Bloggers Challenge ~ Sketch challenge

I {heart} sketch challenges, and this one by our list mom Lisa Somerville is a beauty!

I used this sketch for a card that I used last night as part of my masculine card class. We all determined, that glitter was perfectly okay on a man card, when it was to show paint on a car or motorcycle! :)

To make the mix, I start with a big glob of crystal effects, and add one drop of reinker, then I added dazzling diamonds glitter to the mix and just use the mixture to paint it on.

I used an aqua painter to pull some of the night of navy ink across the page, and painted my paint with the crystal effects ~ and that's all folks!

Those big honkin brads are fantastic on a guy card.. they look like hubcaps to me! :) I really loved this sketch and can't wait to see what the other bloggers challenge girls are up to this week!

(((rubbah hugs)))
Selene Kempton

Thankful for Bloggers Challenge ~Color Challenge Red/Teal/Curry

I'm so thankful for my friends at bloggers challenge group. I'm thankful because it gives me a confined set of parameters to be creative, and gets me going. I would have never put these colors together, but it is a really fun combo! I took a half hour and made this card this morning, although I've been a bad blogger this week.

On a personal note: I've been preoccupied with another group called SUDDEN_Response. Sudden Response is a group of Stampin' Up demonstrators, who help out demonstrators in case of a disaster. So Demo's helping Demo's. We send stamping gifts, for example... a pack of cardstock or some samples, to show solidarity and help someone rebuild after a disaster. This week, a demonstrator from Houston, MO Patty lost everything to a house fire, and the members of sudden response have helped her get back on her feet with her stamping business. It's a beautiful thing. It's more than beautiful... It has completely shifted the way that Patty has been thinking, and just knowing that other people care about her, has helped her to move forward with such strength and with a positive attitude. If you'd like to be on the list, just go to this address to apply for membership. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SUDDEN_Response

If you are not a demonstrator, just ask your Stampin' Up demonstrator (yea if that's me) how you can help!

Lately, I've been stamping with lots of embellishments, lots of layers... and so on... I think I need to take a break from all that and get back to the basics a little more. It should not take an hour to make one card... (although it seems most of mine do). So I'm going to resolve to get back to my favorite way to make cards, clean and simple. :) Today's blogger's challenge is just that. Basically, a one layer card, I cut three 1/2" strips in the color challenge colors, then watercolored the image. I cut out the numbers and popped them up with dimensionals. Pretty simple, but very cool. This one will go to my niece Bella. :)

You would easily be able to recreate this card, using any school colors... I think that's pretty cool!

So I haven't had much time for stamping with all that's been going on this week... Although I did create a card for the sketch challenge for stamping 411 tonight, and 6 more for a blog tour that will be HERE on Saturday! So I guess I'm a pretty busy gal after all.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend. Also, to check out what the other bloggers challenge members are up to, just click the bluish-green banner on my side bar to get to the list of members! TGIF!

Rubbah hugs,
Selene~

Blogger's Challenge ~ Mother's Day

Been a little busy this week, and today, I can relax and catch my breath. I had two 8 page scrapbook classes this week and I'm a little tired today.

Plus, I took my mom into Boston yesterday, and her pneumonia has improved, but she can't hear a darn thing! The doctors said their is so much water behind her ears, that it's like she's trying to hear from under water.

I'm just asking for a few prayers for my mom that she'll be doing better soon.. :( This morning's watercolored card is for her. The inside is stamped with the sentiment "wonderful mother" I spent some time on this water colored image. I used water color paper in my scrap booking class. I really love how the colors are so vibrant on this paper. I used markers, an aqua painter and just had fun with it. I used the enfrancis background and the medallion background, and used pastels to add subtle color. I finished it off with the vanilla satin ribbon. I hope you all have a wonderful mother's day.

Rubbah hugs,
Selene Kempton

Bloggers challenge ~ some type of embossing

Good Morning Friends!

I made a card for my mom this morning. She's sick in bed with pneumonia. She called me yesterday to tell me she took the BUS into Boston, then took the BUS back home after she found out. Arggghhh. I wish she would have called me.

Anyway, today's plan is to make her some soup, get some groceries and head for her house when my little one gets out of school this afternoon. Just to check on her and make sure she has what she needs. She told me yesterday that she hasn't been eating, and knowing my mom, that might be because she doesn't have any food in the fridge for herself.

It's always harder to cook when you're only cooking for yourself.
I used the color combination, from Patti's Stamping 411 color challenge from yesterday morning. The colors are garden green, certainly celery, chocolate chip, and so saffron. Thanks for the great color combo. i actually colored my doggie's face a little green!

Anyway, I just cant imagine trying to make a card without using the big shot in some form or fashion these days. One of my favorite new toys is the lattice embossing folder which will be available starting tomorrow, along with all the other goodies from the summer mini!
The embossing folders are so easy to use and make such an impact on my cards, that i forget to talk about how to use them. You simply cut a piece of paper, put it in between the folder. put your cutting pads on the top and bottom of the sandwich, and run it through on "tab 1" using the multipurpose platform.

Now ~ anything that's not a regular die (thinner) goes through on tab 1.. so once you figure it out, it's super simple to do.. and I like simple!

Speaking of simple.... I also have started playing with the new smoosh spray. I just love the lighter colors. I think the dark colors would be good with resist techniques and I cant wait to try those as well. Anyway. When I was done making my card, I simply set my card up in the color catcher and sprayed it. I used two colors here. The white, which leaves shimmery yummieness all over the card, and then a touch of the yellow.... My mom is feeling so crummy, I thought the yellow adds that touch of "you feel yucky". I know this picture is dark, but here you can see just how shimmery the new smoosh spray is! Wicked cool!

I hope this card makes my mom feel better. I'm looking forward to see what the other bloggers challenge members are up to before I head out today.

(rubbah hugs)
Selene Kempton

Bloggers challenge ~Color Challenge Orange/Blue/Moss

It's been quite a week here. We've completely done over the bedroom, made some changes to our living room and my stamp room. This is the first time I've been able to sit down and stamp all week..

Brocade blue is a color I struggle with... but I have to tell you, I'm VERY happy with the way this turned out. This is going to make me play some more, I can tell!!

The photo doesn't show the pumpkin button in the right color for some reason, but it's an identical match to the paper behind the focal point.

I'm really loving this embossing folder, that will be available in the summer mini. I really love this color combination, one I would have never chosen on my own. I'm also looking forward to seeing what the other bloggers challenge members are up to this week. I can't wait to see the creations this week! Have a great weekend.

BK's in the HAOUUSE!

Okay.. If you know my husband (aka BK) this is SO him! He does have the cool Hawaiian garb that he sports when we're vacationing.. and he's an all around great guy.. When I saw this paper.. I couldn't help to put it with King of the Grill to make yet another BK inspired creation.

This week's bloggers challenge is a sketch challenge from our list mom Lisa! Gorgeous sketch! I had fun, and I'm headed away this weekend to watch the hubby bowl up in Burlington VT.

Have a wonderful weekend~

Bloggers challenge ~ Altered item

This was SO simple to do, I feel like I cheated! I've had this plain jar floating around my stamp room. I put all my ribbon scraps in it, then when I'm looking for a small piece, I go to the jar first! Well, I got my preorder for the summer mini catalog that will be coming out in about 3 weeks. Sitting in my preorder were these decor elements chalkboard labels.

Well you're in a craft studio... My ribbon jar shouldn't go undecorated, now should it? Now I just need to work on my "chalk" handwriting. :) I was thinking I could do wine bottles and jugs that end up at my house from my great customers who like a little vino while they stamp. When the wine is gone, i'll be able to reuse those containers and have them labeled appropriately. If I decide to turn this jar into something else, I'll just use my stampin mist to remove the word ribbon, and using {my daughters sidewalk chalk again} write something else on the jar! Way fun!

I'm so looking forward to see what the other bloggers challenge members are up to this morning. TGIF!

I'll be in the studio stampin this morning!
Rubbah hugs,
Selene~

Bloggers Challenge ~ Easter and my pink bunny

Happy Easter Everyone! After my team meeting this month. One of my girlfriends was asking me about fun things to do with glossy paper. I showed her this fun and cool polished stone technique.

I have a thing for making this traditional Chocolate bunny stamp PINK! She needs to be pink!

When we were done with the polished stone, I covered the entire piece with glassy glaze embossing powder, so I wouldn't need to heat set my silver metallic ink, which doesn't seem to show up as well in this photo.

I can't wait to see what my girlfriends from the bloggers challenge have come up with for this week. I hope you have a nice relaxing weekend with family and/or friends.

Rubbah hugs,

Selene Kempton~

Bloggers Challenge ~ Sketch challenge

This week our list mom, Lisa Somerville came up with a most BEAUTIFUL sketch challenge for the bloggers challenge group.

As you all know, I {heart} sketch challenges and THIS one is no different. In fact, I can see myself using this over and over again!

I used the big shot on the polka dot embossed layer. I used the scallop circle punch, and cut the "friend" stamp tight to the image with scissors. I added a touch of sparkle in the center of the flowers.. Although I could make the whole thing extra sparkly, sometimes, less IS more.

I can't wait to see what my friends are doing for bloggers challenge this week. Great Sketch Lisa!!

Bloggers Challenge ~ think Spring

Today's blogger's challenge theme is "think spring." When I think of spring... I think of some specific techniques. Usually crayon resist, reinker float and others.. This morning I decided to try a spring version of Josephs Coat. I think now, I could have used more flowers.. :) But it was a really fun technique to try.

I used a sneak peek set that will be available in the new catalog, awash with flowers. It's a gorgeous 18 stamp, two step set. Next month SU is running a promotion that you can get it free with a $350 workshop. Isn't that the coolest??

In a nutshell, Josephs coat is when you emboss (here I did it with three colors of craft ink and clear), then use a brayer to add a very dark color over the rest of your glossy cardstock. My white embossing looks a little purple from the black ink, but other than that, I like it. Any suggestions for me on how to fix the purple tone? Perhaps I could have used white embossing powder instead of clear.

It's a super fun technique and my finger are all inky. :) I have a workshop for my friend Diane tonight, and posts going up over on stamping 411, so it's going to be a busy bee day for me!

Happy Spring and Rubbah hugs,
Selene

Bloggers Challenge Birthday

Good Morning! I'm a little tardy this morning with my bloggers challenge. I'm feeling a little under the weather with a sinus infection... The doctor has me on TWO different antibiotics this time... Grrr... Anyway, I decided I really wanted to play along with bloggers challenge, even though I'm not 100%.

I made this pretty little card in about 10 minutes, and I like it. It's based on the stamping 411 sketch this week, although I changed it up, it's very clean and simple.

It's nice to have another birthday card in the arsenal, and I really needed a "wake up" card this morning. Have a great Friday!

Green Dreams

Before I get going this morning I just wanted to tell you that I'm so excited for my friend Robin! (another bloggers challenge member) She was interviewed by woman's day magazine to represent Stampin' Up! I can certainly see why they picked you girl! Isn't that off the hook?? Congratulations!! Here's the article.

I went out in my craft room with not much inspiration this morning. I'm still trying to get back into the swing of things. I ran across this green paper that used Grey and Sage shadow and thought... "I really love sage shadow".

I played with all sorts of stuff I haven't touched in a long time this morning! This stamp set, has been sitting on my shelf since the days of kiwi kiss. I also pulled out some of my shimmer paint and mixed sage shadow reinker with it, to add accents to my focal point. That's also embossed with black craft ink, and I used iridescent ice embossing powder. The picture doesn't do this one justice. It's really sparkly.

Well I'm off to go look at the other bloggers challenge group members blogs, to see what they have to astonish us with green. TGIF!

Rubbah hugs,
Selene Kempton

Bloggers Challenge ~ A bag or a box

Well ~ It's all my friend Tiffany's fault (love ya girl!). She got me started making the adorable big shot flowers with fabric and then I started eyeballing my Vera Bradley purses and I decided to try it out. Having never sewed before, I think I'm picking it up kind of quick. I guess inspiration and motivation can come from anywhere.

Some have asked me how to do it, and honestly, I'm just using the force, so I don't know what to tell you yet! :) I'm just playing and I'm liking that! I do seem to have an eye for cutting the fabric and making some adorable bags.

First my black and white beauty. This is the second official bag I made (the first one is in my last post). I love this black and white fabric. The more I play with different materials, the more I wish that stampin up would come out with Designer Series Fabric materials.. Prequilted and doublesided. yummy.. I'm drawn to these certain colors anyway, and it's funny how certain bags I want to send to certain people based on their taste. Maybe you'll get one??

It's so hard to see the detail on the front of this with the patterns. There are 3 pockets on the front and 3 inside. The ones on the front would be good for a cell phone. I also put my wristlet into the larger pocket and hook it through the large handle.

Bag #2 I made for a dear friend. I may dress it up a little before I send it to her. It's sort of cute plain... It fits SU's mini catalogs perfectly, and has 3 pockets inside.. Again, i'm thinking cell, snips and snail adhesive. This smaller bag is great with a long handle, and would be good for a day at the amusement park. You could wear it close to your body and not worry about getting pick pocketed. :) All 3 of these bags have magnetic closures sewn into the finish.
Finally, I made this bag yesterday. We've been house bound pretty much with the hubby on IV antibiotics at home for this crazy thing that came on all of a sudden last week. I'm not sure if you can tell by the photo... This bag is a scrappers dream. It has 6 pockets inside, and 3 outside. the pockets are sewn off, so they are a tiny bit shorter. this way, you wont end up with having items lost in the bottom of your bag. There are 3 more pockets on the front. It's sporting an extra long handle and is about 15" wide by 18" tall. It is the perfect bag for transporting 12x12 scrapbook pages. The colors of this bag SO remind me of another friend... Needless to say, I'm learning how to sew and I'm not too bad at it considering i've never had any training.. Guess it's all the same.. A haircut, a cutting paper and sticking it together and now, the same thing with fabric. I'm having fun with it.
I have to say, if you look at the bottom of this bag, I sewed a ledge all the way around, and it stands so nicely on it's own and doesnt flop over... This is my 5th bag, and I think i'm getting pretty good at it. I know this is sort of non stamping related, but i'm feeling a creative wave with sewing lately, so i'm just going to roll with it. When I saw the bloggers challenge asking for bags, I couldnt resist sharing this fun thing i've been doing for the past 2 months with you. I cant wait to see what the other bloggers challenge girls come up with for this project. i'm sure you wont be disappointed.

Bloggers Challenge ~ Valentine's day

I've been a bad blogger this week.. My little one has been under the weather so nothing else in the house is feeling right. I was happy to already have a bloggers challenge done, well sort of. I made these cute lolly pops using the sweet treat heart shaped cups and had planned to send them in to school with Alexis.

I was getting ready to sit down and do the project when I realized I had bought a package of 30 premade valentines from SU. I didn't want to drag Alexis out to the store to buy things to fill the boxes with, but I found a bag of lolly pops I had purchased at the dollar store a few weeks ago. I broke out the anywhere hole punch and punched a hole in the bottom of these pouches, ran a lolly pop through and attached them to the inside with dimensionals. Then I added a friendlys coupon for a free ice cream inside each one. Alexis wrote them all out herself (not bad for a preschooler).So even though I purchased the premade boxes and went for it, I thought a little bit "outside the box" by punching my hole and putting the lolly in. I do feel just a little bit that I took the easy way out, but is that so bad? TGIF! I cant wait to see what my girlfriends from the bloggers challenge group are up to this week. They never disappoint me with their creativity. :)

Bloggers Challenge ~ Red White and Black

I opted not to make my bloggers challenge card last night, mainly because when I look at this color set I think "valentines". I've made so many valentine cards lately, I'm getting a little burnt on the holiday. :)

This morning I rolled over, and noticed a picture that had been moved to my bedroom. A picture of my little one (at about 18 months) wearing the coolest little ladybug dress. So I went out to my stamp room on a mission to find lady bugs. Lo and behold, here lies garden whimsy. This has been on my shelf for quite sometime, and I can't tell you the last time I used it!

As I started to recreate the little dress I saw when I woke up, I stamped the sentiment "best friends listen to what you don't say" and started to think about my relationships. Not with people that live by me, but my stamper friends. Stampers are truly special people and I feel very lucky to have such beautiful (inside and out) friends.

This card is pretty straight forward, but I'm thinking it could use some crystal effects.. I also think I should be mailing this one off to someone (that's the part I always seem to forget because I'm a card hoarder).

I hope you have a great Friday, TGIF!! I cant wait to see what the other girls from bloggers challenge have come up with for this week.

Blogger's Challenge ~ Birthday

It was a crazy club week here, and although I should be breathing a sigh of relief (that one thing is done) I still have so much to do! Today I'll be stamping with handicapped adults in the AM, trying to get over to my friends who are in from out of town, and meeting with a customer tonight for invitations! (whew!)..

I had 30 ladies pop through for club this week (and I'm so excited about that). I did have two that forgot we were meeting.. and this morning's blogger's challenge card seemed like an impossible feat!

So ~ I took the leftover packet from the valentine card we made last night, and re-engineered it for bloggers challenge (in about 10 minutes). I can't wait to see what everyone else came up with today!

Bloggers Challenge ~ Die cut or punches

Good Morning! Today's blogger's challenge is to use a die cut or punch in your project.

I am IN LOVE with the new mini milk carton. I took this to a mini workshop (in and out in an hour) last night and the girls (who had never stamped before) were all intrigued by the big shot machine.

First ~ we cut the boxes and started to fold back and forth on all the lines. This is important so the box wont "round out" when you're trying to put it together. Before I got there I cut some strips of scrap paper and we used it to punch some shapes (the heart) is from the three heart punch, and the little flower came from that 3 flower punch.. (that sounded funny).. Anyway. we used tombo multipurpose adhesive to put them together.

The tag is also a punch! the teeny tiny punched shape, was very easy to stamp on both sides, looking through the clear block on my stamp! (so fun). and then I poked a hole in the top and used some linnen thread tied onto the tag. We used mini clips to keep the top closed and I just "captured" the linen thread with that.

Then, we filled them with about 7 hershey kisses. The size of this box is misleading by the photos. Standing up, this box holds about 3 mini reese's peanut butter cups, standing on top of one another. It is ever so cute.

I'm thinking it would be fun to make an old fashioned style holder for the containers. I still get my milk (from time to time) from the oldest working dairy farm in the US, shaw farm in Dracut MA. I have a wire carrier when I go and get my milk (in the glass bottles). I think this little milk carton needs some type of carrier... i'll be working on that this week! :)

To get a better idea of the size, here is a regular sized card, propped up behind the milk carton. Anyway, I am happy to share this quick and cute little project with you and hope you have time to stamp something fun today!

Rubbah hugs,
Selene Kempton

Bloggers Challenge, brown pink and white.

My husband and I visited with my daughter today. This week she is "star of the week" in preschool, and it's really a big deal for her. I had made a similar page with my scrapbookers this week, and I just decided to take this one to the next level.

I asked her for her "signature" and in true star form ~ she signed it like a diva and ran out of room. My hubby was a little upset thinking she wrecked the page, but I think it's perfect. I just know I'll love seeing that little handwriting sample some day. I quickly put a date on it.. isn't that what scrappin is all about?

I used a technique I explained to my club as "rose gold".

I have a 50th wedding anniversary party to attend Saturday night, and I'd like to do something vintage looking. I got to thinking how to make a color like the old fashioned rose gold.

So ~ I added two drops of regal rose reinker, to a whole big puddle of champagne (gold tone) shimmer paint. I mixed it with a paint brush and used a sponge dauber to apply the mixture to my stamp.. It was really fun! And so was today, with my little star...

Please check out what my friends from bloggers challenge will be doing with this fun color combo!

Bloggers challenge ~ a sketch card

I knew the second I saw this awesome sketch (by Lisa Somerville) that I wanted to make a card with a window. I didn't make it in time to post it yesterday morning (like I'm supposed to), but I didn't give up. After supper my little one got very tired and went to bed early, so I took advantage and went out in the stamp room to create this cool card.

I used two new sets from the occasions mini. I punched the hole in the card with the movers and shapers die from sizzix. Then ran a ribbon between the layers to stick my turtle to.

The new clear blocks, made placing my sentiment SO darn easy! I am in love with the clear mounted stamps. I'm not sure if the picture does this card justice ~ it's so darn cute.

Check out what my girlfriends are up to for this weeks sketch. Have a great rest of the weekend!

Bloggers Challenge ~ Celebrate!

Happy New Year Everyone!!

I'm a little late with bloggers challenge today, but better late than never! Today's challenge is celebrate. I made this quick card for a family party I'm headed to today. I needed two masculine birthday cards for my husband's uncle. We're going to have cake! woo hoo!

I always find masculine cards to be a challenge, but I'm pretty happy with this one. The design is pretty clean and simple, but the sponging adds so much!

Check out what my girlfriends from the bloggers challenge group are doing for the theme celebrate. I hope you had a great holiday season with yours.

Rubbah hugs,
Selene Kempton