Tea Card Share

Last Sunday, one of my BFF's Gina and I had a mommy play date. We hung out in the craft room all day and made cards. This is one of the quick and cute creations we came up with .. Very nontraditional in layout, we made the background with a flower sizzix die, birds and blooms.

Just having fun with this card! The picture looks a little dark.. the colors are bold and Bright! Daffodil Delight and Pacific Point!

We drank pomegranate tea and got silly and spent hours making cards and just laughing.

I hope your day is filled with happiness!

Selene

Featured Artist Regina M

Good Afternoon Friends!

Today I'd like to share this gorgeous card with you made by my good friend Regina.

(re)Gina is so darn talented. Here she used very vanilla, cameo coral and ruby red. Some of these colors are going out at the end of the month. To read more about that, you can check out this post.

The Cameo Coral base measures 8 1/2 x 5 1/2" and is scored and folded in half at 4 1/4"
Layer 2: Very Vanilla 4 x 5 1/4"
Layer 3: Cameo coral 4 1/4" x 3 1/4"
Layer 4: very Vanilla 3 x 4
She cut out several of the flowers from the Vintage Vogue Stamp set (one of my favorites) and stuck them together. I don't think the picture does it justice.

She used the distressing tool from the cutter kit to rough up all the edges and added lots of glitter and a few brads for effect. What could be better!

Gina is one of the most talented ladies I know (and yippee, she's a part of my team). :)

Happy Tuesday!

Rubbah hugs,
Selene Kempton

There's a few days left to get your copy of two technique video's for FREE when you join the stampin up family! (a $42 value) If you join my team, you'll get the opportunity to do card swaps monthly and get personal training. There are actually a few specials ending at the end of the week. For more information you can go to my web address here, or email me at e.selene@verizon.net

Supplies Used
Stamps: 118598 Vintage Vogue Stamp set (clear mount)
Ink: 102259 Ruby Red Ink Pad, 103035 Cameo Coral Ink Pad
Paper: 100475 Cameo Coral Paper, 101650 Very Vanilla Paper
Accessories: 106958 Cutter Kit, 110755 Tombo Multipurpose Adhesive, 100425 Two way glue pen (to apply the glitter), 102023Dazzling Diamonds Glitter, 109026 Vanilla Taffeta Ribbon

Click here to shop 24/7 (then click shop now in the upper right hand corner).

Happy Mail

I got the most beautiful card in the mail last week from one of my BFF's, Robin Merriman.

What an absolute stunning creation this is! I'm so thankful for Robin and for all the friendships I have as a result of stamping. She used the finial press embossing folder here, and lots of mellow moss, with a little artichoke color mixed in.

I'm guessing that she sponged both layers of white with mellow moss ink. She used the gorgeous vintage wheel from the occasions mini (which will no longer be available this coming Friday). and some gorgeous half pearls from the pretties kit. I really love that she made it personal with my first initial. I'm not sure if you get it from the picture, but there's a touch of dazzling diamonds on the flourishes and on the S for my name.

Thanks so much for your friendship Robin and all my stampin' friends! (((rubbah hugs)))

Selene Kempton

Cards that I have received this week

Good Morning Friends!

Again, I feel like my cup runneth over with the awesome stamping friendships I have been lucky to have. It sometimes blows my mind that I wouldn't have some of these folks in my life if it wasn't for the blessing of having been introduced to Stampin' Up! For that, I am so grateful.

This week, I received two BEAUTIFUL cards from to BEAUTIFUL friends! This first one is from Bonnie Merrill. She was unable to attend the last team meeting because she has been taking an active role in helping her family through a difficult time. I was so excited and surprised to see that in the middle of this busy time, she took the time out to make me a card! Not only that... Isn't it gorgeous?? I just love everything about it. The composition, the excellent cutting, that cool punch behind the background frame! Thank you Bonnie for being an inspiration to all around you and to me personally.

Speaking of inspiring women, I also received THIS gorgeous card from my friend Patti Chesky. I love how masculine it looks.. hey! she used the same ribbon as Bonnie's card above! I didn't notice that before! I guess I need to pull out the pack that sits in my drawer and make something with it. To read more about Patti's cool creation, you can check out her post on it here!

Both of these cards will be displayed proudly in my stamp room. Thanks for the creative and personal inspiration that both of you provide in my life! It so brightened my week to get not one card in my mailbox but TWO!

My Inspiring Team

First ~ Sorry about the long post.. There is MUCH more artwork below, so don't forget to scroll down!

This Sunday was my team meeting... It was an absolutely glorious day outside and I secretly thought.. ugghhh.. a team meeting... I really only felt that way, because normally we have 10-12 people in attendance and there's a buzz about the room.

About every 6 months or so, I do a shoe box swap in lieu of a regular meeting. So, everyone brings a prepped card and we either pass the boxes, or we get up and move to the next station. Everyone leaves with every card that was designed by their team mate. A lot of times, I will have it at the pizza place near my home, Romano's, because there just isn't enough room in the studio for all of us.

Some of my adopted downline are in Florida (the rats ~ I'm so jealous! ~ in a good way) and it was a little quiet around the studio.. There ended up being six of us. We listened to my crazy ipod.. I swear I deleted the Christmas music, but we listened to some of that to show tunes, Celine Dion and more... Everyone brought a little something to share. Cheese and crackers, drinks and ...my husband is still talking about Anne Marie's fantastic fudge brownies. Some had a little wine (an ounce at a time with the small cups we had LOL) and others drank iced tea. More importantly, something special happened. There it was. 6 women from all different walks of life coming together and inspiring one another with personals stories, sharing stresses and personal triumphs over major obstacles.

Instantly I felt a giant shift in the way I felt about my meeting. I was so happy I had it, and a little happy that it was so intimate. We all sat around the table and had a glorious conversation. Being inspired by one another on so MANY levels other than stamping... and I couldn't help but sit back and smile after everyone left and think...

YEA, that's it. That is why I do what I do. What a wonderful group of caring, loving mom's, sisters, wives and friends... this is where it's at.. Somehow I missed getting a photo of Deb's awesome card.. Hopefully she'll stop by so I can take a quick picture. I wanted to share with you some of the talent from my team. If you have a team of demonstrators, no matter how big or small ~ I recommend getting together once a month. It might just make a big difference in YOUR life, the way the ladies on my team make such a big difference in mine.

Speaking of being inspired by friends... My card, shown above, started off as a case of my friend Robin Merriman. I called her up and asked her if I could case her card exactly for my team meeting. When I sat down to make it, it looks nothing like her original.. funny... but I did use her idea on the placement of the stamps and my butterflies. You can check out her original by clicking here.

I really wanted to show the awash with flowers stamp set to my team, because hostesses can get this set FREE with a $350 workshop in the month of April!

Here is Ann Marie's gorgeous creation. She said that she thought about doing the flowers that went with the set, but that punches were a more simple way to achieve the same look. She punched all the flowers out for us ahead of time, and this AWESOME creation went together in minutes! Wouldn't this make a wonderful workshop card?

Christine Miscia is the newest addition to my team of inspiring ladies! Chrissy made this adorable pink and brown card. Do you see the top note peeking through inside? She used this as the insert for so folks could write on that instead. I wish when I was new to stamping that I was making creations like this! Clean and simple ~ Gorgeous Christine!
Karen Bernier made this next adorable creation! We used markers to color the main image, but we used a blender pen and water color crayon to color the base. Makes it look more like real chocolate! Next, we topped off the main image with a two way glue pen and dazzling diamonds! I love that the photo picked up the glitter! Awesome job Karen!

And Miss Gina~~~ That is Regina Maginnis... The first card she made is for the shoe box swap.. She's always bringing me other cards to see, and I always seem to want to photograph them for future use. Check out Gina's cards!!!

First, this is the one for the shoe box swap. Gina shared that contrary to the "never touch the glue dot" rule, she finds it easy to peel a glue dot off, stick it to the paper and then attach the felt pieces from the mini! Excellent tip! We also attached the brad, then used the craft and rubber scissors to cut the back of the brad so you dont see the pieces coming through. Before coming to the meeting, she used the circle scissor plus to cut all the circles for us! Adorable card Gina!
Here's another card miss Gina had to share. Clean and simple, I really love the rock and roll on the flowers~ Beautiful work as always!
This next card by Gina blew my socks off! Hey~ I know that sketch!! This is last week's Stamping 411 sketch. Although she plays along she doesn't have time to post or photograph her artwork.. Such a shame! I know I would follow her blog!
I hope you have been inspired by some of the artwork I've shown here. If you like what you've seen, please leave the girls a comment! Maybe we'll inspire some of them to start their own blogs! I think they should all be blogging.. look at the talent!

Featured Artist Crystal French ~ Embossed Reinker Spread

The number one reason why I love being a Stampin' Up! demonstrator is friendships. Please meet one of my newest girlfriends (well you can see her work anyway), Crystal French! Crystal shared her wonderful original cards from the her embossed reinker spread technique.
I had made some cards then a tutorial using a technique that I had named "reinker float". It turns out that this technique was originated by artist Crystal French and is actually called, "Embossed Reinker Spread". Perhaps that's why I couldn't find a tutorial!

Thank you so much Crystal for sharing these wonderful projects!

Gifts for me??

I was so excited when my girlfriend/downline Barbi Bickford came by to visit. We spent a little time doing some scrap booking and just chatted. I still remember when I met Barbi ~ I was doing a craft fair and she was there helping her friend.

She told me she was going to be my new BFF ~ I had no idea she was right! Anyway, I just wanted to share the goodies she brought me. (I got to keep them too!) She said she got the patterns online somewhere. I think she said it was Becky Roberts. :)

Thanks Barbi! You are da bomb, BFF

Talented Downline

I love when my talented friend/downline Regina Maginnis comes to visit. She always has some awesome cards to share with me. She said the 3 butterflies card was cased from somewhere and she cant remember where from...

Here's some of Gina's work.

Happy Tuesday!

Saturday Sketch Challenge 141

Another fun sketch from the stamping 411 blog! This past week was an exciting one. We had our first featured artist Kerin Sylvester.

Kerin wrote an amazing tutorial on masking that I think everyone can follow and will return to time and again.

Last night I was stamping with some friends and was showing off some of the designer paper from the mini catalog. My friend Lisa pointed out that the pink pattern looked a lot like a stamp set that she purchased from me, trendy trees.

Lisa was the inspiration for me to play with this stamp set and paper.

Inspiration can come from anywhere, and yesterday I caught up on my soap operas in the middle of the night. I tape days of our lives, and if I have trouble sleeping, I'll watch my tivo'd copy.. Anyway Bo and Carly were wearing these colors... Bordering blue, chocolate chip and rich razzleberry.. So I paired these up with the rose red in the paper, and that's how I chose my colors.. LOL Her shirt was rich razzleberry, and her chocolate colored coat was picking up the red tones from her shirt.. kind of like the chocolate ribbon against the rose red patterned paper here. Bo had a classic mens bordering blue shirt and tie on, and it had a sheen to it... So I chose shimmer white for the focal point and for the base...

Really strange where inspiration can come from, but there's no doubt... Stampin' Up is on the cutting edge and lines up with the colors of fashion. I went shopping at the coach store the other day.. (just to look) and was so excited that one of the patterns from this cardstock is actually the SAME as one of their purses right now! (not that I can afford one!) LOL .

Here's a close up of my sponged night sky on shimmer paper, which I think I picked up pretty well with my camera. I love how the chocolate picks up the rose color a bit. I removed a brad from the casing to make the bling for the heart punch.

Base Layer 11 x 4 1/4", scored and folded in half at 5 1/2"
Layer 2 4 1/8" x 5 3/8" (so 1/8" smaller on two sides.
Layer 4: 2 1/2" x 3 1/2"
Layer 3: is 1/8" larger on two sides.

I rounded the corners keeping with the sketch. Please check out what my girlfriends have done over on the 411 blog.. I can tell you all the cards are unique this week. It's excellent to know how different one sketch can look made by 7 different artists.

Featured Artist ~ Regina M.

I'm so sorry that I have been MIA since convention, with regards to my blog. Truth is, I don't travel well, and it takes me a few weeks to recover. I still am not feeling inspired by my craft room, so I'm spending today, cleaning it, with hopes that my space will help me to start to feel inspired again.

I have a few projects that I'm working on with the build a bear things that are coming, but they are not ready. However, I attended a meeting last night at my upline Katherine's home and I saw a project there that I just had to share.

Before I get started, I feel the need to share... I feel totally blessed to have such an amazing group of women to work with. My team of demonstrators may not all be "business builders" they may not all be "just hobby demo's who want the discount", they're are all variations in between. No matter where we all stand with business, it doesn't matter. They are first and foremost my friends. We are all bound together by the love of scrapbooking and stamping, but it is my privilage to know them as teachers, mentors and confidants. Each have their own strenghts and together, it is a beautiful thing to watch. Without them and my awesome customers, I would not be afforded the opportunity, to have a small business from my home, while I raise my daughter at home.

I know that I am doing what I am supposed to be doing, at the right time, and with the right company. Thank God for them and for you.

With that said Regina Maginnis is one of those talented women. Always a kind word for everyone, she is patient and awesome, and I'm proud to know her. She works full time, and her husband stays home with the children. She has 3 boys and still has time to stamp! She pulled this beauty out of her bag last night and EVERYONE oohed and aahhhed.. She did say that she was inspired by something she saw on line but didn't know where it was she saw it.

At convention Gina won this set via the prize patrol. (and i'm so happy she did, because now i need it). Isn't this stunning??

Gina, thanks for sharing your talent, and for being such a great person and friend.

Featured Artist ~ Christine M.

A quick post for Easter Sunday.

My girlfriend Christine made these adorable baskets for her family today. These are so flippin cute! This uses the scallop envelope die from the sizzix machine. Aren't they the cutest?? I'll be figuring these out this week for sure!

Awesome Job Christine and Happy Easter everyone!
Selene Kempton~

Featured Artist ~ Alicia Menchi ~ Dye your SU albums

I was really excited when my friend and fellow Stampin' Up! demonstrator, Alicia called me the other day and said she wanted to color her natural colored SU! album to a chocolate brown color. Her friend is getting married and the colors are pink and brown. I'm so excited for her and to see how beautiful it turned out!

First, she mixed reinker 1 part, to 4 parts spring water and painted it on with a wide paint brush. She let it dry for a few days. She added some pretties, rubons, and some hardware using crystal effects to stick everything to the front cover. Isn't it gorgeous?? If you can, please leave a message for Alicia and let her know what you think of her creation. I hope you have time to stamp something fun today!

Selene Kempton

Featured Artist ~ Karen B.

I am lucky enough to work with some of the most talented and inspiring women ever!!! I keep telling my good friend Karen, that she needs to start a blog of her own... Take a peek and if you want to leave a note for her, I'm sure she'll be excited to read what you have to say!

However, I doubt she'll be as exited as I am to have these in my hot little hands!!! Thanks for sharing your talent!

Selene Kempton

Another Featured Artist Diane Trainor

Here's another card made by one of the mom's at Alexis birthday party, Diane Trainor.

Isn't this the cutest card?? She actually took the time to cut each of those balloons, and tied them one at a time, I called her to ask how she got the silver cord to stay exactly in that configuration and she said, it just stayed!! She tied each balloon individually, then tied them together at the bottom... This one is most certainly going in the album! Wow!

If you feel compelled, please leave Diane a comment so she can see what you think!

Card for Alexis or Mommy?? Featured Artist Karen B.

Sorry that I have been MIA for a few days. I had a fabulous weekend. Alexis 4th birthday was Saturday. We had dinner at fudruckers (her favorite) with just the family. Sunday, we had her party!

Alexis wanted to invite ALL the kids from her preschool class, so we rented a bouncy house place called the back yard party place! It was a lot of fun. I have to admit, i'm a little "type A" germ phob, and this place is extremely clean and well maintained. Opened by two moms.. Just wonderful! We had two high school age girls helping, and let me just tell you, it was FABULOUS. There was not one disagreement among anyone, it was stress free and I think the parents had more fun than the kids. We were able to go in the giant bouncy houses with the kids and it really was a good time!

Two of the mom's actually made Alexis her birthday cards and I love them SO much that I think they were secretly for me! Maybe not, but I appreciate the thought and process that it takes to create just the right card.

Karen B. made this gorgeous card! I don't think the photo does it justice. It is so pretty in real life. There is dazzling diamonds all over it, but you cant tell. I believe she stamped it in chocolate chip and used blender pens with chaulk pastels to color it. She used pink pirouette, and tangerine tango. Great color, great presentation! Wow! Thanks! Was this card really for Alexis??

Featured Artist ~ Robin Merriman

I had a HUGE surprise in my mail box yesterday! I had been talking with my friend Robin Merriman on the phone and telling her that I would LOVE to come down and attend some of her regular stamp camps some day.

In fact, I told her that when my husband and I decide to go cross country in the camper, she'll be close to first on the list. My hubby and I would like to travel the US in our camper and visit all my awesome friends along the way.

Anyway, being the thoughtful, wonderful person she is, I received a package that brings stamp camp to me!

I received 6 cards in a terrific package! This is the first one.

The background of this card is the new Bella Toile background stamp. She used the new scallop punch to make the cute border and pink piroette grosgrain ribbon. She used the curly label punch. (mine is shipping today). As I was looking at the cards side by side I realized that the new curly Label Punch is the same shape as the BIGZ label die from sizzix. Take a look at this next card.

Robin used the BIGZ die from sizzix to cut out to of those curly frame shapes. She cut the white down at the perforation and sponged some chocolate chip.

I just love getting cards in the mail and studying them! So, She used versamark to ink up the flower stamp from upsy daisy to make the background. Then stamped it again on the vanilla cardstock.

hmmm Robin, what stamp is that you used for the green on the bottom of the second card?? :)

You are one talented lady! I will post some of the other goodies robin sent me today or tomorrow sometime.

Have a great Wednesday!

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!!!