Did you think I was all bella-out? Nope, here is more!
I was only in one organized swap, silly silly silly me.
Take my advice, if you go to Silver Bella, sign up for as many swaps as you can.
You would not believe some of the gorgeous creations that were given in trade!
I was lucky enough to get into a few side swaps to, besides my ATCs. Rebbecca, and Julie and …… and oh my, you know I am bad about this. All my notes and business cards are packed in the box with all the swaps and are all mixed up.
But that doesn’t mean I love all of them any less! I am going to add hangers and make ornaments for a special table top tree, all Silver Bella themed with the ATCs.
Thanks, Bella Buddies!
On the other hand, here is a mystery solved. Remember the beautiful box full of gifts I got in the mail and didn’t know where from, was afraid I’d forgotten a swap or a giveaway?
Well, the gifter wrote to tell me, that is what it was, a gift. How sweet and kind. She was trying to be a secret Santa, but didn’t want to worry me and make me rack my brain to figure out what I had forgotten!
Thanks, Kathryn!!!
My Silver Bella tiara found a home in the bathroom cabinet on the doll head I bought on the trip to Omaha.
We named the little dolly "Bella Donna"
On the shelf near Bella Donna sits my swapty gift from Dede, who by the way, said she wanted to be the "Blotto Bella" and was a blast the whole weekend.
She let me pick ornaments, and I chose "Naughty Bella"
Which is a good name for me since I was bringing a strange man into our room at 3 am.
Maybe I should tell the rest of that? My roomie, Beth, went to bed early and I stayed up late with my new Bella Buds, Carol, Heather, the other Karla (yep, there were two there), and Stacey. and we giggled like school girls till way too late in Heather’s room.
Did you know that if your key card is in your pocket with your cell phone, it loses its magnetic abilities to open doors? So I was locked out. The room was in Beth’s name. I couldn’t get a new key, but the manager said he’d let me in if I could describe the room and my luggage.
I told him he couldn’t wake up Beth, I was trying to sneak in! But it was the only way, he insisted.
So, I described my stuff as all the bags on the floor overflowing with purchases from Vendor Night, supplies for classes, all the stuff from the antique mall I’d gotten, and all the swaps, stacked and piled up on the floor from the TV cabinet to the front door, so that you could barely get in the room. He stepped inside, took one look and realized it had to be my room. Then, I promptly tripped over a paper bag and made a lot of noise, but Beth still slept through it.
I am continuing to burn the midnight oil getting ready for my sale in two weeks. I’ve been up till 4 am the last two nights.
I glittered all these Ballerinas that I bought at Vendor Night and added butterfly wings that I got there too.
They are hung on a Bethany Lowe tree I picked up on the trip.
Sometime around 2am I was making these cones. The base of them is a 90% off clearance Tussie Mussie that I ripped all the tacky things off of and embellished myself with vintagey stuff.
Most of the embellishments were from our trip too. Either leftovers from class, goodies from Vendor night, or from the shopping along the way.
Beth was so nice to me on the shopping part of the trip. I don’t get out to junk as much as she does, so she was calling it my "Pity Trip" and giving me first choice on all the goods!
Look at the pretty ribbon on this one. it is from Rebecca’s class. Did she just get some old seam binding wet and crumple it, do you think?
Wish I could have gotten more than 3 of these cones for 50 cents each, they were great to work with.
One more purchase from our drive up to Omaha. I bought another Bethany Lowe tree for my living room.
I’m going with an all white theme, for Christmas in that room. Well ivory and cream really. Multi whites. I’ll show more during our
What do you LOVE about your holiday home? party 
I’ve been so busy Bella-ing, redoing the blog (well Sadie Olive did all the actual work, but it took up a lot of my time too) and then getting ready for the upcoming sale at my home, I haven’t done much Etsy listing.
I did list this, the background is an invoice from Acme Coal Mining. I loved that 1917 paper! I wondered if Santa got his coal there.
I’m sure that is where Wiley Coyote and Bugs Bunny did, every exploding device or weird thing that they bought was from Acme.
(this sold to Louisa who had this wallpaper in her home growing up! I sent her all the scraps I had of it so she could make something too)
Now, I am going to be good, stop running on, and go list something else on Etsy. I am crazy about this old wallpaper too. I had made a banner from it also and that sold to Bethany. And that is all I had of this wallpaper. It is so rich and deluxe, but in small doses, I can’t quite picture it filling a room.
Wow, so many beautiful things. I am green with envy.
Mahala
Karla, I’m worn out just reading about all that you do! I don’t know how you do it, but I’m glad you do, and very happy that you share it with us!
Amanda (aka Cottage Contessa)
Girl, do you ever REST?? I love coming here and seeing what you are up to now. Those are so beautiful.
Do you ever see cones that are flat on one side? I thought cones would be unique on the pews for Ashley’s wedding…
Karla, where does all that energy come from? I think you must be a human dynamo. Lots of pretties in this post.
Alison
Karla you crack me up, and are such a fun bella! I love that we meet and now when I read your blog I can hear your voice as I read.
You ARE burning the midnight oil!! They’ll be none left if you don’t slow down. I had a great laugh about you being locked out of the room and how you had to get back in…
oh my goodness, i am tired just reading this…i am over here working at a snails pace and everyone else is just whipping out new creations like there is no tomorrow …hmmmm…makes me feel quite lazy…
i love that you have more SB peeks for us to share, everything looks so very good!!!
You have so many great things…and that story in the hotel!!! LOL! I need to post a photo of the JOY banner when I hang it!!! We will probably decorate next weekend right after Thanksgiving…that’s our tradition! Right now it’s laying protectively right next to me and it makes me smile every time I look at it! I might just have to put it up in my work space year round after Christmas!!!
ooooo soooo glittery sparkley twinkley fun!
Silver Bella sounds like a dream come true! What fun it must have been! I love the pic of the tree on the mirror and your cutie pie dog in the background posing! That cracked me up!
Karla, What beautiful goodies you have here.. I love all the glitter! Your pink roses borders are gorgeous and your banner is just fun! You have been a very busy Gal.. ~Mary~ :-}
Darling, where do you find the time!!?? traveling, blogging, photoshoots, swaps, parties!!?? We may have to nominate you Hardest Working Woman in Blogland!! Beautiful stuff!
So that’s why my card didn’t work…. they should warn people….
I want to come to your party… may I???
What a blast… I’ve had a glitter hangover for a week now!
Love the hotel story and all those goodies. The Christmas cone is great.
Karen
Bluemuf
Such pretties! And they really ought to publisize that key/phone thing! I would absolutely have put them both in my pocket!
Your cones are gorgeous! I’m hooked on making them now. It’s such fun to put all kinds of bling on them.
I am so glad that you are not bella-d out because I didn’t get to go and love seeing all the glittery pretties…it is so inspiring! Your home is beautiful!
Have a great week! karen b…
I’m enjoying seeing all your pictures and hearing the stories. I am living vicariously through you and now I’m tired, so I guess I’ll get to bed. LOL
~elaine~
Everything looks great! I love the wallpaper ornament!! So beautiful!
I have no idea where you get your energy. Maybe you could learn to harness it somehow and put it in a pill form. Then we could all partake in the endless festivities. You could call it Karla’s Kraziness and make a fortune!
I can’t wait to see all of the homes all decorated for the holidays.
Love,
Julie
Oh one more thing – can we use that button now to announce your holiday party?
Love,
Julie
In your blog not only I see beautiful things,too it spread your joy.
Your things are so beautiful. I know you will do good at your up coming sale. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and try to get some rest sometime in there.
Dona
All the pictures of your goodies are beautiful. Love, love, love that ballerina tree! Happy Thanksgiving!
wow now thats what i call eye candy!!!
what a way to start my day!
jessi nagy
Your reports on Silver Bella are so much fun to read!
Everything is so lovely. Especially your sweet little doggy on the sofa! Love the red wallpaper, so pretty. Staying up late everynight. You’re like Martha she only sleeps 4 hrs a night;)
When do you ever sleep?!!!!! All this fabulousness in one post!! And what great swap treasures! We know you are so blessed with talent and friends!!! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
blessings,
kari & kijsa
Everything is truly wonderful….you are so talented and it sounds like you all had so much fun…
Have a blessed day!
smiles, kari and kijsa
Such pretty things! I’m not Bella-ed Out yet either! xo natalea
That was too funny about getting locked out of the room! I’ll have to remember that about the key and a cell phone.
Everything you’ve pictured is beautiful! I especially love the Santa on the Acme Coal Mining ad.
Thanks for keeping the Bella-Fun fresh in the air! I am so happy we were able to “side-swap” together. I love my little bag of goodies and it was fun to see my little girl ornament and charm on your Blog! Can’t wait to see all the pretty houses dressed up for the holidays!
Hugs, Kim
Thank you for all the glorious visual treats Karla! I could NEVER be Bella-ed out. 🙂 CRAZY about your room key demagnetizing!
See you Dec 12!!! 🙂
Hi Karla,
You are one busy lady! Up till 4am…I can’t make it past 10 on a really good day! I love all of your goodies and that vintage red paper is to die for!
Hugs,
Dena
It was a delight to meet you at Silver Bella.
Have a happy thanksgiving.
Love the snowman ornament (with the stick arms)! I didn’t see it on Etsy. If it is still available please let me know. I’m theming snowmen this year & it would be a fun addition to the holidays! Thanks for the lovely art to enjoy. I check your site daily when we are not traveling.