Mojo Monday

Good Morning Friends!

I'm just playing along with this morning's mojo Monday Sketch challenge.

Measurements for this project:

Base: 11 x 4 1/4", scored and folded in half at 5 1/2"
layer 2: 5 1/8 x 3 3/8" baja
Layer 3: 5 x 3 3/4" white (this layer went through the big shot
Layer 4: 4 7/8 x 3 1/4 (greenhouse Gala Designer paper)
Layer 5: baja 3 x 3 1/4"
Layer 6: white 2 7/8 x 3 1/8"

The ribbon is daffodil delight taffeta ribbon. I used the self adhesive "jewels" from stampin up for the bling accents.

I stamped the image with multiple marker colors.

I hope you have a wonderful week!

Rubbah hugs,
Selene Kempton

Stamp Out Breast Cancer Event

This was the first week of school for my 5 year old daughter. During our morning routine Friday morning she said "mommy, if we can get rid of the cancer more people will be around, right?" I said, "that's it Alexis, you've got it".

She's seen mom working on this event for quite some time and now I feel like I can finally roll it out to all of you.

Imagine a world with more birthdays, a cure... That moment with my daughter is my personal "why" moment. It's not just for you and I, but for all the generations to follow. Those who have passed and watched our loved ones slip away. For my mom's friend Barbara G. who left behind a very large and loving family. For my friend Amy, who I went to high school with and countless customers and friends. For my girlfriend Christine, who lost her mom to breast cancer at a very young age. Please join me and my girlfriends for the first annual Stamp Out Breast Cancer Event Fundraiser, in conjunction with the American Cancer Society's Making Strides Walk.

World Card Making Day seemed like the perfect time to have an event to benefit cancer! So here are some more details. The day before the walk on October 2nd, a team of 12 demonstrators from across Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire are gathering to provide a set of 5 cards for $20. All the supplies for the event are being donated by the demonstrators. 100% of your $20 donation will be going directly to making strides. In fact, part of the registration process is to make your donation direct to making strides on our team site (to our team member "event registration").

If you are unable to attend the event, but would like to purchase the directions to make the 5 projects shown above (designed by convention display stamper and just a super talented lady, Kerin Sylvester), you can donate $20 to the "stamping team" team member on our making strides site and you will have the directions emailed to you.

For more details about the event, or to make a donation of any amount (which will certainly help a whole lot!) check out the flier here.

I hope to see you at the event on October 2nd.

Here is a quick picture of the planning meeting for our big event! This is just a few of the demonstrators involved in making it all happen. I hope to have more pictures for you as time goes on. This event has been in the planning stages for many months and we are very excited to present a stamping opportunity for all, that will help raise money for a cure.
We hope you will join us on Saturday October 2nd in Burlington for Stamp Out Breast Cancer as well as on Sunday October 3rd at the Hatch Shell in Boston for the 17th annual Making Strides walk, if you are interested. If you are planning to walk on the 3rd feel free to join our team!

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer is more than just the name of a walk; it describes the progress we're making together in the fight against breast cancer. Nothing can describe the hope that is inspired by walking with others who share a passion for ending this disease. Because nearly everyone has been touched by breast cancer in some way, hope for a world with less breast cancer and more birthdays starts with us. We've decided to show our support and make a difference by stamping as a team in the American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer event.

Saving lives from breast cancer starts one team, one walker, one stamper and one dollar at a time. Join us, and together we will create a world with less breast cancer and more birthday celebrations.

Click here for more information.

Rubbah hugs,

Selene Kempton

Good Evening Friends!

I've been in a bit of a slump with my mojo and have been struggling coming up with projects that I really like.

I've been putting a LOT of work into a breast cancer fundraiser, and I hope to roll out more details this weekend. My brain is full so pardon me if I sound silly at anytime!

Well, I really do like this little penguin dude.. :D

I stamped him on whisper white and punched him out with the brand new punch from the mini. I sponged the outside with blushing bride and colored his scarf with real red. Next I cut his hands out from the cardstock, so that when I added the happy birthday banner. Oh so stinkin cute!

Here are the measurements I used.

Base: 8 1/2" x 5 1/2", scored and folded at 4 1/4"
Layer 2: 4 x 5 1/4", real red
Layer 3: 3 3/4" square Designer paper from the new mini!!
Then the shapes on top were just punched, and I ran a ribbon across.

Easy peasy! Got to love that!

I hope you'll join us over on stamping 411, make and post a card so I can go leave you a comment! Have a great night!
Selene Kempton

Saturday Sketch Challenge 167

Good Evening Friends!

It's time for another sketch from the stamping 411 operators! I have to say, this week I struggled with my own sketch.. :D It certainly happens.. I emailed a few of the operators, got some opinions, set the card aside for a few hours then came back and reworked it. I'm MUCH happier with the result.

I started with a piece of the new fabric and cut it based on the sketch. I attached it to my card with sticky strip (sticky red tape).

After last weeks post many of my friends and customers asked me about the pleated ribbon technique. In particular, Betsy asked me how this technique works so I'll do a quick tutorial here on how I do the pleated ribbon. I first saw this technique on my girlfriend Tiffany's blog. She saw a project on Kimberly VanDiepen's blog. The original project was done with paper and punched with the eyelet border punch, then pleated. Tiffany made this card with her inspiration. So you can see tiffany's paper pleating here and then her first neatly pleated card from back in March. After seeing Tiffany's post, it took some time to sink in, but I was inspired to make a card for mojo Monday that used three different pleated ribbons, and you can see that card by clicking here... Back then, I used snail adhesive to put my pleated ribbons together, but snail doesn't hold as well as the alternative, sticky strip for pleating my ribbon, so I decided it was time to show you how I do it now.

LOL Did you get all that?? It's really fun to see how an idea evolves. Now this technique is all over the internet and everyone is pleating their ribbon. Everyone is different and we all have different ways of doing the same thing. Here's how I do it....

Add a piece of sticky strip to where you want your ribbon to stick. If the ribbon is going to go to the end of the layer, I like to wrap the sticky strip around the back, like I did with the past two stamping 411 cards I've created (below).. (click the stamping 411 label on the right to see the list of cards below this post). So stick the sticky strip down on your card well, then peel back the red backing to expose the super sticky layer.

Now I know you cant really see the sticky strip, but it's under there. Start by sticking a ribbon to the end of your card.. I love using the new seam binding from Stampin up because the ribbon is so thin it's VERY easy to manipulate.
Then using your thumb, pleat your ribbon. mine is certainly not as neat as Tiffany's first perfectly pleated card, but I like to just bring my ribbon to the top and bottom making a fun, ornate, imperfect shape with my ribbon.
Here's what it looks like when it's completely done. Again, if you want to have your ribbon go across an entire layer, continue your sticky strip to the back of the layer, and flatten it out in the back so it doesnt get too bulky.
My card this week was certainly a labor of love. You cant see it from the card above, but that music paper is at the bottom of the eyelet border punch and the music is peeking out from underneath that layer. I find the vintage look beautiful, but I really do struggle to make it come together sometimes.. I gravitate towards the clean and simple, but it was fun to get my fingers dirty and play.

So what else did I do to this card... Well, after I cute the fabric and ribbon I pulled at the edges to fray and make it look a little aged. I sponged some vanilla craft ink out on the edges and added some pretty self adhesive pearls.

I stamped the girl from greeting card kids in stazon ink, and water colored the image with markers. When I was done, I finished it off with smooch accent ink, shiny, sparkly top coat and carried the red ever so slightly through the scarf and the trip on the coat and hat. It's actually very sparkly in real life. The ground also has sparkles which makes the ground look frosty. In any case.. I had fun...

Have a great holiday weekend! Next week my daughter will be going to kindergarten, so I'll be posting a little more frequently. I'm going to enjoy the last few moments of summer this weekend. Give someone you love an extra hug this week!

Rubbah hugs,
Selene Kempton

Cards And Things Challenge ~ color

Some Guest Artist I am!!

This morning when I realized that I had completely dropped the ball for the cards and things challenge I sprung out of bed (grabbed the nearest coffee) and instantly went out to my craft room.. I have to go to the other side of the garage to turn on the lights to the room.. I remembered that the challenge was red, wasabi and crumb cake... I looked out the window, and look what I saw! Gasp!! The first signs of fall..

Instantly, I thought "where did the summer go." My little one will only be five years old once, and I feel like I worked a little too much this summer. :( The changing of the leaves also signifies the season change and although I'm not a big fan of winter, I feel the change coming.

Many people make resolutions at new years, but I think it's time for me to make one to search for a better balance. To take a tiny amount of time for myself in the big hurricane that life seems to throw at all of us! I have a crazy week and a bunch of busy stampers coming at 6pm. Speaking of hurricanes, it looks like one hit my stamp room so I better move on! :)

In the middle of all of that, here is my clean and simple santa card using all of those thought and feeling and elements. I'm looking to simplify life, and it's funny how what I'm feeling comes out in my artwork... I LOVE how the eyelet border punch is sitting on top of that gorgeous satin ribbon! It shines through perfectly!!!


There's a few things about this card that you may not see in the first photo, so I have a few smaller shots here... First... Santa is sparkly! Now, he is not as sparkly in real life as I'm showing here, but this is the pearlized smooch top coat. His belt is sporting the silver version of the same thing...

Since I brought in a silver accent and always have to coordinate. :) I also added a silver accent to my bow. First, I slid my silver cord (which is on the SU clearance rack for $2.99 today) under the red strip of ribbon I had going across.


Instead of tying a bow, I just flopped the ribbon over onto itself to make a "faux bow". Then I slipped a button over the silver stretchy cord. I slipped my faux bow through the hole behind the button, then tied it. So simple, and so pretty!


I really love this effect. I have several club members after seeing this technique that say they will NEVER tie another bow! :) It does make a very pretty presentation. Well, Santa is done, and I have packets to stuff and a stamp room to clean (for starters). I hope you're all having a wonderful week. I'll try to keep it together when I send my sweet girl off to kindergarten next Tuesday... Mom needs a pedicure really bad, so perhaps that'll be the day!

Mojo Monday Baby

Good Morning Friends!

When I saw this mornings sketch from mojo monday, I was thinking of my girlfriend. She just found out that she's pregnant and she's been feeling quite ill. It's a secret still and no one is supposed to know she's pregnant, but I really want to drop her a quick card and let her know I'm thinking about her.

There's quite a few layers this week. :D I think it's a cute card and will mail it off later today.

I hope you all have a wonderful week!

Selene~

Saturday Sketch Challenge 166

Good Evening Stampers!

I'm so happy with this week's sketch on Stamping 411! I used the sketch to create a card for my newest downline Michelle, who had her first Stampin' Up! workshop this past Tuesday.

I just wanted to welcome her to the the team and let her know that I was thinking about her.

I started with the neutrals designer series paper, and took the polka dot pattern in craft. I cut an oval from my big shot and used the lattice embossing folder, knowing that I wanted to use an apple pie image for my welcome card. I used the "VERY FUN TO WORK WITH" new seam binding that is in the holiday mini. I added some sticky strip to my card and just worked the ribbon on. I used the largest scallop circle punch on either side of my oval, and my scallop edge punch for the layer beneath that.

Then I went a little crazy with the self adhesive pearls, but why not!?! :D

This Clean and simple card was a blast to make and I hope Michelle loves it!

If you have time this week, please play along with me and the other operators from stamping 411.. There are sketch challenges, and color challenges... weekly how to's and more! I hope you have time to visit!