Painted Petals Quick Sneak Peek

It's almost here Friends!

January 6 the new Spring Occasions catalogue goes live.  And the Sale-A-Bration catalogue too!  So many gorgeous stamp sets!!

I am still with my kids on vacation at my parent's home so not much chance to stamp or play (I did leave my entire stamp room at home in Ottawa, 6 hours away....),

But here is an easy card for you.  New stamp set (Painted Petals - LOVE this one).  New embossing folder (Spring Flowers).  Old framelit (Apothecary Accents - an oldie but a goodie).

Enjoy.  And I will "see" you again soon.  God Bless,    ~Cynthia   <><

Butterfly Thinlits Sneak Peek and a Video - Using Dryer Sheets to Remove Confetti Bits From Diecuts,

Hello Friends - I am SO EXCITED to show you this video!!

Easily Diecut and clean up Intricate designs, like this Butterfly

Karen Burniston came up with an absolutely brilliant way to use dryer sheets to quickly and easily remove all those annoying leftover confetti bits from a framelit or thinlit after you have cut your cardstock - and I tried it using our new Butterfly Thinlits (which you can order beginning January 6, 2015 when the Occasions Catalogue goes live)

And it works!!

It is so easy and so fast - I just KNEW I had to let you all know about this fantastic technique.  Watch the video and see just how easy it is.

I hope you enjoy how fast and easy it is to clean-up even intricate diecut images.  No more poking all the bits of confetti out.  Hurray!!

And I hope everyone enjoyed their Christmas and is still relaxing before the New Year arrives.   
God Bless,    ~Cynthia   <><  

Fast and Fabulous Friday - Sale-A-Bration Sneak Peek Bokeh

Good Morning My Friends

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas.  Ours was truly blessed - as we knew it would be!  It's Christmas after all!

Here's another Sneak Peek from Sale-A-Bration catalogue which starts on January 6.  Have you got your Occasions Spring catalogue and Sale-A-Bration catalogue?  If you want them, contact me and we'll see what we can do to get them into your hands because trust me....you *want* to see those catalouges!

Here's a super-quick card made in the oh-so-popular Bokeh technique using one of the FREE Sale-A-Bration stamp sets - Best Day Ever.  Just some quick stamping and some stamping off, the addition of a few gold sequins, and voilà, the card is finished.

We'll be making this beauty at my Sale-A-Bration class on Saturday, Jan 3.  Are you registered yet?  You don't want to miss it!  Details can be found HERE.   Let me know if you wish to join us that day.

Back to Boxing-Day holiday and family time now.
Hope everyone is relaxing and basking in the joy of yesterday's miracle.

God Bless,   Cynthia   <><  

Product List

Best Day Ever Wood Stamp Set [139091]

Gold Sequin Trim [132983]

Blackberry Bliss 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [133675]

Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100730]

Work of Art Snowman - Fast and Fabulous Friday Video

Hello My Friends

I saw the cutest card on Pinterest and I cannot seem to track down who the original designer was - but I wanted to re-create it for you to show you just how easy and quick it is to create a cute Christmas card.  

This is definitely a Fast and Fabulous card.  Watch the video and you will see that the actual card only takes about 60 seconds to make (the explaining took longer than the making....)

At any rate, I made one in about a minute on-screen.  Then I made a ton more after I had stopped filming.  

Lots of my customers will be getting this card with their December order.  So I hope they like it!

And I hope everyone is looking forward to a wonderful weekend and a fabulous Christmas.  
God Bless,   ~Cynthia  <><

My Spectacular Team - November's Challenge

Hello Friends

Susan T - notice the candle made from quilled paper?  Love it!

For those of you who were paying attention.....last month I told you about a new Challenge I have undertaken with my Team, the Canadian Sunshine Stampers.  For those who are willing to participate, I supply them with identical packets of 'just a bit' of product - and ask them to create a card using 'some' of what I have given them.

Carolyn P - Cute card outside, but where is the Top Note die cut?

Janet Br - What a cute penguin!

Carolyn P - Aha!  How ingenious!  The Top Note piece is inside the card!

Janet Br - Love the little owl

You can see last month's Challenge submissions HERE.

As for this month?  Well - prepare to be delighted!

This month, all I provided was a piece of cardstock cut out using the Top Note die, and some silver sequins from the Holiday catalogue.  I actually supplied everyone with a Whisper White Top Note piece and also a Very Vanilla Top Note piece since I wasn't certain which colour palette they wished to choose from.  And the only rules were that they had to use "a few" sequins and "some" of the Top Note piece (they were allowed to cut it and even use only edges or pieces of it if they wished).  Take a peek at the gorgeousness that ensued.  (and you can even take note - Janet Br. managed to create TWO cards without stamping anything at all.  Pretty ingenious)

Janet Bu - Loving the double-matted Top Note

Kathy M - love the image of the pine needles extending beyond the edges of the Top Note

Suzane R - you have to feel this card to get a sense of all the layers of luxuriousness!  Very rich and elegant indeed!

Several of the ladies stuck with a winter theme and incorporated Lovely as a Tree or Ornamental Pine.  While others made truly all-occasion cards that leave December and Christmas as just a memory.  And a few of them have a little extra surprise incorporated.  I just love them all!

Julie G - Lovely As A Tree - one of my absolute favourites!!

Lynn L - The Silver Glimmer paper background makes this winter scene magical!

Dianne R - Snow Globe - Truly a delight

Sonya L - the attachment of the ribbons is so cute!!  You've really got to see it in person!

Two of my talented friends were picked to receive these creations so they will be on their way to a new
home soon enough.  And I can't wait to sort out some of my newest goodies so that my Team can embark on next month's challenge too!

Melanie M - such a cute and intriguing outside...

Melanie M - Inside, this is a gift card holder!  The split across the middle of the snowflake holds a gift card!

Hope everyone has a spectacular day.  God Bless,   ~Cynthia    <><

Cecilia C - A non-Christmas card - Soft and romantic!

Lynn CG - Repeat after me -- Gorgeous!

Joan H - Loving that she split the Top Note piece this way!

Meredith M - Butterflies have always been one of my favourites!

Sneak Peek - Sheltering Tree

Hello My Friends

Another long day - but my new stamps were beckoning me again and I just couldn't go to bed without getting them inky.  And once again, this card pretty much made itself!

I mean, look at it!  How hard could it possibly be, right?  A Soft Suede tree trunk.  Leaves of Pistachio, Wasabi and Garden Green.  And a bike and swing.  Voila.  Ninety seconds later, the card is done.

I am so excited for all of you to see the new stamps and goodies in both the Spring Occasions catalogue and the Sale-A-Bration catalogue because I just *know* you are going to fall as much in love with them as I did!

And I am really hoping you will be able to join me for either my January 3 Sale-A-Bration class or my January 10, 20-card Inspiration Stamp Day - or better yet, BOTH!  Because that is my chance to get these wonderful new goodies into your hands.  And I just know you will have a blast creating gorgeous projects from these incredible treasures.  Details for both classes can be found HERE.  Let me know if you will be joining me.  I so hope you will be there.

Until then, I still have plenty of work to do to get ready for Christmas.  There's still shopping and wrapping and baking and cleaning and planning.  And then most important of all.....being still and silent to enjoy the miracle of His birth!

I hope your preparations leading up to Christmas are filled with as much joy and laughter as mine are.  
God Bless you all,   ~Cynthia    <><

Sneak Peek - Painted Petals

Hello Friends and WOW!!

I just cannot contain my excitement.  I just received my shipment of NEW goodies from the upcoming Spring Occasions catalogue and boy oh boy oh boy - these designer papers and stamp images and embellishments are even more gorgeous in real life than they seemed on my computer screen!

And although we were out all night at my daughter's concert, I absolutely could NOT go to bed without getting inky.  Trust me my friends - this is the world's simplest card as I am in a hurry to get to sleep.  But isn't it gorgeous all the same?

Loving how easy it is to place images precisely where I want them since the stamps are photopolymer and completely transparent.  A single one layer whisper white card base, three colours of ink, one stamp set, and 4 minutes later I have this card - photographed and ready to send out.

Love.  Love.  Love!

So what do you think?  Is the Pretty Petals stamp set going to be on your wish list?  Join me for my 20-card class on January 10 (details HERE) and you too can use all the most beautiful products from the new Spring Occasions catalogue?  Honestly?  You really, really, really want to play with this new stuff!

Hope you have a great day.  Me?  I can't wait to get home from work so I can play some more.
God Bless you all,     ~Cynthia    <><

Comfort Zone......

Or rather.....NOT my comfort zone.....

Good Morning Friends

Classic and untouched

I have a friend who does shabby chic all the time.  And she makes it look good!  Me?  I prefer things to be fairly well ordered and balanced and in place.  
Mostly.  
Sort of.
Kind of.  

Sometimes.


At any rate, edging a card with versamark and embossing the edges with silver embossing powder just isn't me.  So I decided to try it anyhow.  Because I *know* my friend would do that.  And it would look spectacular!
A bit of sponging just over the raised tops of the Perfect Polka Dots and I have 2 variations on what is essentially the same card.

But with dramatically different flavours!

Shabby Chic with Silver edging

So you tell me......
Plain and simple 'classic' images?

Or a bit of shabby chic to rough it all up and make it feel more 'comfortable' and homey?  

Let me know what you think.
And, as always, have a spectacular day and a wonderful week!

God Bless,
~Cynthia     <><


  




Product List

Cheerful Christmas Clear-Mount Stamp Set [135149]	Apothecary Accents Framelits Die [127003]	Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Embossing Folder [117335]
Silver Stampin' Emboss Powder [109131]	Versamark Pad [102283]	Sponge Daubers [133773]

Leftovers On My Desk

Good Morning Friends

You know how sometimes there are lots of bits and pieces on your workspace, left over from other cards.  And you didn't use them on the other cards but you just can't bring yourself to throw them away?

Well - sometimes I challenge myself to look at this stuff I am collecting on my craft table and make a card with it.  I mean, if I am going to collect the stuff and save it, I may as well try to use some of it, right?

So here is today's "leftovers" card......

Funny thing - I kinda like it!!

Simple and cute.  I am not sure how well you can see the trees, but they were stamped with Versamark and embossed with Iridescent Ice embossing powder.  (Because that seems to be on my craft table ALL THE TIME these last few months!!)  I really like the white on white (ish) effect, even if it does not show up very well from my photo.

Today is the last day to snag some fantastic deals or SIGN UP to get a HUGE amount for a low price.  And don't forget that Blendabilities and a Project Life bundle are also available TODAY ONLY, for an exceptional sale price.  Let me know if there is something you would like.  

Until then, I am keeping this post "short" because I have so much to do, I may never catch up with it all.  But I do hope this finds you all well and looking forward to a wonderful week.

God Bless,     ~Cynthia   <>< 

Product List

Festival Of Trees Photopolymer Stamp Set [135059]	Tree Punch [135859]	Filigree Frame Textured Impressions Embossing Folders [135818]
Silver Glimmer Paper [135314]	Smoky Slate 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [131202]	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100730]
Iridescent Ice Stampin' Emboss Powder [101930]	Versamark Pad [102283]	Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack [133787]

You Asked For It....

Hello Friends

Black Ornament with Gold or Silver Embossing

It was so nice to have several of you weigh in yesterday with the versions of the Gentle Peace Ornament card you wanted to see.

Blackberry Bliss or Night of Navy Ornament with Silver Embossing

So here they all are.  Hopefully you see something you like!

Cherry Cobbler Ornament with Gold Embossing Powder, with or without embossed edges

And if not, let me know what combination you would be open to seeing!

Lost Lagoon Ornament with Silver Embossing

Cajun Craze Ornament with Gold Embossing

Just so you know, the gold 1/8" ribbon seems to be showing up a little bit paler (almost silver) in the photos, but it really does match the gold embossing powder well!.  Don't be misled by my lack of photography skills.  These cards really are stunning! 

All in all, I was pleased with each of these card combinations.  And some of them surprised me.   (Left to myself, I would never have thought of Cajun Craze for a Christmas card, but Susan you were right...it works!)

I may keep experimenting in the colour and combinations department, but until then, thanks so much to all of you who weighed in with suggestions.

Hope everyone is about to enjoy a terrific weekend!
God Bless,    ~Cynthia  <><