Hello stampers and happy Monday to you. Today I am talking about sharing creativity. In this blog post I will be sharing creativity from my Happy Mail in Holland contributors. All three are Dutch artists! One of them is my cousin Corien (actually she is married to my cousin Chris) and I am going to start with her card.
Corien’s Card
Corien is the kind of artist that I would love to be. She paints!! When I received her lovely watercoloured Christmas card, I had no idea that it was part of a bigger whole. She told me that later and I thought it was a genius idea. It is so wonderful to be inspired by the creativity of others! First I will show you her card, then I will share the bigger watercolour painting, known here as an “aquarelle”.
I love the calming natural colours of Corien’s card, don’t you? Now here is the much bigger painting that she cut up into cards. What a novel idea! I’m sort of hoping that she made two of these so. that there is still one original large painting hanging on the wall somewhere.
I love the combination of styles here. My eyes see the old world manger scene that reminds me of paintings throughout the centuries combined with the modern feel of the ornaments and the straight lines of the squares. Wow, wow, wow!! Corien, you are incredible. Thank you for sharing your gift of art with us. Isn’t sharing creativity just the best?
Corien lives in Maasluis, the Netherlands which is quite close to where Gerard lives. I love that because that means we can see each other regularly. Chris and Corien are beautiful souls and among my favourite people.
Carla van der Meé’s Card
Carla comes from Drachten, the Netherlands (I’m going to have to look that up!) Her lovely card combines the Arctic Bears stamp set with Whimsical Trees. I love her choice of colours (mossy meadow, soft succulent and old olive) as well as the layout of her elements. Very clever to stamp the saying at an angle as well. It’s catchy and it also means you don’t have to stress out about getting it perfectly straight. That can be especially tricky with small sayings.
Carla’s card measures 4 3/4″ square. Thanks for sending me this beautiful card!
Drachten is located in the northern part of the Netherlands and is the second largest city in the province of Friesland. I think I would love to go to this museum to learn more about the local history, especially the harvesting of peat, as this was a job that my father did in Canada before he bought his farm.
Bianca Rebel’s Card
The last card that I am sharing today comes from Bianca Rebel who lives in the beautiful city of Dordrecht. Bianca’s card is clean and simple and I love how she used a corner rounder on the two opposite corners of her card. The cardstock is balmy blue from Stampin’Up! but the stamp is what I affectionately call “contraband”. Bianca tells me that it is from Alexandra Renke.
It was so nice to receive your happy mail Bianca, thank you!! If you want to see another beautiful card that Bianca made as well as read a little bit more about Dordrecht, check out this blog post from two years ago.
Happy New Year from Holland
I thought I would close this post with a photo of my new amaryllis bouquet. Gerard brought in three new ones to replace the Christmas ones. He knows how much I love the salmon coloured ones. The name of this variety is called Desire. Gerard just has a few of these rogues growing in the greenhouse, it is not a variety that he sells. They are just for me!!
By picking these particular flowers and arranging them just so, Gerard also shared his creativity with me and it just makes me so happy.
They look so nice and fresh inside the house and also from outside. The other day we were driving away and I looked back and saw these flowers and I thought, I need to take a picture of these from outside. Lovely!!!
Gerard and I wish you a very Happy New Year. Thanks for joining me today. Just a gentle reminder that today is the LAST day to order from the holiday catalog. Tomorrow saleabration begins!! Have a super day.
Hello stampers and happy Friday…actually, almost Happy New Year!! Today I want to show you a way to save your sanity. We can put so much pressure on ourselves to create beautifully stunning and intricate cards. While that can be a fun challenge and very rewarding, this is a gentle reminder to also enjoy easy simplicity once in a while. Yesterday I was feeling overwhelmed and a bit stressed and these simple cards brought me joy and peace.
Save Your Sanity with Some Simple Cards
I have always loved words. Words are very important and convey so much meaning and feeling, so choosing the right ones for your card is a big deal. Especially when the card is simple and the focus is mainly on the words and on the paper you want to make sure that your words are the right font, the right size and the. right thoughts! My cards use In The Moment for the images and Flowering Tulips for the words. The gorgeous paper is Expressions in Ink.
Here is a little video telling you the story of how these cards came about.
My last card is not shown in this picture because I make it at the end of the video. Curious? Be sure to watch AND subscribe. I am aiming for 4100 subscribers and to help make that happen I am doing a draw for the Poinsettia Petals bundle. All you need to do to enter is to subscribe to my channel, comment on your favourite video and share one to social media such as Facebook.
Simple Cards Bring Joy
These cards brought me joy yesterday and today as I see them laying on my desk they are bringing me more joy. I am going to offer a class where we can make these cards. People can choose their own colour scheme and stamps. It will be so much fun to see what they come up with!
Here is a closeup of one of the cards so you can see just how gorgeous this paper is and how well it combines with these stamp sets, In the Moment and Flowering Tulips.
Sometimes cards look a little different seen from another angle, so here they are against the backdrop of our fabulous Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine. If you don’t have this beauty yet, January is your month! You can put it in a starter kit and pay no tax or shipping AND get to pick two bonus stamp sets to put into your kit. Perhaps you could choose the two I have used today!! How much fun is that??
Prime Time Group
Did you know that I have a private Facebook group called Prime Time With The Pampered Stamper? Each Wednesday I post the supply list and measurements and on Thursday I do an exclusive video. Once a month there is a prize drawing and each month there is a free 15 project pdf tutorial for this group. It costs only $10 a month to join. If you are interested, just click here.
This is the card we made yesterday, another exercise is simplicity and beauty. Next week will do something a lot more challenging.
More Happy Mail Next Week
Next week I will share some more happy mail in Holland cards including a gorgeous hand painted one from my cousin. I hope that you have a fun celebration today and a very happy and blessed New Year. Thanks for joining me on my stamping journey. I’m so glad you’re here.
Hello stampers and happy Wednesday to you. Today’s Happy Mail in Holland features Peaceful Christmas Wishes which was the Paper Pumpkin for October. Paper Pumpkin is a wonderful crafting kit subscription which will bring you instant gratification every month. Have you ever subscribed to Paper Pumpkin?
Paper Pumpkin Instant Gratification
Paper Pumpkin really is about instant gratification! This crafting box comes every month and all you have to do is unwrap your gift, find the instruction sheet and start stamping! I usually make only one of each of the projects in the box and then I go to the Paper Pumpkin Fan Club page on Facebook to see what everyone else has done with it. You can also simply Google it. For example for this kit you would Google “Paper Pumpkin Peaceful Christmas” and then all the projects will pop up; just click on “images”. Here is a link to see what happens when you do that.
If you would like to give yourself a belated Christmas present, just click here. If you really want to spoil yourself, then get a twelve month prepaid subscription after January 4 and before February 28 and then you will get five free saleabration items and about $40 worth of host products as well. How much fun would that be?
Paper Pumpkin Happy Mail
Today I received this beautiful card from Ingrid Vos, from Hamilton, Ontario. Ingrid is a fellow SU demonstrator and we have met at SU events and she has also participated in some of my online classes. I appreciate you Ingrid and thanks for the happy mail AND the gorgeous handmade ornament from your niece.
Do you see what a difference the beautiful red linen twine bow makes? A full spool of it was included in the October Paper Pumpkin. I love all the extras that you get in your Paper Pumpkin kits.
Supporting Local Business
I love when I hear a story about a woman starting her own business so that she can stay home with her young children. Ingrid included a beautifully detailed wooden ornament with my card that her niece made. She started a business called Fox and Leaf Co. so she could work from home and raise their three little ones.
Looking for a Great Deal?
If you are an avid stamper and collector, you might already have this set. If not, it is a steal of a deal right now for only $38 instead of $95. The second best part is that I already have a great tutorial written for it as well, so you don’t even have to come up with your own ideas!! Check it out here.
If you want to see a great card that I blogged about two years ago, you can check it out here.
Stamping Through My Stash
Every Wednesday I do a live video where I “stamp through my stash”. I pick a stamp set from my stash that has not yet seen ink and I made something fun with it. Join me on my adventure every Wednesday at 10am EST (Detroit or New York time zone if that makes it easier) You can check out this video playlist on YouTube here.
Did you know that if you subscribe to my channel, comment on your favourite video and share it to Facebook that you could win the Poinsettia Petals bundle? There will be a draw as soon as I get to 4100 subscribers.
Thanks!
Thanks for joining me today, it always feels good to connect with you and to share what is happening in my stamping world. The rain is falling here, the skies are grey, but my heart is happy because I am with the one I love. Hugs from Holland!! Have a super day.
Hello stampers and happy Monday to you. Today I am sharing a Triple Cube card and more happy mail from Holland. There was SO much mail on Friday that my heart was very happy indeed. There are three great cards that I will be blogging about today, one from the Netherlands, one from the United States and one from Canada. What fun!
Triple Cube Card from Debby Kainu
This first card comes from Debby Kainu from the United States. I met Debby a long time ago at a Stampin’Up! Convention in Utah. Debby often sends me happy mail for no reason at all and as such is an inspiration to me. I feel that I lack in this regard but she inspires me to do better! Debby has also inspired me to try this “fancy fold” again. It looks intimidating but step by step it really isn’t as hard as it looks.
Debby comes from Middletown, New York which looks like it is situated in the most picturesque area with mountains in the distance and the forested foothills in the foreground.
Here is a close-up of Debby’s card so you can see all the lovely details. Thanks so much for your gorgeous creation, I knew as soon as I felt how thick the envelope was that it was a special one!
I made a triple cube card last year, you can see it in this blog post.
Caroline van den Neste’s Card
Caroline not only sent me a beautiful Christmas card, but also a long handwritten letter. That is truly the best of both worlds. Caroline lives in Terneuzen the Netherlands which is in the province of Zeeland where my Pap comes from. I really do have to come and visit you Caroline!
You can check out Caroline’s blog post here. She made a different version of this card for a colleague that includes a tractor!
Peaceful Cabin is going to be retiring on January 4, 2022 so be sure to order yours if you haven’t already. I love this stamp set so much and it pairs well with lots of other stamp sets AND it really isn’t limited to Christmas time.
Hannie’s Second Card!
Hannie really is a woman after my own heart. I smiled a very big smile when I opened her second card as this is exactly the sort of thing that I would do and have done. Better two cards than none at all!! I love this cute little mouse. Thank you so much Hannie for the overflowing of love in your happy mail.
Last Week!
Just a friendly reminder that it is the last week to order from the Holiday Catalog. There are some good deals to be had, so be sure to check them out and place your order. I am also offering some special incentives for you to place an order yet in December. There were in my newsletter, but I will copy and paste so you can read it here too.
1. If you order anything at all from me online no matter how small he amount you will get the pdf tutorial from the Demo Design Dream Team that has the accordion fold card in it as well as fourteen other terrific projects.
2. If you order $50 you will get a package of Heart & Home Doilies and the DDDT tutorial above.
3. If you order $75 you will get the brand new Butterflies and Flowers Layering Decorative Masks, the above tutorial as well as the latest International Create With Us Tutorial.
4. If you place a $100 order you will get a $25 gift certificate to use in January. (this gift certificate will not cover any shipping or tax)
Thanks!
Thanks for joining me again today, I hope you have a wonderful day. If you are looking to pamper yourself just because, then check out my pdf tutorial selection. You will be pleased that you did!!
Hello stampers and happy Christmas Eve to you all. Today I am sharing some adorable Seasons of Fun cards that I made during my weekly Stamping Through My Stash videos. This host set is a real gem. I am hoping that in the coming year we can do some fun parties together. We need some more fun and we need to get creative in the way that we do it don’t you think??
First, Happy Mail
The first thing I want to do is share the happy mail that arrived this week. We have a bit of a black and white theme going and I love it. The third card is the new black- red!!!
Brighton, Ontario
This lovely card uses the Delivering Cheer stamp set which is totally appropriate for a Happy Mail in Holland card don’t you think? I love the classic and elegant black and white colour scheme with some silver embossing to make it pop. Thank you so much Cheryl Ann Pulver for this lovely card. Cheryl Ann is a talented team member of mine who lives in Brighton Ontario. She is also a florist in her spare time!
I looked up Brighton, Ontario and it looks like a fantastic place to visit. Presqu’Ile Provincial Park is here and I used to visit there when I had a summer job in Cobourg. Small world! Check out this restaurant, would you like to join me there some day for a lovely lunch?
Maasluis, the Netherlands
The second card is also from a team member, but she is my very first team member in the Netherlands!! How awesome is that? Thank you so much Barbara van den Berg-Zeegers for this beautiful card. I absolutely love the clean and crisp feel of Peaceful Cabin in black and white. Barbara comes from Maasluis which is a town about 15 minutes away from where Gerard lives. I have a cousin living in Maasluis and I used to visit my aunt and uncle there. Mom’s oldest sister lived in Maasluis until she died a few years ago. This city was founded around 1340; what a history!
Listowel, Ontario
The last card was sent to my by Karen Gerretsen. I have only met Karen via Zoom for Bingo events and other online card making. Karen has supported my virtual coffee and a card classes and my Parcels in the Post. I am so grateful for loyal customers like Karen. Thank you so much for this cheerful and classic card. The Merry Melody embossing folder is the star of the show. Well done!!
Karen lives on a farm just outside of Listowel, Ontario. I know from my daughter Stefanie that Listowel is in the “snow belt”. Stefanie used to have to drive through Listowel when she worked for the Huron-Perth Centre in Stratford. Listowel is beautiful farming country with rolling hills and lovely farms. It became a village in 1866 and was named after Listowel in Ireland.
Seasons of Fun Cards
Normally I would not add any more cards to this blog post, but next week it will be after Christmas and then it will be too late to share Christmas cards don’t you think? These cards turned out so well in my Stamping Through My Stash video on Wednesday. If you missed that video, I will include it here for you. Don’t forget to subscribe to my channel and to comment on a video and share it so you can have a chance to win the Poinsettia Petals bundle!
These are both fun and easy Z-Fold cards. Just take a piece of thick basic white cardstock measuring 4 1/4″ by 11″ and score at 2 3/4″ and 5 1/2″. Fold in half and then fold the front flap back towards yourself.
I used Whimsy & Wonder paper to finish off the Seasons of Fun cards and the images were stamped on shimmery white cardstock and coloured with Blends.
Merry Christmas!
Thanks for joining me today and I hope that you have a very merry Christmas with the people that you love. Perhaps like me, you will only be able to be with some of the people that you love, and you will be missing the rest. Thankfully we have technology to help us stay in touch. God bless and keep you!! Big hugs from Holland from both myself and Gerard.
