My Talented Friends - Variation on a Theme!

Hello Friends

Do I ever have a treat for you!

Do you remember when I re-created a beautiful purple Butterfly Basics card designed by Stampin' Up! CEO, Shelli Gardner and gave it to everyone who ordered from me in the month of January?  Well that card got raves and raves and and I know several people reproduced it for themselves.

Well fast-forward to the story of my beautiful friend, Suzane R.  She reproduced it.  Sort of.  She copied it.  Mostly.  CASEd it - with a twist.  Look at her absolutely stunning variation of Shelli's card.  The vintage, elegant, peaceful feel of the original is converted to bold, bright and knock-your-socks off WOW.  THIS card makes a statement.

Don't you just love it?!

I couldn't be more in love with this card or more impressed with its creator.  Don't you agree that it is a thoroughly brilliant and cutting edge variation of the "original"?

I am really going to have to make several different copies of the card using various combinations of colours.  Because as much as I loved the original, I am very much looking forward to seeing how the entire flavour of the card changes with other colour combinations, such as the one Suzane chose.

I'll let you know later how my experiement on colour variation works out.  Until then, I hope everyone is enjoying their week.       God Bless,       ~Cynthia     <><

Product List

Butterfly Basics Photopolymer Stamp Set [137154]	Papillon Potpourri Clear Stamp Set [123759]	Elegant Butterfly Punch [127526]
Blackberry Bliss Classic Stampin' Pad [133642]	Bermuda Bay Classic Stampin' Pad [131171]	Hello Honey Classic Stampin' Pad [133643]
Versamark Pad [102283]	White Stampin' Emboss Powder [109132]	Stamping Sponges [101610]

Wedding Gatefold Card

Hello Dear Friends

I just wanted to quickly show you a wedding card that I was asked to make recently for a very special couple.  This was an absolute labour of love and I was very pleased with how it turned out.  It is a classic Gatefold card, with lots of wedding white and just enough silver and purple to make it positively regal!

What do you think?  Think the wedding couple will like this card too?

Gatefold opening

Inside of card

Hope you are all enjoying your week.  I am on vacation with my family and loving every minute of it!

"Talk" to you all again soon. 
God Bless,  ~Cynthia    <><

DIY Designer Paper - Your Preferred Variation?

Good Morning My Friends

Since I am visiting at my parent's home and am without most of my supplies, I decided to make my own.  Well.... sort of!

I just received the fun and funky "What's Your Type" photopolymer stamp set and was dying to play with it so I brought it with me on my holiday.  I really didn't have any particular image in mind to create with the varied shapes, so I decided instead to make my own designer paper!  I absolutely love how easy it is to get accurate placement of images when you use photopolymer stamps!!  Believe me - I was able to quite quickly produce a piece of very funky faux designer paper!

Design 1

Design 2

You might also remember that I brought all of my Blendabilities with me on vacation as I have not yet had a really good chance to play with them.  So today I set about colouring some flowers (Beautiful Bunch) and some butterflies (Papillon Potporri).  Can I just mention that I am *still* loving my Blendabilities and I think everyone should sign up for my virtual Blendabilities club (details HERE).  Trust me - you are going to want them *all* so you may as well get them the easiest and least expensive way possible!

Design 3

Design 4

Regardless - after fussy cutting out the images, I was having a hard time deciding on the best placement of the elements on my faux DSP.  I have 4 different variations here - but nothing is glued down permanently yet.  So I am going to ask you,my friends, to weigh in.  

Which or the 4 placements do you prefer?

Naturally I will have to once again do a random draw of all those who weigh in (by Friday), and that person will receive this card - glued down, of course, in their preferred design!!

In the meantime, while I wait to hear back from you, my friends, I will wish to all of you a wonderful (and not too hot) day!!    God Bless,    ~Cynthia    <><

Blendabilities - Can You See the Difference?

Hi Friends

Blendabilities Comparison - Whisper White on top, Very Vanilla on bottom

Still here in southern Ontario enjoying time with my family....but I am *also* enjoying a chance to play with my Blendabilities a bit.  I really liked how Sunday's card turned out and I wanted to see if the Blendabilities looked any different when used on Very Vanilla cardstock instead of Whisper White.  

Blendabilities on Whisper White

Blendabilities on Very Vanilla

You tell me.....

I tried to make my colouring and card construction as identical as possible so that any differences beween Whisper White or Very Vanilla might be more pronounced.  

But honestly?  

Except for the fact that I might have been a bit more vigorous in my use of the Colour Lifter for the Vanilla-based images than the White ones, well aside from that there is very little difference at all.  

And certainly nothing that would make you think you *had* to use Whisper White as your card backing.

Good to know!

But I'd like to hear from you.  Tell me...do YOU see a difference?

So there you have it folks.  Our Blendabilities can be used equally successfully on our Whisper White cardstock and our Very Vanilla cardstock!  And trust me, I can see me using them a LOT in the future.  

If you'd like to play with your very own Blendabilities (at the very best price possible), check out my Blendabilities (virtual) club HERE.

Hope everyone is enjoying their summer!   God Bless,    ~Cynthia    <><

So Thankful - and It's Not Even Thursday!

Hello My Dear and Wonderful Friends!

I am still basking in the glow and happiness of finding out on Friday night that I had been named as one of the 2014 Founder's Circle Achievers.  E-mails, FB messages, texts and phone calls have all arrived to remind me of just how wonderful all of you are.

And then I went to Mass and I got to praise God for the profound blessings He has bestowed upon me!

I am blessed, so very blessed!

At any rate, I wanted to present a big THANK YOU to all of you, once again, for making this Founder's Circle achievement possible!  And what better way than with a gorgeous card created using the new Blendabilities;  Coastal Cabana and Daffodil Delight for the large Blended Bloom image.  Daffodil Delight for the butterflies.  And Calypso Coral and Daffodil for the small flowers.  Since I am still visiting family and did not bring any punches with me, I was forced to fussy cut all of these images!  So those of you who know me will understand exactly *how* appreciative I must be of all of you, in order for me to do that!     ;)

If you have not yet purchased the Blendabilities, then trust me, you really want to.  And if you want them ALL (like I do), then check out my Blendabilities Club HERE.  You can get ALL of the markers, plus the accessories, plus 2 stamp pads...all for less than the cost of purchasing them individually.  It's a sweet deal my friends.  And heaven knows my sweet friends deserve a sweet deal!

Going to a Family Reunion this afternoon so I'll be reconnecting with a lot of family for the rest of the day.  But know this....YOU are also my family.  Each and every one of you and I thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Enjoy the rest of your day and God Bless,     ~Cynthia    <><

Thankful Thursday and the Promise of Spring

Hello Friends

Anyone who knows me understands that I am a kid at heart and I LOVE the wintertime with its snow and crisp mornings and the "Narnia-feel" to the landscape.  But I also love Fall.  And Summer.  And Spring.  So despite the fact that I fully expect a few more flurries and at least one more dose of true winter weather before Spring really hunkers down to stay, I am thankful for the 'promise' of Spring.

My front yard still has a 3 foot depth of snow and the snowbanks at the end of my driveway?  They'll be around for a while!  But we have had 3 consecutive days of (near-balmy) plus zero weather and some sunshine.  Things are starting to melt and you can just feel nature dying to break forth in all its glory.  

And I cannot help but feel excited myself.  Like I, too, am anticipating newness and growth.  Like if I hold my breath and just wait for it, life will burst forth in a dazzling display of colour.

So here is my Thankful Thursday card today.  Thankful for this feeling of anticipation.  Thankful that we are continually rejuvenated.  Thankful that the colour and majesty of Spring are soon to be on our doorstep.....

I resolved today to use some things from my repertoire that have seen little use of late.  So I dusted off my Delicate Doilies sizzlit, my Beautiful Wings embosslit, and my Papillon Potpourri stamp set.  ALL of which are items that I truly love - but have scarcely used in the last 12 months!

The card is simple, relying mostly on solid, punched pieces and only 2 colours paired with the Vanilla neutral.  But it still whispers in my heart that Spring is on its way.

And you?  Are you looking forward to Spring?  Or does that even require an answer......      ;)

Hope everyone enjoys a day that brings them hope and the anticipation of things to be thankful for!
God Bless,     ~Cynthia     <><


Product List

126842	126859	126843	101650
119976	118138	126999	127526
129406	130698	133322	119855
119856	133155	123759	133107

Happy Birthday Friend!!

I warned you that I have birthdays on the brain, right?

Well, today is the birthday of one of my very good friends!  Someone I respect and admire and I feel blessed and honoured to know.  She ia a beautiful woman inside and out and not only is it her birthday today, but in just a few short weeks it will be the "birth" day of her third child.  I am very excited for her and her growing family.  And I sent this card to her to let her know how much I cherish and appreciate her.

I CASed this card directly from the internet because I loved it from the moment I saw it - and I used it as one of our September club cards to remind my ladies that tone-on-tone can be one of the most beautiful colour combinations.  In fact, most of the stamping on this card is versamark (followed by clear embossing powder) so the darker images on the Soft Suede card really are tone-on-tone.  And Pool Party, combined with the Suede, is such a gorgeous punch of colour.

A bitty vellum butterfly atop the Suede/Pool Party larger one, and there is just enough dimension and 'movement' on the card to keep it bright and  interesting.

And speaking of interesting - you heard about my birthday special, right?  
From Oct 1-Oct 7, I will pay the shipping and handling on any order greater than $60.  Regular HST fees still apply.  But the s&h will be covered by me.  It is the week of my birthday and I am sharing my happiness with all my friends.   Contact me and take advantage of the FREE SHIPPING this week!

Back to work I go - so much to do to prepare for my World Card-Making Day Event this weekend!  Are you going to visit us on Saturday between 10 and 3 to take part in the BOGO?  Or come and take my Delightful Dahlias or Wetlands or Simply Sent Classes.  You won't regret it!

In the meantime and until then -- Have a wonderful evening my friends and God Bless,    ~Cynthia     <><

Emboss Resist Intense Butterflies

I've realized that my butterfly offerings over the last few days have been soft and pastel-like and although there is absolutely nothing wrong with that, I thought you might like to see something bold, vibrant and intense.

Presenting.....Intense emboss-resist butterflies for your viewing pleasure!

Just a bit of versamark and the Papillon Potpourri stamp set (and clear embossing powder), followed by heavy sponging with Island Indigo and Elegant Eggplant makes this a stand-out 'Wow' sort of card.  Don't the butterflies pop right up off the page at you?

I have always loved the emboss resist technique, and this card is a fast but sure-fire reason to demonstrate why.

Hope your week is looking bright.  All 4 of my kids left for school this morning for the first time since June and I have yet to get much accomplished at home.  Guess it's time for me to buckle down and get to it, so I'll keep this short.

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

Butterfly Thank You's

Hello Friends

I'm back - and didn't I promise you that I would show you more quick and cute ways to use the Butterfly Bundle that Stampin' Up! is offering right now at a 15% discount?  

Well here you go.  Instalment number 2.

The Papillon Potpourri stamp set is one of my absolute favourites.  I LOVE butterflies!!  And the Bitty Butterfly Punch makes me very happy indeed.  I always love it when there is a coordinating punch that I can use with my stamped images.

Throw in some polka dot embossing on a background mat and the gorgeous big Thank You from the new "Another Thank You" photopolymer set (these are so nice and sticky.  NOTHING is going to make this baby fall off of my clear block!) and this very fast but very cute card is pretty much finished.

Good thing this card took me no time at all -- because it is a long weekend and we are going to visit friends today.  I've got a luscious dessert to make first so I am going to keep this post short.  But don't forget to check back again tomorrow!

Have a wonderful weekend and safe travels to all those ending their summer with some time away from home.    God Bless you all,     ~Cynthia     <><

And More About Butterflies - Fast and Fabulous

Hey.  Pssst.  You.  Yeah you.

Did you hear?  Stampin' Up! is offering the Bitty Butterfly Punch and the Papillon Potpourri stamp set as a bundle for a 15% savings.  
What a great deal.  A "steal", if I do say so myself!

What can you do with these stamps you might ask?  Hmmmmm.  Let me think about that one for a few minutes.

Literally a very few minutes....

And in just a few minutes (2 minutes - if you are interested in details), this is a Fast and Fabulous card that I was able to put together.  Papillon Potpourri and the Bitty Butterfly punch (because that one butterfly does have to be punched out to "stand out" from the rest) come together in perfect coordination to make a super quick card.

I mean, how much faster can you get?

Maybe I'll make it my mission this week to create a quick card, everyday, using Papillon Potpourri and the Bitty Butterfly Punch - just so you can see how great an addition they would be to your stamp room!

And if you live anywhere in Canada and you are interested in ordering them, feel free to visit my online store and I can help to make that happen!

In the meantime, for all of my Canadian and American friends - have a wonderful long weekend!  God Bless you all,    ~Cynthia    <><

Save 15% on the Butterfly Collection - Now till Sept 30

There's never been a better time to add butterflies to your stamping collection!!  Get the Papillon Potpourri stamp set and the Bitty Butterfly Punch at a 15% saving.

See details here or see below:




Dates: August 29-September 30, 2013
Offer: Get 15 percent off when you buy this bundled butterfly stamp set and punch!

Bundle Item	Page in Catalogue	Description	Retail Price	15% Savings Price	Amount Saved!
135311	90 183	Butterfly Bundle (Clear-Mount) Papillion Potpourri Clear-Mount Stamp Set Bitty Butterfly Punch	$39.90	$33.92	$5.98
135312	90 183	Butterfly Bundle (Wood-Mount) Papillion Potpourri Wood-Mount Stamp Set Bitty Butterfly Punch	$44.90	$38.17	$6.73

Fast and Fabulous Friday - Very Vintage Butterflies

Hello There Friends

I hope all of you are enjoying Spring-like weather that gives a hint of the summer to come.  Here in Ottawa things are promising to turn into summer very soon now.

I have a long-over-due Fast & Fabulous Friday for you.  Once again I am in need of lots of thank you cards and I decided to get out my stamping wheels - heaven knows I do not use my wheels nearly often enough!  Do you?
So today I did.  A wheel.  A couple of stamps.  Some heat embossing and punching and voila.  Tell me what you think.

Supply List   
Stamps - Very Vintage Jumbo Wheel (w117693), Papillon Potpourri (w132058, 123759), Express Yourself (w130336, c130339)
Paper - Whisper White (100730), Vellum (101856)   
Ink - Wisteria Wonder (126985), Elegant Eggplant (126969)
Tools and Accessories - Elegant Butterfly Punch (127526), Jumbo Handle (103661), Clear Embossing Powder (109130), Heat Tool (129053), Stampin' Sponges (101610), Two-Way Glue Pen (100425), Dazzling Diamonds (102023), Glue Dots (103683)

This card came together so quickly.  I inked up my wheel and rolled it across the card body.  Then I added a couple of small butterflies from the Papillon Potpourri set.  I stamped the larger butterfly on vellum and since ink dries so very slowly on vellum, I sprinkled clear embossing powder on these butterflies and heat embossed them before punching them.  The vellum was sponged from behind with Eggplant ink to darken the image and make it more distinctive.  Then it was attached to the card body with a single glue dot.   The addition of a sentiment and some glitter, and your card is complete!  

There you have it folks.  Fast.  And Fabulous.  At long last.
Hope everyone is looking forward to having a wonderful weekend.  I will be busy getting details ironed out for my BOGO party next Tuesday.  I'd love to see you there so please let me know if you can make it.  Until then,   God Bless,       ~Cynthia     <><

Sale-A-Bration is Coming.....

Hello Again Friends

Yesterday I finally got some of my new Spring catalogue products inky....and today I used my very first Sale-A-Bration item for the year!  For those of you who don't know what SAB is...it's only THE biggest sale that Stampin' Up! holds every year.   FREE stamp sets, embossing folders, embellishments and paper.....Stay tuned and I will give you all the details tomorrow.

For now, I thought you'd like to see a very small sneak peak of a SAB stamp, as well as some more new Spring catty products.

Supply List (Spring catalogue or SAB products)
Stamps - Vintage Verses (w129633, c129636), Papillon Potpourri (w123757, c123759)
Paper - Whisper White (100730), Pool Party 122924), Island Indigo (122923)
Ink - Island Indigo (126986), Pool Party (126982)
Big Shot -  Honeycomb Embossing Folder (129378), Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder (120175)
Tools and Accessories - Bitty Butterfly Punch (129406), Elegant Butterfly Punch (127526), Distress Tool (127562), Champagne Shimmer Paint (116806), Clear Block C (118486), Basic Pearls (119247), Spritzer (126185), dimensionals (104430)

It is difficult to see in the photo, but I used a clear block to make 3 solid, rectangular pool party stamps on the background of the card, then misted the whole thing with a homemade shimmer mist so it is quite sparkly in real life. Cutting out the hexagon edges was easy since you just follow the embossed lines.  And the new Distress Tool makes roughing up the edges of the card a breeze!

Love how this card turned out.  Love, even more, that I get to give it to a very special lady.  Being a Stampin' Up! demonstrator has allowed me to meet some of the most wonderful friends - people I might never have met if I hadn't had an opportunity to get crafty with them!  Well, the recipient of this card is one such friend.  I met her through a fundraiser that I did for my church almost 2 years ago.  And I get to bring her some craft goodies, along with this card, today.

Which reminds me....I'd better get on that!

Hoep everyone has a wonderful day!   God Bless,   ~Cynthia    <>< 

Fast & Fabulous Friday - Finally!

Hello Friends

It seems like it has been quite a while since I posted a Fast & Fabulous Friday for you.
So today I have just that.  And I especially wanted to use blue for this card, since it (or a slight variant) is intended specifically for Lynn. 

Last night Lynn picked up a partial order and I hadn't yet had a chance to write out my usual Thank You card to accompany the bag.   It has been quite a while since I gave anyone a "naked" bag and it felt 'wrong' to me, and Lynn was disappointed too!  I love that my customers look forward to the Thank You cards I include with their orders.  Because in all honesty - my customers are why I do this.  I love sharing my love/addiction/passion for stamping with them.   And I love to be able to do something as small as give them a Thank You note with each order to let them know that I appreciate them!  At any rate, all this is to say that I gave Lynn a "naked" bag yesterday.  And now that the rest of her order has arrived, I need to have a Thank You card specifically with her in mind to make up for the 'naked' (partial) order.  Lynn loves blue.  So I designed this card using blue, with Lynn in mind.

Supply List
Stamps - Creative Elements, Papillon Potpourri, A Word For You
Paper - Naturals Ivory
Ink - Not Quite Navy
Tools and Accessories Basic Pearls

Did you notice how simple this card is?  A single layer.  No Big Shot.  No glitter.  No heat embossing.  Not even any sponging!~  It doesn't get any simpler than that!
This is one of those cards where you let the stamp set itself to do all of the 'heavy lifting'.

And in other news....Today is the last day to get a Free package of brads/vintage trinkets when you place a $50 order.  At the end of the day I will also pick from among the online orders to see who wins the Scentsational Season stamp set. That poor little Gingerbread Man is calling out for some love and attention!  And beginning tomorrow, there will be a new giveaway with $50 orders, and a new prize for online orders placed through until Nov 16.

If you live anywhere in Canada, these offers apply to you so get your order in today!
And ask me how you could get a full set of ink pads for FREE.  That's right, choose Brights, Subtles, or Regals for FREE.  No hassle, no stress, no problem.  Contact me today for all the details.

As for the rest, have a happy Weekend and God Bless,

Cynthia <><

Just a Little Change Meets Fast & Fabulous Friday

Hi Friends
I'm late with this post today.  We're trying to get ready to go to a cottage for a week and between laundry, cooking, packing and acting as mediator for minor arguments, my hands are full.  But I still have a Fast & Fabulous Friday for you (after quite an extended hiatus of not contributing to this feature).  And in keeping with my recent go-ahead-and-CASe-it theme, I've also used a
"Just a Little Change" element in today's card.

First up, my inspiration:

My up, up, upline sent me this card to congratulate me for my July sales.  I love the card and since I was in need of some quick but cute Thank You cards for customers, I chose to use her card as a starting point and change it up just a little. 
























Here is my CASe version with just a few minor changes:

 

Supply List
Stamps - Everything Eleanor, Papillon Potpourri, Lacy & Lovely
Paper - Whisper White, Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie
Ink - Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie
Big Shot -  Lacy Brocade EF
Tools and Accessories - Elegant Butterfly Punch, Dazzling Diamonds, dimensionals












You can see how this card very closely resembles the original.  Colours, placement, the Everything Eleanor "swoosh".  But it is a somewhat different card.  And I was quite pleased with how it turned out.


Better yet, I think my customers will appreciate receiving it.  It shows yet another way to create a simple yet striking card in just a few minutes.


I told you. 
Fast. 
Fabulous. 
And a CASe with Just a Little Change.
How's that for multi-tasking!?!?


Have a superb weekend.  And a great week ahead.   God Bless,     ~Cynthia    <><

Milestone Anniversary!

My Mother-in-law's sister (and brother-in-law) are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary next Saturday and I wanted to make a card for them.  Fifty years is a BIG deal!  My parents celebrate their 58th anniversary this year (my hubby and I will celebrate our 20th).  And I think it is important to congratulate these kind of milestones.  It's not just like having a birthday (let's face it, aging doesn't necessarily require any input for you, aside from eating and breathing).  But wedding anniversaries are a testament to perseverance, patience and love.  So Bev and Don, this card and the heartfelt congratulations that accompany it - are all yours!

I saw a gorgeous card here and decided to change it up just a bit to give it a little more of a golden aura.  So here's what I came up with:

Supply List
Stamps - Papillion Potpourri, Memorable Moments
Paper - Whisper White, Brushed Gold
Ink - Versamark
Big Shot - Scallop Square BigZ Clear, Square Lattice EF
Tools and Accessories Elegant Butterfly Punch, Boho Blossoms Punch, Bird Builder Punch (leaves/stems), 21/2" Circle Punch, Gold Embossing Powder, Basic Pearls


I absolutely love how rich and golden this card turned out.  The photo just doesn't do it justice, but hopefully you get the general idea.  And I am certain Bev and Don will be tickled pink (or gold?) when this comes in the mail.

In the meantime - today is the last day of July which means the Reason To Smile promotion is going to be over in tomorrow.  I hope everyone has put in their $60 order to get this beautiful and exclusive stamp set for only $5.  If not, contact me and I can help you to have your own Reason To Smile! 

I hope everyone is having a wonderful week.  Take care and God Bless, 
~Cynthia     <><

Happy Birthday MIL

I told you that yesterday was my dear Mother-In-Law's birthday.  I didn't want to post her card until after I had given it to her - but since she has received it, I can share with the rest of you.    :)

Supply List
Stamps - Creative Elements, Blessings From Heaven, Papillon Potpourri, Beautiful Birthday (inside card)
Paper - Whisper White, Rich Razzleberry
Ink - Midnight Muse, Rich Razzleberry
Big Shot -  Vintage Wallpaper EF, Beautiful Wings Embosslit
Tools and Accessories - Elegant Butterfly Punch, Paper Snips, Rhinestones, Dazzling Diamonds, sponges

I loved creating this card.  The layered white on white mats (with sponged borders) gave the whole thing dimension.   I stamped the Papillon Potpourri butterfly on white cardstock and used this 'paper' for the Beautiful wings embosslit - to create the smaller "patterned" butterflies.  And the pièce de résistance is the flower blossom.  There are 4 layers fussy-cut and elevated with dimensionals between.  Let me tell you, if you want to fussy-cut images, nothing on this planet beats the Stampin' Up! Paper Snips!  They are awesome!  Layer upon layer of flower, highlighted with Dazzling Diamonds glitter.  This photo does not do it justice but at least you get the idea.

Better yet - my MIL got the idea.  She knows how much we love and adore her and this card merely repeats something she already knows (the inside of the card says that she is a blessing in "our" lives, not just mine!).  
I hope each of you has someone in your life who is a blessing to you.  Why don't you tell them!  I bet it'll make their day!

God Bless you all.    ~Cynthia    <><