Onstage 2016 and a Sneak Peek - Beautiful You

Hello Friends

I've got to tell you - Stampin' Up! *REALLY* knows how to pamper us!!  In a nutshell, this weekend all over the globe, SU! demonstrators gathered for what we refer to as Onstage and Centrestage events.  Basically, a mini-convention where we got to come together, share business tips, laugh together, stamp together, and get crazy!

All miked up and ready to present onstage at OnStage

Had 10 of my downline there and I think they had a blast too!!  I sure LOVED having them there with me!!
 

My Onstage Presentation.  Nervous?  Who?  Me?!?

I was honoured and blessed to be asked to do a presentation onstage at OnStage.  Basically, at the end of the summer SU! sent me a brand spanking new stamp set that no one else had seen before - one that appears in the Occasions catalogue and is not available until January 4 - and they asked if I could do a short presentation to showcase this new stamp set.

Me and Jackie Bultje getting to walk onstage and be recognized as having achieved the Incentive trip to Thailand in 2017

Honestly, I had to think about it for a minute or two.  NOT !!!

I jumped at the chance.  And let me tell you, it was pretty neat to get to play with a stamp set that NO ONE else had seen before.  

I loved the stamp set the instant I saw it (it is called Beautiful You and will be available Jan 4) and I wanted to demonstrate to everyone just how easy it was to use.  So for the next few days I am going to give you a couple of sneak peeks at this terrific new set.  And I will use it in both the "traditional way" and I'll show you something that uses it "outside of the box".

Today's quick Show & Tell sneak peek uses the fabulous Beautiful You stamp set with a french sentiment (yes it comes in french too), in a card that you can create in mere minutes with very few tools or accessories needed. 

Notice the sketched 'swoosh' that is used to fill in the dress?  And notice the red & yellow "DSP" in the panel on the left?  You guessed it.  I created that DSP using the stamp that fills in the dress.  Matchy matchy.

And this is also a card that can be used by someone who belongs to the Red Hat Society.  I had a request for a card several years ago and could not help my friend, but now I can.  Red Hat Ladies...here you go!! 

As for my masculine card...the sentiment is from the Beautiful You stamp set, as well as the blue reflection/shadow in the water.  That was created using the other sketched 'swoosh' stamp that comes in the set.

You might notice a bit of wink of stella to make the water glisten.  I think I have a wink of stella addiction!    ;)

I am going to wrap this up by repeating just how wonderful it was to have some of my team members with me at Onstage to share so much stamping fun with.  Not only did we have a blast, but we each got a copy of the new Occasions Catalogue and Sale-A-Bration catalogue and we can order some sneak peek items from them too!  

How about you?  Want to see the new catalogues?  Are you interested in getting your hands on some new Stampin' Up! goodies....at a DISCOUNT?!?!? 

If you want to be one of the very first to see the goodies in the new catalogue and be the first to order, you need to buy the starter kit and belong to the Canadian Sunshine Stampers.  We get to order before anyone else!  The starter kit is a great deal at $135, no tax, no shipping and you get to choose $165 of whatever you want! There are no lock in dates, you don't have to sell and there's no pressure from me.  

Come back again soon so I can show you some more wonderful projects and sneak peeks.  
Hope your day is great and your week ahead is fantastic.  God Bless,   Cynthia   <><

Thailand Blog Hop - October - Inspired By Nature

Hello my Friends.

Welcome to the first Thailand Achiever's blog hop.
(You may be starting at my blog - Cynthia Millan - or maybe you've already been hopping around?  Whichever is the case, make certain you check the list at the bottom and visit everyone's blog.  You don't want to miss any of the great projects!)

Today we decided to focus on being "Inspired By Nature".  And anyone who has ever been to Canada in the Fall knows that you cannot *help* but be inspired by nature at this time of year!  The Autumn colours are in their full glory and I couldn't not make a card to try to show you what I mean.

"Sheltering Tree" is the perfect stamp set to create a gorgeous Autumn tree with the ever-present leaf pile below it.  My family did their fair share of raking this Sunday so this card is particularly relevant to our recent weekend!  

As glorious as the display of colours is, the raking seems to be never-ending at this time of year, so I liked the idea of using the sentiment from the stamp set, "In the Meadow", at the top of the card.  Sort of a play on words on the outside, although the inside has the Thankful for you sentiment from Sheltering Tree.

This "In the Meadow" sentiment says it all....

Burlap Ribbon with most of the horizontal strands removed

Did you see the cool embellishment across the bottom of the card?  I cut a 1/4" strip from our 5/8" burlap ribbon, then pulled the horizontal strands from it to leave only two at the bottom edge.  This left me with series of vertical wisps that reminded me of a fence.  

And the burlap strands that I removed?  Twist a few into a coil and fasten to the card with a glue dot.  I love when we can alter our existing fabulous products to come up with more variations, don't you?


Now for those of you who have not had the pleasure of visiting Canada, and might doubt how glorious our landscape is right now, I wanted to ensure you that I am not making any of this gorgeousness up.  

View across the street

View from my driveway

These are 2 views taken from my driveway.  Honestly, if little old non-photographer me can take shots this gorgeous using a phone, think how inspiring these views must be in real life,

right?

So although I realize the idea for this card design might be one you have seen before, honestly, you'll understand why I was "inspired by Nature" to reproduce this sort of scene for today's blog hop.  How could I not?

I am looking forward to hopping around to see the projects that have been created by my fellow Thailand achievers.  Hope you like my card and are enjoying the rest of the Blog hop too.  If you are anywhere in Canada, you can contact me HERE and I will be happy to place your orders for you (or you can place your own order online HERE.  If your order is less than $200, please use the hostess code TG3RR66Z when you check out

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

List of blog hop participants: 


Product List

Sheltering Tree Photopolymer Stamp Set [137163]	In The Meadow Clear-Mount Stamp Set [140754]	5/8" (1.6 Cm) Burlap Ribbon [141487]	Stamping Sponges [141337]	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad [132708]
Daffodil Delight Classic Stampin' Pad [126944]	Cherry Cobbler Classic Stampin' Pad [126966]	Pumpkin Pie Classic Stampin' Pad [126945]	Garden Green Classic Stampin' Pad [126973]	Soft Suede Classic Stampin' Pad [126978]
Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad [126953]	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100730]	Daffodil Delight 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [119683]	Cherry Cobbler 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [119685]	Soft Suede 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [115318]

Designer Paper Special - GET ONE FREE With a Purchase of 3

Hello Friends 

I am trying to get back into the swing of things - slowly but surely - and what better way to make a quick card, than to let the Designer paper do most of the work!

Thankfully, Stampin' Up! has a sale on Designer Paper for the entire month of October (not including Specialty paper or Paper Stacks).  

All 4 of these cards are made using the exact same design.... and it is all based on the designer paper.  Just cut a rectangle of your favourite pattern and glue it onto mat pieces of your choice.  Add a sentiment and there you have it.

Night of Navy Card with Floral Boutique Designer Paper

Whisper White Card with Floral Boutique Designer Paper

It really is that easy to create a beautiful card, and notice that when the focal piece is a 3 x 4" piece of pattern designer paper, you can get 12 focal blocks from every 12 x 12" piece of patterned paper.


That's a DOZEN CARDS from EACH sheet of Designer Paper!!


 


Think about that. You can create a full dozen extremely easy but absolutely gorgeous cards, in a very short time, from every piece of beautiful patterned paper. 


Why wouldn't you want to buy multiple packs of gorgeous patterns?? 


And when Stampin Up has a deal like this, where you get one package free when you purchase three others, they've made it really easy to create lots and lots (and LOTS) of gorgeous cards.

Emerald Envy Card with Presents & Pinecones Designer Paper

Whisper White Card with Presents & Pinecones Designer Paper

The Buy 3, Get 1 FREE deal is good from October 1 right through to October 31, but why wait?  Order your Designer Paper now.     


If you are anywhere in Canada, I would be happy to help you get your hands on these gorgeous papers.  


You can place your order online HERE and have it delivered right to your door (If your order is less than $200, please use the hostess code EWRZMGSR when you check out).  


If you are local to Ottawa and want to come pick your order up from my home, you can contact me HERE and I will be happy to place your orders for you.

 
The full list of Designer Papers available in this Buy 3, Get 1 FREE deal is listed below.  Pick your favourites then hurry to place your order.  The sooner you order, the sooner you will receive your paper and the sooner you can start creating....

Hope all my Canadian friends are looking forward to a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend.  And I hope everyone is looking forward to getting some great deals on Stampin' Up!'s Designer Papers!

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


Product List

Floral Boutique Designer Series Paper [141663]	Presents & Pinecones Designer Series Paper [141986]	Holly Berry Happiness Photopolymer Stamp Set [142061]	Rose Wonder Photopolymer Stamp Set [140697]	Holly Textured Impressions Embossing Folder [141634]
Rose Garden Thinlits Dies [140619]	Layering Ovals Framelits Dies [141706]	Cherry Cobbler Classic Stampin' Pad [126966]	Night Of Navy Classic Stampin' Pad [126970]	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100730]
Night Of Navy 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100867]	Emerald Envy 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [141415]	Cherry Cobbler 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [119685]

Hop Along with us and "Be Thankful"

Hello my Friends.

This is officially the last Mediterranean Achiever's blog hop (don't worry, next month we will be starting with our Thailand Achiever's blog hop!) and it is also, officially, my favourite themed hop of all.....Thankfulness!  
(You may be starting at my blog - Cynthia Millan - or maybe you've already been hopping?  Whichever is the case, make certain you check the list at the bottom and visit everyone else's blog too.  You don't want to miss any of the great projects!)

Anyone who knows me knows that I have a LOT to be thankful for.  And believe me, I am!  I could, quite literally, fill up the page with a list of just some of the things that I have to be thankful for.   But being thankful is also a choice.  A matter of perspective.  And if you will allow me to set a serious tone for a moment, I want to point out how absolutely perfect the sentiment on this card is.

In everything

Give Thanks

The list of what I have to be thankful for is long. I have a wonderful family. A husband whom I adore. Four children that fill my heart to overflowing. Customers who have become cherished friends and good friends who have become faithful customers. A team that is supportive and caring, encouraging and crafty.  I work for a Catholic charity that trains missionary disciples to go onto university campuses and help heal lost or wandering souls. And I represent Stampin' Up!, a company that has rewarded my hard work by sending me on phenomenal trips to exotic places (I earned the 2017 trip to Thailand!!). And even in all this, in all the blessings that I have received, even in my life there has been pain. 

Three weeks ago my mother passed away from cancer. 

I will not say more about that right now. It is one of the hardest things I have ever lived through in my whole life.  
Ever.  
And it is a subject for a different post on a different day. 
But even in this, one of the most painful moments in my life, I still choose and believe that in everything, I will give thanks.

Everything.

Almost too shiny to capture all that gold!!

So my card is bright and shiny and reflective of the joy that is in my heart and how truly thankful I am. I might add that this card is so shiny with gold, it was difficult to photograph properly!

My sentiment, heat-embossed in gold, is from the Suite Seasons stamp set from the Holiday Catalogue. Layering oval framelits and gold foil are the perfect way to display the sentiment, and metallic gold doilies add even more shine.

But the golden gratitude doesn't stop there....I layered these elements onto a mat cut from the Fancy Frost Specialty designer paper.  You might have missed this paper in the Holiday catalogue but I sure didn't...Six lovely pre-embossed white patterns.  I used the foliage pattern and very, very lightly and carefully ran a sponge dauber (that I had inked up using my versamark ink pad) over the embossed raised pattern.  A bit of gold powder and heat-setting of this and voila.  A vintage look with a burnished gold pattern of leaves.

Can you see it in the close up? Imperfect, perhaps.  But a perfect effect, nonetheless.

Close up of gold-embossed, embossed leaf pattern on the Fancy Frost designer paper.

Some metallic gold thread.    Strips of gold foil behind the Fancy Frost paper (to make it seem like there is a gold mat behind the Fancy Frost DSP...but why waste all that gold foil, right?  Just use strips!).  And a few cut outs from the Paisleys thinlits (I even used some of the discarded foil bits from the framelits to add a couple of extra, small, gold foil elements to the card).  And there you have it.  A golden ray of sunshine.  A testament to Thankfulness.


Hope you like my card and are enjoying the rest of the Blog hop too.  If you are anywhere in Canada, you can contact me HERE and I will be happy to place your orders for you (or you can place your own order online HERE.  If your order is less than $200, please use the hostess code EWRZMGSR when you check out).

Thanks for stopping by.  
Have an absolutely fantastic rest-of-your-week.  And remember.  In everything (EVERYTHING...) Give Thanks! 
God Bless you all,    ~Cynthia   <><

List of blog hop participants: