And the Winner Is.......

Drum Roll Please........

I had lots of people weighing in on Friday's post and the overwhelming majority voted that they preferred the card with glitter.  A whopping 73% for glitter and only 27% for rhinestones only.

Pretty clear winner if I do say so myself.

Jewels Alone

Glitter

All of the names were entered into a draw and my lovely DD#1 drew a name for me to post today......

Val V - you are going to receive these 2 cards!  Woot woot!  Thanks so much for weighing in with your comment.  I would ask, if you feel so inclined, that after you receive them, you get back to me (and all of use!) to let us know what you think of the cards in real life.  Does your preference for glitter extend to the real version of the cards?   Or did the photo really skew the impression of them and help one over the other?

In the meantime - I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend and is enjoying their day!

God Bless,       Cynthia    <><

Fast and Fabulous Friday - Hello Darling, Rhinestones or Glitter?

Hello Friends

Rhinestones

Glitter added.....

I am so ready for the weekend.  

How about you?

As many of you know, my 3 daughters have been helping to run a VBS at our church this week - And my sister's 4 kids are staying with us also so they can attend or help out too.  They think they are being driven the 6 hr drive home tomorrow but they are unaware that their mother and I have negotiated an extra 5 days for them here.  So they won't be leaving any time soon.  Can't wait to surprise them .... once the VBS is done, that is.

Until then I made another Fast and Fabulous Friday card for you today.  Hello Darling has both solid-coloured blooms and open images so it was pretty easy to create a gorgeous card where the solid-focal point is balanced out with a coordinating light and airy background pattern.  This, my friends, is pretty much the purest definition of a fast card!

But I do have a question for you......which do you prefer?  The addition of several rhinestones to bling it up?  Or do you prefer the dazzling diamond glitter?

Let me know which is your preference.  Then Sunday night I will draw a name from among those who leave me a comment here and I will send both cards to that person!  (So you can come back here and comment whether they are different in real life / whether seeing them changes your mind, or if your decision about which one you prefer still stands....)


Hope you have a truly wonderful weekend!   Let me know if you prefer glitter or jewels?

Have a great weekend and God Bless,   ~Cynthia    <><  


Product List

Hello Darling Clear-Mount Stamp Set [133994]	Regarding Dahlias Clear-mount Stamp Set [130327]	Island Indigo Classic Stampin' Pad [126986]
Island Indigo 8-1/2 X 11 Card Stock [122923]	Whisper White 8-1/2X11 Card Stock [100730]	Basic Rhinestones Jewel Accents [119246]

World Card-Making Day on Saturday - Want to Make Some Cards With Me?

WORLD CARD-MAKING Day - Saturday Oct 5 

• BOGO from 10 am - 3 pm and get FREE shipping on orders over $60! *regular HST on orders applies

• 3 of my most popular summer classes are being offered again!  Take two or more and get reduced pricing!  (World Card-Making Day Registrants get classes at cost)  Please RSVP for classes so I can have your materials prepared.
  

Do you want a chance to get creative on WCMD?  Come to Pine Grove Church (2144 East Acres Rd - where Hwy 174 crosses Montreal Rd) and join me for one, two or three of my classes.  Take two classes, get a $5 rebate on the price of each class.  Take all three and get a $25 rebate on your total class price!






Delightful Dahlias Class

9:30 - 11:30 am,  Sat Oct 5  
CLASS INCLUDES Regarding Dahlia STAMP SET!!!

Choose either clear or wood option.
Already own this set?  Choose an alternate stamp set of equal or lesser value instead.

Clear Option - (stamp set plus product valued at $25)
Class = $35
OR
Wood Option - (stamp set plus product valued at $33)
Class = $45

*WCMD Registrants pay $25 or $33, respectively






Wonderful Wetlands Class

 noon - 2 pm, Sat Oct 5
CLASS INCLUDES Wetlands STAMP SET!!!

Choose either clear or wood option.
Already own this set?  Choose an alternate stamp set of equal or lesser value instead.

Clear Option - (stamp set plus product valued at $30)
Class = $40
OR
Wood Option - (stamp set plus product valued at $35)
Class = $45

*WCMD Registrants pay $30 or $35, respectively






Simply Fabulous Class
2:30 - 4:30 pm, Sat Oct 5 



CLASS INCLUDES:
A full package of the Simply Fabulous Kit which includes the following:

• 8 laser-edged cards
• 8 envelopes (Pistachio Pudding and Smoky Slate with white polka-dots design)
• 8 pieces 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon (kit exclusive colors)
• 72 cardstock sticker hearts
• 30 adhesive-backed rhinestones

There will be some leftover materials for you to use for other projects.  Additional materials are provided and included in the class fee.  We will also make a custom envelope using the new Envelope Liner Framelits from the (new) Holiday Catalog. 
Class Options:

1. $45 - Million & One Stamp Set (clear) included
2. $50 - Million & One Stamp Set (wood) included

*WCMD Registrants pay $40 or $45, respectively




World Card-Making Day Extravaganza - Fri Oct 4 and Sat Oct 5th  
Friday Oct 4,   5 p.m. - midnight and Saturday Oct 5,  9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Pine Grove Bible Church (easy to find - right off the highway!! -- 2144 East Acres Rd - where Hwy 174 crosses Montreal Rd)

Come Craft in your PJs (if you wish) on Friday night, then return on Saturday to craft some more while we celebrate World Card-Making Day!  Make and Takes offered on Friday night and Saturday.  

Friday & Saturday-- Early Bird Pricing, before Sept 20 = $50   or $60 after Sept 20.
includes a $35 goodie bag
5 Make & Takes.    2 Make & Takes on Friday, 3 Make & Takes on Saturday
snacks
door prizes (Friday night and Saturday)
use of my punches, dies, Big Shot, etc

Friday only or Saturday only  ($25 goodie bag)  
Early Bird Pricing, before Sept 20 =  $40  or $45 after Sept 20

Regarding Dahlias - Black Versus White

Hello Again Friends

We have so many beautiful colours of embosssing powder, that I decided I should attempt yesterday's card in more than just Turquoise.  

Voila - here for your approval is a Tempting Turquoise, Melon Mambo, Pool Party and Tangerine Tango-embossed cards.  On both white and black backgrounds.

Tell me....what is your favourite?

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

The Dahlia Again - Black or White Background?

Hello Friends

A quick post since I am away....yesterday's card was simple yet elegant so I was inspired to try a variation of it...Coloured embossing of the gorgeous dahlia stamp set on a black background, versus  a white one.

Quite remarkable how the exact same card can appear so very different with just the change of the background colour, huh?

So tell me - which is your favourite?

Hope your summer is rounding out to be wonderful, even as it approaches its end.

God Bless,  ~Cynthia    <><

Regarding Dahlias - a Simple Exercise in Embossing

Hello Friends

I am away for my final vacation of the summer but while I am gone, I have several cards I wanted you to see and admire. 

Isn't it amazing how beautiful a quick and easy card can be?  The Tempting Turquoise Embossing Powder turns this simple card into an elegant one.

LOVE this stamp set.  Don't you wish you owned it too?

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

Thinlit Circle Die Video - Delightful Dahlia Flip Card

Hello Friends

It took me a while but I managed to figure out the "video thing" without the help of my teenagers.  I am certain I will get better at it as time goes by.  But for now, here is the video How-To for this morning's Thinlit Circle Die card.

The Circle Thinlit Die (cat # 133480) and all the wonderful accompanying framelits can be seen here.

And the Label Framelit Die (cat #133479) and all the cool things that come with it can be seen here.

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

Circle Thinlits Card - Razzleberry Dahlia

Hello Friends

I am so excited!  Yesterday one of my readers asked me to create a card using the new Thinlit card dies from Stampin' Up!.   It just so happens that I am waiting for my Thinlit Label Die to arrive, but I did receive my Thinlit Circle Die two days ago so I decided to give it a try.  And I have to tell you.....I am SOLD!   Talk about easy to use.  And oh so cute!

In fact, I think I like this card so much, that my friends will be making this card at my Delightful Dahlias class on Wednesday night!  





The Circle Thinlit Die (cat # 133480) and all the wonderful accompanying framelits can be seen here.

And the Label Framelit Die (cat #133479) and all the cool things that come with it can be seen here.

I made a how-to video that I will post on my blog later tonight (yes, first I need to ask my teenagers how to edit it and get it properly formatted).  I did manage to upload a simple 8 second video for you to see how cute this flip-card is.  And once I get the whole video uploaded, you will see how easy it was to create!  But in the meantime, I wanted you to see this gorgeous card and know that further details are coming.  

NB - check the next post.  I was able to successfully make and download the FULL how-to video!

Thanks Anne for requesting I do this.  I have only been home from a Family Vacation for one day but you motivated me to try out my die sooner, instead of later -- and I LIKE the results!  Hopefully you will too!

While I try to wrap my head around editing the how-to video I created....I hope the rest of enjoy a wonderful day.              
Take Care and God Bless,    ~Cynthia       <><

It's Not About the Dahlias!! (Sneak Peak 1)

Hello hello hello dear Friends

I am bubbling over with sheer joy and excitement.  Last night at my parent's house I finally had a chance to break into my stash of new products from the holiday catalogue.  And I LOVE THEM!!

Although I am limited to the supplies my mother has on hand (pretty much Brights ink pads and Whisper White paper with a very few other materials thrown in) I was still able to create 3 stunningly easy cards - really quickly too!!  

If you've had a chance to look through the Holiday catalogue then you must have noticed the Expressions Thinlits.  You know, framelits that cut out words?  Well - they are super-easy to use.  And cuter than I ever imagined.  See the first of my 3 cards here, a sneak peak of the new thinlits.......it's not about the Dahlias!  No sirree.  Not at all.  It's all about that uber-cute "Thankful" running diagonally across the card front.  LOVE IT!

I absolutely cannot wait to show you tomorrow's Christmas card.  Can.  Not.  Wait.  
I just know you will love it as much as I do!

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

Time For Tape

Good Morning
After so many Dahlias I thought I'd show you something new this morning - an extremely simple card using the Tape It stamp set - in bright, Primary colours no less!

Supply List      Stamps - Tape It (w130712, c130715), Regarding Dahlias (w130324, c130327)  Paper - Whisper White (100730), Pacific Point (111350) Ink - Real Red (126949), Daffodil Delight (126944), Pacific Point (126951), Tangerine Tango (126946). Garden Green (126973)

The Tape It stamp set is new this year and I LOVE the look of all of these faux tape images.  So I decided to use them all.  No Stamp-a-ma-jig.  No fancy techniques.  Just stamp and go.  Pretty simple - but I like the effect!  How about you?

Hope you are looking forward to a wonderful week!    God Bless,     ~Cynthia    <><

Dahlias - Simplicity Come to Life

Hello Friends

I just couldn't resist one last Dahlia card today, using a simple 'paper-tole' effect to make the Dahlia look more 3D and come to life.  It is a simple card, but very effective.  Easy peasy and oh so pretty.  I am holding a Delightful Dahlias class on August 14 and this is one of the types of cards we will be creating.  Interested?  The details are here - and we'd be happy to have you join us for a night of crafting!

Supply List     
Stamps - Regarding Dahlias (w130324, c130327) 
Paper - Whisper White (100730)
Ink - Tangerine Tango (126946)
Tools and Accessories - Paper Snips (103579), Dimensionals (104430), Bone Folder (102300)



May I just go on record as saying that any time you need to fussy cut anything out, paper snips are your absolute best tool to use.  I might be a little frustrated that my mother's house is limited in the colours that are available, has no firm, foam ink pads, and no clear blocks for me to use, but I LOVE that my Mom invested in a pair of paper snips several years ago.  They make this kind of cutting oh-so-much-easier!!  And she was smart and also purchased a bone folder.  Nothing is as effective for easily curling the edges of the petals.

Stampin' Up! bone folder and Stampin' Up! Paper Snips.  My Mom.  She would never sacrifice quality.  Ever.  Trust me!

We have a busy day ahead (celebrating a housewarming for a sister who has just moved back to Canada after 23 years in Germany) so I will sign off.  But I hope you all enjoy the end of your weekend.                 God Bless!    ~Cynthia     <><

Dahlias Are Delightful!

Hello Friends
It is hotter than blazes here in Southern Ontario - but I am still finding time to stamp (using make-shift tools as clear blocks).  I can certainly tell you this, I am missing my new Stampin' Up! ink pads - you know, the firm foam ones!!  I guess I hadn't realized how wonderful they are until I've had to spend a week using my mother's older, felt pads.  Don't get me wrong - even old Stampin' Up! ink pads are great.  But the new firm foam ink pads are definitely superior and are the best thing on the market!

As for todays' cards, I used Melon Mambo to stamp a single Dahlia for the first card, and used a mask to stamp multiples of the Dahlia on the second, Razzleberry card.  An Aquapainter to blend the shaded petals just a bit, and voila -- gorgeous cards - without too much time or difficulty!

Supply List     
Stamps - Regarding Dahlias (w130324, c130327)
Paper - Whisper White (100730)
Ink - Melon Mambo (126948), Rich Razzleberry (126950)
Tools and Accessories - Aquapainter (103954), Dimensionals (104430), Dazzling Diamonds (Melon Mambo card only) (102023)






I really love the effect of using an Aquapinter to blend the shaded petals of the Dahlias.  It reminds me of the children's paint-books we had as kids where the outlines of all the pictures are dried paint, and you just used a wet paint-brush to revive the paint and drag it into the image spaces.  Well my friends, that is essentially what I did here!  And if you are interested in doing this (and more), then join me on August 14 for a Delightful Dahlias class.  You'll get your stamp set (to keep) and some gorgeous cards - along with a few stunning techniques.  Check out my class schedule for more details, but I'll hope to see you then.


In the meantime - stay cool!!  And enjoy your weekend.    God Bless,    ~Cynthia     <><

Fast and Fabulous Friday - Razzleberry Dahlia

Hello Friends

It's about time for a Fast & Fabulous Friday, don't you think?  And for extra entertainment, read to the bottom of this post to find out just how I managed to create this card...despite NOT having the tools that I need while on vacation!
On to the card itself:  I LOVE the Regarding Dahlias stamp set in the new Stampin' Up! catalogue and I knew it would be perfect for a quick and easy card for today.

Supply List     
Stamps - Regarding Dahlias (w130324, c130327) 
Paper - Whisper White (100730)
Ink - Rich Razzleberry (126950)
Big Shot -  Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder (117335)
Tools and Accessories - Stampin' Sponges (101610), Dimensionals (104430)

Now for the bit I alluded to above.  I have a confession to make - I am visiting my parents and since my mother has "some" Stampin' Up! supplies, I did not bring many tools with me aside from a few stamp sets that I wanted to play with.  Quite notably, I forgot that all of my mother's stamps are wood-mount, meaning she has no clear blocks - not one - for me to use with the stamps I brought.  Enter a bit of ingenuity that one of my customers shared with me a while back...the Big Shot Standard Cutting Pads --  You know, the clear plexiglass that comes with the Big Shot!!  I was able to temporarily adhere the Dahlia stamp to the Clear Pad and as long as you are careful, it works!  As for the smaller sentiment stamp?  I temporarily stuck it to an embossing folder.  Neither the Cutting Pad nor the embossing folder are optimal, but desperate times call for desperate measures folks.  And as you can see, they worked!

I even managed to stamp a few more cards using my make-shift 'clear blocks'.  Come back tomorrow to see what else I was able to make.  Until then, enjoy your upcoming weekend and God Bless,    ~Cynthia    <><