Saturday Sketch Challenge 212

Good Evening Friends!

It's time for another Saturday Sketch challenge from the operators at stamping 411.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this weeks sketch and card! I used this for an organized swap that I'm in and I hope they love this card as much as I do!

So how about some measurements!

Base: 8 1/2" x 5 1/2", scored and folded at 4 1/4", blushing bride
Layer 2: 4 x 5 1/4", whisper white
Layer 3: 2 x 5 1/4, blushing bride, with a decorative punch (takes a 1/4" inch off)
Layer 4: 1 1/2" x 5 1/4, striped DSP
Layer 5: poppy cardstock cut with a top note die and embossed with the vintage wallpaper embossing folder.
Layer 6: 1 3/4" circle punch, then ran through the big shot with the polka dot die
Layer 7 (icecream triangle) is the pennant punch
Layer 8: build a cupcake punch for the ice cream top. Notice how perfectly the glitter is on each dot of the ice cream? Well I used tombo multipurpose adhesive, and dotted the glue on, then just sprinkled the glitter over and let it dry. I put this layer on with a dimensional
Layer 9: (hello sentiment) is the decorative label punch. first I punched out a whole one, then stamped "hello" on each side of one cut out. Then I flipped the punch and punched again, just leaving the tiny sentiment.. So cute!!
Layer 10: I used some blushing bride twill.

So here's another peek at the sketch.

I will not have my computer while I'm away at convention but will have lots to share come sunday I hope! :D

Have a wonderful weekend!!

Rubbah hugs,
Selene Kempton

Convention Swaps

Good Morning Friends!

Wouldn't you know... that before I could finish making my swaps for convention, my big shot broke?

So I made this adorable card and used watercoloring? I also used tombo multipurpose adhesive to apply my glitter to the balloon and the cake. It's SO fun! It makes your paper look like the glitter came on it!

Stamps: Curly Cute and 121175 Elebration (single stamp from the new book that I HAD to have on the first order)
Ink: Basic Grey ink pad, wisteria wonder and pretty in pink markers with an aqua painter for watercoloring
Paper: Flirtatious Specialty paper
Accessories: Organza ribbon 114319, and a decorative border punch!

Such a pretty card, and made without the big shot! Can you imagine?? :D

Having a great time at convention, I'll be swapping this card today... and wishing you were here beside me! :D

Rubbah hugs,
Selene Kempton

Thinking about you!

Good Morning Friends!

Right about now, I'm ((hopefully)) sleepy in salt lake city! :D I flew in around midnight so chances are it was 2 am before I got to bed!

I hope you're having a BRIGHT and sunshiny day! This is a card I made last month for a workshop. Each of the guests made three of these, and two other designs as well! So very fun!

Stamps: 123203 (clear mount) Touch of Kindness Stamp Set (from the mini catalog)
Ink: Pumpkin pie
Paper: Oh the DSP is retired, but it's so pretty, right? :D
Punches! Lots of punches!!!

Well I hope you have a wonderful day and that this card inspires you to stamp 4 fun today!

Talk to you tomorrow!

Rubbah hugs,
Selene Kempton

Off to convention!!!

Good Morning Friends!

I'm off to convention in just a few hours! Just imagine thousands of AMAZING, AWESOME, TALENTED people all in one place! I just can't wait to see and hug some of my best buds!

Here is one of my swap cards for this week!

Stamps: 122757 (clear mount) up up and away
Ink: peach parfait, and baja markers
Paper: 124339 Just add cake DSP
Accessories: 2 1/2" circle punch, ornament punch, I sponged the balloon with pumpkin ink!

That's it for today! I hope you have a wonderful week and if you see me at convention, come introduce yourself and give me a hug!

Saturday Sketch Challenge 211

Good Evening Friends!

It's time for another Saturday night sketch challenge from my buddies over at stamping 411.

It's been a crazy week here. We were away camping over the 4th, then my birthday was the 6th. Perhaps that's why I wanted to make such a bright birthday card with this week's sketch. I'm really digging poppy parade lately. I ran through about 3 packs of it in the past month or so and had to order some more (with my first order of the new catalog)... Oh I want so much more.

Suffice it to say, it's been an eventful week two. My laptop is on it's last leg.... buying a new one may mean me running out to get the full version of photoshop too, which is like buying two computers.. LOL The washer broke, but thanks to a wonderful mother in law, a new one of those is on order, and then the fun part...

We have a queen sized bed in our camper that sits on rails and slides out the back of the camper... well, the rails are no longer connected to the ceiling on the inside... so we'll have to deal with that sometime this week. Then, last night.... Oh yea, I broke my big shot! Luckily that has a 3 year warranty when you buy it through your SU demonstrator (as opposed to a big box store ~ wink wink)! They are sending me that in a hurry so I can finish my swaps! I love Stampin' Up! Alas ~ today, when given the opportunity to take my little one to the movies for $9, I jumped at it and ran out the door with her. This too shall pass, but when one thing breaks, they all go! :D I have a tiny bit of guilt now, having signed up to go to convention but for me, it's like a class that pays for itself all year long. I love going to convention and meeting up with all my bestest buds. If you're there and see me, please come and say hi! I'm flying solo this year, so I dont even have any dinner plans (except for Saturday).

Well enough about my week... How about we talk about this cute card!?! I love pulling a color combination by using my designer paper.. 99% of my cards start with a designer paper because frankly, it make designing so darn easy! This paper is from the new Idea Book and catalog and is called Just Cake. i cut a piece of this off at an angle to get the candle stripes to go on an angle like a real candle would. :D So let's talk measurements:

Base: Crumb Cake Cardstock 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" scored and folded in half at 4 1/4" ~ embossed with the polka dot embossing powder
Layer 2: poppy parade 3 1/2" square, embossed with the vintage wallpaper embossing folder
Layer 3: (DSP from Just add Cake) 1 3/4" x 2 3/4" and corner rounded.
Layer 3A: (the flame) is a piece of daffodil cardstock, punched from the blossom petal builders die and sponged with poppy ink
Layer 5: is an extra large oval.
I matted layer 5 with two of the blossom bouquet triple layer punches. It makes a cute little border. I used baja 1/8 taffeta for the strip going up the side.. and that's all she wrote!

I hope you have time to play along this week, and I hope you have time to stamp4fun this week too!

Rubbah hugs,
Selene Kempton

Happy Birthday America & When the music stopped.

Good morning friends! Happy Independence Day! This morning my little one flipped her first pancake. Pretty soon, she'll be cooking her own breakfast. Talk about Independence!Today I'm reminded that EVERY DAY people are out there fighting for the very freedoms that we take for granted some time. To all those service men and women who proudly serve our country, spending days, weeks, and months away from their children and families, today and every day we salute you.

Here's a little story that was forwarded to my by my friend Seongsook. I was really moved by it and thought I'd like to share it here with you.

Happy Independence Day to all!
When the Music Stopped...
(For those who are unaware: At all military base theaters, the National Anthem is played before the movie begins. This is written from a Chaplain in Iraq :

I recently attended a showing of 'Superman 3' here at LSA Anaconda. We have a large auditorium we use for movies, as well as memorial services and other large gatherings. As is the custom at all military bases, we stood to attention when the National Anthem began before the main feature. All was going well until three-quarters of the way through The National Anthem, the music stopped.

Now, what would happen if this occurred with 1,000 18-22 year-olds back in the States? I imagine there would be hoots, catcalls, laughter, a few rude comments, and everyone would sit down and yell for the movie to begin. Of course, that is, if they had stood for the National Anthem in the first place.

Here in Iraq , 1,000 Soldiers continued to stand at attention, eyes fixed forward. The music started again and the Soldiers continued to quietly stand at attention. But again, at the same point, the music stopped. What would you expect 1000 Soldiers standing at attention to do?? Frankly, I expected some laughter, and everyone would eventually sit down and wait for the movie to start.

But No! You could have heard a pin drop, while every Soldier continued to stand at attention. Suddenly, there was a lone voice from the front of the auditorium, then a dozen voices, and soon the room was filled with the voices of a thousand soldiers, finishing where the recording left off:

"And the rockets' red glare,
the bombs bursting in air,
gave proof through the night
that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that Star Spangled Banner yet wave,
o'er the land of the free,
and the home of the brave.."

It was the most inspiring moment I have had in Iraq and I wanted you to know what kind of Soldiers are serving you. Remember them as they fight for us! Pass this along as a reminder to others to be ever in prayer for all our soldiers serving us here at home and abroad. Many have already paid the ultimate price.

Written by Chaplain Jim Higgins. LSA Anaconda is at the Ballad Airport in Iraq , north of Baghdad.

Saturday Sketch Challenge 210

Good Evening Friends!

By the time you're reading this I should have a s'mores in one hand and some sort of fruity concoction in the other.. :D

Camping season is finally here and we're headed out for our first spin with the trailer this year! I really can't wait for the mountain air (and a family cookout at the lake on Sunday).

Tonight, we're bidding a fond farewell to the very talented Connie Babbert, who has been with the team since it's inception in May of 2009. She is one talented lady and will be very missed.

We also announced a bit of a break. We will continue to do the sketch challenges, but are taking the month off from our normal extra posts and required comments. I'll still be looking to see what those folks who are playing along are making. So how about tonight's sketch. The measurements of my card are:

Base 11 x 4 1/4", scored and folded in half at 5 1/2"
layer 2: 5 x 3 3/4"
Layer 3: 4 7/8" x 3 5/8" (just an 1/8" smaller than layer 2)
Layer 4: DSP 1 x 4"
layer 5: 3 1/8" x 2 1/8", chocolate chip
Layer 6: 3 x 2, whisper white.

Pretty easy peasy! I stamped the bird and the tree with markers, using baja, chocolate and poppy. I cut the bird out and popped him up on a dimensional. Such a cool sketch from the very talented Gretchen Barron.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Cheers,
Selene Kempton