Sunday 30 July 2017

Sneak Peek - Carols of Christmas Blog Hop

Hello Friends

Just ONE MORE DAY to get your Starter Kit in which you will get the gorgeous, new Carols of Christmas stamp set for FREE!!  And as part of your Starter Kit, you can order the Card Front Builder thinlits too - so you'll have everything you need to create the beautiful cards I've posted here.  AND THEN, beginning on Aug1, you can order ANYTHING you want from the Holiday catalogue (no one else can order from it until Sept 1. Won't all your friends be jealous?!?)
Northern Lights with Card Front Builder thinlits - Plain and Simple


If you live ANYWHERE IN CANADA - purchase a starter kit HERE and join my team, the Canadian Sunshine Stampers - and I'll help you discover the inner crafting genius in you!

Today I wanted to show you how you can use the Carols of Christmas thinlits (Card Front Builder thinlits) and the Northern Lights technique to create a stunning card!

I've created 2 versions of this card.  I think you'll love them both!

For the quick and easy card I created a Northern Lights background and layered the cut-out trees (using the thinlits) in front.  I also used the Carols of Christmas stamp set to stamp a deer (using Chocolate Chip ink) and die-cut him using the Card Front Builder thinlits, then placed him in the foreground.  I added some dots of Fine-tip-glue pen plus Dazzling Diamonds glitter to the sky to simulate some stars, and there you have it.  Easy peasy and very effective.
Northern Lights with Card Front Builder thinlits and Embossing Paste (and glitter) snow

The second card is stepped up a bit.  After sponging my northern lights sky, I used the Card Front Builder thinlits to cut out some stars.  And I used embossing paste on the edges of the tree cut outs, then sprinkled on Dazzling diamonds glitter to create snow on the branches.  I also used torn pieces of Whisper White cardstock and roughed up the torn edge, added embossing paste and glitter, to create some snowbanks.  I layered these with trees at varying depths to create a somewhat snowier scene.

The Northern Lights sky was super-simple to create.  I sponged Daffodil Delight, Tempting Turquoise and Berry Burst onto the central portion of some Whisper White cardstock, then sponged the edges of the cardstock with Night of Navy to simulate a dark sky.  I have a "very quick and VERY imperfect" video that I created this afternoon to show how I made this. 

I also created a video a few years ago to show how easy this is to do (see it HERE) and I hope to post a better video tomorrow on how to create this card.  But trust me when I tell you it is super simple and very, very effective!

Remember, you can create this card too with the right materials.  Get the Carols of Christmas stamp set for FREE (and the Card Front Builder thinlits at a discount and an entire month earlier than anyone else) by purchasing a Starter Kit BEFORE JULY 31!!  If you live anywhere in Canada, then join me and become a Canadian Sunshine Stamper today!

Hope you enjoyed seeing my cards and are visiting all of the other blog participants too!  The list is below.  And trust me, some of these projects are ones you will WANT to make yourself! 

Enjoy the week ahead my friends and God Bless,     Cynthia   <><

  Product List

Saturday 29 July 2017

Saturday Sneak Peek - Carols of Christmas

Hello My Friends

Do you realize that you only have a few days left to take advantage of the FANTASTIC deal that Stampin' Up! is offering?!?  If you live ANYWHERE IN CANADA - read on to find out how I can help you!

Get the Carols of Christmas stamp set (not available to anyone else until September!) FREE when you purchase a Starter kit - offer ENDS on July 31.

All of the details can be found HERE - except for the most important one ... that the FREE Christmas stamp set you get is GORGEOUS!  Just look at these fast and easy but awfully cute cards!

ANYONE in CANADA can take advantage of this offer.  Those who are local can also come to my monthly Team Craft Night for FREE.  And everyone on my team, local or not, will be able to take advantage of my team's private FB videos.  Trust me, you really want to treat yourself to an early Christmas present!
 
Contact Me if you have any questions. But don't wait too long.  This offer is only good until July 31.

In the meantime, I hope you are looking forward to a wonderful weekend.  God Bless,   Cynthia   <><

Thursday 27 July 2017

Thailand Achievers Blog Hop - SNEAK PEEK at the New Holiday Catalogue!

Hello Dear Friends

An EXTRA SPECIAL Blog Hop for you today....

As you know, Stampin' Up! treated a whole bunch of us to a dream vacation in Thailand 2 weeks ago.  As part of this incentive trip, and as a perk for having worked so hard to earn it, SU! gave us a sneak peek at the new Holiday Catalogue AND ALSO gifted us with some of the A-MA-ZING new products!
Your Sneak Peek card using the Ready For Christmas stamps and Christmas Staircase Thinlits


Even though the catalogue doesn't go live until Sept 1, we were given permission to share our sneak peek goodies with you early.  So I have a few treasures to show you.  And if YOU want to be able to see everything from the Holiday Catalogue and get your hands on these scrumptious products early too then consider joining my team - the Canadian Sunshine Stampers!

I predict the Ready For Christmas stamp set and Christmas Staircase thinlit dies will be one of the most popular items in this new catalogue (sold as a bundle = Ready For Christmas bundle).  That curious little Dachshund is just too cute for words!  This set is extremely versatile but honestly, I wanted to create a really quick and simple card to show you how easy it is to use this set.  This card was super quick, but is also uber-cute.  And the sentiment (from the new Christmas Quilt stamp set) was the perfect way to finish it off.

Your Sneak Peek card using the Every Good Wish stamps and new Foil Snowflakes


Moving on - let me show you a second super, super simple card that uses both silver and gold embossing with the new Every Good Wish stamp set.  It was difficult to photograph the card so that the sentiment could be read in all its shining splendour, but I played with the lighting and I think you can read the Peace, Love and Joy wording in the close up photo.  


The card in its entirety is elegant and impressive!  I used one of the new Foil Snowflakes (a gold one) along with a silver Metallic Foil Doily and a Delicate White Doily, some of the Mini-sequin trim (both silver and gold), and silver and gold Faceted gems and basic rhinestones.  And there you have an elegant Christmas card that takes longer to describe than it does to make!  
Your Sneak Peek card using the Year of Cheer DSP and Cheers to the Year stamp set

Metallics are going to be very big this year and the Year of Cheer designer paper and Cheers to the Year stamp set, paired with another Foil Snowflake (a silver one this time), and some Year of Cheer embellishments make this a card that would be as much pleasure to receive as it was to make!

Lastly, the Carols of Christmas stamp set and the Card Front Builder Thinlits make elegant-Christmas card-making a snap!
Your Sneak Peek card using the Carols for Christmas stamps and Card Front Builder Thinlits
 
You know, you get the Carols of Christmas stamp set FOR FREE (along with a TON of other freebies and savings) when you sign up to join my team before the end of July 31.  And you can order the Card Front Builder Thinlits as part of your starter kit so you will have everything you need to re-create this card.
 
Stampin' Up! really lavished a TON of sneak peek goodies on us while we were on the incentive trip.  See my amazing haul? And this only includes the goodies from the New Holiday Catalogue. 
Sneak Peek treasures they gave us at the Thailand incentive trip!

(The non-SU! product gifts they gave us aren't even part of the picture).  

From now until July 31, if you live ANYWHERE IN CANADA you can join my Canadian Sunshine Stampers and receive a TON of extra goodies (for FREE).  And you will be eligible to purchase anything else you want for a minimum 20% discount.  AND you will get to see the Holiday Catalogue (and every other catalogue) before anyone else, and order from them BEFORE ANYONE ELSE!  

What is more....you will ALSO be eligible to earn fantastic trips like the Thailand vacation I just returned from.  Imagine -- you could be on the receiving end of a bunch of sneak peek products like I've just shown you.

What are you waiting for?  Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.  I would be only too happy to answer them for you!

In the meantime, I hope you enjoyed these little sneak peeks of the fun and fantastic products that will be coming your way, beginning Sept 1 (or Aug 1 if you join my team).

Stay tuned for more sneak peeks tomorrow.   God Bless,    Cynthia   <><

Tuesday 25 July 2017

Thailand Achiever's Blog Hop - FANTASTIC Thailand!

My Dearest Friends

Any of you who follow me on Facebook will have already seen a TON of pictures from when was on the Stampin' Up! Incentive trip in Thailand.  Stampin' Up! lavishes attention on us and rewards our hard work with a fantastic, all-expense paid trip for two to somewhere spectacular.  For 2017, the trip was to Phuket, Thailand and let me tell you - this was the type of vacation that dreams are made of!!


Probably my favourite part of any incentive trip, is getting to reconnect with demonstrator friends that I have made all over the world. This trip was no exception. Beginning with a day-visit in Sydney Australia, with my beautiful and talented friend, Louise Sharp (an unexpected blessing since I didn't get the opportunity to see her in Thailand), from there I got to share fun and laughter with a bevvy of friends in Thailand. 
Be patient with me - when I take a selfie, it has nothing to do with me looking good. In fact, most of the time I look goofy. Because the picture isn't about "me". It's all about documenting the wonderful places I got to go and the fantastic people I got to be with. So here are a few pictures of me sharing some giggles and laughs with just a few of my fantastic friends from all over the world. Thank you Stampin' Up! for letting me meet so many wonderful friends!

When Stampin Up sends us on these trips, they spare no expense to show us how much they love us. From 5-star resorts with gorgeous pools and fine dining, right down to the linen , we are treated like royalty.  And in a world where we spend so much of our time caring for the needs of others, it feels awfully nice sometimes to be on the receiving end of some of the pampering. Thanks Stampin Up!

And just so you know...Thailand has always been a bucket list destination for me. One I never dreamed I would actually get to visit!  It is a tropical oasis absolutely covered with beautiful and exotic flora and I have to admit, that was one of the things that had me most captivated.  Orchids grow like weeds there!  Honestly, there are 1500 varieties in Thailand and they grow, literally, everywhere!! It was such a beautiful experience to be able to step out of our room each day and walk to the pool, and every pathway was lined with beauty and stunning plant life. I wish I could capture the panoply of colour and the aromatic spectrum that greeted all our senses while we were there.

I never would have gotten to experience these without Stampin' Up!  Thanks again SU!

Stampin' Up! is very, VERY gracious to us in allowing us to see beautiful things whenever we visit these exotic destinations.  They gifted us with several excursions and treats that allowed us to broaden our horizons and truly experience something "different".  Between a boat ride to visit the floating village, and taking us on an adventurous canoe trip through stalactite encrusted caves, to visiting James Bond island and beautiful beaches, capped off by an elegant dinner at the famous Blue Elephant restaurant.....well, if I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times....NO ONE does presentation like Stampin' Up! does.  

But honestly? My favourite part about the incentive trips... Are the Stampin' Up! goodies. I received a sneak peek copy of the NEW HOLIDAY CATALOGUE and when I tell you that you are going to love it, I really mean it!  (Sorry I've had to blot out the cover design.  It is still under wraps until it is officially revealed in a few short weeks.  But even though I cannot show you what the catalogue looks like yet...trust me, it is heavenly!)

I also was gifted with a bunch of new stamp sets and framelits and designer paper from the catalogue.  Be still my heart.  *Squeal*  None of these will be available to customers until September 1. Receiving these excites me more than anything else because let's face it, the reason I earned this trip is because of my love of all things Stampin' Up!

I hope you visit everyone else's blog too so you will have a chance to see all sorts of things that I didn't have space to show you. So many of us were blessed in countless ways by being able to participate. When Stampin' Up! wants to bless you with your dream vacation they go all out, and give you a reason to want to earn the next one. 

What about you? Would you like to earn the next dream vacation?  If you live anywhere in Canada you can join my team and we can start to make that happen.  Until the end of July (just a few more days!) you will get a TON of extra goodies when you order a Starter Kit.  Not to mention a FREE Christmas Stamp set from the new Holiday Catalogue.  Details can be found HERE.  

While you are visiting me today, I wanted you to experience some of the trip through my eyes.  I tried to pick a brief collection of shots to give you a good overview of just how wonderful the trip was. 

I know if I don't stop talking you may never get a chance to see some of the other blogs in this lineup.  Please do continue along to see what my friends have in store for you today.  But also please remember - YOU TOO CAN EARN an incentive trip from Stampin' Up!  And I would love to have you join me for the experience.  Feel free to contact me to find out how.  And don't forget to join my team so we can make that next journey together.

Enjoy the rest of your hopping.  And have a wonderful day my friends.   God Bless,       
~Cynthia    <><