Fast and Fabulous Friday - It's All About the Background

Good Morning Friends

I have a confession to make.  I have been neglecting my backgrounds.  Seriously neglecting my backgrounds!  There are some great new background stamps available in the catalogue - I ordered them - I received them - and they have just sat there.  Uninked.  And forlorn.  Well not anymore!!  Take a look at this!

I used the Dictionary background stamp and a small portion of the World Map background stamp, added some sponging, ribbon, butterflies and a Label Love Focal point, and I was done.  Fast?  Check.  Fabulous?  Check.  And my background stamps in Wisteria don't look too shabby at all, do they?

And notice how easy it is to create a frame around the new Label Punch?  Just punch a second shape, cut in half and position at the top and bottom.  Voila - a faux frame.

Hope this inspires you to use your own background stamps.  I'll have to remember to take mine down off the shelf a little more often!

May you enjoy a spectacular weekend!    

God Bless you all,     ~Cynthia     <><

Thankful Thursday - My Super Team-Mates!

Hello Dear Friends

I wanted to post a Thankful Thursday today to let you know how much I value my Team Mates.  I have a group of ladies who come to my home each month to share my excitement about Stampin' Up! and all the gorgeous products that are available.  These ladies make me laugh.  They make me smile.  And they keep me humble.  We have a blast sharing ideas and information and I love having them share their crafting joy with me.  Of course, no one has a complaint about the perks, either - for instance, they all get to enjoy a minimum 20% discount on everything that they buy.  Check out the details here or ask me how you can enjoy a 20% discount on everything you buy too!

At any rate, last week when they came to my home, we created some cute cards and this one is too uber-cute to not share.  I wanted my Team to get their hands on the Expression Thinlits and see how easy they are to use - but it was too early to jump into Christmas just yet, so we created this "Love" card.  And you thought the Expressions Thinlits were only for the Holidays!

And notice that beautiful new embossing folder used with Smoky Slate Core-dinations paper?  I am loving that Stampin' Up! has made the Core-dinations paper available in every colour and I can't wait to use them all!

We made 2 more projects at our Team Meeting, a cute card and some delightful bows.  Come Back on the weekend to see the other 2.  Better yet, won't you join us so you can make the projects for yourself!?  (and enjoy a 20% discount on everything you buy?).  Who knows?  Maybe I'll have the pleasure of your company next month when we meet again?

In the meantime, I hope you have much to be thankful for yourselves!
Enjoy the rest of your day and God Bless,    ~Cynthia    <><

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     <><

In Color Club - Pistachio Meadows

Hello Dear Friends

I am here, yet again, to tempt you with an In Color Club "Wow" Card.  Believe me when I tell you that you want to be a part of this virtual club.  Anyone, anywhere in Canada can join.  And a new club is starting up soon.  So go ahead and join.  Aren't you just dying to get your hands on all the luscious new In Colors and their co-ordinating products?  

As a club member, you get some of absolutely everything...and then some!  The bonuses make it more economical for you to get your In Colors as part of club, than just on their own.  And just think...you can spread your shopping out over 5 months yet still get hostess benefits!  It doesn't get any better my friends!  And remember, a gorgeous handmade card and co-ordinating envelope are yours each month to help show you the ways that your In Colors can be used to create beauty!

Anyone in Canada.  Anywhere.  Get all the details here or contact me with your questions.  I have some gorgeous cards waiting for you.  Why don't you get started today?

I hope everyone's day is looking as bright and cheery as mine is.  
God Bless and keep you all.            Cynthia       <><

In Color Club - Coastal Cabana Gift of Kindness

Hello Friends

Here's another of the gorgeous card & envelope sets that my In Color Club members receive along with their instalment of wonderful, co-ordinating products.

What do you think? 

One of the things I love best about making my own cards is that I can spruce up the envelope and inside of the card if I wish, to make them co-ordinate.  And I'll tell you, this matchy-matchy envelope and card make me very happy indeed!

Won't you join us in our virtual club?  Become an In Color Club Member and receive all of the co-ordinating products in all of our new, delicious In Colors!  For information, check here.  Or contact me for details.  Membership is open to anyone in Canada.

Hope this Monday morning finds you all looking forward to a marvelous week.
God Bless,     ~Cynthia     <><

In Color Club - Strawberry Slush Window Card

Hello Dear Friends

The first instalment of the In Color Club has finally made its way out of my door and into the hands of its club members.  And I must say....it is a GREAT way to accumulate the new In Colors.  

The club members each received their first In Color collection (full-sized ink pad, refill, marker, ribbon, buttons, 8.5x11 cardstock, 12x12 cardstock, DSP and Core-Dinations cardstock), plus a gorgeous monochromatic card and matching envelope to show them just how beautiful their new colours are to play with!

Today's card is the Strawberry Slush sample.  A WOW card for sure!

I have a new In Color club starting up and if you would like to be a member to collect all of the co-ordinating products in all of the new In Colors in the most economical fashion possible (plus receive some gorgeous hand-stamped cards from me), then let me know.  New members are always welcome.  And the best part is -- it is a virtual club so you don't have to come to meetings or be here in person.  If you live anywhere in Canada - you too can be a member of this virtual club.  Contact me and we can get you started on your In Color Adventure.

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!  It is a long weekend for many of us here in Ontario!!  I hope, wherever you are, that your Sunday and your weekend is wonderful!

God Bless,     ~Cynthia     <><

Holiday Catalogue is Live and NEW THINLITS are Here!!

Hello Friends

I don't have a card for you today - instead I am dying to tell you about the new thinlits that are available starting today.  As you know, the Holiday Catalogue goes live today so you can order from it.  But there is a new product that isn't even in any of the published catalogues yet - that you can order, starting today!

Thinlits that create a flip-card, or swinging card.  Easily.  Presto.  No fuss.  No muss!  There's a "Label" Shape.  And a "Circle" shape.  And I intend to order BOTH!!  Let me know if you want one (or both) for yourself.

NEW! Stampin' Up! Thinlits Card Dies

Available August 1, 2013
They've been called flip cards, flip flop cards, swing cards, and more-but they have always been a bit tricky to create. Not anymore! Our amazing new Thinlits Card Dies (available Aug. 1) cut and score to create a card that flips in just one step.

These new card dies come with extra die pieces that have versatile designs, so you can use them on other projects, not just flip cards. (The Circle Card Thinlits Die comes with 10 total pieces; the Label Card Thinlits Die comes with nine total pieces.)

Click Flyer for Larger View

Here are some great combinations of the dies with current Stampin' Up! stamps.

Label Card Thinlits Die (item 133479):

• Happy Day Stamp Set (item 130294 W, item 130297 C)

Circle Card Thinlits Die (item 133480):

• Worth the Wait Stamp (item 131091 W)
• Five-Way Flower Stamp (item 131088 W)

Both card dies pair well with:

• Oh, Hello Stamp Set (item 131931 W, item 130733 C)
• Yippee-Skippee! Stamp Set (item 131341 W, item 131344 C)
• Really Good Greetings Stamp Set (item 130330 W, item 130333 C)
• Regarding Dahlias Stamp Set (item 130324 W, item 130327 C)
• These dies also work well with our new magnetic platform* (item 130658) so you can place the dies exactly where you want them!