Thankful Thursday - Thank You For Friends!

Good Morning Friends

I just wanted to take this opportunity to say how thankful I am for all my friends and family.  The ones who encourage you, support you, and bring sunshine into your life.  And I LOVE that Stampin' Up! has a stamp that is directed right to them!!  For all my friends and family, and those of you who qualify as both, I love you and am eternally grateful for you in my life!

Since this is a stamping and crafting blog after all.....I am also just a little bit excited to share with you that I finally got to play with my new clear, photopolymer stamps.  They cling like you wouldn't believe to the clear blocks!  They are completely transparent so you can see exactly where you are stamping.  They are flexible (I curved the stamp to make a sun from a straight-line banner).  And they stamp with the exceptional and superb quality that you (and I) have grown to expect from Stampin' Up!  I am sold, literally SOLD, on how well they perform.  And I can't wait to get the next set that is released!

Supply List
Stamps - Designer Typeset (132956), Feel Goods (w129681, c129684)
Ink - Versamark (102283), Daffodil Delight (126944), Pumpkin Pie (126945), Calypso Coral (126983), Primrose Petals (126858)   
Paper - Basic Black (121045), Tempting Turquoise (102067), Whisper White (100730)  
Big Shot - Beautiful Wings embosslit (118138)
Tools/Accessories - Heat Tool (129053), Black Embossing Powder (109133), Brayer (102395)

I brayered a sunny background onto this card, then heat-embossed both the sun (LOVE the clear photopolymer stamps!) and the sentiment in black.   The addition of a few of my favourite butterflies, and a simple but effective card is ready to be sent out to one of the multitude of wonderful friends that I call mine.

I hope your day - and your long weekend - are shaping up to be just as sunny and bright as this card is.  Many of you, like me, are celebrating the most important day of the year this weekend.  To all of you I wish a joyful, peace-filled and truly Blessed Easter.

God Bless,    ~Cynthia       <>< 

Club Card Done Oh So Well

Hey there friends

I just had several wonderful friends leave my home after creating some gorgeous cards at their monthly club night.  And one of my very artistic friends, Sonya, added her own little flair to one of the club cards to really step it up a notch.

I wanted to show my club members a brayer technique - and Sonya decided to emboss her image after she had finished stamping.  Of course, whenever you use the Square Lattice embossing folder after you've stamped, the image takes on the appearance of having been painted on canvas or linen.

Sonya embossed her card and what was initially a gorgeous card anyhow, became an absolute work of art.   She left here, card in hand, ready to give this gift of time and caring to a good friend who just lost his mother.

What a beautiful way to tell someone you are thinking of them during a difficult time in their life.

I hope all of my club members are as pleased with their creations as Sonya was.  And I hope when they pass their own cards on, they know how appreciative the recipients are!

Have a wonderful day my friends.  And despite our snowstorm yesterday, Spring is just around the corner.  Honest it is!!   :)

God Bless you all,       ~Cynthia     <><

Going, Going, Almost Gone....Quick Post Today

Good Morning Friends

Just a very quick post to show you a few more cards from my stash that use retiring stamp sets.

Heard From the Heart has such wonderful curved verses that are perfect for so many occasions.  And notice how super cool this card looks with the 5-Petal Flower punched pieces glued down first, then embossed afterwards with the Square Lattice embossing folder.  This "Embedded Embossing" technique is a personal favourite of mine.  By the way friends, the 5-Petal Flower punch is also retiring.  Man oh man I am sad to see some of my favourite punches on this years' retiring list!

The second card uses the Loads of Love stamp set. 

 The sky was brayered, the hills were sponged, the truck was watercoloured then fussy-cut....there sure are a lot of techniques going on in this card.  But it turned out awfully cute, didn't it?  The Loads of Love stamp set and the Loads of Love Accessories have stamps for so many "loads" for the truck to carry....hearts, Christmas trees, presents, pumpkins, flowers, furniture....you can use this set for a multitude of occasions! 

Got a full day today - and some lovely ladies coming over for our monthly technique club tonight, so I will say good-bye now.  But if you live in the Ottawa area and are interested in a monthly club to make gorgeous cards and learn fabulous techniques, contact me!  We always have room for one more.

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