Bella Nella's

Altered Platter and Vintage Photo Piece

noreply@blogger.com (Nelly) — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 02:43:00 +0000

I was lucky again in winning a blogger's giveaway. And here it is. How beautiful is this altered plate? It was created by Melissa from Piney Rose Designs

It's just lovely!!! I love everything about it, the colors, the soft touch, the bling, the framing around the vintage photo. Thanks so much, Melissa!

One of my new pieces

Dried hydrangea used, a clay stamped flower and a magnifying glass charm

Happy weekend to all,

noreply@blogger.com (Nelly) — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 02:43:00 +0000

Well, after a very minor earthquake and some minor floods from hurricane Irene, things around Pennsylvania have calmed down. It was quite a week. We rarely see such events in this state, especially the quake. My thoughts are with those less fortunate states and the people who have been hit with real tragedies due to these events.

This is a small collage on plywood pieces I got from Dollar Tree; it was a pack of 12 or 15 for $1. In the background there's stamping, paper and also crepe paper which I also stamped.

This tag was made using images sent to me by

Inka from Altered Artifacts for examples to use in her Etsy site.

This is also with an image from Inka, the backgroupd Lilas one. The canvas is a recycled CD.

I love Old Hollywood stars, so this is one of many others I have to put together in a book.

Thanks for visiting and stay safe out there.

Mixed Media Piece, Drawing and Free Images

noreply@blogger.com (Nelly) — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 01:47:00 +0000

The collage below was worked over a few weeks. I just kept leaving it and coming back to it. I like how it turned out, but it still is not finished. Its currently on drawing paper and I want to adhere it to something stronger.

The purple is dimensional paint stamped with a foam stamp and then painted a bit of blue in the leaves.

I'm continuing in my quest to learn how to draw whimsical girls. Here's some of my practice ones. Thanks again to Tam at Willowing for her free course.

Still working for the look I'm after, and I see improvement with ever practice. Wish me luck with my finding my style.

Are you still holding on to summer. I AM! I can't even think about how soon we'll see it go without getting depressed. Here are some images to have and enjoy from Shorpy's and Bumble Button. I especially love everything ocean and beach!!

I was impressed at this tutorial. Simple and cool. I haven't yet tried one myself. Let me know if you did.

How-To: No-Carve Stamps

Ciao,

Collaged Mother Goose and Wax video

noreply@blogger.com (Nelly) — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 01:41:00 +0000

New collages and mixed media I worked on recently using images from an old Mother Goose child's book that was falling apart:

Love the crackle here

Finally tried wax on this one

I "stamped" thick gesso with a recycled paper tube here

Scrunched dress pattern tissue here

If you want to try beeswax on your pieces, here's a great video from Stampington. This link takes you to their video.

Many other good videos at their video library as well.

Here's wishing you're enjoying your summer!

The Beach, Collage and Altered Book

noreply@blogger.com (Nelly) — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 04:05:00 +0000

Hi from Ocean City, MD

Assateague Island, MD

Ocean City, MD

Some new things I've been doing

Collage on chipboard

Above and below are altered pages in a vintage book

Hope you're enjoying your summer vacation if you have one and for those that love the beach and ocean, I wish you have many visits there.

From Blissville,

Links, Mixed Media, Video

noreply@blogger.com (Nelly) — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 00:16:00 +0000

Hi all. Welcome to my newest followers and comments left in the past few posts. It's truly gratifying to see others like what I do and that's a way for me to find out your awesome blogs too.

Here are some things I created in the last few days and weeks. Unfortunately, something's wrong with my camera so the photos are really not the best.

Mini Composition Notebook

Collage on wood.

Here are some great resources that I linked. Have you worked with beeswax? I'm hoping to try it myself. I love the look.

Stampington Beeswax Tutorial

I sure don't want to rush through the summer, but this book is very cool!
Halloween Altered Book Video
From Marie Patterson

Here's something else I want to try.
Terrarium Tutorial
from Art Mind

Ciao,

Paper Bag Swap and Spring Peonies

noreply@blogger.com (Nelly) — Thu, 19 May 2011 20:21:00 +0000

Peonies are one of my favorite flowers and these are from our garden.

As promised, here's the paper bag book I received from Cathee from Art and Soul, my swap partner from the Yahoo Altered Art group.

Beautiful, right? Love the colors and ribbons she used.

I love that she celebrated all the beautiful things of Spring.

Thanks again, Cathee for this awesome keepsake and to Dee Moran for organizing the swap.

Hope you are inspired by the Spring and are creating.

Paper Bag Mixed Media

noreply@blogger.com (Nelly) — Thu, 05 May 2011 19:27:00 +0000

This is my second mixed media book done with lunch brown paper bags. Lots of fun!

This one I sent to a swap partner for a swap I joined at the Yahoo group Altered_stArt.

After giving each bag a white paint coating, I used paper napkins, stamps, glimmer mist, rub-ons, pearls, gesso, lace, vintage images and photos, stickers, acrylic paints, Silhouette die cuts, book pages, tags, ribbon, paper doily, silk and paper flowers, a coffee filter and a piece of air dry clay that I stamped, painted, sprayed with glimmer mist and sealed with clear varnish.

The completed book

Front Cover

That big pink flower is a paper napkin

Here's a piece of air dry clay, on the 2nd page, which I used acrylic white paint, a blue glimmer mist and clear varnish. I used the same foam stamp to produce the indent embossing that I used on the background and also embossed one with pink glitter powder. On the left, I used a paper doily as a stencil and sprayed it with glimmer mist for the effect on the background.

The papers here was a background paper I made a while back painted with acrylics on the background and the purple stenciled images are done with a dimensional paint.

Love how the library card turned out. More embossing, this time with a white powder. The fish strip is fabric from a ready to cut and sew craft of some sort that I've had for years.


Magazine cutouts I loved.

Had to include some beachy graphics. AHHH!!!!

In the middle of these 2 pages is the cone coffee filter which I painted in a pink wash.

This is the other side of the coffee filter with paper flowers I cut with my Silhouette

Crepe streamers stamped and some corrugated cardboard with a crackle effect and prettied up with an antique earring. The Italian quote says: What beautiful thing have you made?

On the left is an attempt I made to transfer an image with Mod Podge. Not all of it transferred; still it gave it a cool effect. I think I was too anxious to see the result and didn't wet the image enough and it was my first attempt.

Tag tucked in one of the paper bag pockets

A butterfly I printed on vellum and tucked inside one of the pockets.

I also painted and decorated the inside folds of the bags

Back and front covers

If you haven't tried working with brown sandwich paper bags, you should. It's so much fun and you can make it into something useful if you embellish it with family photos or something beautifully artsy to enjoy!

I'll post photos of the paper bag that was sent to me in return soon too.

Have a great week!

Mixed Media Altered CDs and Great Video

noreply@blogger.com (Nelly) — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 03:25:00 +0000

Recent work done on recycled CDs paying homage to my favorite, Old Hollywood and its actors. Don't forget to vote for me for the Prilosec sponsorship for my passion for learning art. Find the button on the top right of this blog and thanks!!

The punched holes are there to put all of these into a ring book. More to come.

Have you found these awesome resources yet:

At Create Mixed Media, there's lots of resources, supplies, etc. I hope its worthwhile for some of you. I still haven't spent much time there, but it seems pack full of inspiration.

Create Mixed Media

Mixed Media on Canvas Video

Quite fun and amazing. It almost seems like a magic trick. Love to hear from others who have tried this.

Spring!!! Mixed Media Video and Online Magazine

noreply@blogger.com (Nelly) — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 01:20:00 +0000

Could it soon be Spring!! Yay!!!!

Have you noticed the Prilosec button on the right? I have applied to be sponsored by Prilosec to continue my quest to learn all I can about my passion: mixed media art. Thanks, Prilosec! Check the link for yourself.

Just in time for Spring


Source: Bumble Button Blogspot

Here are some awesome things I've discovered lately that I had to share in case you missed them.

Bird Cage Video from Donna Downey

Source: Art Freebies Blogspot

And have you discovered this free magazine from Heather Bullard? Wow, are you in for a treat!

SOUVENIR


Source: Bumble Button

Via Alt.Bks Yahoo Group:

The exhibit is called Art:Dewey Decimaled, and is asking for artwork that can be categorized by genre like poetry, mystery, fantasy, etc., or that celebrates the library. The entry deadline is actually this Friday, but artists have through the weekend should they need a little extra time.

Call for Artists

Short notice but perhaps some of you can participate. Sounds like a neat project.

Here's to Spring!!!!

Spring Banner

noreply@blogger.com (Nelly) — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 16:32:00 +0000

Back from the depths of winter blues with a bit of Spring thanks to Terri of Artful Affirmations. Enjoy!

Spring Banner Video

Here's some things I've been working on for my niece's wedding.

Wedding shower thank you cards

Have you seen these free online workshops? Awesome tutorials!!! The first workshop is ready to be viewed now and 2 others will start soon. Thanks to Strathmore and the fabulous artists Pam Carriker, Linda Blinn and Roz Stendahl

I so very much appreciate the generosity of these folks for sharing their knowledge and on their own dime!

Thanks for visiting,

Christmas Paper Crafts

noreply@blogger.com (Nelly) — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 04:29:00 +0000

Wishing you all a most wonderful Christmas, eating holiday food, engaging in family traditions, and visiting family and friends!!

I finally got the courage to try my hand at one of these. There are some. The ones out there from other artists I've seen just made me swoon. Mine not so much, but I learned a few things about the technique. One, next time I'll use a fresher/newer book. I used an older book which makes the pages a bit too delicate and the piece can get crushed with time, so a newer book will keep it looking fresh and crisp. Two, you layer the cones on top of each other in neat rows instead of randomly as I did. Use a glue gun to adhere the cones for quick work.

This one I will be gifting for Christmas.

I also finally decorated these trees which I had purchased last year for Christmas. At first I had planned to all 3 in the same style. I quickly changed my mind because it just seemed boring to me to do it that way.

The one thing that brought them all together was the glittered buttons on the bottom

This is a very cool idea for me being a night owl and otherwise unencumbered for New Year's Eve. You might want to check it out too. Sounds like a lot of fun. I just found this blog through my Google alerts and it's super cute and pack full of inspirational paper crafts. Go visit Paula's Palace and join in.


All Night Craft Along

'Till next time,

Techniques, Victorian Ornaments, Labels to Organize and a free Ezine

noreply@blogger.com (Nelly) — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 01:41:00 +0000

Watch soon for a review on an item from CSN Stores. I'm still enjoying the desk task chair from CSN I reviewed previously. As many of you know, CSN has many wonderful and useful items on their retail sites. Is there anything you need for the holidays for your home? How about barstools? Well, needless to say they have it all to get your home ready and pretty for the holidays.

I so wish I had a group that could get together near me to create such as Kelly Rae has. Well, I would even organize one if personal things weren't in the way right now. If you are interested in something like this yourself, Kelly Rae wrote a very helpful post, here:

Kelly Rae: if your soul is calling, listen

Here are some other neat stuff I found elsewhere in blogland: We're so lucky to have these generous folks sharing freely their amazing talents.

Julie from Belzerdesigns.typead.com has various techniques which I found terrific and shows you on this video

Victorian Ornaments made with broken or recycled glass ornaments. I thought this video was awesome.

And speaking of Christmas theme creations, just wait until you see this awesome and FREE ezine. Just awesome!!
Inspired Ideas

If you have lots of Distress Inks by Ranger, they provide these very helpful labels to get you organized

Free Labels To stick on Ink Pads

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone. Thanks for stopping by again. Don't be shy and leave me a comment. I'm hoping to buckle down and create some stuff in between cleaning my house (YUK!!!!) this weekend.

Giveaway, Background Papers Video

noreply@blogger.com (Nelly) — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 01:07:00 +0000

Been busy with my niece's Save The Date cards, work and just general life's ~~misery~~ challenges lately, so haven't been creating much.

I hope it changes soon.

Here is a video from Shona Cole that I have enjoyed.

Background Papers

Want to throw your name in for some beautiful things; here are some giveaways out in blog land:

Melinda of Alabaster Rose Designs is having a 1 year anniversary giveaway pack full of yumminess to win. Visit her to enter, here.

Cindy Crane is a new blogger and she's celebrating with a giveaway, here.

Have a great week,

Drawing, Photoshop and Mixed Media Free Courses

noreply@blogger.com (Nelly) — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 02:46:00 +0000

Hi all. I have been inspired by amazing artists who draw, especially who draw little girls. So I've been trying my hand at it. I love the mix of drawing and other mediums like paint, paper, etc.

Here are some of my first attempts.

Pretty awful. Much more practice needed. LOL

This is a Save the Date Card for my niece's wedding I have been working on.

Have you seen these awesome learning opportunities? Of course I registered for the free course. Willowing is also a great ning group.

Kim is offering a free mini course on Photoshop. You bet I registered.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great week,

The Wonderful World of Bloggers and Internet -- Resources & Free Images

noreply@blogger.com (Nelly) — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 17:52:00 +0000

Hi everyone. Haven't had much ambition to create lately, unfortunately. Here's something I created a while back and I don't think I ever post it.

Here are lots of awesome projects for inspiration from other artists and crafters and I'm sharing them with you here as well as some free images:

Source: A Gathering of Thoughs

From one of my favorite companies, Stampington -
Vintage Jewelry ideas
And video


Source: Clearly Vintage

Cool pockets for altered books
from Altered Art Junkies blog


Source: The Graphics Fairy

Mixed media collage video
from Lucy Hill Edson

Source: Vintage Dragonfly

Tea Dye, Fiber, Rust
by Cat Carr

Source: The Art of Altering

Ideas on what art supplies to pack on a trip.
Weren't you wondering that on your summer vacation in the past months? I did.

Source: Just Something I made

Thanks for stopping by,

Published with Wedding Collage Piece

noreply@blogger.com (Nelly) — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 23:22:00 +0000

I wanted to share my great news. The collage below is my first published piece. It is in the September edition of Scrapbooking.com Magazine Newsletter. Check it here

It was so easy and fun to write this up and send in, so I encourage other artists and crafters to submit a piece. Its so gratifying and booster. You can subscribe to their free newsletter by clicking on the caption below the image. Have fun!

Click here to take you there

Ciao,

Giveaway Winners for the Blog Hop Summer Celebration 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Nelly) — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 06:27:00 +0000

Not many participated, but all will win!

I enjoyed visiting and getting to know you and your art. It's always a treat to see each individual's interpretation on a theme. Since it was only 4 of you, I'm going to send all of you prizes.

Prize #1 will go to whoever of you 4 ladies has their birthday closest to mine, August 17 and will win a choice of anything in my Etsy shop.

For the remaining 3 ladies, one of my new collage bags, a bag chuckfull of art supplies to make your own collages. I'll be adding more of these in my Etsy shop soon too.

Congratulations to Courtney, Ann, Rebecca and DeeDee. Get in touch with me with your date of birth so I can determine who gets what. Thanks for participating.

I will try another blog hop in the future and hope it'll be a bit more successful.

Ciao,

Summer Celebration 2010 -- Challenge Link is UP

noreply@blogger.com (Nelly) — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 22:39:00 +0000

I'll spare you the details, but the last couple of days have been straight out of hell for me, but here's the link part, finally!!

The boats adrift in the harbor
As thoughts in a calm mind
A liquid sun beaming today and forever
We hoard happiness a smile at a time

Welcome friends. If you made a piece for the Summer Celebration 2010. Please link up below. Thanks for playing along.

Summer Celebration 2010 Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (Nelly) — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 17:13:00 +0000

Here's my submission. Thanks all for participating!!

Summer Celebration 2010 -- Challenge Still Open

noreply@blogger.com (Nelly) — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 03:46:00 +0000

I hope you are enjoying the beautiful sounds of the ocean on my blog. Try clicking on the down arrow by "video" to see the beautiful beach also.

Are you ready for the Summer Celebration?

There's still time to join the Summer Celebration link party if you haven't. The linking post will go up this Friday, August 13, but you may enter your link anytime after that until the following Friday, August 17. I know I said August 17, but I'll probably extend it a bit to give me more time. I hate deadlines for funness (I'm making up a word :), don't you? So, you have time to create your piece and write up your post to link it up.

Hope to see many of you link up. I can't wait to see all your pieces.

Don't forget about my giveaway for all that join in the link party.

And speaking of giveaways, here's one for you at:

The Polka Dot Closet

Carol has the sweetest paper dolls.

Need more inspiration? Here are more beautiful vintage photos.

Images from The Graphics Fairy and Marie's Freebies

Enjoy,

Keep the Summer Going -- Summer Celebration 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Nelly) — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 07:40:00 +0000

summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language. ~Henry James

I've mentioned this before; I absolutely LOVE summer! So, to keep celebrating my favorite time of the year, I'm hosting a challenge and a link party. Would you join me?

The challenge:

Create an art piece with Summer as your theme. Feel free to use the images on this post or one of your own. Anything goes - collage, altered piece, jewelry, scrapbooking, mixed media, art journal, illustration, fabric art piece, etc.

Link up on my blog with the Linky tool I'll have on my post by August 17, (my birthday!! What awesome gifts to get to see your creations!!)

If you would like, pass the word by taking the summer celebration button on the side bar to post on your blog. Please insert this link with it http:\\nellybeepaperprojects.blogspot.com

How's this for inspiration? Beautiful creation from Carolyn Saxby
.

source The Graphics Fairy

As a thank you for your participation, I'll put your names in a giveaway to win one of my creations and mixed media goodies. And the images on this post are yours to download, even if you don't use them for this challenge. Thank God for those kind people that share these truly beautiful images with us.

Here's a way to keep the summer celebration going as well and have music while creating your challenge piece. A lovely gift thanks to two wonderful blogs, Kind Over Matter and Dear Jesse.

Summer Solstice

Hope you'll join me in this challenge, and if its summer for you too, I hope you are enjoying it so far.

Here are more images you may choose to use in this challenge as well as the others on this post or use one you have.

source unknown


source unknown

via Clearly Vintage


via Martha's Freebies

via The Graphics Fairy

I'm looking forward to getting to know you a little better and find new friends in this celebration, so I hope you'll join me in playing along. So, go find a shady spot, be energized by the sun and create! Can't wait to see them all.

Altered Vintage Glass Bottles - Shells

noreply@blogger.com (Nelly) — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 02:00:00 +0000

Current completed work. I love altering these tiny bottles.

Upcycled vintage bottles from a yard sale, antiques shop and/or thrift shop.

Shells from the beach, lace, vintage images, glitter

Broken jewelry pieces (a pin), vintage book pages, So Sweet!!

Do you have a favorite art book you use for inspiration? I'm always in search of mixed media, collage, altered art books that might be new to me.

Do you have 1 or more that you love, used, or found very inspirational and want to recommend on one of your blog posts? I'm planning a link party soon. Let me know if you're interested.

Until next time, have a wonderful day!

Miss Mary Challenge -- Natural Beauty

noreply@blogger.com (Nelly) — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 00:40:00 +0000

As part of being a preferred blogger for CSN Stores, I am doing a product review in the next few weeks. I'll be reviewing an office chair which I'm looking forward to trying out. CSN has become quite known in blogland, so its no surprise that they has over 200 website stores offering just about everything you need. But did you know they even have headboards as part of their arsenal of products?

Well, stay tuned for my review and see how their office chairs are, perhaps you need one too.

Mary Green of Green Paper is hosting the Miss Mary Challenge for which she provided 3 delightful images to be used in the creations. So, I decided to join in and I'm offering this as my entry.

Tin bucket which I painted pink first and collaged all around. Front side.

Back side. I added a rub on border at top and a piece of lace upcycled from a wedding gown.

Here's one of the other images given for the challenge with a rub on I used with a memories quote, memory is a way of holding onto the things you love, the things you are, and the things you never want to lose.

Another rub on with C'est La Vie and a paper rose

Glitter for the dress and metal bling for the waist. The metal butterfly is decorating the stamp which I cut in 2, another of the images given by Mary. Both metal beads are from an upcycled bracelet.

Pink rhinestones, more upcycled bracelet beads for the handle applied with thin wire

Lots of pics, thanks for indulging me. Now, go to Mary's blog, Green Paper and check all of the entries so far. I've seen some exceptional pieces. There's a prize. Wish me luck!

Have a wonderful day,

A Crown and A Plethora of Tutorials and Videos

noreply@blogger.com (Nelly) — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 04:16:00 +0000

Welcome to all my new followers and all who have left me such sweet comments recently!

I have been visiting the blogs of my sorority sisters and busy creating a little.

Recent altered work I completed using a yard stick? I'm still not sure its completed. Sometimes things take a while to get finished. I leave them sit for a while and come to it later and might then see what else I can do to it to improve. Do you do that too?

Once again due to the generosity of many magnificent artists and crafters, those of us always on the search to learn more arting are so fortunate. Here are some awesome resources that I've found recently:

From the awesome Milliande

Milliande's Journal Videos

Many techniques, projects and resources from Kim MacNutt. Although some links are not working :(, there's still some that are that might be of help to you.

Nuttnhoney Great Tutorials

I also have been fortunate in Freecyling and have amazing old books that I'll share with you soon. Also, got several vintage piano rolls that I will offer for sale. It's the most unique paper to use in projects.

Celebrating summer is very important to me because summer is my favorite time of year. I was already on vacation at the beach this summer, but I'm always thinking of it, always!!

So, here are some images for you to celebrate summer too.

Thanks to Marie's Freebies

Enjoy your weekend,