Layered Flowers Swap Card

Hi Friends

We had our Team Meeting last night and once again I was reminded that I get to work with some of the most wonderful ladies around!  

We also had our regular swap and here was my card.  I try to keep my swap cards beautiful but simple, because what I (and, any other demos) are looking for in a swap card is something simple that we can use for home parties and classes.  Hopefully this one fits the bill?

Although the designer paper (Kaleidescope) is retiring on June 2, everything else will remain current through the next 12 months.

LOVE that all the flower punches we have right now can be superimposed on each other to create gorgeous blooms!!  And wanna know a secret?  We have a new, smaller flower punch (part of a trio of punches) that comes out on June 2 that will layer nicely onto these as well.  Woo hoo!  Love my coordinating punches and stamps!

All right - it is a holiday Monday here in Canada and I have to see about getting more work done in my garden.  
So until tomorrow - take care and God Bless,    ~Cynthia    <><


Product List

Flower Shop Clear-mount Stamp Set [130942]	Pansy Punch [130698]	Petite Petals [clear] [133155]
Petite Petals Punch [133322]	Blossom Punch [125603]	A Dozen Thoughts Clear-Mount Stamp Set [131059]
Kaleidoscope Designer Series Paper [132995]	Strawberry Slush Classic Stampin' Pad [131178]	Bermuda Bay Classic Stampin' Pad [131171]
Whisper White 8-1/2X11 Card Stock [100730]	Large Rhinestone Basic Jewels [129324]	Basic Rhinestones Jewel Accents [119246]

Chalkboard Easel Thankful Thursday

Hello friends

I'll bet you were expecting a Valentine's Card, right?  I would have - except that all my Valentine crafting was finished last week and THIS is what I wanted to show you today.  If you spend any time online, then you have seen the chalkboard technique cropping up everywhere.  It almost seems like I am the only stamper around who hasn't posted a card using this technique...until now that is.  I wanted to wait until I had a really nice one to show you and I do believe this is it!  And although the sentiment doesn't scream "Thankful"...you better believe I am thankful for all the things that I've got.  Especially the things that are not "things", just like the card says.  By the way, on this Valentine's Day (and every other day of the year) .....I am extremely thankful for the love of a truly wonderful man!  Okay, now I am in danger of getting really off topic, so back to the card:

Supply List (Spring catalogue products)
Stamps - Feel Goods (w129681, c129684), Itty Bitties (128939), Everything Eleanor (w124162, c124164), Mixed Bunch (w125535, c125537)
Paper - Raspberry Ripple (126842), Pink Pirouette (100459), Basic Black (121045), Whisper White (100730), Print Poetry Designer Series Paper Stacks (129312)
Ink - Craft White (101731), Raspberry Ripple (126842), Pink Pirouette (126859) 
Big Shot -  To flatten the Soda Pop Tops
Tools and Accessories - Soda Pop Tops (129388), Designer Builder Brads (129329), Watercolor Pencils - white (101879), White Embossing Powder (109132), Heat Tool (129053), Embossing Buddy (103083), Stitched Satin Ribbon - Raspberry Ripple (126845), Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack (118309), 1/2" Circle Punch (119869), Blossom Punch (125603), dimensionals (104430), Stamping Sponges (101610)

I just love the effect of the chalkboard technique for making cards.  For those who want technical details....the images were stamped with craft ink on the black cardstock and embossed with white embossing powder.  A sponge very slightly loaded with white craft ink was used to create the "smudged" chalk effect and a white watercolor pencil was used to create the lines around the card.  I really love this one done as an easel card - I realize I haven't done an easel fold in a while and for the life of me, I can't figure out why?!   They are certainly easy enough.  And boy are they ever cute!

Today's card?  It is definitely above and beyond the cute category (if I do say so myself).  This is one of the gorgeous cards that my club ladies are making at our February club nights.  Along with a beautiful bloom card and an Easter Basket (that is wickedly cute and easy too!).  If you are local and want to take club nights for a "test drive",  contact me and we'll see if we can arrange for you to join us.

And don't forget about my Mystery Hostess event.  Offer open to ANYONE in Canada, and you don't need to be available to come to the event evening.  Just let me know you have a qualifying order to put in.  EVERYONE splits the hostess benefits so you will get one of the 10 bonuses listed!  Contact me today - It just doesn't get any better!    :)

And in the meantime, have a wonderful day.  Happy Valentine's Day again.  And God Bless,    ~Cynthia     <><
 

Super Easy Ribbon Flower Cards

The Stitched Satin Ribbon that Stampin' Up! is offering FREE during September with every $50 purchase is absolutely gorgeous! At Convention in July they showed us a very effective way of making quick but cute cards, using the natural beauty of the ribbon.  There are a ton of these on the internet right now, but here is my version:

Supply List
Stamps - Sassy Salutations
Paper - Whisper White
Ink -Raspberry Ripple
Tools and Accessories - Blossom Punch, Raspberry Ripple Stitched Satin Ribbon, Snail, Basic Pearlsdimensionals


It was so easy to make that gorgeous Flower.  I just punched the blossom from my white cardstock (I'll save it to use later on another card) and laid it over the card and penciled the blossom outline through the window (so I'd know where and how much ribbon to lay down).  Then I covered the penciled area with snail, adhered my strips of ribbon, and overlaid with my white piece (I used dimensionals to pop it up).

Easy.
Peasy.
Cute.
Fast.

LOVE the stitched satin ribbon!  Some strategically placed pearls as a flower centre and I'm done.

There are LOTS more lovely things you can do with the gorgeous stitched satin ribbon from Stampin' Up! and I am going to show you plenty of ideas over the next several weeks.  Place an order with me during September and Stampin' Up! will give you a free roll of this ribbon (colour of your choice) for every $50 you spend.  Place a $200 order and you'll receive 4 free rolls and will qualify for your own hostess benefits so you can get the 5th colour free as well!  And remember, today is the last day to take advantage of my end-of-summer sale (and also qualify for free ribbon!).   Contact me today to place your order!


Happy Labour Day to you all, have a wonderful week and God Bless!       ~Cynthia       <><

Sunflowers Give Me a Reason To Smile

Hi friends - and my apologies for missing a Fast & Fabulous Friday.  I have been so busy lately my head is still spinning.

In amongst that busy-ness, one of my friends, who reads my blog faithfully, commented that I had not yet posted a card using the 2-step stamping technique with the Reason To Smile stamp set.  I thought about it for a minute and realized how right she was.  So Monique my dear friend, this one is for you!    :)

Supply List
Stamps - Reason To Smile (available July ONLY), Tiny Tags
Paper - Whisper White, Chocolate Chip, Daffodil Delight, Lucky Limeade
Ink - Crumb Cake, Chocolate Chip, Daffodil Delight, Lucky Limeade
Big Shot -  Square Lattice Embossing Folder, Finishing Touches Edgelit
Tools and Accessories - Blossom Petals Builder Punch, 2-way glue pen, Dazzling Diamonds, dimensionals

I did not want the outline/detail of the flower blossom to be too overwhelming so I used Crumb Cake ink to stamp the outline.  Daffodil petals and a Chocolate centre completed the flower, while leaves from the Blossom Punch and hand-cut stems made up the foliage.  But my favourite part of this card are the sentiments on the leaves.  Don't you just love the cute-factor this adds!

I have about a million more things I need to do this weekend (or at least it seems that way) - not the least of which - I need to design a swap card for Convention.  I will be going to the Stampin' Up! Convention in Salt Lake City, Utah, in less than 2 weeks.  And I want to bring a set of swap cards with me to trade with other demonstrators from across North America.  This is my very first Convention and everyone tells me I am going to have a blast.  And I believe them....Just as long as I can get everything done that I need to, before I go!

So on that note, knowing I have lots left to do,  I bid you adieu until next time.
Hope you like the card you inspired, Monique.  And I hope everyone enjoys their weekend!  
God Bless,          ~Cynthia          <><

Fast and Fabulous Mixed Bunch

Another Fast and Fabulous Friday?  Already?  Where does the time go?
When the clock is ticking and you just don't have time for all the extras, this card is quick and easy.  The definition of fast and fabulous.

The swirl from Baroque Motifs was stamped several times in Lucky Limeade on a Whisper White card base.  One of the Mixed Bunch blossom images was stamped in Concord Crush ink on a scrap piece of white and punched out with the Blossom Punch.  The edges were sponged with Concord ink and a basic pearl was added to the centre, then the blossom was mounted using dimensionals, onto the card.  A Thank You (from Thank You Kindly) was stamped in Concord Crush onto the card front, then a 2-way Glue Pen and Dazzling Diamonds glitter were used to accent the flower and parts of the Baroque vines.

And that's it.
Doesn't get much simpler than that, does it?

So next time you are pressed for time but you need a card in a hurry - remember that clean and simple is often fast and fabulous.

Hope everyone is looking forward to a wonderful weekend.   I know I am !
                God Bless,              ~Cynthia       <><

Saturday's Card Class

One of my friends (who also happens to be a customer) came to my card class on Saturday but had to leave early.  So she stamped and punched what she needed to then took all of her little "bits" with her and I promised her she could see how to piece them together if she just went to my blog. 

tick  tick  tick

She e-mailed me this week to suggest that perhaps I should post all the cards from Saturday's class - like I said I would - otherwise she would NEVER get her cards put together.  Silly me.  Sorry that I forgot.  In addition to the ones I posted on March 2, here are the other cards we made.

Saturday's class was a lot of fun!  I would like to point out that I was privileged and blessed to get to spend a creative morning with such a spectacular group of ladies!!   I can hardly wait till next time!





But for now.....March Break is only hours away from starting.  For those of you who will be travelling - have a healthy, happy and safe journey.  For those of you who will be staying close to home.....what are you waiting for?  Get stamping!!    :)

God Bless,    ~Cynthia     <><

Mixed Bunch and SAB

Good Morning

I have a few more cards that use Stampin' Up!'s paper doily cut-out but I decided you needed to see something else first.  Today's card uses a Cherry Cobbler colour-scheme with just a touch of Lucky Limeade thrown in.  A Whisper White mat (4 x 5 1/4) was stamped in all 4 corners with the postage image from Fresh Vintage, and the small flower image was then stamped randomly over the rest of the white space.  This piece was embossed with the square lattice embossing folder, the edges were sponged and it was adhered to a white card base.

The daisy-type image from the Mixed Bunch set was stamped onto a piece of Whisper White and punched out using the new Blossom Punch.  This was layered over a blossom punched from Cherry Cobbler cardstock.  The Lucky Limeade leaves were punched using the Blossom Petals Builder Punch and 'vein' indentations were made using a bone folder.

Three of the largest Boho Blossom flower (in Cherry Cobbler) were scrunched together and a Limeade Sale-A-Bration brad and the coordinating Limeade SAB ribbon was used with these as the flower centre.

This is a cheery card, meant as a thank you to a very valued friend of mine.  I hope she enjoys my little token of appreciation to let her know how blessed I feel to have her as my friend.

For all those about to embark on a Lenten journey, I wish you a Happy Shrove Tuesday!  As for my household, pancakes are definitely on the menu for tonight's dinner!!

God Bless,     ~Cynthia    <><

Ok
So It's a couple of days past Valentine's Day.  That doesn't mean that we toss all our heart cards out the window, right?  I mean - we still love our family & friends.  So let's ask them to be our Valentine all year long.

Too much?  Maybe you're right.  I should just stick to the basics, right?

My customers have been asking me for a long, long time if I have a blog.  My friends have been telling me over and over again that I should start a blog.  Well you know what?  Today is the day.
~ ~ ~ ~ insert hyperventilating and increased heart - rate here ~ ~ ~ ~
gulp

So here goes:


 Hi.
My name is Cynthia and I am an independent Stampin' Up! demonstrator here in the lovely city of Ottawa, Ontario.  For those of you who may not be familiar with Canada, Ottawa is our nation's capital and I love it here!

Ok.  I think that's about all I can do for now.  I better see if I can even figure out how to post this before I run on and on about me and my business...right?

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