Fast & Fabulous Friday Sneak Peek - Dove of Peace

Hurry
Hurry 
Hurry

I need to get to work.  So I made this one Fast.  Totally Fast.  In fact, I would go back and cut out a step now...but I need to go so I won't change anything.

Love the new Dove of Peace stamp.  Embossed in gold...it's classic.  Pair it up with the Boughs and Berries embossing folder and it is gorgeous.  I ran a sponge dauber with versamark over the embossed edges and used gold embossing powder to give it the antique frame look. 

And to my delight on this fine Friday morning, I also have some friendship-love to share with you.  Suzane R left me this ever-so-gorgeous card she made for me, using last season's Sale-A-Bration set, Lotus Blossom.  The love, care and attention that went into this card are undeniable.

Thank you Suzane.  Love, love, *LOVE* it!

Off to work now.
Hope everyone enjoys their day!!  God Bless,    ~Cynthia   <><  

Product List

Dove Of Peace Wood-Mount Stamp [139800]	Boughs & Berries Textured Impressions Embossing Folder [139671]	Ovals Collection Framelits Die [129381]
Versamark Pad [102283]	Gold Stampin' Emboss Powder [109129]	Sponge Daubers [133773]

Awesomely Artistic Thank You

It is official.  I am blessed in more ways than I can count!

I have had a slew of boxes arriving these last few days.  Orders from my 20-Card Class.  Orders from my June Clubs.  Orders from my BOGO.....

And so I needed Thank You cards.  A TON of Thank You cards.  What a terrific problem to have.....needing a TON of Thank You cards.

My Awesomely Artistic stamp set got a real work-out this week, that's for sure!  But my friends are going to totally love them, I know it!   I will highlight these cards later this week, but for now, here's a sneak peak. 

Have a terrific day and God Bless each and every one of you!    ~Cynthia   <><

Neeje Crop - 2015 - Bunny Fry Box

Hi Friends

I am looking forward to seeing many of you at the Neeje Crop on Saturday.  The Neeje Association for Women and Families is a wonderful organization here in Ottawa and I am proud to say that I have been one of the attendees every year that the Crop-fundraiser has been held.  

Once again this year I will be representing Stampin' Up! and as such, I will hold a few classes during the day.

Here is one of them:

Attendees will get to make this super-cute Bunny Fry box to use for Easter treats.  How cute is that?!?  Participants will be able to make as many as they want, for $2 apiece.  

How about you?  Don't you wish you were going now?  Never fear, I think I will offer the bunny box as part of a class during March so keep your eyes peeled for my announcement about when that will be.

Until then, hope you are all enjoying a wonderful week.  God Bless,   ~Cynthia      <><

Thankful Thursday - Your Chance to Decide.....

Hello Friends

Another Thankful Thursday and another reason to dwell on the things that make me appreciative in life.  

Today, quite honestly, I am thankful for my health.  I spent the better part of this week knocked out from a cold that was worse than any I've had in the past several years....and with my Sale-A-Bration Kick-Off Class coming up this Saturday (want to join me?  For details, see here) I just didn't have "time" to be knocked out and off my feet.  But thankfully, it turned out to be 'just' a cold and nothing worse.  

Tangerine Tango

Strawberry Slush

No flu.  
No pneumonia.  
No nothing else.  
Just a nasty cold.  
And as annoying as colds are, they tend to clear up such that you barely remember what it was like to feel unwell.  
Well almost barely.

I am not so far beyond the cold that it's remnants don't still linger.  I had a voice for much of this week that made me sound like a Disney cartoon character (and it wasn't pretty - let me tell you!).  I can mostly speak normally now but it still comes and goes.  And I came to realize that you can lose an awful lot of skin from your nose yet still not expose the bone (although I was wondering if I would be able to truly test the limits).  But raw, red nose aside, I am doing quite a bit better now and I am looking forward to introducing so many of my friends to all the wonderful Sale-A-Bration products this coming Saturday.  So -- Thankful I am.   Most definitely!

Which brings me to today's card.  I need you to weigh in please.  I made this card in two versions, one using Tangerine Tango as the base colour and the second using Strawberry Slush.  And since this will be one of the cards my friends make on Saturday at my Sale-A-Bration Kick-Off Class, I want to make sure they get a chance to make the best version possible.  So I am asking you to weigh in and tell me which base colour you prefer?  "Orange" (Tangerine Tango) or "Pink" (Strawberry Slush).  I am leaning towards one of the choices but I want to check to make sure that my preference matches what YOU prefer.  So.....leave a comment please and let me know which card you like better.

You will give me even more to be Thankful for, if you help me out on this!

Hopefully I will see many of you on Saturday and you will see for yourself how stunning these cards are.  And how easy to make.   And the best part is......you can earn the stamp set I used FOR FREE!!  Really.... If you haven't RSVP'd already to join me on Saturday, then it is not too late.  Let me know you are coming and I will be waiting for you - with a smile!   (and what remains of my raw, red nose of course!)

Hope everyone stays healthy and enjoys the rest of their day.   God Bless,      ~Cynthia    <><

• Petal Parade Clear-Mount Stamp Set
• Sassy Salutations Wood-Mount Stamp Set
• Sassy Salutations Clear-Mount Stamp Set
• Fancy Fan Textured Impressions Embossing Folder
• Elegant Butterfly Punch
• Bitty Butterfly Punch
• Ovals Collection Framelits Dies
• Basic Gray Classic Stampin' Pad
• Strawberry Slush Classic Stampin' Pad
• So Saffron Classic Stampin' Pad
• Soft Sky Classic Stampin' Pad
• Strawberry Slush 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock
• Soft Sky 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock
• Whisper White 8-1/2X11 Card Stock
• Stampin' Dimensionals
• Dazzling Diamonds Stampin' Glitter
• 2-Way Glue Pen

Serenity in Winter

Hello My Friends

While we get pummeled with blustery winds and "the white stuff", I thought I would very quickly show you some variations on a card that is all about winter, but has nothing to do with a storm.

Apothecary Accents Framelit

Oval Framelit (large)

The Serene Silhouettes stamp set really is just that...."serene".  Combine that with muted colours (Sahara Sand with Cherry Cobbler birds) and a white-on-white background, and I think I've achieved a card that is both peaceful and classy / classic.  More "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas" than "Rocking Around the Christmas Tree".  Don't you think?    :)

Oval Framelit (small)

 














The photographs do not seem to quite catch the sparkle and shine of the glitter (so reminiscent of our new-fallen snow here today) - it is subtle, yet striking.  Does that make sense?   :)




I hope to show you the ins and outs of these cards tomorrow.  For now I will just quickly post them and wish you all a wonderful rest-of-your-week!

God Bless,   ~Cynthia   <><

• Apothecary Accents Framelits Dies
• Square Lattice Textured Impressions Embossing Folder Die
• Serene Silhouettes Clear-Mount Stamp Set
• Cherry Cobbler 1" Grosgrain Stitched Edge Ribbon
• Cherry Cobbler Stampin Write Marker
• Sahara Sand Classic Stampin' Pad
• 2-Way Glue Pen
• Dazzling Diamonds Stampin' Glitter
• Ovals Collection Framelits Dies

Wonderful Wetlands!

Dear dear Friends

If you have not yet taken a good look at the Wetlands stamp set in the new catalogue, then I urge you to check it out!  Page 69.  Go ahead and look.  I promise you, you'll thank me for it!

Wetlands is, arguably, one of the most beautiful and useful stamp sets in the new catalogue.  I loved it when I first saw it.  And now that I have seen the way that many creative stampers have used the images, I love them even more!

I am offering a Wonderful Wetlands class on Wed, Sept 4.  The class registration fee includes the stamp set (and trust me - you WANT to own it).  For those of you who already own this set, feel free to choose an alternate set to substitute for Wetlands.  But you do want to take this class.  Because it really IS a gorgeous stamp set.  And the cards you'll make that evening?!  Gorgeous.  Absolutely gorgeous!  I promise.

Let me know if you'd like to join us for the Wonderful Wetlands class.  Details can be found here.  
And have a wonderful (but not wet) rest of the week!

God Bless,     ~Cynthia     <><

Happy Birthday Dearest

Wow - you guys must think I fell off the face of the earth.  And the fact that I am finally posting something means you have probably just fallen off of your chair!  But here I am.  Finally!

I will keep this short - that way I'll actually post something.

Yesterday was my darling husband's birthday.  I am married to a man I still adore (after almost 21 years of marriage!) and I know that I am extremely blessed.  So naturally I wanted to make a really nice birthday card for him.  How convenient that I also needed to have a card designed for my club ladies to make as a Father's Day card.  Presto, chango, my masculine Birthday card became a Father's Day card for my club ladies (or vice versa).

I found this card on the internet and just had to CASE it (Copy And Share Everywhere).  Isn't it wonderful?  The watch image comes from the Dapper Dad stamp set (Spring catalogue) and the Birthday sentiment is from Perfect Punches (main catalogue) and BOTH of these stamp sets are retiring at the end of May so get them while you can!   (The Father's Day sentiment is from Delightful Dozen and the background stamp is En Francais - both not retiring - phew!).  I love how the flattened bottle cap really makes it look like a true-to-life man's watch.  The watchface on the birthday card has a coating of Crystal Effects to give the glass-like appearance whereas the watch below (Father's Day) has been left uncoated.  

Bottle Cap for watch face

Not a monumental difference - but I do prefer the glass-look anyhow!

Of course, the card on the right uses no bottle cap at all - merely the watch, stamped and used as is.

No Bottle Cap

All of these cards are elegant.  All of them are sophisticated.  And all of them are masculine.  I love when you find a card like this on the internet and can CASE it.  Thank you Tamie Ackerson for such gorgeous inspiration!

I don't want to risk not finishing and posting this so I am going to end off here.  Stay tuned - tomorrow night I will report the results for the LateNightStampers Treasure Hunt and my own blog candy.

In the meantime I hope everyone is doing well.  Hope Mother's Day was wonderful for all of you.  And for my friends here in Canada - I hope you are all looking forward to a spectacular Victoria Day long weekend!

God Bless,    ~Cynthia     <><

PS  Happy Birthday Darling.  I love you!!!!    XOXOxoxoXOXOxoxo

Thankful Thursday - Feeling Sentimental

Good Morning Friends

On my to-do list today is to say Thank You to a huge assortment of people who have enriched my life in so many ways.  I won't list them all here but believe me when I say that the list is extensive!  And so I bring you another Thankful Thursday, vintage style.

Supply List (Spring catalogue or FREE SAB products)
Stamps - Feeling Sentimental (w129627, c129630), Perfectly Penned (w122890, c122892)
Paper - Naturals Ivory (101849), Early Espresso (119686)
Ink - Early Espresso (126974)
Big Shot - Labels Framelits (125598), Ovals Framelits (129381)
Tools and Accessories - Distress Tool (127562), Color Spritzer Tool (107066), Natural 7/16" Trim Ribbon (129287), 5/8" Crochet Trim (118481), Crumb Cake Seam Binding Ribbon (122332), Very Vanilla Seam Binding Ribbon (120999), Stamping Sponges (101610)


I love the way the script of the Perfectly Penned set matches the time-period piece of the bicycle.  Or at least, I think it does.  And the entire card has an elegant vintage ambiance.  The images in this stamp set invoke a sort of Victorian nostalgia so the Crochet Trim was a must for this card!  And the smooshed corner, spritzed interior and roughed up edges?  Well, vintage just wouldn't be vintage without a bit of aging, right?


As part of my Thankful Thursday I want to say Thank You to each and every one of you for visiting today.  Hope you are all enjoying a wonderful morning.     
God Bless,     Cynthia     <><