Bella Carta

A new look ....

Since I've discovered chalkboard paint - pretty much everything is getting a new look.   This is was a plain terracotta wine cooler, its now been given a fresh new look.  If you don't have one, check out your local thrift store - I see these pretty frequently.

If you're serving multiple wines - you can label the cooler with the vintage (year) and producer information, or if you're holding a tasting party - how fun to label these for blind taste test.

This project is super simple - just mask off the parts you don't want finished in chalkboard surface.  I used Krylon spray - in black chalkboard - and applied three light coats with about an hour dry time inbetween.  I let it dry a good 48 hours once I had applied three coats. 

 

it's never too early...

 ... to start working on your Christmas cards right?   I wanted to try the "Make it Monday" for making your own thick chipboard shown on Papertrey Ink.  And these are a great recycling project - I used cereal board from my Keurig K-cup box to make these!

 
Supplies:
Cardstock:  Hawaiian Shores and Pure Poppy (PTI)
die: Damask Snowflake (PTI)
paper:  old book (its a spanish primer), spritzed with glimmer mist in patina from Tattered Angels
Supplies: ribbon, button (PTI)

something new on its way

I had a coupon for Shutterfly, so I decided to have some cards made from one of my fav pics, this was shot in the Gardens of Versailles.   I had first used shutterfly last year for my Christmas cards and was impressed with the quality of the cards.  So I'm trying them again with something all occasion.  One of the neat features is that you can customize the front, inside top, inside bottom and back with pictures or text.

5x7 Folded Card

View the entire collection of cards.

Here's the photograph a bit bigger so you can get a good look at it.

 

Hello! Hello! Hello! Papertrey Ink blog hop Sept.2011

 

Our challenge this month was to use this photo as our inspiration to our creation:

 
So here it is, I used Raspberry Fizz, Berry Sorbet, Summer Sunrise, Aqua Mist and Black ribbon to mimic the flooring.  I paired it all with a simple sentiment from Fillable Frames #9 and its matching stamp set.  I loved that I used Berry Sorbet - its a color I seem to have a love/hate relationship with - I either use it for EVERYTHING or it gets used for NOTHING. And lately it hasn't seen alot of action. 

Papertrey products used:
Ribbon:  Raspberry Fizz, Melon Berry Summer Sunrise, Aqua Mist
Stamps:  Fillable Frames #9
Die:  Fillable Frames #9
Accessories:  Buttons in matching colors

If you're on Facebook, come stop by my new facebook fan page and like me:
http://www.facebook.com/bellacarta

(there's a handy widget on the right side, too)

 

 

{not so} secret confessions of a yarn addict

Is there something that you buy simply because its *beautiful* - and then can't bring yourself to make a project with it? 

For me that "something" is yarn.  "Hello, my name is Rebecca and I'm a yarn addict".  I was doing better, but I fell off the wagon today. I bought some yarn -  volumptous, scrumptous, bodacious yarn (from Italy) in this soft fall color palette.  Can you blame me?  I just couldn't pass it up although they only had two skeins. 

 
My yarn addiction goes pretty far back .... I crochet and I'm pretty hooked on "loom" knitting.  Have you tried it?  I scored a set of round looms last year and its so easy.   I took a knitting class and still *think* I want to knit using needles - but the whole casting on thing just scares me.  What I really like about loom knitting?  Quick gratification - its not instant but it doesn't take long at all to finish a project.

Just to hold myself accountable - I plan on actually starting a project TODAY with this yarn.

Here's some other gems (yarns) I've been hoarding.

Super chunky in a fuschia/purple color - for a really BODACIOUS project

 
And this beautiful silk yarn - its made from recycled saris.  Its a bear to work with, but it makes really pretty things. 

 
I'd love to hear from you!  What is the item you hoard? Have you tried loom knitting?   

sneak peak

Sunday is the monthly papertrey ink blog hop - I'm playing along, are you?  Here's a sneak peak at my project.

 

it's beginning to look alot like halloween

 

Halloween is just 37 days away ... are you ready? I'm going to spend this weeking getting out my decorations and making that halloween banner I've really been wanting to do.

The deets:
Stamp:  Teresa Collins/Stamper's Anonymous
Paper:  Tim Holtz Ideaology, Kraft Paper Stash - Halloween Haunts pad (psssst - this is irRESISTible paper!) Kraft and black cardstock
Other:  ribbon, bats (MS punch), Tattered Angels glimmer mist in Jack O'Lantern

 

And I wanted to show off this little cutie, she hung out with me last week and is available for adoption.  She was mesmorized by this little hanging chandelier (I have almost the same pic of Mudpie staring at it) - its a little blurry, I apologize for that >^..^<

 

And one of her just lounging around:

 

I've created a facebook page!

If you're on facebook, come on over to my new page and "like" me! 

You can find me here:  http://www.facebook.com/bellacarta

Or just use this handy widget on the sidebar ...  all you have to do is click "like" button.  Its on the right sidebar:

 

 

on a roll ....

 

 
Do you have these?   Those little cardboard rolls leftover from your toilet paper?   Yep - I thought so.   Do you realize you're sitting on a gift wrapping goldmine?   Yep ... its true.  With a little glue or that lovely "pink" tape - the double sided sticky stuff (i.e Sookwong tape) or a hot glue gun (or your choice of adhesive).

Simple pinch one end of the tub shut and use some double sided sticky tape on the inside.  Place your gift in there (these are perfect for jewelry, anything little or a gift card), pinch and tape together the other side.  You can make these flat or you can pinch the other end in opposite direction like a sour cream packet. 

I wrapped mine up with some twine, and if you really want to get fancy - you can add a button.  You could use yarn or some ribbon or some plain twine to wrap these up too.

 

Imagine these with a fun halloween treat inside or maybe a praline?  yum!!!

 

sketchy, sketchy SFC116

 

 
Its Monday, and its time for another Squigglefly challenge.  This week the challenge is to make a card using any squigglefly image and use this sketch.

 

I used Squigglefly's Tangled Hair from Lulu, and the sentiment "I date zombies, they're the only guys who like me fro my brains" from Chesney Young.  The paper is from Echo Park - Apothecary collection.

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Take a peak a what the entire design team has created for you this week:

Marlene Shaw *design team leader* http://disguisedasagrownup.blogspot.com

Dani Chapman http://paulettespapers.com/

Janice Richardson http://huhsothisisablog.blogspot.com/

Rebecca Grohall http://bellacarta.typepad.com/

Kim O’Connell http://paperperfectdesigns.blogspot.com/

Deena Perreault http://acreativeneed.wordpress.com/

Rhonda Zmikly http://bumblcreate.blogspot.com/

Stephanie Clark http://savorystamping.blogspot.com/

Jane Westling http://www.ladybugcreates.blogspot.com/

 

If you would like to play along with the challenge - click here for the Squigglefly blog <----- you could win some Squigglefly!

Check out Squigglefly's reward program :   Sign up for the reward program and it tracks your purchases.  When you reach $15.00 that you've spent you earn a free image!  This even counts towards sets!  You can let your points build up - they never expire.  Did you already buy some images and you're just now finding out about the reward program?  Don't worry!  If you sign up for the rewards program, Squigglefly will let any of your purchases made during the same month apply towards your rewards!  

 

Also, remember that we aren't all that great about backing up our images.  If your computer crashes, you can log in to Squigglefly with your e mail and be able to download the images you've purchased again!  They don't expire and there is no limit on the number of downloads.  How many companies do that for you?