by Jackie Bultje | Sep 24, 2019 | Christmas, newbie |
Hello stampers. I thought it would be interesting for me to share my perspective about stamping and creating in a different country. This oldie sure did feel like a newbie!! I am currently in the Netherlands for four weeks to spend time with the love of my life, Gerard. Contrary to popular belief this is not a holiday. He will still be working and so will I. My goal is to be able to work from anywhere in the world as we will gradually be spending more and more time together. This means taking my business more online and in another way this too will be a story of when an oldie becomes a newbie.
The Challenges
The number one challenge for me has been transitioning from a very well-equipped stamp room to working from a large portable table with things I have taken from home. That has certainly made this oldie feel like a newbie. It was good to be reminded of what it is like to create when you have limited supplies on hand. Now I need to remind you that I still have far, far more than most newbies. I have a Big Shot, a stamparatus, a paper trimmer 25 ink pads and at least six stamp sets, some of them with framelits and one with a coordinating punch.
The second challenge is that cardstock is a different size in the European market. That means that all the measurements that I have in my head that make creating a card very quick and easy are no longer valid. I actually have to math and figure things out. Just like a newbie! I understand now why people enjoy coming to my classes where everything has already been measured and cut and scored.
The Realization
I realize the importance of certain key products that I would not want to live without. The most basic essentials are a good tape runner, glue dots and dimensionals. You need basic framelits. I would include the stitched shape framelits, the stitched rectangles, stitched nested labels, as well as the layering circle and oval thinlets. That is a lot of stuff isn’t it? Well, to me that means everyone really needs the starter kit. You may as well get all these things at a discount with no shipping and tax. After that you can get the rest of your needs met with a continual discount. Seriously, doesn’t everyone see the logic in this?
With a global market and with creating videos both here in the Netherlands and back home in Canada, it will be good for me to figure out how to work well with both sizes of card stock. In October it will be my fourteenth anniversary with Stampin’Up! so I think I might be due for a new challenge.
A Card
While it may be interesting for you to read about my experience with card making internationally, I think you would probably appreciate seeing a card as well. Here is a swap card that I received just before I left Canada. If my memory serves me correctly it was created by Debbie Duval from Ottawa using the stamp set God’s Peace. I think it is gorgeous and I don’t have that stamp set yet so that makes it even better. Debbie embossed the image in gold and then coloured it and added crystal effects for even more lovely detail.
I took this photo with my phone and then saved it in Google photos and it is a much smaller version than what I am used to. Sorry about that!! I guess when you are working from another country on another computer you just have to make some compromises. Here is another photo that shows you some of the gorgeous detail.
Even though I don’t hvae this stamp set yet, I can see the beautiful possibilities with this set. Thanks Debbie Duval for this great card.
Thanks for joining me today, you have been part of a very historical moment. This is the first blog post I have written in the Netherlands!! The times they are a changin’. I hope you have a super day and I also hope that if you live in Canada and don’t already have a demonstrator that you would consider shopping with me or even better yet, joining my team and getting your very own discount. You can do that right here! For shopping you will find the host code in the sidebar on the right. Using the host code ensures that no free products go to waste. One more thing before I let you go. Be sure to check out the clearance rack, there are great deals that have been added there this week that I think you might appreciate very much.
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by Jackie Bultje | Sep 12, 2019 | apples, harvest hellos, pumpkins, Thanksgiving |
Hello stampers! What do apples and pumpkins have in common? Well, besides both being harvested in the fall, they both fit into the same punch and that makes this stamp set and this punch so versatile. The stamp set is called Harvest Hellos and the punch is called the Apple Builder punch. I will be using this stamp set at coffee and a card class next week and also during the Facebook live on Tuesday night at 7pm EST. The apples and pumpkins are perfect for all your fall card making and scrapbooking.
The Cards
Some of these cards were swap cards and I no longer have the information so that I can give proper credit. The ones at the top are both my creations but one is clearly a rendition of the swap card at the bottom right. Isn’t it fun how the punch can be used beautifully with both apples and pumpkins?
I loved making this card and used a variety of different stamps to do so. The background uses Come to Gather designer series paper. I used copper foil paper for the mat and the one pumpkin. The paper behind the pumpkins is made from whisper white and the Birch background stamp using Gray Granite ink. The Thanksgiving wishes is from A Wish for Everything bundle and the grass is from the Wiggle Worm dies. I ran the copper pumpkin through the Subtle embossing folder. The other pumpkin was stamped in Cajun Craze on shimmery white cardstock and coloured with an aqua painter using pumpkin pie ink.
The Tips
My number one tip is how to save cardstock when using the apple builder punch. When you want only the apple or the pumpkin and not the leaf and the stem you simply cut a strip of cardstock that is 1 7/8″ wide. That gives you enough room to have the stamped and punched image with no waste and no messy extra pieces falling everywhere.
Tip number two is to stamp the pumpkin on shimmery white cardstock in a darker colour and then when you watercolour with an aqua painter in a lighter colour you get a nice blend of colours for a rich effect.
The punch when used as a pumpkin is really pretty when you do it in a foil paper and then add texture by running it through the Subtle embossing folder.
The striped paper in the Come to Gather designer series paper is reminiscent of the old school paper used for printing lessons so it pairs really well with the apple.
Shop With Me
If you live in Canada and don’t have a demonstrator I would love to have you shop with me. Just click on any of the icons below and you will go straight to my store. Stampin’Up! has just revamped our online site so you may get a notice that the site isn’t safe. No worries, it is! Please do use the current host code found in the side bar of this page. Thanks so much for joining me today.
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by Jackie Bultje | Sep 11, 2019 | Christmas, shaker cards, Still Scenes Snow Globes |
Hello stampers. I never had a snow globe growing up, but I love them as an adult. The idea of a miniature world in a magical dome with sparkly snow falling down at the shake of your hand is quite mesmerizing. Still Scenes Snow Globes capture that magic and whimsy and are perfect for your Christmas cards.
The Possibilities
Once you look at the Still Scenes Snow Globes you will quickly see all the possibilities. When you combine the stamp set, the dies, the snowflake sequins and the snow globe shaker domes your cards are going to be out of this world beautiful!
- You can make great cards with or without the snow globe shaker domes.
- You can choose to simply stamp the base which is beautifully intricate or you can make a base with heat embossing and a third option is to layer the two dies over top of each other with either cardstock or foil paper or a combination of both.
- You can make a scene inside your snow globe with just stamping. You can add puff paint, shimmery crystal effets and/or ice stampin’ glitter.
- You can make a scene using the various dies including deer, polar bears, a church another edifice as well as the framelit for the house and trees and a framelit for a grouping of three trees.
- You could add the snowflake sequins as a shaker element for your snow globe or you can add them to your card as embellishments using fine tip glue.
- You can make a bigger base by stacking two base framelits and placing a banner across the “seam” to make it look like a taller base.
Are you impressed? This set is super versatile and a must for every card maker.
The Cards
The Paper
Did you notice the gorgeous background paper? It is called Wrapped in Plaid. It is available in a 6×6 pack with 40 sheets. On the one side is a beautiful plaid with gold stripes and on the other side is a cute Christmas print that you would find on on quilts and kids pajamas. I love it that you can choose which mood you want and that there aren’t two plaid to choose from on one piece of paper! Oh the agony that would have been. The jingle bells used on some of the cards also come from the same suite as this paper, it is called Wrapped in Plaid and it also comes with a pine tree punch, gold mini pizza boxes, shaded spruce ribbon and of course the Perfectly Plaid stamp set.
Shopping
If you live in Canada and don’t already have a demonstrator I would be honoured if you shopped with me. Just click on the images below and you will be taken directly to my online store. Please use the current host code so that host benefits can be accumulated: ZQKK7SAB.
When I am in Holland next week I hope to work out the details of my upcoming online technique club. If you check out the page about my High Flyer club you will see another option for you. I am excited about the possibilities coming up in the future. I love hearing from you, so please leave me a comment! Thanks for stopping by and have a super day.
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by Jackie Bultje | Sep 9, 2019 | Alzheimer's fight, Paper Pumpkin, Uncategorized |
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Hello stampers! I want to fight Alzheimer’s and dementia with card making. I know that may sound optimistic but studies have shown that stimulating the brain with new activities and keeping active is helpful to elderly people. My parents are 87 and 92 and are still in remarkably good health but whenever I come to visit I hear rumblings of “Mom is starting to lose it” or “Pap is slipping”. While I am not seeing many signs of this, it is still scary to contemplate. I am committed to taking a Paper Pumpkin with me each time and making cards with Mom. Pap has joined in yet, but maybe next time I will ask him too. Mom did fine following instructions and she quickly showed me that she liked adding her own twist to things.
The Challenge
I am sharing this so that you will also be inspired to do this with elderly people in your life. Their world shrinks and they love to have something meaningful and new to do. My mom right away said that she was going to send one of the cards to her handicapped sister in Holland. I then encouraged her to give another one of the cards to her church friend who is actually in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. Next time I cam going to pick up this friend so that they can make cards together. Paper Pumpkin makes this so easy. No prep required, all the fun stuff is in the box. Who will you do this with? Together we can fight Alzheimer’s in a fun and meaningful way.
Your Stories
Please share your stories with me and send pictures of you and your people making cards. I am passionate about making the world better one card at a time. Here is a picture of me and my mom.
Here is the creative mess on Mom’s kitchen table.
It really is heartwarming how much my Mom loved making these cards. She felt so accomplished and full of purpose. It was a nice change from her regular routine and it also allowed us to bond. Most of the cards are going to the Chatham-Kent Hospice where they have an “anniversary program” and they send out cards for the first anniversary of the loved ones death. Most people are having the most difficult time then in their loss process and are often feeling alone and forgotten, so these cards really make a difference.
Here is the link to the short video I did showing the cards close up.
Follow me on Bloglovin’
I will finish this post by letting you know that you can now also choose to follow me on Bloglovin’. There is a link at the top of this post. Thanks to Nancy Newcombe for telling me about this. I had noticed that some of my readers are coming to me from Bloglovin’ but I had no idea how that actually worked, so I looked into it and claimed my blog. Apparently this is a site where you can organize all your favourite blogs to make your life easier. I hoped I helped you with this a bit! Always learning new things and hopefully this will delay my demise as well.
Thanks so much for stopping by, I hope you have a super day. If you order online I have heard that there have been some glitches, so please let me know if you are having any difficulties so that I can contact Stampin’Up! about it.
by Jackie Bultje | Sep 6, 2019 | Christmas, Christmas Countdown Project Kit, home decor |
Hello stampers! This Christmas Countdown Project is so much easier and quicker to make than it looks. Sometimes I can be a lazy crafter. Even though all those little details look beautiful, when there are 25 little box fronts to decorate the process can seem daunting!
The Lovely Surprise
The lovely surprise with this Christmas Countdown Project is that it was so very easy to put together. It looks very intricate and beautiful but when you use my system it is done in about an hour.
- Punch out all the box front pieces.
- Lay out all the pieces in the order that you want them.
- You will notice that all the coordinating pieces that are the same are also stamped with the same background images. For example all the light birch pieces are stamped with the long borders in mossy meadow and cherry cobbler.
- After stamping the images you put on the stickers. My only tip is that you cut the red and green horizonally striped piece a little shorter. If you leave it the way it is then it looks like it was a mistake. It is just a wee bit shorter than the width of the box front. Se #3 , #10 and #17 and #24.
- Put all the dimensionals on the back of the circles before you even punch them out. That way you can put them on your box fronts in one step.
The Trial
Make sure you take a moment to lay out the pieces in the order that you like. I followed the example in the instructions but you can change it up of course. If you are pleased with the overall effect then you can adhere them to the box fronts. The last step is adding the numbers that already have the dimensionals on them.
The Finished Project
How do you like my finished project? I was thrilled with how easy it was to do and how lovely it looks. Another great thing? You can make a totally different countdown or other themed game on the backside of these boxes. How about random acts of kindness? A countdown to a birthday? Date night possibilities? A fun chore chart? This Countdown to Christmas project kit is also sturdy and well balanced so it won’t topple over on your shelf. I am offering a class on November 9 if you want to make this in a fun group setting, but I know you will also be able to manage this on your own. The advantage of doing it with me is that you can use my coordinating stamp set.
Thanks so much for dropping by, I hope you take the time so show me some love by pinning my projects and maybe even leaving a comment.
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