Mojo Monday ~ No More Snow

When I saw this morning's sketch from mojo monday, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I really love the idea! Can I just say I'm sick of the snow?

On a personal note, we have a little over 5 ft on the ground... I drive a pick up truck and cant see around the corners when I drive around town.. Well, we are getting a small storm Tuesday, then the "Main Event" Wednesday, dumping another 12-20" on the ground and I don't know where we are going to put it! So here is my ode to spring.

I digress... This card came together very quickly.. I love the clean and simple feel of it. It would be a wonderful birthday card, or a card to someone to celebrate any accomplishment. I think it would even work well as a wedding card!

With the ribbon flowers from SU, I just added glue dots and it went that quick! I'm headed over to volunteer at the school this morning, so I need to run!

Wishing you a snow free week! (and me too).
Rubbah hugs,
Selene Kempton

Birthday Card Stamp A Stack

Good Morning Friends!

Today I want to share a quick and cute card that I will be using for a stamp a stack this coming week at my home. Class attendees will make 3 of each of 4 very different designs to stuff their stamping pantries with birthday cards.

This one has a very tropical feel. Can you see yourself sitting right there? I love this stamp set!

When: Tues Morning 9:30AM, Tues or Wed nights after 6pm
Where: Selene's Stampin' Pad
Cost: 12 cards, with envelopes for $25

Please bring your own adhesive (and a refill to be safe.

I hope you're having a wonderful weekend!

Rubbah hugs,
Selene Kempton

Saturday Sketch Challenge 188

Good Evening Friends!

I'm so excited to be bringing you another card for stamping411 this week!

I had a most wonderful time stamping this one with the BLISS stamp set from SaleABration.

I used Bashful blue, Marina mist, and espresso for the colors (and shimmer white paper for the focal point). This one went together in minutes!

Measurements...
Base: 8 1/2 x 5 1/2" scored and folded in half at 4 1/4"
Layer 2: Marina mist, cut 5 1/2 x 3"
Layer 3: 2 3/4" x 2 1/2" Espresso Cardstock
Layer 4: 2 1/2" x 2 1/4" shimmer white

For the butterflies I used the rock and roll technique with the bashful blue and marina mist colors, and of course used JEWELS pearls on the butterfly body's. I just cut a strip of 3 pearls off the long self adhesive strand that comes with the set.

The ribbon is espresso colored 5/8" grosgrain ribbon.

I hope you have a wonderful night and if you have time, please check out what the girls over on 411 are up to!

Rubbah hugs,
Selene Kempton

Mojo Monday ~ Celebrate

Good Morning Friends!

I'm headed over to volunteer at the school this morning, so my mojo had to be quick like a bunny! :D I had some flowers leftover from yesterday when I was playing with the Big L die, fun flowers (new in the occasions mini catalog). When I saw this morning's sketch, I thought the flower would be perfect for the circle element on the sketch!

A little sponging around the flower, a curl here and scrunch there, and it's looking pretty realistic ~ so cool! The button accent gives it just what it needs.

The leaves on the side came from the "wing" of the bird punch from stampin up. Pretty clean and simple! I love this sketch!

This vintage style is so hot right now in paper crafting, and it's fun to play with the antique feeling papers and textures. The paper is the springtime vintage paper, also from the occasions mini catalog.

Have a wonderful day!
Rubbah hugs,
Selene Kempton

Saturday Sketch Challenge 187

Good Evening Friends!

Well ~ can I just say I {heart} this new stamp set, Bliss! It's not a set that I would normally be excited about, but when you layer the images... oh va va voom!!

Literally, this card makes my heart beat just a little faster! so delicate in the design of this set, and so EASY to make something look drop dead gorgeous!

I just LOVE when that happens.. when you know that this is why you put ink to paper.. ohhhh..

The photo doesn't do this justice, I used very vanilla, espresso (very dark brown that looks like black in my photo), rose red and melon mambo..

This card was inspired by the pocket book ensemble, we received at leadership. There was a pocket book, matching wallet, pocketbook holder hook, and matching calendar/planner, from our Sales Account Managers. On the planner, there was a gorgeous sizzix cut flower using melon mambo paper, and sponged with rose red ink.. Simply Stunning! I used the patterns and colors and the 411 sketch for this week to design this card.

I started by stamping that GORGEOUS Flourish with espresso ink on vanilla cardstock. I used some cut off's to stamp, and cut out the butterfly. I love it when scraps are useful! I added some bling to the butterfly from the JEWELS line of pearls.. so easy to use because they are self adhesive! :D

I embossed the border layer, using the new framed tulips embossing folder. The ribbon is the new rose red seam binding. I frayed the ends on purpose, then took one piece of the fibers to get the ribbon to scrunch in the middle. The button is one I got FREE at leadership as a giveaway. The matching buttons are available in the occasions mini through your demonstrator. :D

So here are some measurements...

Base: 11 x 4 1/4", scored and folded in half at 5 1/2" ~ very Vanilla
layer 2: 5 3/8" x 4 1/8" ~ Early Espresso
Layer 3: 5 1/4" x 4" - This is the vanilla layer I embossed
Layer 4: 3 3/4" x 3" - i used a border punch on this layer for some added decor.
Layer 5: 3 5/8" x 2 1/2" ~ very vanilla

I will have to get some photos of that purse.. I'm still recovering from the trip but will do my best to get them up soon. The best thing about the trip was time spent with good friends. It was a joy to see most of the 411 crew!

Rubbah hugs,
Selene Kempton

A journal Makeover ~ Leadership Review...

I am on the playground committee for my daughters elementary school, who are in desperate need of a safe playground. We are having a spaghetti supper next Thursday the 27th and there are several raffle baskets that we are putting together this morning with a bunch of the parents donating items for the baskets.

One of the baskets is "books and puzzles" and I was told it needed a few items.. So ~ I found this journal up on the shelf..... It had sticker stuff all over it and I started by cleaning it up with a little goo gone. Then I went and found a VERY old sizzix die that I have from FOREVER and a day ago! :D I made the cute pencil and used it to attach a bookmark onto the book.

I water colored the pencil front, and the eraser on the back.. Then I cut a piece of yellow cardstock and scored it, making the lines on the pencil.. The "my Journal" is my handwriting... Which I dont really love, but I think the whole thing together is pretty cute! The back of the pencil, I took twine and wrapped it around, to mimic the design on the book.. this will make a cute addition to the basket!

:D

So many of you have been asking me to post pictures from leadership. Here are some of what I have.. Now, I know Connie was there... but I didn't get a photo with my camera of all the operators! Shame on me!!! I'm going to have to ask around..

Here's our crew...

Robin Merriman, Tiffany Bauer, Patti Chesky, Lee Conrey and me on the right

What a fine lookin bunch!

This is me and my buddy Sharon Armstrong just before managers reception.. She is such a sweet lady with the biggest heart! I am so lucky that we got to have lunch together this time around.

Did I mention that I saw some of the cutest swaps ever??
I'm not sure who made this, but I snatched a photo... So stinkin cute!!

The food was wonderful! Here is a salad with chicken for lunch... They did such a great job!
Here is Patti and me after we got our hats for managers reception..
We danced the night away, my feet were SORE the next day, but it was so worth it! Me and Patti again! :D

Then, Patti, Jenn Turoff and I
I think it's a given, that at every SU event, I end up crying like a baby! :D After Rich Jutkins made me cry with his moving speech, SU gave us some free product to share with our customers! How totally fun. I came home with a suitcase full of prizes!
This is me and my two roomies (so to speak) we had ajoining rooms at the raddison. So it was like having a two room suite! Oh what fun we had!

I'll have to look through my photos and see what else I have, but that's all for now!

Rubbah hugs,
Selene Kempton

Mojo Monday ~ Home From Leadership

Well, I'm back from Stampin' Up! leadership this weekend, and I'm still quite tired. We were busy from early in the morning, and stamping and partying late into the night!

I decided to try out the mojo monday sketch challenge this morning to see if I could get back into design a little.

I just love the seam binding ribbon on this.. I saw this cute little trick at leadership. You just pull one of the middle strands of thread from the middle of the ribbon, and it gathers in the center.

For this card I did the same thing on both sides so it would gather in the middle from both ends and be even..

I just love this stamp set Greeting Card Kids. I find myself going to it over and over again. The springtime vintage paper is a nice change from the "pink" I see in my mind when using this set. This little girl reminds me so much of my sweet daughter, so I always seem to reach for it.. :D

Have a wonderful week! I'll be back with photos and sharing my swaps from leadership over the course of the week!

Rubbah hugs,
Selene Kempton

Saturday Sketch Challenge

Good Evening Stampers!!!

I'm writing to you from my hotel room in Nashville TN. I am at the Stampin' Up! leadership convention and feel lucky to be spending time with friends while attending some WONDERFUL classes!

On Wednesday, I attended Managers reception at the wildhorse saloon and danced the night away. Yesterday, we went to classes... Listened to wonderful announcements about how we get paid, and about an increase in compensation for those of us with a team. Very exciting stuff!

We finished the night with close friends, making cards for the ronald mcDonald house charities... Talking, and laughing... Watching product demonstrations and more...

Tonight's sketch was actually cased, from the last idea book and catalog. I don't have the book in front of me, but that's where I got this layout.. Sometimes when I'm stuck for a layout, I find casing a book or magazine fits the bill perfectly!

To play along, check out the shared blog that I have with the AWESOME, Stamping 411 operators! :D

One possible set of measurements could be..

1. Layer One -- Cardbase cut at 5.5 x 8.5", scored and folded
2. Layer Two -- Cardstock cut at 4 x 5.25"
3. Layer Three -- Cardstock of DSP cut at 4" wide and torn at approximately 4"
4. Layer Four -- DSP cut at 2.5 x 3.5"
5. Layer Five -- Cardstock cut at 2.25 x 3.25"

I hope you're having a wonderful week. I'm told it's snowing "heavily" right now in Nashville. It will be interesting to see what "heavily" means here.. It's been flurrying all week, and schools have been canceled here. :D

Have a wonderful weekend!!
Selene Kempton

Saturday Sketch Challenge 185 ~ Crayon Resist

Good Evening Friends!

I'm very excited about this week's sketch challenge from stamping 411. It's Gretchen's week at the sketch board and when I saw the big tree, it reminded me of the brand new set Easter Blossoms in the Brand New Occasions Mini catalog from Stampin' Up! I flipped the sketch over to account for my image and went to work!

First, I stamped my image on glossy paper, using stazon ink. Then I took one of the many white crayon's that my daughter saves for me and colored the flowers, as to resist the sponged ink on top. :D

Then I just sponged some Baja and Wasabi on top... Stunning effect! I'm loving this one! I created the double bow, with my friend Lee's bowmaker that she sent to me just under a year ago! It makes stunning bows, doesn't it? I just like it because it's inexpensive, quick and GORGEOUS! :D

So how about the new spring vintage designer paper? This has got to be my favorite new pattern.

Oh happy day... So by the time this posts, my friend Robin will probably be here stamping with me.. For good measure, we're trying to see if operator Kerin can come and surprise her! Boy, I love a good surprise! :D

So how about some measurements?
Base 8 1/2 x 5 1/2" scored and folded in half at 4 1/4"
Layer 2: is also wasabi. Cut to 5 3/8" x 4 1/8", it's slightly smaller than my base, and I embossed this with the new embossing folder (also in the mini)! :D
Layer 3: vanilla 4 1/4" x 3"
Layer 4: Glossy White 4 1/8" x 2 7/8"
Layer 5: Designer paper 2 7/8" x 1 1/2"

I hope you have a wonderful weekend! We are planning to catch the wonderful Miss Emma (Robin's daughter) at her performance in Lowell this weekend. If you have some time, try this sketch out.. as always I hope you have time to stamp4fun!

Selene Kempton

Mojo For Mom

Today is my mom and my brother Paul's birthday's. I was headed to dinner with them last night and tried all day to make birthday cards... but ended up with a sympathy card.. So much for making it elegant!! :D

When I saw the super cute sketch from mojo monday this morning, I thought "Birthday", but was still a bit sluggish getting started.

Both the hubby and my 6 year old daughter have been sick with a stomach bug for two days, and although I'm not sick, being around that makes a person not 100%.

I think this is a cute, bright and cheery card... I may still try and make her something more elegant.. You know ~ it's my mom.. I want to send just the right thing.. :D

The top of the cupcake was done with the faux shaving cream technique. I inked the cupcake top with pretty in pink, then inked a wheel with words on it with the darker pink. A few swipes of the wheel on top, and it made the cute frosting for the topo of my cupcake.

Have a great week! I'll be back to work this week. I have one more swap to send out this week, then I'll be working on a birthday class to help my customers stuff their card pantries. :D

Selene Kempton