Bohemian Paper and Some Talented Friends

Hello There Friends

Johanne B

Lynn CG

Well, June has come and gone and once again I was treated to a demonstration of just how brilliant and creative my downline Team Members are.

The Canadian Sunshine Stampers really rock!!  

Rachelle A

You see -- each month I take some sort of Stampin' Up! product or products, and give my participating Team Members the same "stuff" with the same challenge...make me a card.  Any card.  Use "some" of what I've given you.  Use a little.  Use a lot.  Or use it all.  But use "some" of everything I give you.

Sylvie H

Sylvie H

Imagination?  Go ahead and use it!  Or copy from a friend.  CASe from Pinterest.  (Or any other source for that matter).  No holds barred.

Dianne R

Janet B

This month I limited it to one thing.  I gave everyone a piece of the SU! Bohemian designer paper.  LOVE this paper!!

And that's all.  No other rules.  Use a small piece or a big piece.  Use either side.  Heck, use both sides!  I'm not picky.  What I look forward to each month is seeing the variety.  The unbelievable variety.

Janet Br (outside of card)

Janet Br (inside of card)

Disappointed?  I think not.  Look at how so many friends can take an identical starting point and spin off to create so many different ideas!

Oh my goodness golly gee!!  I cannot *believe* how cool it is to see how many different variations and ideas my friends come up with.

Lynn L

Val V

So.  Totally.  Cool.

So go ahead and weigh in.  Tell me what you think.

Impressed?  I certainly am!

Hope you've enjoyed all these gorgeous cards.  And I hope to see you back again real soon to enjoy some other wonderful creations!

Julie G

We've got a Trip-Achievers' blog hop coming up soon.  Woot woot.  Now those are projects you're going to want to see.

Janet Br

Until then, have a fantastic day and God Bless,    ~Cynthia    <><

My Incredible Team Strikes Again

Hello Friends

I have said it before but it bears repeating....my Team is incredible.  Truly and absolutely remarkable!!

Dianne R - love how she used the designer paper as an awning!

Lynn CG - such a great way to think outside the box!

I began January (and this entire year) just a little bit sick.  Ok, maybe a whole lot sick.  You know how it is, a cold that you just can't seem to shake.  Lingering coughs and difficulty taking full breaths  And a bit of fog on the brain!   :)

Janet B(u) - such a striking use for this pattern

Janet B(r) - loving the multi-coloured embossing

Well, I had fog on the brain all right.  Big Time!  And as much as I loved the new Adventure Bound designer paper stacks, I just could not seem to wrap my head around how to use them on a card.

Val V - hard to believe this card uses the exact SAME designer paper as the 2 above, isn't it?

So I did the next best thing - I challenged my Team to use them on a card!  I selected a handful of local demonstrators and gave them each a piece of the DSP and asked them to turn it into a card.  And once again, I am totally in awe with what they came up with.

Sylvie - what a perfect use of this DSP.  Elegantly masculine I think

Lynn L - ingenious.  Hearts pinned to a textured background.  Love it!

Why don't you judge for yourself?
Pretty imaginative, aren't they?  And me?  I am totally humbled.  I would *never* have thought to use some of these patterns this way. These ladies ROCK!

I sent them all away this month with yet a new card challenge and I cannot wait to see what they do with it!  One of the best parts of Team meetings is that they share their imaginations and creative minds with me and inspire me!  Love my gifted Team.  Lots and lots.

Hope you are all enjoying your week and are looking forward to a wonderful weekend.
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!

Fast and Fabulous Friday - One Day Late

Hello My Friends

I meant to post this yesterday, but got all caught up in other things so did not get around to it.  (That is not meant to be an excuse.  Merely an explanation.  I do take full responsibility!)

So let's pretend it is Friday.  My Fast and Fabulous card for you today features a "guest designer".  One of my Team members sent me this card as part of a Designer Paper challenge I gave them last month.  Her card would have been featured in the post HERE, except that she is moving and her craft paraphernalia is packed up and inaccessible.  But she was finally able to grab some of it the other day and created this Fast and Fabulous card.

How cute is that?

And the thing I like the most?   This is Hallowe'en paper on an all-occasion-type card!!  I love that she re-purposed the paper into something that does not limit it to Hallowe'en!!   

Sorry that it took me so long to get Friday's post to you!  Hoping I don't run a week behind in everything else in my life for the next few days!!

Have a spectacular weekend and God Bless!     ~Cynthia   <><

Team Artistry - Canadian SunshineStampers - part 3

And FINALLY My Dear Friends

Dianne's perfect design - 4-Square

I want to show you all the ridiculously beautiful cards that my downline made using the Trim the Tree Designer Paper Stacks.

Kathy's Brilliant Tree

Dianne's Starburst card.

Lovely Iris-Folded Ornament - Val

Classic Punched Wreath - Lynn

Aren't these spectacular?
And they are all so different too!

Who would have thought you could do quite this much with just some bits of Designer Paper!?

Val's Fallen Leaves

Dianne's Harlequin Tree

I absolutely was blown away with the variety and creativity that these stampers brought with them.  

Iris-Folding, Punch art, rolled branches, Starburst...hard to believe that these all use the same stack of paper, huh?  So much variety.  So much beauty.  Man I am blessed!  :)

Hope everyone elnjoys a wonderful full of smiles and hugs from those you hold most dear!

God Bless,    ~Cynthia    <><

Come To Bethlehem & Crosses of Hope Gift

Hello dear friends

There is a lovely site called Word Art Wednesday and I was asked to be a sponsor for their challenge this week.  I was more than happy to sponsor their challenge and see the Word used in wonderful creations, so naturally I agreed.

One of the entries from this week's challenge will win, from me, the Come To Bethlehem stamp set and also the Crosses of Hope stamp set!  So if you are interested, go to Word Art Wednesday and enter their challenge.  It will cost you nothing - but the time it takes to create something beautiful and meaningful.   And in my books, that does not amount to a cost but rather, is a gift.

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