2/19 Stampin Up, Guy Greetings, 40 Days of Kindness

Good Afternoon Friends,

Yesterday was Ash Wednesday.  I had been thinking about what I might give up for the 40 day's of lent season leading up to Easter.  I found an article online about a lady who did it all backwards last year.  Sounds kind of fun to me actually so I took a peek.  Here's a link if you're interested.  

The idea is simple, instead of giving something up, she suggested we should take something on.  And a lightbulb went off in my head.  Honestly, it's not unlike me to drop a card in the mail, or put a package out to a friend who might be struggling with something, but to do it every.single.day. for 40 days.  That is a challenge. 

The idea just came to me yesterday, and I had a dinner date with my family at our favorite sushi place, so I decided that our favorite waiter (the one we always get), was going to get this unused card with an envelope and a note with his tip.  That is my day 1.  I got a chuckle to see the look on his face.  He looked it over very carefully and his eyes lit up.  To understand that someone appreciates him.  It was simple but very cool.  It truly is the little things and I'm going to keep this going every single day.  Some days I may do just one thing, and others I may send two or three, but I will do it every day until Easter.  Hopefully, I'll be able to bless some folks around me and watch them, as they know how much I appreciate them and maybe, just maybe make the world around me a little easier or kinder. 

The card is one from my birthday stamp a stack last month.  My husband Brian actually helped me design this masculine card.  I wouldn't have made the same choices without him, but I love it!  He said "Guy's are simple ~ you cant keep adding stuff.. " and so we sat down and designed this beauty.  Here are some measurements if you need them. 

Base: Vanilla, 8 1/2 x 5 1/2", scored and folded in half at 4 1/4"
Layer 2: Basic Black 5 1/8" x 3 7/8"
Layer 3: Vanilla, 5 x 3 3/4
Layer 4: Newsprint 3 3/4 x 2 1/2"
Then just a few scraps for the layers on top.  I especially like the ribbon that isn't where the seam is, it's down a bit, like a belt on a pair of dress slacks.


Thanks so much for dropping by today and if you need it there is a shopping list at the bottom of this post that shows what I used.  Please make it a great day!

Love,

Selene Kempton
Stampin' Up! Creative Coach

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2/21 Stampin Up Masculine, You're How Old??

Good Evening Friends!

I made this fun card for my friend Steve's surprise 40th birthday party.  We went to his birthday party which was in Boston on a very snowy night. 

My hubby and I cashed in a free night's stay at a hotel while we were there and when we got there to check in, we were informed at the desk that we got a free upgrade and ended up in this super amazing room for the night! 

Although I don't think 40 is very old, Steve was sensitive about his age, so I thought I'd make him a quick and simple card.  Boy, I didn't know how appropriate it would be until we had to slush through the snow and ice to get to his party.  So, what do you think?  Do penguin's have knees?  I'm so silly... couldn't resist. 

What a super clean and simple card this is and it's great for a guy.. Especially one that's younger than you.  I'm only 40 too, but I've got Steve by a few months.  So, I'll go on being his "elder" for a little while longer. 

If you you would like to see more creative things, more quickly, come on over and check out my creative space on Facebook.  I'm always posting stuff over there, and my friends post there too!  Click here to request entry to the group (i'll approve you, promise).  

Thanks for stopping in tonight! I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Cheers,

Selene Kempton
Stampin' Up! Creative Coach
Thank you for your orders with me  Shop here anytime!

1/9 Just Thinking and Parkers' Pattern Designer Series Paper

Well, I'm off!  Today, I'm meeting my brother and we will be spending the day in Disney!  So I won't be on to make a blog post.  This one is scheduled. 

The colors on this card are marina mist, not quite navy and cherry cobbler.  Such a gorgeous masculine mix, wouldn't you say? 

Stamps: Just thinking single stamp 129940 $11.95
Ink: marina mist, not quite navy and cherry cobbler
Paper: Parkers Patterns Designer Paper, Very Vanilla, not quite navy, and marina mist!  :)

So excited to be heading to Florida!  By the time you're reading this, I'll already be there.  :)  Yea!

Rubbah hugs,
Selene Kempton
My Stampin' Up! Store

Clean and Simple Masculine

Good Morning Friends,

It's so hard to keep up with blogging on school vacation week.  In addition, I've been busy teaching my embossing with markers class to my local customers. It was an awesome week. 

I feel blessed to be able to work doing something I love and be here for my daughter.

This week's challenge from the paper players is to make a clean and simple masculine card.  Honestly, I struggle with both.  I like to embellish and add more and more.  If this card was for my hubby, he would probably say that I should "lose the ribbon." In his mind, anything extra is unnecessary and you need to keep it simple. 

The Clean and simple style is just that.  It's all about the design ~ less is more.

Last night, I put this card together in about 10 minutes.  I got the wood sheets from Stampin' Up's big shot line.They are really interesting to work with.  The back side of the wood sheets have an almost plastic like material on the back.  It makes them easy to cut.  The sheets are thin enough to cut with a paper cutter.

I inked my sentiment and tree in markers.  When stamping on the wood sheets, I noticed that the ink runs a little into the wood.  I really like that!  Next, I grabbed a blender pen and moved the ink on the tree around.  When I originally stamped the image the little holes in this tree showed up.  I like the ink all blended and happy.  :)  I also moved the ink around the root and dragged my blender pen from side to side to make some ground.  Very clean and simple and very masculine (except perhaps that bow).  A little self indulgence for my girlie self.  I love that denim ribbon too.  It's my favorite Stampin Up green ~ artichoke.  Stampin' Up!  is definitely an Old Olive company (meaning many of the accessories come out in old olive), but I dig artichoke.  This denim ribbon has it's own masculine feel to it.


Measurements:
Base: 8 1/2 x 5 1/2", scored and folded in half at 4 1/4", river rock Card Stock
Layer 2: 5 1/8" x 3 5/8" Artichoke Card Stock
Layer 3: Wood sheet 5 x 3 3/4"

Well, that's all for today!  I'm planning a little design time in the studio.

Saturday Sketch Challenge 192 ~ Masculine Plane and Simple

Good Evening Friends!

What a wonderful week it's been! It was club week here at the studio and I got to see all my stamp club members over the course of the week!

We meet in the AM and at night for 1 hour sessions that last all week long.. it's really a blast! If you're local and want to come try out club, just let me know! With 27 members currently, I have 3 available slots open!

It's that time! Time to be inspired by another sketch from stamping 411 and some Gorgeous samples from our design team! All the design team samples are so different from one another, yet all so gorgeous.. If you have time you should really check out what they are up to.. So ~ every week we have a "sketch" which is just a place setting of sorts for you to take what YOU have, and USE it! try a sketch challenge on for size and see what you come up with, then link back to the site. You'll be sure to hear from a few of the operators who cant wait to see your work!

I double dipped this week and used my card for one of the projects for club (love that). Here are my measurements and more details!

Base : vanilla 11 x 4 1/4" scored and folded in half at 5 1/2"
Layer 2: espresso 5 1/8 x 3 7/8"
Layer 3: Baja 5 x 3 3/4"
Layer 4: Espresso 3 1/8" square
Layer 5: Vanilla 3" square
Layers 6 and 7 were cut from scratch.. the paper banner is 1/2" thick..

Directions:

Step 1: On Layer 3 (baja layer) stamp the background stamp on your paper.

Step 2: Lay the design side down on your texture plate platform facing the texture plate and run through the big shot on tab one with the silicone rubber and impressions pad.. (see tab 1 for directions

Step 3: take a sanding block and sand the now textured layer, to make the design show up a little more (the sanding will make the raised layer look a little lighter.

Step 4: Using your punches, punch some random scallops into a scrap paper to make a mask, then sponge baja ink onto your top layer (with the plane) to make clouds.

Step 5: ink up and stamp the airplane towards the bottom of your 3" square layer.

Step 6: stamp your desired sentiment (there are 3 in the plane and simple set) on your 1/2" scrap layer. Cut a V in each end to make a paper banner.. You also can manipulate this layer with your fingers to make the cardstock bow like a banner.

Step 7: Stamp your compass on scrap vanilla paper and cut it out (leaving a small white border all the way around). I used a mat pack to poke a hole in the center of my compass, and put a vintage brad through.. Doesnt that brad look like a compass? I also used the cropadile to punch holes out of the top of the compass, rather than trying to cut them with scissors.

Step 8: attach all your layers with tombo multipurpose adhesive (in the green tube) and use a dimensional for your compass.

Step 9: Using a marker and spritzer tool.. Spritz your card so that the ink splatters across the card for the aged appearance.

Step 10: address and send to your favorite guy! :D

A really simple card together, but the final card is just so beautiful. So ~ what do you think? Would you like to make one?

I hope you have time to play along with the operators this week. TGIF!
Rubbah hugs,

Selene Kempton

Masculine Birthday

Good Morning Friends!

Here's another great, but simple birthday card for you! Have you checked out Stampin' Up's new card kits? They are fantastic. This happy birthday stamp comes from one of those kits. I took the design and kept it simple.

I'll be doing this at a workshop in a few weeks. A pretty cool and simple masculine birthday card! I used the new punch from the holiday mini twice.

I used the lattice embossing folder with the big shot on this. For the matte, I cut the second punch in half and moved it out to make the darker matte. Really simple, very masculine!

Happy Thursday!

Selene Kempton

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

Manly Cards

I saw an adorable card, over on Mary Fish's blog that showed a black satin ribbon tied in a tie like today's card. I have a masculine card class at my home tomorrow night, and I was inspired by Mary's cute card here.

I quickly realized that I do not know how to tie a man's tie.. So I googled it and found this awesome site. http://www.tie-a-tie.net.

Then, I was off and running. I think the number one rule for "guy" cards is to keep the embellishments to a minimum. My husband always says... what did you use that for??? it's too much!!! So ~ I take his advice when creating manly inspired cards..

So ~ What do you think about this? Do you think my class will like this one tomorrow night? If you would like to join us just pop me an email at e.selene@verizon.net.

Rubbah hugs and have a great Wednesday
Selene Kempton

Laid Back Sunday.

Whenever I design a card and I ask my husbands opinion, many times he will tell me that he thinks it's got too many elements or is too busy for his taste. I think that might be a guy thing. So when creating a masculine card, if I want him to like it (and maybe some other guys too) wouldn't it be wise to keep it super simple?

Here is a simple card I did with my club members last week. We used our brayer, baby wipes, and reinkers to make this wonderful background on glossy card stock.

First we wheeled on a background using versa mark ink and tied a ribbon around the card. We stamped the sentiment and main image in black stazon ink.

The background color of the sky is cameo coral and ruby red mixed reinkers.

This was a very simple and quick. Have a laid back Sunday!