My Happy Easter Happy Mail!

Good Morning My Friends

I love it when my mailbox has a hidden surprise in it.  Happy Mail instead of bills!

One of my dear friends sent this to me and I received it - quite happily - on Thursday.  

S.H. is a customer, one of my Team members, and more importantly, a dear friend - and I LOVE this card she made for me.  So cute and so thoughtful.  Wouldn't you agree?  

And this is not the first time she has sent a handmade card in the mail to me!

Even though we see each other at least once a month, I love how she thinks of me from time to time and sends me gorgeous little pick-me-up cards in the mail.  We should all be as thoughtful as her and send more happy mail to our friends and family - and more often too - don't you think?

And just a note to all of you - if, like S.H. you would like to get all your Stampin' Up! treasures at a DISCOUNT then contact me.  You really should think about purchasing a Starter Kit.  It is always a good deal but until March 31, it is an even better deal.  
You pay only $125 [NO s&h and NO TAX] but you get to choose $195-worth of goodies!!  That is an EXTRA $40 FREE goodies.  Anyone in Canada can sign up to be on my team - the Canadian Sunshine Stampers - I would love to let you know how we can save you money and get you more of the stampin' treasures you want.  Contact me for more information.

In the meantime, there is much to do this Holy Saturday morning.  Prep work for tomorrow's Easter feast.  A little bit of chocolate to attend to.  And as I look around this room, a little bit of cleaning to do too!  (ok.  Maybe a LOT of cleaning to do....)

Have a wonderful, blessed and glorious Easter my friends!
God Bless,     ~Cynthia   <><

Blog Hopping Through Wedding Dreams.....

Hello My Friends

We have a wonderful Blog Hop for you today with the theme of "Wedding Dreams" and I can't wait for you to see the gorgeous projects that have been created.  If you are starting here (Cynthia Millan) then Welcome!  Or if you've just arrived from one of the other blogs then...well...also welcome!    Please feel free to visit every one (the list is at the bottom of this post) and don't forget to leave comments since as you know, us bloggers are absolute junkies when it comes to comments!   :)
 
Now to talk about my Project.  "Wedding" and "dreams", for me, meant I wanted something soft.  I began with the idea of staying white-on-white.  I stamped the flourish from the First Sight stamp set with versamark and heat embossed white powder to make a lovely and subtle background.  Then the floral image from the Best Thoughts hostess set was treated the same way, cut out with a Label framelit and layered over the background mat and ... close but not quite.  The card was too subtle to be effective.

Close up of coloured flowers and white embossed background

Out came my trusted Blender Pens.  A quick painting of the flowers with Pink Pirouette and Pear Pizzazz inks and I was much happier.  Still subtle.  Still soft.  And still very dreamy.  

Now with that little bit of colour, my white-on-white could be stepped up a bit.  I hand cut a Pink Pirouette label shape just larger than my focal image piece and layered it behind.  Yes, you heard me correctly, I hand-cut that pink label shape.  Thank heavens for our trusty Stampin' Up! Paper Snips.  Precise and accurate cuts and easy to handle.  Love them!

Close up of embossed background and metallic silver thread detailing

For my sentiment I chose one from the Suite Sayings set in the Occasions catalogue.  Don't you think it is just perfect?  When you find the right spouse (and I am truly happy to say that I sure did), nothing else matters and Forever really does begin that day! 

As a last addition, I wanted to include a few filmy, floating silver metallic loops.  I have really loved these metallic threads in our catalogue.  I hope they stick around to the next one!

The focal piece was mounted on the embossed white mat using dimensionals and a thin Pink Pirouette mat was added behind that.  Once layered on a white card, the effect was complete.  

At least - I "think" it is complete.  You tell me.  Do you think I achieved my goal?  A soft and dreamy wedding card to mark the occasion of the beginning of 'Forever'?  Leave me a comment and let me know.  And don't forget to visit the rest of our hoppers too to see the gorgeous creations that they created.

Thank you so much for joining me today!  I hope you enjoyed your visit and plan to come back soon.  God Bless,    ~Cynthia    <>< 



Product List

First Sight Clear-Mount Stamp Set [140688]	Best Thoughts Clear-Mount Stamp Set [138700]	Suite Sayings Clear-Mount Stamp Set [140712]	Lots Of Labels Framelits Dies [138281]	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad [132708]
Versamark Pad [102283]	White Stampin' Emboss Powder [109132]	Blender Pens [102845]	Silver Metallic Thread [138402]	Pink Pirouette Classic Stampin' Pad [126956]
Pear Pizzazz Classic Stampin' Pad [131180]	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100730]	Pink Pirouette 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [111351]	Paper Snips Scissors [103579]	Stampin' Dimensionals [104430]

An Important Anniversary

Good Morning My Friends

On Saturday it will be two years since Ottawa was blessed to witness the ordination of our newest Bishop (an Auxiliary Bishop, to be precise).  Surprisingly, he is quite a young man (as Bishops go).  Unsurprisingly, he is kind and gentle, with a gracious and loving heart.  He serves us well as our shepherd.

And would you believe that his name is Christian!?!

Honestly my friends!  With a given name like that, how could you not expect him to be wonderful?

In any event, I wanted to make a card to mark the occasion for him, so here it is.  The image of the cross comes from the stamp set, Blessed By God, and is perfect for the occasion.  The sentiment comes from a retired set (Graceful Words) that I will never, ever part with!

The card is quite simple in design.  I used the emboss resist technique (just stamp and heat emboss the images, then sponge to create a shadow-effect) to create a 'simple' card that contains a whole lot of love and appreciation.  It is understated and refined.  Just like the man himself.

It'll do quite nicely.

Hope everyone is looking forward to a wonderful weekend.  And I hope Bishop Christian enjoys his Anniversary - and knows just how very much we appreciate his service.

God Bless,    ~Cynthia   <><  

Product List

Blessed By God Clear-Mount Stamp Set [134300]	Versamark Pad [102283]	White Stampin' Emboss Powder [109132]	Stamping Sponges [141337]
Crumb Cake Classic Stampin' Pad [126975]	Crumb Cake 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [120953]	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100730]

Festive Flower Punch ' Bunny Ears - 25% Off in Weekly Deals!

Hello My Friends

What a complete and total coincidence!  This week all of my Club members will make this cute and adorable Curvy Keepsake Box Bunny (complete with Honeycomb Embellishment tail).  And lo and behold, the Festive Flower Punch that we use to make the ears is one of the 25% off Weekly Deals available this week, until March 21.

We also used the same punch to create the ears (and the paws) of the bunny on the Easter card we made last month!

What a terrific deal.  25% off a punch that is a MUST-HAVE....not just to create cute bunnies, but to make gorgeous flowers too!  That is, of course, the original purpose for this punch.

Hope some of my friends get a chance to capitalize on this great deal while it is being offered. And if any of you want to join us for this week's Club Classes, there is still some room.  Just contact me to let me know!  More info can be found HERE.

To all of you, if you want to order the punch, or any of the Weekly Deals, just let me know, or visit my online store (and please use the Hostess Code
SJGYMYC3).   Don't forget, you can still earn FREE Sale-A-Bration products for every $60 you spend (before s&h and taxes).  Wouldn't you rather buy your treasures on sale so your Sale-A-Bration redemption is an even bigger deal!?

Cherry On Top Cotton Paper Assortment [138308] $8.75 $6.56

Festive Flower Builder Punch [139682] $22.00 $16.50

Fringe Scissors [133325] $12.50 $9.38

 

Gold Foil Sheets [132622] $5.00 $3.75

Happy Patterns Decorative Masks [138313] $7.50 $5.63

I'd love to see you save some money. Have a wonderful day and God Bless,      ~Cynthia    <><  


Product List

Curvy Keepsake Box Thinlits Dies [135853]	Festive Flower Builder Punch [139682]	Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack [133787]	Ovals Collection Framelits Die [129381]
1" Circle Punch [119868]	1/2" Circle Punch [119869]	Honeycomb Embellishments [140566]	White Signo Uni-Ball Gel Pen [105021]
Basic Black Stampin' Write Marker [100082]	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100730]	Blushing Bride 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [131198]

March Classes and Great Techniques - the video

Hello Friends 

I am so excited to show you the projects we'll be making next week at my March Club Classes.    

Dawn Griffith's very cool Four-Square Pop-Up card, a Faux Silk card, A great Sale-A-Bration card, and a super-cute Bunny box from the Curvy Keepsake thinlit dies.

I have to admit that I haven't particularly cared for the Honeycomb embellishments - but I am LOVING them as the tail on the bunny box!

Bunny Box from Curvy Keepsake Die

Honeycomb Embellishment Bunny Tail

Four-Square Pop-Up Card

 

Faux Silk with What I Love (Sale-A-Bration set)

Pedal Pusher and Metallic Tape (Sale-A_Bration items)

I'd love for you to join me for any of these classes at my home in Ottawa's east end:  Tues, Mar 15, Wed Mar 16, Fri Mar 18 (all from 7-9 pm) or Sat Mar 19 (9:30 - 11:30 am).

Fee is $20 or FREE with a $30 order.  And a $60 order gets you your class for free AND ALSO a FREE Sale-A-Bration product of your choice!

RSVP HERE to let me know if you wish to join us.

Have a super Sunday and God Bless,    ~Cynthia   <><