Friends Are a Blessing

Hello My Friends

You know the feeling when you've had a hard week at work and you are really quite tired and drained and you just have nothing left......and then someone does something wonderful to bless you and you are walking on cloud nine as though you had wings beneath your feet?

Yeah.  *That* feeling?!?

Well, I was blessed this week with just such a moment as this.  One of my dear friends left this in my mailbox for me and I couldn't have appreciated it more!

Suzane R. made this beautiful card for me using the Painted Blooms designer paper and it was just what I need to give me a little pick-me-up.  More even than her artistic eye and talented fingers, I appreciate the sentiment and her thoughtfulness!  Suzane my friend, you are a blessing to all those who know you.

I am so lucky to be the recipient of something so beautiful from someone so beautiful!

I hope all of you are equally blessed in being surrounded by people you love, who love you and give you those moments of support when you just have nothing left....

Have a terrific weekend my friends.  God Bless you all,    ~Cynthia   <><

Dazzling Me With Their Talent.....

Please Note: 

This post should have been up on Monday morning but did not appear.  Ack!!  My mistake - User error all the way.   Wish I could blame the computer or the blog site for that one but the error was all mine.  So sorry for the delay!

At any rate - here it is.  Prepare to be amazed!!
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Hello My Friends

Janet B. Card #1 - Bokeh Effect

This is the moment I have been waiting for!!  I have been absolutely DYING to show you the gorgeous cards created by my Team Members this last month when I gave them their Card Challenge.  You see, all I gave them was a 4 x 5 inch piece of Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer Paper.  

Janet Br.  - White on White Dress

Melanie M. - White on White Bouquet

And that's all.

No directions.

No extra instructions.

Just....here you go.  Now let me see what you do with.

And oh my goodness gracious - did they EVER come through in a BIG way.  




Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous is all I can say!

Dianne R. - Embossed Vellum Florals

Johanne B. - Coral-Coloured Blossoms

I am so lucky.  So blessed to get to call these ladies my friends, my team-mates, and my inspiration.  Check it out and tell me what you think.  I am POSITIVE you will agree.

Jennifer D. - Stars and Stripes in Gold & Glimmer

Janet B. #2 - Stamped Flourishes

Disappointed??  My only disappointment is that photos cannot possibly do these cards justice.  You might think they are pretty, beautiful even....but there is no way to capture just how stunning they all are.  Truly and unbelievably stunning!  They sparkle and shine like no tomorrow.  

Cecilia C. - Lotus Bouquet

Val V. - Cut & Layered Lotus Petals

And variety?  My word - these ladies have terrific imaginations!  Even the cards that use some of the same elements or images are different and unique.

Carolyn P. - Easter Joy

Cari L. - Sheltering Tree at Night

Love

Love

Love absolutely *ALL* of them!

Julia C. - Butterfly in Flight

Lynn CG - Butterflies and Feathers

In the meantime, have a wonderful day and enjoy the final countdown to an approaching Spring (I am an optimist after all). 

Sylvie H. - Coloured Butterfly

Rachelle R. - Layered Butterflies

And let's face it - all these gorgeous flowers and butterflies have me thinking Spring...what about you?  

Meredith M. - Dazzling Blackberry Butterflies

Frances W. - Dazzling Birthday Wishes

I hope you have enjoyed this glimpse into the talent and inspiring work of my friends and Team members.  If you want to join us, let me know.   Just click on the page across the top - "Join My Team".  We have fun.  We share laughter.  And as you can see - these friends all share their talents too!

Enjoy your day and God Bless,    ~Cynthia   <><

My Talented Friends - Variation on a Theme!

Hello Friends

Do I ever have a treat for you!

Do you remember when I re-created a beautiful purple Butterfly Basics card designed by Stampin' Up! CEO, Shelli Gardner and gave it to everyone who ordered from me in the month of January?  Well that card got raves and raves and and I know several people reproduced it for themselves.

Well fast-forward to the story of my beautiful friend, Suzane R.  She reproduced it.  Sort of.  She copied it.  Mostly.  CASEd it - with a twist.  Look at her absolutely stunning variation of Shelli's card.  The vintage, elegant, peaceful feel of the original is converted to bold, bright and knock-your-socks off WOW.  THIS card makes a statement.

Don't you just love it?!

I couldn't be more in love with this card or more impressed with its creator.  Don't you agree that it is a thoroughly brilliant and cutting edge variation of the "original"?

I am really going to have to make several different copies of the card using various combinations of colours.  Because as much as I loved the original, I am very much looking forward to seeing how the entire flavour of the card changes with other colour combinations, such as the one Suzane chose.

I'll let you know later how my experiement on colour variation works out.  Until then, I hope everyone is enjoying their week.       God Bless,       ~Cynthia     <><

Product List

Butterfly Basics Photopolymer Stamp Set [137154]	Papillon Potpourri Clear Stamp Set [123759]	Elegant Butterfly Punch [127526]
Blackberry Bliss Classic Stampin' Pad [133642]	Bermuda Bay Classic Stampin' Pad [131171]	Hello Honey Classic Stampin' Pad [133643]
Versamark Pad [102283]	White Stampin' Emboss Powder [109132]	Stamping Sponges [101610]

Chocolate Lotus Blossoms For My Friends at Neeje

Good Morning Friends

Today is the day.  Today I get to spend time with a bunch of seriously crazy, fun, energetic and worthwhile people who are all playing with paper to support a good cause!

The Neeje Crop to support Women and Families is today, and I spent the last few days creating these chocolate lotus blossoms for the participants.

Do you have any idea how long it takes to create 60 Lotus Blossoms?

And although the drier sheet method of cutting out the butterflies is wonderful (see my video HERE), it still takes a bit of time to cut out 60 of them.

But man oh man was it ever worth it!!
Don't they look great?!?

I can't wait to give them to the ladies today.  They can bring them home and no one ever has to know that there "used" to be a chocolate inside!  Right?!  Just sayin',  what happens at the Crop, STAYS at the crop!   :)

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.  Talk to you soon.  God Bless,      ~Cynthia   <><

  Product List

Flower Frenzy Bigz L Die [133728]	Butterflies Thinlits Dies [137360]	Spring Flowers Textured Impressions Embossing Folder [137365]
Beautifully Baroque Textured Impressions Embossing Folder [130917]	Fancy Fan Textured Impressions Embossing Folder [127751]	Lovely Lace Textured Impressions Embossing Folder [133737]

More Neeje Crop

Howdy Friends

Tomorrow morning is the Neeje Crop and tomorrow is when I'll post a picture of the cute little treats I've been working on to give to each of the attendees....

But for now I want to give you a peak at the card class I will be running tomorrow, in addition to the Bunny Fry box class (see it here).

These are simple cards to make and oh....so....cute!  They showcase some of the wonderful new products from the Sale-A-Bration and Occasions catalogues. 

And the best part for the Neeje participants is that each participant will receive, from me, coupons that they can use this weekend to order from the catalogues.  In addition to supporting a great cause and having a fantastic time, they'll all get a chance to order some of Stampin' Up!'s top quality products  - at a discount!  

Woo hoo.  I can't wait to spread the joy tomorrow.
Hope all of you are lookign forward to a wonderful weekend too!

God Bless,       ~Cynthia   <><

Neeje Crop - 2015 - Bunny Fry Box

Hi Friends

I am looking forward to seeing many of you at the Neeje Crop on Saturday.  The Neeje Association for Women and Families is a wonderful organization here in Ottawa and I am proud to say that I have been one of the attendees every year that the Crop-fundraiser has been held.  

Once again this year I will be representing Stampin' Up! and as such, I will hold a few classes during the day.

Here is one of them:

Attendees will get to make this super-cute Bunny Fry box to use for Easter treats.  How cute is that?!?  Participants will be able to make as many as they want, for $2 apiece.  

How about you?  Don't you wish you were going now?  Never fear, I think I will offer the bunny box as part of a class during March so keep your eyes peeled for my announcement about when that will be.

Until then, hope you are all enjoying a wonderful week.  God Bless,   ~Cynthia      <><

My Incredible Team Does It Again!!

Hello Friends - Boy are you ever in for a treat!!

Once again I have Team Challenge cards to show you and if you are like me, you will be astonished at the variety and calibre!  

Sylvie H

Val V

Everyone had the same starting materials - 3 pieces of stacked with love DSP (2-sided so 6 patterns to choose from), some silver 1/8" ribbon and 2 embellishments.  I also gave them a small bit of Real Red and Crisp Cantaloupe cardstock so that everyone would have some coordinating cardstock, *if* they wished to use it.

Carolyn P

Lynn L

Among my only rules:
MUST use at least one of the embellishments, at least some of the ribbon, and at least 2 patterns of DSP.

Dianne R

Kareen

And here you see the gorgeous cards they all made.

Johanne

Are you as impressed as I am??

Jennifer D

Melanie

I have several other things to show you this week, but for now I will leave you to be awed and amazed by my incredibly talented Team.  The Canadian Sunshine Stampers did it again, didn't they?!?

Janet Bu

Janet Br

And if you want to join my Team and take part in our fun challenges too, click HERE for details or feel free to contact me.

Cecilia C

Janet Br

Hope you have a wonderful day!!   God Bless,     ~Cynthia    <><

Kathy M

Meredith M

Lynn CG

Ellorie H