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    <><

Thankful Thursday - Finally Back!

Hello Friends

After a somewhat long hiatus, I am finally back and boy oh boy do I have some gorgeous cards to show you!

I held my Inspiration Stamp Day last Saturday and 37 women got to each make 20 different cards, using stamps and products from the new catalogue.  Over the next few days I'll show them all to you so you can see what fun new things await you in the 2014-15 catalogue.

For those of you who missed my 20-card class - I am offering a 2-go package that includes all of the scored, cut and embossed materials for you to make these cards.  It also includes a goody bag worth $20+ that contains all of the embellishments needed for these cards, as well as extras for creating more cards on your own.  In compliance with Stampin' Up! policy, no pre-stamping has been done.  If you would like to order a 2-go package, please contact me and we can arrange pick-up (if local) or shipping to you (Canada only).  And mark your calendars now....my next 20-card class (for the Holiday catalogue) is already booked for September 13!

Back to the matter at hand -- Perhaps you noticed the Razzleberry rhinestones in the corners of the Kinda Eclectic card above, as well as the Mossy Green button on the World of Dreams card to the left?  The participants of my Inspiration Stamp Day were thrilled to discover that our new Blendabilities markers can be used to colour buttons, rhinestones, pearls, embossing powder and more!  You can own ALL of the Blendabilities PLUS stamp sets and accessories at a discount by joining the virtual "Blendabilities Club".  Click here for more details.

Well, I'll need to post this now or my hiatus will be extended even longer!  But since today is Thursday, I am putting out a Thankful Thursday message to just say how Thankful I am that everything is "getting back to normal" here.  Piano lessons are done for the year.  Flute lessons are done.  Music Theory is over.  Youth Group is on summer hiatus.  Choir is finished.  ConQuest is done.  School is almost done.....  I love this time of year where we are heading in towards carefree days without scheduling!!  

So I am Thankful today for life getting back to what I consider "normal".  Or at least carefree.  For however long that may be.    :)





Hope everyone has a wonderful day and can focus on the things that make you Thankful!
God Bless,     ~Cynthia     <><

Hi There Friend

Hello there to all my friends.  But especially.....

I wanted to send a little shout out today to a friend of mine.  One of those people who is strong and resilient and just can't be kept down.  She is one of those amazing women who puts her best face forward and chooses to smile openly at the world despite suffering from constant and chronic pain.

She is strong.  

And she amazes me.

I had an order I needed to get to her last week, and I wanted to create a card that was just for her.  So she'd know that it wasn't "just" a card to say Thank you for her order.  But instead, was a card to let her know that she was in my heart and on my mind.

What do you think?  
I think she liked it.   :)

Thinking of you S.R.   And hoping this week is a better week for you than last!

To all of you my friends - near and far - God Bless you this day and every day!!
~Cynthia     <><  

Product List
Stamp : , Flower Shop Clear Bundle [132726] , Petite Petals Clear-Mount Bundle [134822] , Too Kind Clear-mount Stamp Set [130450]

Ink : , Crisp Cantaloupe Classic Stampin' Pad [131176]

Card Stock : White Vellum 8-1/2X11 Card Stock [101856] , Crisp Cantaloupe 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [131298] , Whisper White 8-1/2X11 Card Stock [100730]

Big Shot :  Window Frames Collection Framelits Dies [129021] , Beautifully Baroque Textured Impressions Embossing Folder [130917] , Paper Doily Sizzlits Die [125592]

My Turn to Get Inky....Neeje Crop 2014

Hello Friends

I am spending today at an all-day Crop organized by a good (and *very* competent) friend of mine, to raise money for the Neeje Association For Women and Children.  

Interlocking Gatefold Valentine

Interlocking Gatefold Options

The first 3 years this Crop was held, I was one of the Stampin' Up! representatives at the Crop - but this year I get to go as a participant.  No working for me this year.  This time around, I get to PLAY!  Yee haw.  Can you tell I am excited?

At any rate, while I work away, in amongst a great many of my friends, I will leave you with this card that my Club Ladies made in January.  We have so many wonderful framelits that allow you to make interlocking pieces for the front of a gatefold card - so I gave my ladies a choice of whether or not to use a heart (and Pink Pirouette) or Window Frame or Deco label shapes (and I also offered Wisteria Wonder and Pool Party papers and inks).  

Kathy's Valentine Card

The variety that the women made was wonderful.  And some of the ladies really thought outside the box (at least in terms of the colours I had supplied).  Look at the absolutely STUNNING card that Kathy made!  Doesn't it just shout out..."look at me - I'm Beautiful!"?

Kathy will be at today's Crop so I'll have to let her know that her card is posted on my blog.  I just thought you all needed to see how lovely it is.  And in real life, it is even more stunning!

I'm going to move along now - I hope while I am busy *playing* with paper and ink at the Neeje Crop today, you all enjoy a spectacular Saturday.

Take care and God Bless,   ~Cynthia    <><

• Hearts Collection Framelits Dies
• Window Frames Collection Framelits Dies
• Deco Labels Collection Framelits Dies
• Perfect Pennants [english, wood]
• Perfect Pennants [english, clear]
• Pink Pirouette 8-1/2X11 Card Stock
• Pink Pirouette Classic Stampin' Pad
• Wisteria Wonder 8-1/2 X 11 Card Stock
• Wisteria Wonder Classic Stampin' Pad
• Pool Party 8-1/2 X 11 Card Stock
• Pool Party Classic Stampin' Pad
• Silver Stampin' Emboss Powder
• Versamark Pad
• Magnetic Platform

• Petite Petals Clear-Mount Bundle
• Petite Petals Wood-Mount Bundle

Thankful Thursday - From My (Golden) Heart

Hello Dear Friends

Another Thankful Thursday and I have LOTS to be thankful for - as always!  But today I am going to focus on something from the past.  You see, for reasons that are not important here, today I was remembering some fantastic sister demos that I met a year and a half ago in Salt Lake City at my first (and so far, only) Stampin' Up! Convention.

I was at Convention with 5000 women from all over North America - yet I was alone. 
My upline did not attend Convention. 
I was new and really didn't know very many people. 
And I was feeling somewhat overwhelmed. 

When I registered at the Convention Awards desk, I found out that I had achieved a fantastic honour - a phenomenal honour - Founders' Circle - but there I was, standing alone, without friends or family.  I didn't really have anyone to share my excitement with.  And it was awkward and lonely, to say the least.  Enter two wildly generous and uber-friendly SU! demonstrators from western Canada.  "Strangers' - yes.  But not for long.  These women instantly took me under their wing and told me I needed a hug (and they were right!).  Minutes after introducing ourselves, it was as if we were old friends!  And then later at the Awards Night itself, they let me tag along with their entire group and dance with joy and abandon.

Lauren and Rebecca -- and Cheryl, Fran, Heidi and Leanne......I am not certain you know just how grateful I am for the way you took me under your wing?!?  And since then, although we have not been geographically close, I have gotten to keep in touch via facebook - I've watched your lives unfold and shared in some ups and downs with you.

If I could hug each of you now to say Thank You, I would.  But in the absence of geographical closeness, let me just say Thank You From the Bottom of My Heart, for blessing my life with your smiles and support and encouragement.

Moving on to today's card then:
I love letting gold vellum and gold sequins do all the heavy lifting to add "oomph" to a card.  Pretty wonderful the way you can use adhesive behind the little gold hearts to glue down the vellum, without unsightly adhesive marks, right?  And that bit of gold foil showing from behind the gold-embossed sentiment - just enough to be classy without being overpowering.  



Did you know that this stamp set (From My Heart) is on sale this week for 25% off?  It is a wonderful set and it has never, ever before been offered for such a phenomenal price!  if you want to order it while it is such a deal, go online, or contact me.  You won't be sorry!

I hope all of you take time today to think of all those random and sporadic chance encounters that bless you - Go ahead, be thankful for them!  Be thankful for those strangers who instantly become close friends.  The kind that are meant to be cherished and remembered and appreciated.  If only from a distance......

God Bless you all.
Have a wonderful weekend,    ~Cynthia     <><

• From My Heart
• Gold Foil Sheets
• Gold Fancy Foil Designer Vellum
• Gold Sequin Trim
• Versamark Pad
• Gold Stampin' Emboss Powder
• Whisper White 8-1/2X11 Card Stock
• Stampin' Dimensionals
• Tombow Multi-Purpose Adhesive
• Circles Collection Framelits Dies
• Window Frames Collection Framelits Dies
• Big Shot Die-Cut Machine
• Heat Tool

Out With the Old.....

Hello Stamper Friends and Happy New Year!!

I am finally back from a wonderful visit with family over Christmas, and when I say "back", I mean back!  No more long periods of silence and wondering when my next post will be, nosirree!  At least, that is my intent   :)

On with it then.  As we exit the old year and welcome in a new one, I thought I'd give you a peak at some of the gorgeous new products that became available as of January 3 when the new Spring catalogue went live.  This is a card that I made for a recent swap and I love how trendy all the colours and embellished pieces on it are.

Supply List (Spring catalogue products)
Stamps - Just Thinking (129940), Amazing Family (w 120189, c 129192)
Paper - Summer Starfruit (126839), Pool Party 122924), Raspberry Ripple (126842), Primrose Petals (126841), Print Poetry Designer Series Paper Stacks (129312)
Ink - Versamark (102285)
Big Shot -  Honeycomb Embossing Folder (129378), Window Frame Framelits (129021), Floral Frames Framelits (127012)
Tools and Accessories - Pool Party Embossing Powder (129398), Embossing Buddy (103083), Rhinestone Basic Jewels (119246), dimensionals (104430)


So how do you like this Just Thinking stamp?   I think this wonderful new a la carte stamp from the Spring catty packs a lot of punch.  And I absolutely LOVE the new Pool Party embossing powder. And don't even get me started on how happy I am with the Print Poetry Designer Paper Stacks!!

All in all, I think I will have a LOT of fun playing with the new products from the Spring catalogue.  Can't wait to show you more so come back tomorrow to see the next creation.

In the meantime, I hope you've all had a wonderful Christmas Season and that 2013 holds many blessings for you and those you hold dear.      God Bless you all,    ~Cynthia     <><

Thankful Thursday - Thankful For Founder's Circle and....

I can tell you this friends - no one is more blessed than I am right now!!

I enjoyed myself immensely at Founder's Circle last week.  I was pampered and treated like royalty.  I met and made friends with some remarkable and truly wonderful ladies.  Then I returned home to be reminded of how much I am loved and appreciated by my husband and children. 
And then I held a few successive club nights and had the opportunity to share my creative passion with customers (aka FRIENDS) - who also let me share with them my joys and stories about Founder's Circle!  I am blessed.  Truly and overwhelmingly blessed!

Life is so very good.  And I am thankful!  So here is my Thankful Thursday card for today.  Each of my club members will receive one of these with their September orders because I am truly thankful for each and every one of them!  I would not have achieved Founder's Circle, Rising Star or Fiji without them.  And even without the awards and achievements - my life would be just a little bit poorer without each and every one of them.

Supply List
Stamps - From My Heart
Paper - Whisper White, Midnight Muse
Ink - Midnight Muse
Big Shot -  Window Frame Collection Framelits
Tools and Accessories - Paper Piercing Pack Essentials, Paper Piercer, Basic Rhinestones, Dimensionals

One of my favourite things about this card is the wonderful effect you can achieve with the piercing tool.

Notice the piercing around the Midnight Muse piece, and also the base white card?  What an inexpensive way to add an interesting and attractive accent to a card.

Well - I have about 50 of these cards to make so I am going to get started on that now.  (I told you - I have a LOT of reasons to be thankful!).  In the meantime, may you each be blessed to recognize the many things for which you should be thankful!

God Bless you all,      ~Cynthia    <><