Hop Along With the Thoughtful Branches Bundle

Wow My Friends

Can I just say.... "Wow"!

There is a SPECTACULAR and exclusive Bundle that will be available starting Aug 2 - but it is ONLY AVAILABLE WHILE SUPPLIES LAST so believe me, you WANT to get it as soon as you can!

And since it is so gorgeous, we chose to use it as our theme for this month's Grand Vacation Achiever's Blog Hop.

(You might be starting here at my blog  - Cynthia Millan - or maybe you've already been hopping around?  Whichever is the case, make certain you check out the list at the bottom and visit everyone else's blog too.  There are some phenomenal projects and you don't want to miss any of them!)

Now, about my project and this terrific August-exclusive bundle...I used the Beautiful Branches thinlit to cut the tree shape from 4 pieces of cardstock:  Basic Black, Basic Gray, Smoky Slate and Whisper White - then I layered them on top of each other, just slightly askew so you would see a bit of a shadow effect on the left side.  You can probably see it better in the close-up, below.  I love the real 3-D effect this layering gave me.  And the use of successively darker trees made the 3-D effect even more pronounced!

Four layers of tree = one stunning effect

I adhered the 4-layer tree to the top flap of a Z-fold card with just the right side peeking over the edge of the fold.  This small detail adds so much visual interest to the completed card, don't you think?  I also added some clear Wink of Stella to the top, white layer, for a bit of glitzy pizzazz! 

Can you see the glittery Wink of Stella?

There are some wonderful sentiments to choose from with the Thoughtful Branches stamp set but since I have a very special lady I want to send this to, I chose the "For you", "Thank you" (inside the card), and the "You've always been there to lean on, to learn from and to look up to" sentiments.  These say exactly what I want to and they couldn't be more perfect if I'd designed them myself!

Two Real Red birds, stamped then cut with the corresponding thinlits, complete the card.  It's actually pretty simple (and with the addition of the Precision Base Plate to the Big Shot to cut the tree with and the Die Brush to remove the fiddly bits, the pieces were cut pretty quickly and it all came together quite fast!)

Yes - I have to admit - I am totally pleased with this card!  I can't wait to play with the rest of the images and die cuts!  And I can't wait to hop to the blogs of everyone else on the list to see what they've created.  

You should too!

Hope you enjoyed today's Blog Hop.  And I hope you are planning to order your Thoughtful Branches bundle as soon as possible!  If you are anywhere in Canada, you can contact me HERE and I will be happy to place that order for you on August 2 (or you can place your own order online HERE.  If your order is less than $200, please use the hostess code ZCFTNRT9 when you check out)

Thanks for stopping by.  Have an absolutely fantastic rest-of-your-week and God Bless,     ~Cynthia   <><

Sneak Peek - Thoughtful Branches Bundle (and why you WANT to get BONUS DAYS Coupons)

Hello My Friends.

I have almost no time to post today!  But I have a card that I want to show you that uses the Thoughtful Branches Bundle that I just received...that YOU can order, beginning Aug 2.  

It is an exclusive bundle, not in any catalogue, and it's only available while supplies last so contact me today to let me know you want me to order yours, or go online as soon as you can after Aug 2 to order yours.

Love how this card came together.  Love the stark tree against the whimsical backgound (I used the baby wipe technique to create a multi-coloured ink pad).

Love how adding Wink of Stella to the tree cut from the Black Cardstock makes it shimmer!!

Love that for every $60 you spend in July, you receive a $6 Bonus Days coupon that you can use in August...so you can order some of what you want now -- and accumulate coupons that you can use in August to order this terrific Thoughtful Branches bundle.  (read the details about Bonus Days in THIS post)

LOVE how Stampin' Up! gives us such beautiful things to work with...and makes it so easy and economical for us to get them.

Make sure you check back on Wednesday for another beautiful card using this new bundle.  Until then ... have a wonderful week and God Bless,     ~Cynthia   <>< 


Product List

Timeless Textures Clear-Mount Stamp Set [140517]	Thoughtful Branches Photopolymer Bundle [144328]	Clear Wink Of Stella Glitter Brush [141897]	Rich Razzleberry Classic Stampin' Ink Refill [115664]	Island Indigo Classic Stampin' Ink Refill [122932]
Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad [132708]	Rich Razzleberry 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [115316]	Island Indigo 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [122923]	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100730]	Basic Black 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [121045]

Unintentional Watercolour

Hello Friends

The (wet) card, just in from its spot in a puddle on my driveway

Just a quick post today to show you what Mother Nature does to our water-soluble inks!


You might remember the Fox card I made as a Thank You and gave to my customers for their June orders (see it HERE).  


Well, yesterday one friend came to pick up her order and admired the attached card.  I guess when she left, the card (in one of our SU!  clear cello envelopes) fell onto my driveway.  And lay in a puddle in the pouring rain for much of the day.

One of the original cards, vs the soaked (now dried) card

She sent me an e-mail later in the day asking me if she had dropped it so I went and found it and you can see that the water had seeped in at the open edge of the clear envelope and soaked the card, making all the ink run.

The Final/Dried Unintentional Watercoloured Fox Card

I dried it anyhow.  And although it is not the "original card", it is a pretty cool, if unintentional, watercolour effect.  I think the Fox has a sort of a poignant, wistful look now.  As if he is looking through a misted (or frosty) window into a nice, warm, cozy living room.

I like it!

So now I get to try to re-create this effect - on purpose - with a different stamp set for tomorrow's card.  Tune in and see how my little experiment goes.....

And don't forget about BONUS DAYS.  Get a $6 coupon for every $60 you spend.  All the details are at the bottom of this post HERE and you can contact me to send in your order, or go directly online to order for yoruself.

Have a wonderful day and God Bless,    ~Cynthia    <><

Glazed Flourish

Hello Friends

I decided I LOVED the look of yesterday's glazed heart (see it HERE) so I decided to create another card using the same technique.

The gorgeous Flourish you see on this card was actually cut from Pool Party cardstock, then quickly coloured using an aquapainter.  That's when the fun begins....

Glazed leaves add sparkle without even needing bling on the card

I used versamark to cover the entire piece, then applied clear embossing powder and heat-set.  This process was repeated a second time and the resulting flourish looks positively glazed with shellac!




This flourish now makes a statement, so I wanted to layer it on top of something equally "strong".  

Glazed Berries shine on equally shiny glazed doily

Our new Delicate White Doilies are just that...a bit too delicate to pair with the glazed flourish.  However, I realized that if I glazed them in the same manner (versamark and a coating of clear embossing powder, heat-set, then repeat), these doilies could transform into an embellishment that had as till gorgeous, but less "dainty" character.

I think if you look carefully at the photos, you will see how much more substance and character the glazed doily has.  The perfect backdrop for the glazed Flourish.

LOVE how this turned out!!

Paired with Crumb Cake and Emerald Envy cardstock, this glazed Flourish makes me very happy!

You know what else makes me happy?   Helping YOU save money!!  And Stampin' Up!'s Bonus Days can do just that!

All you need to do to earn $6 coupons is spend increments of $60 in July (no limit).  Stampin’ Up! will email you a coupon for every $60 you spend, and you can use coupons on anything you want in August...hurray hurray hurray!!!

 

Here's how it works:
For every $60 you spend* between July 7-31, you’ll get a $6 Bonus Days coupon that you can use between August 2–31, 2016.
This is a great opportunity for you to get items from your wish list or stock up on essentials (paper, adhesives, ribbon, etc).  This is the first time Stampin' Up! has offered this type of promotion, and I know you'll want in on!
IMPORTANT: Bonus Days coupon codes will be delivered via email, so a valid email address is required to participate in this promotion. They will be unable to resend emails for coupon codes, so make sure you save the email AND write down the codes in a safe place so you don't miss out on the coupons you earn.  Lost codes cannot be recovered.

• • There is no limit to the number of coupons participants can receive per order or throughout the duration of the promotion.
• Redemption period: August 2–31, 2016
  • Redemption deadline: 8/31/16, 11:50pm (MT)
  • Bonus Days coupon codes can be redeemed for any product, excluding Starter Kits and Paper Pumpkin subscriptions. Though, new prepaid Paper Pumpkin can be redeemed.
  • Bonus Days coupons codes are used in the checkout process during the redemption period.
  • There is no limit on the number of coupons participants can use on an order during redemption.
  • Minimum shipping still applies

Download: Bonus Days Flyer
(print and use the backside of flyer to record your "coupon codes" and be ready to redeem them in August!  To be safe...save your emails too.)

*Participants will receive a Bonus Days coupon code via email for every $60 they spend in a single order (catalog price before shipping and tax).

So START SHOPPING.  Shop in my online store (please use the Hostess code PJDFDPXD if your order is <$200) or contact me.  Let's start earning you those Bonus Days coupons NOW.

Hope everyone is looking forward to a wonderful day!!    God Bless,      ~Cynthia    <><  

Product List

Flourish Thinlits Dies [141478]	Delicate White Doilies [141701]	Emerald Envy Classic Stampin' Pad [141396]	Sweet Sugarplum Classic Stampin' Pad [141395]	Aqua Painters [103954]	Versamark Pad [102283]
Clear Stampin' Emboss Powder [109130]	Boho Chic Textured Impressions Embossing Folder [138286]	Pool Party 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [122924]	Crumb Cake 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [120953]	Emerald Envy 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [141415]	Pearl Basic Jewels Embellishments [119247]

I {{Heart}} The Bonus Days Special....

Hello Friends

Sorry - I could not resist the pun in the title.  I really *do* love this Bonus coupon special that Stampin' Up! announced.   Take a look at today's card, then read on to hear about the special.

Today's card was inspired by a Facebook post I just read.  A fellow demonstrator (and more importantly, a friend) just wrote that she had earned enough points to qualify for next year's incentive trip to Thailand.  I am not quite there yet (getting closer every day though), but I was excited to hear that Kim had earned it.  And I will look forward to seeing her and her husband there.

So that made me smile.

And this card was conceived.

It was difficult to photograph this card since there is so much shine happening.  I am not sure how well you can see it, but there is a gorgeous white-on-white image over the front of the card, including under the heart.

Speaking of the heart -- I cut a Real Red heart using the Sunshine Wishes thinlits, then applied Versamark all over it and added clear embossing powder.  Once this was heat-set, I repeated the process to add a second layer of shine.  Notice how the permanent-wet-look of the clear embossing powder on the Real Red cardstock has darkened it and made it look very intense and very elegant?  I call this technique "Glazing" and you must admit, you end up with a Glazed embellishment, don't you?

I repeated this glazing process (Versamark and clear embossing powder x 2 times) with the outside edges of the Real Red mat of the card.

The stem and swoosh image from the Falling Flowers stamp set was stamped onto the cardfront using Versamark and - you guessed it - embossed with clear embossing powder to give the image a subtle white-on-white elegance.

I have to say, I am a big fan of white-on-white.

A sentiment from Suite Sayings, the heart popped up on fragments of Dimensionals (have I ever told you how much I *love* my Paper Snips?) and voila, a gorgeous card that has shine and elegance.

If you wish to order any of the products to recreate this card then I highly recommend you do so since Stampin' Up! announced a wonderful new Bonus Deal that begins today!

For every $60 you spend between July 7 and July 31 (before shipping and tax), you’ll get a $6 Bonus Days coupon that you can use August 2–31.  This is a great opportunity to shop from your wish list in July (to accumulate coupons) and again in August (to "spend" your coupons)  

DETAILS

• Promotion Period: July 7–31, 2016
• Redemption Period: August 2–31, 2016
• Participants will receive a $6 Bonus Days coupon code via email for every $60 they spend in a single order (catalog price before shipping and tax). There is no limit to the number of coupons participants can receive per order or throughout the duration of the promotion. There is no limit on the number of coupons participants can use on an order during redemption.
• Bonus Days coupons codes can be used in the checkout process during the redemption period.
• An email address is required to participate in this promotion (Bonus Days coupon codes can only be delivered via email)
• It is strongly recommended that participants both save emails containing their Bonus Days coupon codes AND write down the coupon codes in a safe place. Codes cannot be resent if the email is lost, and lost codes cannot be recovered.
• Bonus Days coupon codes can be redeemed for any product, excluding Starter Kits and Paper Pumpkin subscriptions. New prepaid Paper Pumpkin codes can be redeemed.

So there you have it my friends.  How cool is that?!  What are you going to buy with your free coupons?  Place your orders online HERE (for orders less than $200, please use the Hostess code PJDFDPXD) or contact me to place your order for you.

Don't wait.  Order your goodies today and start collecting Bonus Days coupons.
Have a wonderful day and God Bless,     ~Cynthia   <><  



Product List

Sunshine Wishes Thinlits Dies [141489]	Falling Flowers Clear-Mount Stamp Set [139556]	Suite Sayings Clear-Mount Stamp Set [140712]	Versamark Pad [102283]
Clear Stampin' Emboss Powder [109130]	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad [132708]	Real Red 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [102482]	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100730]

1-2-3 Triple Fox CASe

Hello My Friends

One of my Stampin' Up! friends, Sherry Roth, created this cute card using the Foxy Friends stamp set.  I thought it would make the most adorable card to include with all the customer orders that will be arriving at my house over the next few days so I CASed Sherry's card and this is the variation that I am creating:

Pretty simple.

And pretty cute huh?

Yup.  I thought so too. 

My favourite part is the whimsical metallic twine in both copper and black that extends out the side of the triple foxes.  I just love how forgiving and 'intentionally random' the metallic twine is.  So much fun to use and it adds just that little something extra.  I hope all my friends who receive this card over the next few days with their BOGO orders will like it as much as I do.

Did you know that beginning *Thursday, July 7 and continuing until the end of July, you can order the Foxy Friends bundle ($50.75) plus any embossing folder, and you will receive a $6 coupon from Stampin' Up! that you can use during August on any order you'd like.  (*sorry friends, I originally posted that the deal started "tomorrow" since I had the wrong date for today)

Actually, Foxy Friends plus an embossing folder is only one combination of goodies you can order to get the free $6 coupon.  In fact, during the month of July, ANY order that totals $60 (before s&h and tax) will qualify you for a $6 coupon.

So start making up your list of what you want.  Order online HERE (please use the hostess code PJDFDPXD).  Save the e-mail that you receive from Stampin' Up! (coupons will NOT be re-issued so don't lose it!) and collect lots of $6 coupons in July - that you can use to save money in August!

This special starts Thursday, July 7 - so make your wish list now so you won't miss out!  
I'm looking forward to helping you save money with coupons.  
Have a terrific day and God Bless,    ~Cynthia    <><

Product List

Foxy Friends Photopolymer Bundle [142326]	Calypso Coral Classic Stampin' Pad [126983]	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad [132708]	Petal Burst Textured Impressions Embossing Folder [141493]	Layering Squares Framelits Dies [141708]
Basic Black Metallic Thread [141695]	Copper Metallic Thread [141696]	Smoky Slate 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [131202]	Basic Black 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [121045]	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100730]