card classes, card ideas, card making, card making idea, card techniques, cards, christmas cards, retro images, vintage cards

Have Yourself a Retro Little Christmas + FREE PRINTABLES!

Genevieve Speegle

I love retro images. Like LOVE, LOVE retro images. They make my heart smile and I feel all warm and cozy just looking at these darling illustrations. It’s no wonder, than, that they are the centerpiece for so many of my card creations!

Here are six cards I made recently. I thought you might enjoy these darling greetings.

This “Little Boy’s First Christmas” is one of my favorites. I love the color combo and the flower cluster so much!

Adding various sizes in your flower collage makes it look full and interesting – so, change it up! Add a variety!
Found this pine bundle in the floral section at Michaels and just took apart branches so that I could put them where I wanted them.

I was so happy when this sweet pink baby’s first Christmas card found a good home – I love the intricate lace, pearls, flowers, and seam binding!

Beautiful cards don’t have to be super fancy either. This one is simple, but just so happy and sweet!

Feeling inspired? Here are copies of the vintage images I used so that you can print and play with them too!

A few “must haves” when working with printables:

  • a great printer! I use HP OfficeJet Pro 6978 and it’s amazing (I use it a TON every single day for my business)
  • quality cardstock. Try Neenah Premium Cardstock for fabulous images
  • Stickles glitter – you won’t believe how it changes the entire quality of your card. For real

If you just want to get your hands on finished cards, be sure to check out my eBay and Etsy shop for lots of handmade goodies!

Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube for all things crafty! Please stay in touch and share your finished projects with me!

Thanks so much for crafting with me today, and happy holidays!

xoxo

Genevieve

Bella Stitchery

card classes, card ideas, card making, card making idea, card sale, card techniques, cards, Thanksgiving, thanksgiving cards, vintage thanksgiving cards

Thankful

Genevieve Speegle

Happy Thanksgiving Month! Gobble gobble!

🦃

I am so excited to share my recent festive greeting cards with you, my crafty friends! 


Some kitchens may be full of baked goods and turkeys, but mine is covered in turkey images and craft goodies! 

I love vintage images so much and it’s always such a pleasure to make greeting cards around these darling illustrations.

This is also one of my favorite color combos (I got married in the fall just for these colors – lol).

I used lots of hand-dyed seam binding and 49 and Market flowers on these special collages. I also inked all the edges with Tim Holtz Walnut Stain Distress Ink throughout.

Check out my YouTube tutorial for some bow-making ideas – I have lots of cheats for ya! 🙂

You can find all these happy holiday greeting cards in my eBay shop and my new Etsy shop.

What’s your favorite holiday to decorate for, and what is the coolest DIY décor idea you’ve seen? Keep in touch – let’s make stuff together!

xoxo

Genevieve

Bella Stitchery

card classes, card ideas, card making, card techniques, cards, christmas cards, Christmas ideas, christmas layouts, fussy cutting, gen's scrapbook kitchen, handmade scrapbook, holiday scrapbook pages, scrapbook, scrapbook ideas, scrapbook layouts, scrapbook page, scrapbook pages

Pastel Christmas!

Genevieve Speegle

There’s something so precious about a pastel Christmas! I love the sweet pinks and yummy teals – they always make me smile!

This month’s Handmade Club Kit is all about shabby chic Santa, elves, holly berries, and cookies. I had a wonderful time cutting out all these darling embellishments and playing with them in different collage settings.

Crystal Stickles is the perfect accent to all these delicious images. I added them to the roses, the elves’ costumes, and the cookie frosting.

I already have several Christmas cards ready in my eBay and Etsy shop too (yes, I know it’s October, but I couldn’t help myself!) 🙂

Don’t they just make you smile? Have you tried fussy cutting? What do you think about the process? It seems like people either love or hate it. I think the biggest tool for your cutting success is super small, precise scissors. It really makes all the difference.

https://amzn.to/30WRNFU

If you’d like some tips on better fussy cutting, I have a YouTube tutorial all about it too:

Well, hope you’ve enjoyed this peek into my October Santa’s workshop today! Keep in touch and happy crafting!

xoxo

Genevieve

Bella Stitchery

card ideas, card making, cards, halloween cards, handmade cards, scrapbook sales, scrapbook sketches, scrapbooking, scrapbooking ideas

Trick-or-Treat

Genevieve Speegle

This is one of my favorite times of year, for sure! I love the colors of fall and spookiness of October. Welcome to my happy place!

I’ve been busy in my new home of South Dakota – trying to find my rhythm here and the best place and time to create. It’s not without it’s challenges, however, it’s sometimes nice to have a fresh start too.

Here are some of the layouts I’ve made this month…

(all these handmade goodies can be found in my eBay shop and my NEW Etsy shop!)

Of course, I’ve had to make some darling greeting cards too – they just make my heart so happy!

What have YOU been up to this month, my crafty friends? And where do you like to craft? What is your favorite space and time of day. I think I’m *just* starting to hit my stride, and it’s so nice to get back to making pretty things after the summer’s move.

Thanks so much for hanging out with me today – keep in touch!

xoxo

Genevieve

Bella Stitchery

handmade scrapbook, scrapbook, scrapbook blogs, scrapbook ideas, scrapbook layouts, scrapbook page, scrapbook pages, scrapbook sales, scrapbooking, scrapbooking ideas

Music, Dance, Art

Genevieve Speegle

There’s nothing quite as inspiring as getting your hands on a new paper collection. I love the excitement of flipping through the new paper pad and being delighted at each new turn of the page.

My craft table was overflowing with the new Passion collection by Stamperia last week. It’s all about dance, music, and art. The colors are fabulous and the illustrations just melted my heart.

It was so easy to make gorgeous premade scrapbook pages and I felt like I just burned through the entire pack before I knew it.

Cellos and ballerinas – what could be more lovely?! I did a lot of fussy cutting on these layouts too, so pop up elements on the page and tuck photo mats underneath.

I also used LOTS of beautiful Prima Marketing flowers, such as the Sugar Cookie flowers below to coordinate with the colors in the collection.

You can find all my handmade scrapbook pages in my eBay shop this week. Each one is made with love and ready for your favorite artistic photos!

Thanks so much for hanging out with me today! Hope you were inspired! Please follow Bella Stitchery on social media and stay in touch. Happy crafting, my friend!

card classes, card ideas, card making, card making idea, card techniques, cards, cute cards, free printables, handmade cards

Old Card Sketches Made NEW! Card Making Idea + Free Printable!

Genevieve Speegle

If you’re anything like me, you still have lots of paper crafting magazines lying around. I found a bunch the other day while cleaning my craft room and thought it would be fun to find some old sketches and “modernize” them.

The magazine I’m starting with today is an older Card Design Handbook. I love this sketch idea and thought it would be a great card idea for beginners or any level paper crafter!

Here’s my first in what may turn out to be a series. This card making design is super full and happy, yet easy to replicate to just about any occasion. Let me know what you think!

Here’s the image I used for the card. Feel free to save and print!

Do you like this idea?

Would you like to see more like it in the future?

What’s the oldest publication you have in your house?

You can purchase items used in this video from the following links:

– Hand Dyed Seam Binding in My eBay Shop

– Prima Marketing Pastel Dreams Flowers

– Sizzix Crochet Dies

– Cream Cardstock

​​ – Art Glitter Glue

– Ivory Lace

– Tim Holtz Big Chat

– Glossy Accents

– Vintage Photo Distress Oxide

– Crystal Stickles

Thanks so much for making happy cards with me today!

xoxo

Genevieve

Bella Stitchery

PS – my blog uses affiliate links. These commissions are at no cost to you.

card ideas, card making, card making idea, free printables

Easter Cards: 3 Sketches 6 Ways + FREE Printables!

Genevieve Speegle

It’s springtime once again! It’s a season of sunshine, happy rain, and beauty. Some of my favorite printable images are those of Vintage Easter illustrations.

I have a brand new YouTube tutorial today in which I’ll show you three super easy card sketch ideas, with an alternate version of each one.

Here is a copy of the printables I used. Feel free to save and print:

Adding some Stickles to my images really brought them to life and made them pop!

You can also find the products used in these links:

Be sure to stop by my eBay shop too, for lots of handmade cards and premade scrapbook pages! Thanks so much for crafting with me today, and keep in touch! xoxo

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Spring Fair Carousel Scrapbook Hoop

Genevieve Speegle

I’m thrilled to share the March 2021 Handmade Club kit with you! This fair is so dreamy and delicious – I can practically taste the candy apples!

These vintage fair printables are just so absolutely breathtaking! I just put together a tutorial video in which I’ll show you how to make a hoop-in-hoop mixed media scrapbook wall art piece.

This would make an awesome gift too!

You can purchase items used in this video from the following links:

– The Handmade Club Printables Website

–Neenah 65lb Cardstock

– Prima Marketing Heavy White Gesso

– Monvict Glue Gun

– Art Glitter Glue​​​​

– Multi-Sized Embroidery Hoop Set

– Diamond Stickles

– Detail Scissors

Thanks so much!

You can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

Please subscribe for updates and share with your friends. Happy crafting!

xoxo

Genevieve

Bella Stitchery

PS – my YouTube channel uses affiliate links. These commissions are at no cost to you.

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One Layout Sketch – 5+ Possibilities!

Genevieve Speegle

I love a good layout sketch idea. Even better – when one is versatile and can be used over and over again with different papers and embellishments.

BONUS: a sketch that lets me use lots of the random goodies I’ve been hoarding for years!

This week’s YouTube tutorial is just that! I’ll show you 5 ways to use this simple, yet charmingly adorable, scrapbook layout.

I’ll also show you a few different ways to make your stencil and some tips for crafting with heavier items.

It’s time to dig out all those random letters, buttons, brads, sequins, or flowers and get to craftin’!

I used dozens of fabulous Prima Marketing Fruit Paradise flowers for the layout above. I just love these darling flowers.

The layout above was made using lots of darling washi tape! I’m always excited to use washi tape, since I love using stickers, and it’s basically a giant sticker roll. 🙂

This layout idea even works with just cardstock – don’t have any extra embellishments lying around (ok, you know you do)? Doesn’t matter! Find a fun, happy print and die cut your large shape for a pop of happiness!

Hope you have lots of fun with this sketch idea. Be sure to check out my eBay shop for all these handmade scrapbook pages too and follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for all things crafty!

xoxo

Genevieve

Bella Stitchery

Uncategorized

Bakin’ Up Some Scrapbook Layouts

Genevieve Speegle

Shabby Art Boutique has delivered a fabulous monthly printable kit for their Handmade Club once again!

Although I don’t cook or bake (if it were up to me, the kitchen would be an extension of my craft room….and has been in the past – lol), I had so much fun working with these delicious images.

I think my favorite images are the apple pie goodies, although there are also fig pies, strawberry cupcakes and cakes, macarons, and lots more. I had to ask my husband to bake something when I was done, as I’m pretty sure I was drooling.

If you like fussy cutting, you’re going to love this monthly kit! Check out my YouTube video too, on tips and techniques for using and decorating your printables (along with how to make the painted backgrounds on my 12×12 layouts):

I have all my new layouts available now in my eBay shop. Have some family baking photos? Holiday get-togethers? Time with Grandma? This layouts are perfect for so many “sweet” occasions. 🙂

A touch of Glossy Accents really adds pop and dimension when working with printables. I added some to my cake, apples, strawberry centers, and frosting. It dries super shiny and almost embossed looking.

This was my first time working with honeycomb patchwork paper too, and I really love the look! I think they added a nice farm country touch.

Please be sure to check out my Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube channels too for updates, sales, and all things crafty!

Thanks for stopping by, and happy crafting!

xoxo

Genevieve

Bella Stitchery