Thankful Thursday - Four Seasons

Yes, dear friends - I am blessed.  And thankful.   And as promised yesterday, today I have a Thankful Thursday card.   I used the Hostess set, Four Seasons (one of my favourites from this catalogue!) and some thumping of coloured ink on the stamp to get the variegated Fall colours.  Love how it turned out, don't you?

Supply List
Stamps - Four Seasons, Perfectly Penned, Scentsational Season
Paper - Whisper White, More Mustard, Cajun Craze
Ink - More Mustard, Cajun Craze, Cherry Cobbler, Early Espresso & Garden Green markers
Tools and Accessories - 2 3/8" Scallop Circle Punch, 3/4" Circle Punch, dimensionals, (Dazzling Diamonds & 2-Way Glue Pen)

Of course, my daughters unanimously piped up and said the card needed glitter (but then again, what card doesn't??) so I added some and I must say, I see their point.  Unfortunately from this photo it appears that the 'wind' is the most prominent element now.  The photo does not do justice to the subtle sparkle of the leaf motifs on the white scalloped circle, surrounding the bird.  But in real life the glitter really draws attention to this element and makes the card just that much more appealing.






And don't you just love the way the steam image from the Scentsational Season stamp set can double as wind currents?  I saw this idea online (I cannot remember where) so I cannot take credit.  But it is awfully effective, isn't it?  One of the benefits of hand-stamping cards is that you can add coordinating details to the inside of the card (and the envelope) to really jazz things up.  I love the blowing leaves on the inside of this card!

I have a multitude of things for which to be thankful - not the least of which is my husband and kids.  I don't think I could ever get tired of telling you how much I love them.  I really do.  But I'll keep it short this time and just mention it in passing.....I love them (!!).   :)

Hope you too are surrounded by people that you love. 
       God Bless,      ~Cynthia    <><

Founder's Circle Reminiscing

Hello friends

I know I should be posting a gorgeous card or a note about upcoming classes and such, but instead I wanted to post this photo from my Founder's Circle trip.  My own camera was acting up the day we got to tour the manufacturing facility in Kanab, but a fellow demonstrator took some pics for me and e-sent them (thanks Jackie!) so now I can share some with you.

Of course, we cannot take photos inside the facility (I can tell you that it is a bright, well-lit, non-crowded, happy place to work!).  But we also got to see the apartment where SU! co-founder/CEO, Shelli Gardner and her family stay when they are in Kanab.  The apartment is every bit as beautiful as Shelli is.  And she is a wonderful and gracious individual who happily submits to photos all day long with those of us who are just dying to have a picture taken with her!  You'd think maybe she would eventually get tired of smiling?  But if she does, she certainly does not show it.  On the contrary, she takes every opportunity to tell us how blessed she is, and how grateful she is for all that she has achieved in life.  In her own words (when I asked if she ever gets tired of smiling for photos while we traipse through her apartment) she said she has a LOT to be thankful for and to smile about!

And I'll tell you this too - all of the workers in the Kanab facility?  They also attest to how wonderful Shelli is and how lucky they feel to be able to work for her and at Stampin' Up!.  Every one loves their job.  And they openly tell you how well they are treated.  Really makes me feel truly grateful and comfortable - knowing that I am part of a company that treats its workers so well!   :)

Tomorrow is my Thankful Thursday post.  And I, too, have a lot to be thankful for!  Like Shelli, I hope to embody that to those who see me, and I hope to always be vocal about all the blessings I know I've received in life.  I need to go now and get ready for my Holiday Catalogue Kick-Off Party on Saturday so I will say good-bye.

I pray that all of you have a marvelous day.           God Bless,      ~Cynthia       <><

Holiday Catalogue Kick-Off Party - Sat, Sept 29

Those of you in the Ottawa area are invited to my Holiday Catalogue Kick-Off Party this coming Saturday, Sept 29, from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.

There are cute cards to make, door prizes to win, refreshments to enjoy and retired items to buy.  AND - for every retired item you purchase,  you receive a credit of equal value that can be used (within 24 hrs) on an order from the Holiday or regular catalogues.  (i.e. purchase a retired item for $15.95, and you now have $15.95 credit towards the catalogue price of any one item, whether it is $15.95 or $45.95.  Purchase 2 retired items and you have credits to apply towards 2 items on an order, etc)


Catalogue purchases/orders may be made on-site or submitted within 24 hrs.  Shipping & handling and taxes only apply to the catalogue orders (not retired items).  What a great BOGO/two-for-the-price-of-one special! 


As you can see, you'll be making 2 very cute cards!  With minor alterations, the card designs are CASed from the creative geniuses of Jill Hilliard and Angie Juda.  Come and make some cards, have some fun, and see the Holiday catalogue in person!


RSVP if you are coming so I can have your materials ready for you (and so I can get you more details)!  And don't forget to bring your adhesive and scissors!


Till Saturday then.  God Bless,     ~Cynthia   <><

Affection Collection - A Fast & Fabulous Friday

Wow.  Friday is almost over and I am finally getting around to making and posting a card.  So I HAVE to be fast.  Otherwise I will run into Saturday!

I needed to make a card lickety-split so decided to use whatever is on my table.  My downline and friend, Michelle, just finished returning my Affection Collection set so it was sitting there, as well as various ink colours.  So I used what was within arms' reach, and voila.
 
Supply List
Stamps - Affection Collection, Loving Thoughts
Paper - Whisper White
Ink - Midnight Muse, Marina Mist, Bashful Blue
Tools and Accessories - Stamp-a-ma-jig, Basic Rhinestones, sponges


In addition to turning out a cute and quick card, I challenged myself to use a set that is not one of my regular go-to sets.  And I really like this card.  Who knew?  Perhaps I should design under a time-constraint more often?

Hope you are all looking forward to a wonderful weekend.
God Bless,       ~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    <><

Founder's Swaps - The "Other" Ornament

Hello Friends

Just a quick note about the swap card that I made and posted here - apparently I had several of you (and even some of the other members of Founder's Circle!!) stumped since they couldn't figure out how I had created my ornament.  I think some of the other Founder's ladies even thought I had used vanilla-coloured embossing powder or vanilla craft ink to create the ornament.  Which would have been a no-no since we don't carry either product!   :)   Nope - the ornament is actually made using the emboss-resist technique.  Stamp it on Very Vanilla cardstock using versamark ink, then apply clear embossing powder and heat-emboss.  Use a sponge to apply Early Espresso ink (quite liberally so the Espresso is dark) to the image, wipe the extra ink off of the embossed image with a clean cloth, and cut out the ornament using the appropriate framelit.  And voila!   A gorgeous, Espresso and Vanilla heirloom ornament.

Nancy Lewis

Audra Mancur

As promised, here are the other 6 cards that I received as swaps at Founder's Circle, that all use an image(s) from the Ornament Keepsakes stamp set. 

Josee Smuck

Kriss Huels

They are every bit as lovely as the cards I posted yesterday and I am loving going through all my swap cards and seeing the creative ideas that other demonstrators came up with.

Dania Welch

Jill Olsen

I'll bet you can all understand now why Stampin' Up! said the Ornament Keepsakes stamp set is their best-seller right now!!  You can certainly create some beautiful cards using these images, don't you agree?

Until tomorrow, have a wonderful day and God Bless,
               ~Cynthia       <><

Founder's Circle Swaps - Great Minds Think Alike

Hello Friends

My swap card for Founder's Circle

Well - I can't say that I've fully recovered from Founder's Circle yet (as one friend commented, a girl can really get used to someone making her an omelet and pouring her a coffee every morning!).  But I am glad to be home with my husband and kids once again.  They got to listen to all my stories about how super it was.  And they've seen the suitcase stuffed with gorgeous gifts and wonderful memorabilia that I returned with.

Just a quick share with you today.  While at the Stampin' Up! manufacturing plant in Kanab, we asked what the "most popular" stamp set is right now and they replied that it is the new Ornaments Keepsakes set from the holiday catalogue.  Wow!  They weren't kidding!  You remember that my own swap card for Founder's Circle used one of the ornaments from this set (see photo to the right).  Well, 6 other cards I received as swaps at Founder's Circle used the exact same ornament!

Joyce Feraco

Jackie Bolhuis

That's 7 out of 120 cards where we all chose to use the same image!!  Can you believe it??

Julie Davison

Patty Chenail

Karen Trelfa

Meg (last name unknown)

What's more.....a further 6 cards that I received as Founder's Circle swaps used one or more of the other images from that same stamp set.  So that makes 13 of the 120 swap cards, all using the Ornament Keepsakes stamp set.  If you want to use the Founder's Circle achievers as your barometer, I'd say we know a good thing when we see it!

So for today I've given you a brief sampling of my Founder's Circle cards -the ones that use the same ornament image that I used.  I'll show you more cards with the other ornament images(s) tomorrow.

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