My Bella Colle My Beautiful Life

Happy Birthday

Well.. it's a birthday today! #1 turns 16!! Oh my...where did the time go? Just seems like yesterday he was born.... There are times I think teenagers have lost their minds..then he turns around and surprises me.. We had a wonderful dinner tonight...At his fave place "Old Chicago".. When DH comes home from work we will have a party for this guy.. 16... hmm... he's going to go and take his drivers test for his licence this Wed... OH my... I love you #1!! I pray you have many more.. Have a wonderful weekend everyone.

Who's afraid of Color?

{Designers in Residence 2000} Who's afraid of a little Color ? I must admit I am...a bit color shy when it comes to room colors...granted I have a dove gray bathroom..and a sage green hallway. But I've never been so carefree to add wonderful color. I stick to neutral backdrops...tan..white..lightest of pink, NEVER reds! or orange or yellow.. {Traditional Homes May 2008} But, I think once we can sell this house we are in and move.. I will try some wonderful new color palettes!! Would you just look at the wonderful colors in this living room!! My scanner didn't truly pick up the colors like it should... that is chartreuse on the ceiling ladies and gentlemen! The chairs are pink with yellow piping..Aren't those curtain a wonderful splash of freshness?

{Traditional Home May 2008}

This wonderful settee is yellow and hot pink! These bright colors really do warm up the room. If you are color shy like I am, simple throw pillows would be a great 'baby step' to inject a room with a punch of color. Hmmm..I'm really digging the pinks!!

{Designers in Residence 2000}

Liven up a dinning room in red?!! Never in a million years would I put such a dramatic color on the walls..till now... color is wonder! It brightens the mood and can evoke wonderful feelings of comfort or excitement.

Why not try some color today?! Hmm..where is that hot pink spray paint?!lol....

Happy Wed. everyone.

XO

p.S...day 7 with the nails! And they still look great.

Black and White

Hope everyone had a wonderful Mother's day! I did... Wonderful family time and lots of good food! lol! Oh yes...and a new set of golf clubs too!

Here is my submission to Somerset's Black and White... Deadline is August 15th. This will be my second piece I've submitted... I hope this will be considered! Black and White can be a somber theme.. but

After painting the background and adding the sheet music... The thought for this collage all fell into place. Life is a song! Truly it is.. Sometimes it can be fast and furious like 'Flight of the Honey Bee' or a Broadway show tune like 'Your Neverfully Dressed without a Smile' ...or sometimes it can be like 'Taps' .

But it's your song! You can sing it loudly! Not all people like the same music, that's okay 'cause I think life gets pretty boring hearing the same song over and over...don't you? I hope everyone has a wonderful week! I haven't been able to visit like I should...I will try and stop by soon!

XO

Friiidaaay!!!

YaaaY!!! It's Friday!! What a week...whew... and tomarrow is opening day for #2's little league season... Busy Busy... Just wanted to pop in and share a new blog banner I'm going to have for sale in my etsy store... Oh yeah, two new sites I found! Lookin' for ephemera and images? Check these sites out... DigitalCollageSheets and finchleypaperarts Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Nail update! It's been 3 days and they still look great!! I've cleaned..done dishes and fought with changing sheets and other laundry and they have stayed put!

15 min. manicure

Okay... we are going to do a little test here on the 'ole blog... Yes, that is MY hand there in the pictures. I love wonderfully manicured nails. BUT some people like me take the time to paint them and with the way I use my hands as tools.. good luck on keeping a beautiful clean paint job.. then, there is my attention span.. I am so notorious for 'picking' at the paint and we all know that is an etiquette 'NO NO' . I've done the professional salon set and that gets to be so pricey! Not to mention #1 winds up wanting to strangle his brothers if he is left to baby sit for very long...AAAANND...those salon nails sometime turn out too thick and that gets on my nerves because I can never pick up things with my finger tips.. SOOOO...Enter Broadway Nails I found these babies at WalMart... I'm going to see if they are worth the 5$ I paid for them! Hence the test. The packaging says they are to last 10 days..we shall see my pretties!

Well, the application time took 15 minuets! Not bad. Ever done a home French Manicure? First you have to paint the tips..let that dry..then the rest...let that dry ... top coat! Truthfully, that's all it took me to put these on...15 min.

They actually look like my real nails! They are 'naturally' thin too! So, I will keep you guys posted and see if these nails actually last the 10+ days they say.

I didn't capture the name in the picture, but again... these are called Broadway Nails and I found them at WalMart.

Hope your week is 'rockin'

XO

Late Bloomer am I!

I always knew I was a late bloomer! This is the first bloom of Spring...besides the Johnny Jump Ups..the first one. I'm sure the majority of you have already said good-bye to your Tulips and Daffodils... Not me... They are just starting to come up in the garden. Today was the second time this Spring that we had to mow the grass... I think 'It' is finally here... Hurray for Spring! XO

I gotta be me...

"I gotta be me"! Do you ever feel like singing that? I do...I created this collage today.. Uniqueness is a gift...Don't try and fit in the mold.. Squeeze your dreams in someone elses box..

Wear pink cowboy boots with rhinestones on 'em (gotta get me some of those)... feel like wearing pig tails and bright red nail polish? Go ahead!! Have fun... losen up...

" Today You are you, that is Truer than true. There is no one alive who is YoUeR than You.."~ Dr. Suess...

Have a great weekend!

Vintage gift tags

Wonderful vintage inspired tags I just completed today... I really had a blast making them... tiny little collages special in it's own right... I think I hooked!

I created three sets. Two pink ones and one sepia one... lots and lots of glitter of course..

I want to put some in the store... what is a good set..3? 4?

I think they add a wonderful unique touch to gifts or letters...

See the wee bride and groom? These tags would be neat for up coming weddings! Well... hope your week is going well.. love to hear from ya!

XO

Snow!

Did I get your attention with the title? Yes..that's right ladies and gentlemen..we are having snow this morning...It's Spring..right?lol... So..what do you do when the weather outside is frightful? Make cake!! Cupcakes that is... both collages are 4"inchesx5"inches. First collage is dreamy pink on on a wonderful Robin's egg blue background.

This one is a Robin's egg blue one on a pink background. Can you see the stitching I added to the second cupcakes paper? I stitched a little bit of hot pink thread on the paper to give it some depth. I think the stitching adds wonderful interest, I will be stitching some more in pieces to come.

I've joined a swap again... Les 'emotions de la France Book Swap ... Why do I do this to my self?!! Because it's good for me I guess... I'm such a shy violet that I probably wouldn't try and do anything and then wind up beating myself up for it... So.. this should be interesting. My theme for my page is Dance..or Twirl.. haven't decided yet.

Well...#3's teacher is having a birthday..he's so sweet, he wanted to make her a card. I think it turned out very nice if I do say so myself! lol.

I added one of my soldered charms for good measure! I just love children's art work! It really helps you see things from a wonderful innocent perspective.

Have a wonderful Monday..Hope the snow stops soon!

~ " All children are artists. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up." ~ Pablo Picasso.

XO

Somthin' for the Kitchen

Well, on this fine Friday Afternoon... Just wanted to share two amazing sites I have found... At our house we don't have cable or a 'dish' so the channels we watch are pretty limited.. We recently upgraded to a digital T.V and antenna! On Thursday nights here..on PBS..there are some wonderful cooking shows! ..Of course after CSI.. I have become addicted to JoanneWeir and America's Test Kitchen . On Joanne's show, she has a one on one cooking class with a lucky individual and they create some amazing mouth watering dishes. America's Test Kitchen takes recipes and breaks them down and figures out a better more tasty way to prepare it...they also show what products taste the best and work the best in the kitchen..last night it was fillet mignon and mixed drink shakers!

Soo..if you need some lovin' for your oven...a little 'spice' for your life!lol... Check out these two sites! Best of all..it's free!

Happy Friday!

~"I often put boiling water in the freezer. Then when I need boiling water, I simply defrost it..."~ Gracie Allen.

XO