offshoots and get even more pineapples! This is why I felt this needed to be documented.

To create this layout, I split the page in half diagonally with the colors you usually think of when you think of a pineapple - yellow and green. I then lifted the border between the papers up a bit and added a yellow patterned paper and a black and white zig zag to accentuate the border. The photo took up the bottom right 2/3 of the page, just off center a bit and I added just a few layers of patterned paper and a title.

Next, I grounded the photo by adding some chipboard - flowers/leaves that remind me of Hawaii and a pineapple of course. I also added a star enamel.

I added a couple more embellishments to the photo and then decided I wanted to incorporate some of the sentiment ephemera bits into my journaling. To do this, I cut journaling strips the size of the smallest sentiment out of white cardstock. Then, I wrote all the bits of the story that were missing from the sentiments. It now reads, We brought a white pineapple stem back from Hawaii. After two years of long HOT days in the SUNSHINE, our plant produced a PERFECT pineapple and THREE keiki! It doesn't get better than this.

So that's a wrap on my out of the ordinary subject for a scrapbooking layout.  Do you ever scrap nature or have you ever thought of scrapping something your normally wouldn't? It's fun to venture out so you should try it.

Splash Zone: Borders, Daily Details, Summer Scramble patterned papers, Doohickey Stickers, Ephemera Words, Ephemera Icons, Epoxy Icons, Chipboard Icons, Wonky Alpha Puffy Stickers Pickle Juice and Punch ; Plaids & Dotty Bell Pepper

 

Summer Checklist with Kelly

Hello everyone! It's Kelly here today sharing a two page layout featuring the Splash Zone collection:
My 'Summer Checklist' layout is a photo collage of my son's summer activities to check off kind of like a bucket list. I used the scallop plaid paper from Plaids & Dotties for my boxes, and I turned some V's from the Wonky Alphas into check marks. 

I connected each photo to it's activity by using stars in coordinating colors to match each title and it's check mark.

I added a few cardstock stickers and ephemera to the photo collage...and strips of patterned paper at both sides of the layout help to tie it together.

I layered some word bubbles for my title...and I just love that chipboard sun to top it off!

What's on your bucket list this summer?

Thanks for stopping by today!

Splash Zone: Sunny Days, Summer Scramble, DooHickey Stickers, Ciao Chip, Ephemera Words, Ephemera Icons; Fireworks&Freedom: DooHickey Stickers;  Plaids&Dotty: Scallop: Florence Alphas: Black, Ice, Orange, McIntosh, Pickle Juice, Blueberry; Wonky Alphas: Black, Ice, Orange, McIntosh, Pickle Juice, Blueberry; Puffy Stars: Black, Ice, Orange, McIntosh, Pickle Juice, Blueberry; Heart Hugs: Black&White; Tiny Text: White, Wild Berries

Father's Day Layout with Kelly

Hello everyone! It's Kelly here today sharing a Father's Day layout featuring the Let's Go on an Adventure collection.

The colors and woodsy theme of this collection enhanced my outdoor Father's Day photo perfectly.

I selected all of the embellishments and papers that matched the color scheme and subject of my photo. Since the photos were taken in front of the trees in my yard, the little die cut trees were perfect. I also added some papers from the Plaids and Dotty collection.

I LOVE the Florence Alphas...and had a ball using them for my long title....and of course no layout of mine is complete with out a little stitching, and a few staples.

I hope I have given you a few ideas to incorporate the Let's Go on an Adventure collection on your Dad's Day projects!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Let's Go on an Adventure: Shy Foxes, Mountain Peaks, Woodstumps, DooHickey Stickers, Ephemera Icons,Ephemera Words; Plaids & Dotty: Scallop, Dotty, Blueberry; Heart Hugs: Earth, Black & White; Puffy Stickers: Pickle Juice; Designer Washi Tape: Swiggle; Florence Alphas: Pickle Juice, Orange, Pony, Guacamole, Blueberry, Ice

 

Spring Cards with Kelly

Hello everyone! Today I am sharing four spring cards...Two of them are graduation cards, and the other two are for Teacher Appreciation.

I always try to make graduation cards using the graduate's school colors. For this one, I used a combination of Plaids & Dotty, Let's Go on an Adventure, and Pop Quiz.

For this next one, I made a window using Blue Chevron from the Invisibles line. I positioned the clear patterned paper with a tiny bit of double stick tape before I secured it in place with stitching.

The next to cards are Teacher Appreciation cards made with the Home Sweet Home collection. This collection is probably my new favorite...so feminine and perfect for so many occasions. The inside of this first one says "for helping us GROW."

The inside of this card says "for helping us BLOOM."

So many celebrations happen at the end of the school year... graduations, recitals, spring programs...and there's nothing quite like a handmade card to make every occasion feel special.

Thanks for stopping by today!

 

Home Sweet Home: Ephemera Icons, DooHickey, Mosaic Tile, Borders; Let's Go on an Adventure: Morning Meadow; Plaids&Dotty: Blueberry; Pop Quiz: Sticky Mix; Heart Hugs: Black&White; Florence Alphas: Blueberry, Ice, Cotton Candy; Invisibles: Chevies Blueberry; Delight in His Day: Fundamentals; Cute Clips: Festive; Acrylic Shapes: Star Mix; Designer Washi: Rainbow, Ice Dot; Puffy Stars: Milk White; Tiny Text: Faithful; Word Salad

Blessed

Good morning everyone! Kat here today to share my newest creation made with the gorgeous Home Sweet Home collection. 

This collection is so beautiful that I wanted to try to incorporate a few of the fun patterns. I decided the best way to do this was to cut out a bunch of circles and bunch them together on my layout.

When I decided on this design, the layout came together pretty quickly. I used the "blessed" acrylic word to add in my title...I love the pretty font of that one!

Here is the final layout:

Quick and simple!

Have a wonderful week!

Patterned Papers: Home Sweet Home: Home Sweet Home, All My Love, Welcome Home, Always Welcome; Doohickey Stickers: Home Sweet Home; Ephemera Icons: Home Sweet Home; Acrylic Word: Blessed; Puffy Stars Stickers: Orange Mix