Spooky Spider ~ New Decor Elements Preview

When I was away for convention, I visted the home office and they had many examples of what we can expect for phase 2 of the home decor line of products. They even let us order one of our own!

This took all of two seconds to put on the jar. In fact, finding a jar large enough was the toughest part. I ended up finding it in target.


I was thinking that I need a peice of designer series paper to sit on the inside of the jar, before I put my candy in. It's not THAT spooky with all the candy inside. :)

A surprise for me

Tuesday was pretty cool for me. My good friend Deb came by with a bouquet of sunflowers for me! I was SO surprized and delighted!

We were chuckling... if you scroll down, the card we did from the inspired by nature set, seemed to match!

Deb is going through a tough time herself these days, and the fact that she would take the time out of her busy life to get something nice for me just chokes me up. They really mean a lot to me. I'm counting my blessings today. Through stamping, I have met SO MANY wonderful friends. Happy Sunday.

Campground Scrapbook Fun

This is the scrapbook page that we made this morning at "crafts with Selene" at the campground at the north woodstock KOA campground.

Boy, we had fun! There was a gazillion kids and it was mass chaos at one point, but what can you do?? Miss Alexis had a blast!

This uses some of SU!'s new designer series paper. To keep the page simple, we didnt color the smore. I think later on I'll build this page into a 12 x 12. Too Cute!

Happy Labor Day!

Does the skeeter spray work?

We're camping this weekend and the last time we were there, I made some of my twice baked tiles for the campground owner. Needless to say, she loved em, but i did it with the old retired set the pines.

She asked me to do tiles with the kids this weekend and this is what i came up with.

I purchased the tile at lowes. I also got cork roll adhesive backed contact paper and cut it to 3 1/2" (from home depot).

Stamp the images in stazon ink, and use a waterbrush and craft ink to paint the image! Too cute!

My sister in law also asked me to make some tiles for something she's in, I'm just going to post all the photos. Because it's a surprize, let's just say I made a donation to a good cause. Besides, I had fun!

Open Stamp Night ~ JoAnne's Creations

I just love open stamp night! This is the night when my customers, friends, really anyone who has stampin up product, can come to my place and hang out and use what they've purchased. The night before a holiday weekend, is probably not the best time to have an open stamp night. Tonight it was just me and one friend, JoAnne. She made these two TOTALLY FAB cards and I just wanted to share!


First this blue little snow dude is so totally cool! He's sporting crystal effect buttons, with our light blue glitter. We realized tonight that the light blue glitter matches the new pacific blue perfectly. Although it's hard to tell in the photo, she cut out a snowman, and popped him up with some dimensionals. the line of glitter underneath the main element of the card, is some sticky strip. Easy peasy and oh so Cute!


From the same set she took this christmas tree and inked it up with mello moss and stamped it. Then, she took a brad from a pretties kit and opened it up to get just the jewel to fall out. She applied that with a glue dot and colored the gem with a sharpie.

She tied two coordinating ribbons together and added them to the card with a glue dot.

So ~ don't you think she should sign up to be a demo with cards like these?

Really Cool Stationary Set Class

While I was at convention, I received the most adorable box from Glenda Travelstead in a swap. I asked where she found such an awesome project and she gave me Jackie Topa's awesome tutorial.

I took her idea and went a bit further with it using a simply scrappin kit and I plan on having a class for it. I made this while I was away camping over the weekend. The hubby and daugher go to sleep and mom makes AMAZING creations while they slumber.

Many of my customers are not used to cutting and scoring their own projects. I admit, I do it for them! So this will be an advanced class where they will learn some cutting and scoring on their own.

Here is a photo of all the elements in the kit which will include,

• 5 cards with envelopes
• 4 love notes with envelopes
• 4 gift enclosure cards, with sizzix envelopes
• a post it note holder
• a pocket with 5 stamps
• a decorated pen

Spritzed Watercolor

I was buzzing around on line and visited Andrea Waliford's blog. I saw a tutorial on watercolored images using markers and a water bottle. Then ~ we went camping. I saw these flowers EVERYWHERE on my way home. I thought it would be kind of cool to take a photograph and try and get the colors on a card using the technique I saw on Andrea's blog.

Now ~ I am not typically an earth elements girl, but I pulled out my "garden green" and "more mustard", this became the base of my card. I used Chocolate chip and summer sun for the base of my flower using markers, and spritzed it with water like shown in her tutorial. Then I added some pumpkin pie and more mustard to my stamp case and picked it up with a water brush. I added streaks of color, like made on the flowers on the side of the highway by nature.

I'm pretty happy with my card. Although I could have stopped there. The flowers looked so pretty, i added a strip of ribbon. I'll be using this for one of the projects for the marker club tonight. Maybe I should have used going grey as the base to get the highway feel? LOL I'm happy with this one.

I can say, I almost NEVER use these colors! I like the softness that the spritz of water adds to using markers directly on the stamp.

Have you conditioned your stamps today? Take a peek at Brian's card from the open house below to hear about something new I've discovered about new stamps! I conditioned these too, to get a nice even tone when I stamp.

Sad News

I got news tonight that a close friend of the family, and avid stampin' up! fan, lost a 2 month old grandbaby overnight last night. I can't imagine... Instantly, I felt the need to go and stamp a card for her.

I started with a card that I made this afternoon for my marker club, and changed it up slightly. I had just made the same card about an hour before hearing the news ~ it was a birthday card, and it seemed perfect with the barely banana base color.

We just got home from a long weekend of camping. Looking at the sunkissed trees, I was thinking that adding color to trees by dotting markers, would be a way to add interest to a focal point of a card. For this slightly different version ~ a sympathy card, I decided to take a waterbrush to it, as if the water would somehow blur the picture like teary eyes.

After looking at it for a while I realized that this card is VERY baby in colors and layout and I think fits what I'm looking to send. Simple and sweet. If you think to say some prayers for my good friend Val, her family, & the innocent little one, I'm sure she would appreciate it. It really makes me hug my daughter a little tighter today.

Brian's card from the open house

For those of you who missed my open house last weekend, my wonderful husband Brian was my helper! He taught this awesome Christmas card, which has a masculine flair to it.

I SO should have gotten a photo of him demonstrating this card, but I didn't want to push my luck.

The response was AMAZING!! Who knew?? Most of the ladies who sat with "B" told me that they're not coming back unless he's here to demonstrate!

So, back to reality here... The base of this card is Ruby Red, the second layer is one of the pretty new in-color blue's that matches the Christmas Designer series paper on top. We used old olive ribbon and some glitter. It's really hard to see the glitter in the photo. This card is so much prettier in real life. We used a two way glue pen to apply glitter to the word "merry" and we traced the outline of the tree with it, and applied it all at the same time.

I learned something new this week! In the past, I did not know about "conditioning my stamps." When I got this new stamp set, I pulled it out of the package and stamped an image, but some of the image didn't come through clearly. I "conditioned" my stamp by taking a sanding block to the top and filing it in one direction, then turn the sanding block 90 degrees and sanded a little bit more.

Most people cringe when I say that I tried this, but a gentle sanding is NOT going to hurt your stamps. Just do it gently. Apparently, when the stamps are manufactured, there is a slight film across the stamp that sometimes can make your image not stamp properly until your stamp is "conditioned." I can post some before and after photos if you want. It's a remarkable difference!

Go Figure!!!

Birthday In A Box

I got the MOST adorable swap at convention. It's called birthday in a box. Inside the little box is a cupcake, a candle, and a pack of matches.

How cute is that??

Well in the box below the "birthday box" I purchased one of the cute camera bag's for my sister in law Amy for her birthday. It matches the Maine Blueberry DSP, and now, the box matches the gift!!

I love simple additions that make a project look so cute, so i added a few beads with crystal effects. Here's a closer look. It's the little things that make life sweet.

Need an opinion

Is a sparkly blue "c" good for a little boy album? I say YES!!!

I had a girlfriend pop in with her decor element and she REALLY wanted to put the decor element on her album like I did in the previous tutorial. I just added craft ink with a dauber, I used heat and stick, a paintbrush, and then chunky glitter.

What do you think??

Winner!

Were you a winner at this weekend's open house?

You Could BE! Here is the prize roll!

Punch ~ Large Star = JoAnne

For a friend Stamp set =Rebecca

For a friend stamp set = Deb T.

Level 3 hostess set Time well spent = Brenda

Level 3 hostess set Older and Wiser = Dawn

Spring Solitude Stamp set = Carla

infinite Goodness Stamp set = Gina

Thanks Ton's stamp set = Caroline W.

Thanks Tons stamp set = Christine M

Love and Happiness Rubons = JoAnne C.

Love and Happiness Rubons = Becky C.

Love and Happiness Rubons = Michelle J.

Cause for Celebration Stamp set = Christine

Hodgepodge Hardware Pewter = Christine M.

Hodgepodge Hardware Pewter = Judy M.

inspiration can come from anywhere

In this case inspiration for my scrapbook club, came from this adorable decorative bag we made at convention. I love this new stamp set, inspired by nature. It's so easy to make something that looks so impressive!

Once my "friends" pages were made, it wasnt hard to find photos to pop in! I just used photos of my friends and I at convention!

The first page is my girlfriends from UDI, or Utah Diva's International. This year, my friend Max rented a house for us all to stay at and it saved us quite a bit of money to go to convention. This is most of my friends on the stairs at the convention center. (Sorry, Carol and a few others were gone shopping at momento mall).

But this page shows most of "Da Girls in Da House".

The second page has a photo of my roomie Gina and I playing in the fountain. It was SO dry out at convention, that we were dry in the time it took to walk to our sandles. It was very dry and the water felt good! The second photo is a photo of my team at the olive garden, minus Miss Bonnie who had a prior engagement. I dont have one photo of us all together! I have another with Bonnie, but missing Pam. Maybe i'll have to do some photoshop magic to put us all in the same photo!

There is still room in the scrapbooking club if you like these pages and would like to make some of your own every month!

Show you care when you "Say it with Scallops"

I have had a few inquiries about this event. Please take a look at the registration form if you are interested in participating.

World card making day is October 4th. To celebrate, my team of demonstrators and I have decided to do a day to support the Ronald McDonald house near us in Brookline, MA. These cute little 2x3" gift cards are a way of thanking you our customers for participating in an order to support this VERY worthwhile cause.

Every day, the Ronald McDonald house in Brookline, takes families in who have loved ones in local area hospitals. I would like to give something back to benefit this worthwhile cause.

First ~ On world card making day I'm going to have an open house where you can come and make cards with pre~cut packets that are ready to go. you will get to design the cards based on each packet, which might be good practice for those of you who are nervous about creating your own design.

Next, I have a wish list of items that the RMH needs currently. When you bring one or more items from the list, you get a raffle ticket. I have just been informed by Stampin' Up! that they are sending me a huge basket of goodies to raffle off to you just for helping! Isn't that AWESOME??

Finally, there is the preorder. You may place an order directly with me and receive the ronald mcdonald house set AND the coordinating punch on the day of the event! In addition, I will make the cute note cards and envelopes shown above FOR you. All the instant income from the preorder will be donated via check, directly to the house. The hostess benefits will be used to purchase envelopes for the donation. So, for every person that orders the bundle from me, stampin' up will donate $2 to the charity, and I will give the house in Brookline a check for $6.78 for EVERY stamp bundle sold. Would you like to reserve your bundle and note cards right now ? Send me an email at e.selene@verizon.net and we will get you started!

Thanks for helping me support a great cause!

Selene~

My contribution to the shoe box swap ~ Sponging

Here is my contribution to the shoe box swap. I was playing with my new big shot machine by sizzix, and cut out the "frame" shape you see in the center of the card. Then we started adding color.

We put a baby wipe on a paper plate and added 4 colors of reinkers, pink piroette, tangerine tango, red riding hood red and kiwi kiss. Starting with the darkest color on the outside, we swiped the ink with sponges towards the outside of the card. We stamped the main image and sentiment in chocolate chip ink and then sponged a little chocolate ink around the outside of the card.

Next, we took a small half-bead from the pretties kit and added it with a glue dot.

Then we punched a hole with the slit punch and tied some of the new kiwi/vanilla double sided ribbon as an added touch. Stick it all together and you're done!

We had SO much fun at the shoe box swap last night. We discussed making it a bi-annual event in lieu of a team meeting! I'm in!

Featured Artist ~ Shelly Gordon ~ Spotlighting WOW card

Once again, this card is MUCH prettier in real life.

We stamped the trees on glossy cardstock and used punches, to spotlight a specific area. Then we used a sponge dauber to color the area we punched out.

I know you can't really see it, but the square in the middle is actually mellow moss. This is a stunning card and would make an easy Christmas card too! This is a WOW Shelly! Thanks for sharing!

Featured Artist ~ Diane Trainor ~ Sorrow card

This is really beautiful in real life. It is also very simple to make.

Stamp your image with versamark, and use sponge daubers to add color using our chaulk pastels.

This photo doesnt show the adorable "glue dot bow" that diane made. I will try to get her original and repost this card at somepoint.

Featured Artist ~ Bonnie Merrill ~ Friendship Card

Another fabulous creation from my friend Bonnie.

The base of this card is the NEW pacific blue. Bonnie did the rickrack technique with the purple cardstock going across the middle.

The flowers were inked up with the orchard opulence, then we sponged a little of the pacific blue ink over it on the stamp. Then you turn the stamp over and stamp it. How simple, how pretty! I REALLY LOVE this card!

Woo Hoo!

Featured Artist ~ Pammy Rodriguez ~ Fancy Folds!

What a beautiful card Pammy made for last night's swap. The girl sitting beside me said "I don't want to waste this card on a thank you, pass that "for you" stamp! This needs to be a card for a special gift to someone!

Right on Pammy! She stamped the main image in riding hood red, and stamped off on the bold image to create the two step centerpiece for the front of the card.

Then, comes the fancy fold, it's essentially a tri-fold. it opens once from the right and once from the left. Gorgeous!!!

Featured Artist ~ Alicia Menchi ~ Garden Whimsy

This talented artist is also a tastefully simple consultant! Well, she's MY tastefully simple consultant. If you are interested in her YUMM-O goodies, check out her website here.

Alicia kept it simple but ADORABLE with this fabulous butterfly card!

Using the scallop edge punch, we punched the new bella rose paper to make the border at the bottom.

She stamped the butterflies in craft ink ahead of time, so it would be dry enough to cut without fingerprints. How about that tiny library clip?? I LOVE the new accessories!!! We just tied a knot in a piece of white ribbon and glue dotted the knot to the clip. The butterfly was added to the front with dimensionals. Like many of the cards, the photo doesn't do it justice. It's prettier in real life! Awesome card Alicia!

Featured Artist ~ Patricia Call ~ Kindness Card

Another gorgeous color combination from Patricia!

We used the scalloped edge punch to make rickrack ribbon on this card. It always amazes me how a simple design can look so elegant!

I always have to remind myself that it shouldn't take 2 hours to make a card... and it really shouldn't!

So, break out the punches and make your next masterpiece!

Featured Artist ~ Bonnie Call ~ Fresh Cuts

What a great color combo this is! I wouldn't have thought to put these two colors together! Bonnie stamped the image from the NEW fresh cut set and used a 5 petal punch to punch it out.

I've been cutting those little flowers out by hand for months now! What a fabulous design!

Bonnie is another team member who attended out team shoe box swap last night! Awesome Card Bonnie!

This would be an awesome workshop card!

Featured Artist ~ Carol Hughes ~ Sock Monkey Card

Carol is a bright spot on our team. She is ALWAYS smiling and ALWAYS has a 100 ways to tell you how to use a product!

I would be telling tall tails if I told you that I loved the sock monkey set before. I just wasn't sure about him! After seeing Carol's card, I'm quickly changing my mind. This card uses the "paper piecing" technique. She stamped the sock monkey twice and had us all cut out the monkey's face and the tips of his hands on white cardstock. Then we stamped him again on craft. We used a red marker to color his butt and mouth. we also used dimensionals to pop up the little heart he's holding. We used a paper piercing tool to pierce the scallop edge on the right, made with the NEW scallop edge punch!

Totally AWESOME card Carol!

What a FUN lookin Bunch!

This is my WONDERFUL team and I last night at a team shoe box swap event. Each demo could bring a friend and we all had an awesome time together stamping away!

Interested in being a part of the crew? Send me an email or give me a call and we could make that happen!

To Slack or Not To Slack

I was told today that I'm a blog slacker! I say to her... Yep, you're right! Sorry about my extended online absence. I have no excuse, i'm just a slacker! LOL (but you already knew that!)



So ~ moving Right along. I needed something to put my spectacular gift in, right? So I made a box. I just took a 12 x 12 piece of card stock scored it evenly on all sides and made a box. To make it tall, i cut some 12 x 12 down to 3 x 12 and ran two pieces all the way around the box. Plus I used a TON of sticky strip.


The top, is just scored 1 inch all the way around and assembled.

I love the EASY stuff, and this doesnt get much easier. Keep in mind that the middle part of your box topper has to be slightly larger, so the measurement is slightly smaller on the cover. Clear as mud?


So now onto the cute gift bag. Stampin' Up! has these cute little bags in the back of the book, and with a simply scrappin kit, they are super simple to decorate!

My Cousin had a baby!

I love having new babies in the family. First, my cousin John and his lovely wife had a bouncing baby boy, and now my other cousin Jay and his sweet wife Dedra had a girl! Here are some photos of the fun gift i made for them.

First, I dyed one of our neutral albums to groovy guava. I know that one of my friends from the Utah Diva's designed this technique. You take 4 parts water (i used spring water) to one part reinker and paint it on the album. Let it dry for a few days and viola! You have a custom colored album! Fabulous!

Next it's time to layer the inside of the album with matching designer series paper and decoroate of course! Why waste the inside cover of the album, when you can make it a wonderful addition to your album?

Here is a photo of the entire gift but I have much more to share. This was so much fun to put together. I actually included a gift card to babies r us. However, sometimes I feel funny giving "just" a gift card. A personalized album is an amazing touch to any gift card. When you make something by hand for someone ~ that's a thoughtful gift that cannot just be "purchased". See you tomorrow with more things baby!