9/1 Stampin' Up!, Trust God, Petal Cone Die Basket.

Good Morning Friends! 

I am away camping this weekend and my little one woke me up early with the "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse" blaring in HD.  Luckily the hubby is still asleep, so I'm taking the opportunity to share some more projects with you.  

Okay ~ so I got a few messages last night after announcing the stamping 411 extended leave and, no worries, I will still be posting to my personal blog.  The girls just need a break.  :)  I try and get a post up every day except Sunday.  (that's the day we're supposed to rest, right?) 

I have another cute project made with the petal cone die to show you this morning.  I showed this at the Providence RI regionals on Saturday.  This one was originally all over the internet a few years ago. This one goes together in minutes. 

I score 2" below the "line" on the petal cone cut out when it's all folded up, then just cut off everything 1" below that line and put two of them together.  It's so easy it should be illegal!  I used the ribbon border punch for the handle.  I embossed the sentiment right on the flap of the petal cone die with black embossing powder. 



My daughter Alexis will be making her 1st communion this year and I am probably going to make these as a favor at the family dinner after the communion.  I may change my mind a hundred times before then, but for now, this is it!  The supply list isn't too bad for it either, especially with the special this month!   Spend $40 in my online store and choose a free roll of the in-color stitched satin ribbon (shown below) during the month of September!  FREE is ALWAYS good!

Here's the shopping list for this project:

Stamps: Trust God Stamp Set in Wood Mount or Clear Mount
Ink: Versamark ink pad
Paper: Pink Pirouette Card Stock (one sheet per basket)
Accessories: Black Embossing Powder, Petal Cone Die for the big shot
Ribbon:   Raspberry Ripple Stitched Satin Ribbon (to tie on your basket) ~ Free with any $40 order in September in my Stampin' Up store. 

And by the way!  All customers who place an order with me will get a card in the mail as my thank you.  I very much appreciate you supporting this stay at home mom's small business and thank you for stopping by if you're a demo! 

Much love to you and have a wonderful weekend! 

Selene Kempton
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Saturday Sketch Challenge 271, and an Important announcement.

Good Evening Friends,

Tonight's stamping 411 post comes with an important announcement that I wrote this morning for stamping 411.  Here is a copy of it.  It really says it all:

For more than three years, the operators here at Stamping 411 have been bringing you weekly sketches, color challenges, inspiration, techniques, tips tricks and more.  I think if you look around the side bar of our blog you'll agree that we have built quite a resource over the years.

In the very beginning, I thought that we could support our customers and friends more effectively together by pooling our resources and efforts, than we could as individuals.  That spurred the idea for 411 or "information" without strings, without marketing.  That original idea has become that shared resource for you and your customers (and my customers) as a go to for an online creative space to play, learn, and share.

This journey has been filled with fond memories, team work. beautiful relationships, friendship and fun.  Of course, like any journey, we hit our bumps in the road and grew as artists and individuals, always moving forward. 

Today, I'm happy to announce that we have decided to take a break.  You might ask why I am happy.  Many (not all) of the operators have had some personal challenges recently that have added so much stress to their lives. Some are having family members who are sick.  Others have has a huge shift in the time that they have to devote to 411.  As a result, it has become something that they have to do instead of the joy and "value add" in which it was intended.  I LOVE seeing people play along and I learn from you.  I really try to make the time to see what you've been up to and take the time to leave you a message that "I was there".  For some of you, I've watched you grow and develop the way that our blog has through the years.  We've grown together!  So tonight, I bid you a fond farewell.  Please don't think of it as a goodbye forever.  We ~ the operators ~ will give ourselves a little break, then re-evaluate.  We plan to leave the resource here for anyone to use and when we are ready come back, perhaps it will be in a different way.  We are taking an extended leave effective this week.  I'll still be by to leave you a comment.  Much love to you from all of your operators and from me.

Selene Kempton

If you want to leave some love for the operators at any time, here are links to their blogs.

Selene Kempton (me)
Patti Chesky
Gretchen Barron
Lee Conrey
Tammy Fite
Vicki Burdick

On to tonight's card and sketch challenge.  

I had a ball with the sketch this week and since this is a "so long for now" week, I made a dedicated to the operators of stamping 411.  Not just one person, every single operator since our inception.  

I wish them all joy and happiness, and just KNOW we will be back as a team doing something special together in the future.  I love each of them and have enjoyed this journey so much.  

So, I wish them all to achieve their dreams.  More than that I wish them the courage to reach for them. This card is made totally with gold card stock, vanilla, and soft suede ink.  The soft suede ink doesn't dry very quickly on the gold card stock, so I embossed it to set and sponged this card like crazy.

I added a gold marker from the mini catalog to the pearls, which I let dry, then added to my butterflies.  I had to put my finger on the main picture to hold the flap down, but it's cool to use edgelits to make a decorative border across the bottom of the card. 

 

Here's a closer view of the sentiment.

This is truly a work of heART and was made with my BFF's in mind.  I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!  :)

Love,

Selene

8/31 Stampin' Up! Watering Can, Sweet Essentials and Papillion Potpourri

Good Morning Friends!  

I haven't completed a tutorial for this gorgeous project yet.  I will work on that when I have some time, but here's another project I shared at the Providence RI regional seminar showing things you can make with the petal cone die.    The person in the background is my muse friend Diane.  I ALWAYS craft better, faster and with more creativity, when I have someone here to laugh with me.  :) 

The original idea that you could make a watering can from a petal cone die came from my friend Colleen Reddy.  She's in my down line and is a busy mom, coach and more.  She told me I needed to make one and perfect it so she could have the pattern.  :)   Love her! 

For now, I'm going to describe it and show you multiple views,  many of you crafty folks won't need step by steps. 

So I cut two petal cone dies, folded them and cut the tip off.  I probably cut about 1 1/2" to 2" off at the tip of the pouch.  When you open them up, you need two to stick together.  Ok, I already said that.. LOL  

On the back of the can, I used one of the strips that came out of the die when I cut the original two petal cones.  It looks like a banner.  I just creased it with my fingers, punched a hole and put a vintage brad through.  On the bottom, i did the same thing.  Pinch with your fingers to make a crease, then cut the excess across the bottom.  

I dont have a picture of the bottom, but I suggest cutting two pieces of heavy cardstock in a coordinating color to 2 5/8" square.  I used tombo multipurpose adhesive, liquid glue to assemble the whole project, and I stuck a full square on the inside of the can and then again on the outside at the bottom where the flaps go in.  I hope that makes sense.  It really makes the can more solid. 

 The butterflies are stamped on peuce (my loving nickname for ) Summer Starfruit card stock with more mustard ink and sponged.  I attached the butterflies with a glue dot in the center, and then added pearls that I painted with the gold marker from the mini.  You do need a few seconds for the paint to dry, but it comes out so vintage beautiful!

This picture gives a great view of the whole project.  I used more mustard ink on more mustard paper and cut an extra banner from the petal cone die to make my "FRIENDS" banner.  This is also a good view of the top of the water spout.  which is a punch from the new 1 1/4" scalloped circle punch from the holiday catalog.

So for the photo below, to get the circle to "stick" properly to the end of the tube, I stuffed a bunch of dimensionals in the tube and sanded it until I had a tube with a flat end, then I used the tombo liquid glue to attach the top. I love the "green tube" glue!

Here's the view of the spout.  I got this technique from my friend Regina Maginnis.  I cut into the scalloped circle all the way around, just a little bit.  I sponged the edges.  Then rounded them in with my bone folder.  I used a summer starfruit dahlia for the inside of the spout and spruced that up with my gold pen to add that vintage gold feel to it.

To make the spout I cut a 3" square piece of paper and rolled it around a pencil to make the shape.  When I got it small enough I used sticky strip to make the "roll".  Next, I used the back of my scissors to pierce a hole through my little petal cone base.  The punches wont fit in there.  I punched another 1 1/4" circle, and used my 1/2" circle punch to punch a few holes until my cylinder would fit through the hole to cover the hole I made with my snips.  I cut the excess of the circle off at the bottom of the watering can.  I also added a strip of sticky strip at the base of the can, so when my cylinder went through my hole, it would have something to stick to inside to make it solid.

I really should try and do directions for it.  It was a labor of love.  First, I need to make another one.  I gave all my projects to Stampin' Up for display at the end of the regionals.  Except for two projects.  One I kept, and this watering can, I gave to a dear friend, Pam.

I am pretty sure this is going to be a hostess gift for all my September and October private class/workshops.  I love making them and they are so pretty when they are finished.  :)  Anyone want to book a private class to make this one? :)

Have a wonderful, restful weekend and hold your loved ones close!
Rubbah hugs,

Selene Kempton

8/30 Stampin' Up! Ghoulish Googlies Designer Kit and Coffin Pouch from the Petal Cone Die, FREE TUTORIAL

Good Afternoon Friends!

I've been wanting to share this cute little coffin project for WEEKS!  However, when Stampin' Up called and asked me to present in Providence, I saved this project for them!

Well, I've finally got my act together here (and the internet back) and I'm ready to show you how to make this STINKIN' CUTE pocket with the coffin die. 

So, if you follow my blog, hopefully you'll remember this project from a week or two ago.  I took the very cool Ghoulish Googlies favor bag kit and made these cute bags at my friend Diane's workshop.

Well, because the kit has 10 bags, and 20 tags that you can stamp and decorate, I decided I needed another project to use up my supplies.  Form sometimes follows function.  :)  If you missed that post you can read about how I made the bag at this link.

The coffin is SUPER simple when you use the petal cone die
and make 4 simple cuts.  Here's how you make the coffin.


1.  Start by cutting out a petal cone die.  I used a half a piece of black card stock cut to 8 1/2" x 5 1/2"

 2. Fold up the pouch and place the line that is made by the die on the 3 1/4" mark on your paper cutter.  I like using my stampin up tabletop paper cutter Page 180, item number 106959  because it will go through 3 layers at a time without a problem and with the folds, there are 3 layers here.

3. Flip the die cut piece over & again using that same line, measure at 1  1/4" and cut the top off.  

 

4. So, this is what the piece looks like at this point.  

 

5. Now cut the corners on the 1 1/4" side, to make the coffin shape like this. 

6. Add sticky strip

7.  A little more sticky strip along the flap. I know it is in the pictures, but pull the bottom piece first!

8. Here is what the finished pouch base looks like. 

 9. then decorate the pouch and fill it with something fun.  I made additional samples that I showed at the regionals, including a mummy!  But, the samples went home with Stampin' Up!  and I forgot to snap a photo.  (I know, Boo)... but what can YOU do with a coffin pouch?    

Most of all, I love that I used every shred of material that came in the $8 Ghoulish Goolies kit and I was able to do two projects for 10 people at a private class with a small amount of materials.  LOVE THAT!

Thanks so much for stopping by today, and if you like my projects, please leave me a comment and say hi!  (((hugs to you)))

Selene Kempton

8/29 Stampin' Up! Monster Munchies and Illuminate Ink Pad

Good Afternoon Friends!

I'm still catching up, recovering from having no internet connection for two days.  I guess I didn't realize just how much I work!  :)

Today I have another project that I shared with my fellow demonstrators at the Providence RI Regional Seminar.   I didn't hear a THING from the stage, but my friends at the table said that the whole crowd **gasped** then **ooohed** when I took the illuminate pad and smooshed it right on top of the spider web embossed black card stock on this card.  Just smack it down on the card stock and rub it on, direct to paper.

This card went together so quickly!  I love how the panel going across looks like a pumpkin.  I attached a 2" strip of designer paper to a 2 1/2" tangerine tango piece of cardstock, then cut it with the largest piece of the apothicary accents framelits.

I stamped the "happy BOO from me to you" with the new illuminate watermark as well and just cut that with a framlit (from the same pack) too!  I added a really thick coating of the silver dazzling details.  Finally I tied it up with some of the new scalloped tulle ribbon.  This stuff is the BEST!  you just have to be able to tie your shoes and fluff and you get a perfect bow every time! 

I hope you're having a great day today!

Shopping List:
Stamps:  Monster Munchies Stamp Set (wood mount or clear mount)
Ink: Illuminate Glimmer Watermark Stampin' Pad
Paper: Howlstooth & Scaringbone DSP, very vanilla, basic black, tangerine tango
Accessories: Crumb Cake 3-1/2" Scalloped Tulle Ribbon, Apothecary Accents Framelits Dies

Thank you for stopping by.

Selene Kempton

8/28 Stampin' Up! 2 for 1 post! Ghoolish Goolies Kit, Other Uses

 Good Afternoon Friends!

Today I'm showing a few follow up projects from my presentation at the Providence RI Stampin' Up Regional Seminar.  I have been without an internet connection and I'm sitting in a restaurant writing this post!  So today I'm going to share two projects that are both made with the goolish goolies kit that is intended for Halloween. 

So ~ let's say you're like me and you buy way too many kits, OR you purchase a kit and find it on November 1st, the day after Halloween passes.  Yes, I'm good for purchasing Christmas gifts and finding them the following July.  There are still so many cool uses for this kit!

In this example I embossed the bottom of the bag and used the direct to paper technique to smoosh the ink onto the bag.  I also stamped the truck from the "i dig you stamp set"??  I'm going by memory here, so I hope I'm correct!  LOL  Anyway, I took the back of one of the tags and punched it out with a heart punch.  then stamped the I dig you and added some glimmer paper (of course)  I think i just need to add this to every project from here on out, what do you think?  :)

So here is the kit. You get so much in this kit.

• 20 printed double sided tags 10 of each in two designs
• 10 galssine bags with die-cut edges: each 3x5" x 1 1/2"
• 50 adhesive-backed googly eyes (ea. 5 mm)
• 10 pieces Pumpkin Pie/Whisper White Baker's Twine, ea. 8" (color exclusive to this kit). 

Colors are Basic Black, Lucky Limeade, Pumpkin Pie, and Whisper White.
I forgot to take a picture of the other project I did with this kit.  It was a really cute christmas card.  I used a christmas tree framelit and cut a tree out of the black and green pattern.

Finally, here's another idea.  You can quickly turn these bags into treats for Christmas.  In both of these examples I cut a piece of paper to insert into the  back of the bag just a little smaller than the inside of the bag, measuring about 4 3/4" x 2 7/8".

So, please say a little prayer I get my internet back soon and I'll keep the projects coming.  I have a bunch of things to share, including a cute coffin box made from the petal cone die.  Happy First day back to school!

Rubbah hugs,

Selene Kempton
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8/25 Stampin' Up! I AM (blessed)

Here's one reason why I'm blessed.  Yes I am!  I'm off to the Providence Rhode Island today for the Regional Seminar!  I'll be presenting a workshop wow today.  I certainly hope I get a "wow" in the crowd.  This is my fabulous team and the page we made at the team meeting this week.  First, we had a healthy dinner while enjoying a slide show with the "visual notes" from our trip to convention.

My hubby helped by cooking and he snapped this great photo of some of my team!  We printed the pictures and each member left with the page.  A few of the girls said they are going to frame the page to bring to workshops!  

Selene Kempton
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