by Jackie Bultje | Jun 4, 2021 | A Good Man, graduation, tags |
Hello stampers and happy Friday to you. Today’s topic, something borrowed, something blue, would make you think that perhaps I would be talking wedding talk but that is not the case. Some time in the near future though, that will definitely be a very hot topic. More on that later. Today I am “borrowing” some cards and one of them is blue.
Something Borrowed
Today my future sisters-in-law took me out for lunch to celebrate my birthday which is next week Tuesday. It was so very lovely. I also had a hair appointment this morning and then I went to my favourite bakery to stock up on raisin buns to take home! All in all, no time for card making and writing a blog post. What to do? Well, I was trolling the internet while having a bath (I know, I know, what a life?!) I came across this fabulous card by Nancy Novak. I thought you would enjoy it too. Read all about it on her blog here.
To see another graduation card that I made a while ago, check out this blog post.
Something Blue
I just noticed that both cards are blue!! The next one is a Father’s Day card and it uses the Tailor Made tags which I think are super versatile. This is the second card that I have seen this week using these tags. Hmmmm. Temptation is calling but I have a niggling feeling that I might already have them back in Canada.
This card is made by Christi Redding but I cannot find her blog anywhere. Here is her Pinterest board if you want to check it out.
Wedding Inspiration
Truth be told, I have some big decisions to make. I have a wedding to plan. Originally I wanted to keep it really small. Well, sort of. I wanted to do a big church wedding so everyone could come for that part and then do a standing reception with coffee and treats for everyone, after all it is #allaboutthetreats. We would then have photos and then a small intimate dinner for only family.
Then there is the question about the dress. Should it be a traditional wedding dress or just a fancy gown? I am leaning towards a fancy gown but I could be swayed. If you have any great suggestions, feel free to comment below with a photo of course!
Here are some photos of our lunch. The girls took me to this adorable little place along the canal in DeLier which is about a fifteen minute drive from Gerard’s place.
I felt like “Driving Miss Daisy” in Anita’s sporty convertible.
Thanks!
Thanks for joining me today. If you live in Canada and want to shop for stamping supplies, you can do so by clicking on the links below in the product list. With a $60 purchase you will get TWO free tutorials. How awesome is that? I hope you have a super day!
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by Jackie Bultje | Jun 3, 2021 | Prime Time With The Pampered Stamper, tutorial, You're a Peach |
Hello stampers and happy Thursday to you. I know, I know. I’m a day late. Usually I do blog posts on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Today I am going to be sharing a card with you that I made using You’re A Peach as well as a beautiful card that came in the mail yesterday.
You’re a Peach with Prime Time
Have you seen the You’re a Peach paper? It is so beautiful and it lends itself beautifully to mixing and matching. Take a look!
Yesterday I did a video, after many failed attempts with technology, and I showed my design process for this card. You can see it here. In the video I explained that I am very limited here in the Netherlands with my dies. Normally I would use a die for my focal point but I didn’t have any current ones that would work. The solution? To make a tag using the Fancy Tag Topper Punch!
More About Prime Time
Why am I so persistent with Prime Time? It really is all about consistency and value. I am dedicated to my Prime Time group and that means you know that you get a live video tutorial every week on Thursdays. When I am in the Netherlands it is at 9am EST and when I am in Canada it is 3pm EST.
On Wednesdays I post the supply list and measurements. This lets you get ready to stamp along with me. When you stamp regularly you are more likely to use the products that you invested in AND you will improve your techniques.
The other most significant added value is the monthly pdf tutorials. You get a 14 project tutorial which is worth $25! Even if you never watch a video tutorial or win a prize (did I mention there are weekly prizes?) it is STILL worth it.
From my perspective, it gives me reliable income from my followers. I can only sell SU products to Canadians, but in this group anyone can join. This allows me to focus on what I do best, to teach and create. You can be a part of that! Just click here.
Happy Mail
It was so lovely to find a tell-tale envelope in the mailbox yesterday. By the size and shape of the envelope you know it is a hand made card. Thanks ever so much to Jennifer Plaat for this stunning engagement card. It is still sinking in that in just over a year we will finally be official!
A Quaint Little Soap Shop
Last week I had the opportunity to browse around this adorable little soap shop. I am having a little buyer’s remorse that I only bought one piece, but truthfully I am more of a liquid or foam soap kind of girl. Maybe I need to change that. This was the real deal and the smell was divine. There was such attention to detail everywhere that I just wanted to linger and absorb it all.
From this picture you can see that they use essential oils and other natural ingredients in their soaps. Oh, the smells!!
It’s sort of like baking with similar tools and ingredients like lemon zest.
This soap looks like slices of cake. Don’t you just love this vintage stove?
I really wanted to get one of every kind of soap, but then I remembered that I rarely use bar soap. Maybe if I had this kind, I would.
I am too young to remember sunlight bar soap for laundry but I did know of its existence. I love how this little shop shows the history of soap and soap making.
Everything is Lush and Green
I am convinced that the Netherlands could give Ireland a run for it’s money for the title of “the Emerald Isle”. Although Holland has many islands, the country itself is not an island, but it sure is green! The drawback of course is that this lush greenery is the result of significant amounts of rain and a cooler climate for the most part. Compromise people, compromise.
In just one week I leave this idyllic place to go home. I am hoping that this will also put my technological problems behind me. Scenes like this help me to stay zen!! I hope it also brings some tranquility to your day.
Thanks!!
Thanks so much for joining me today, I really do like spending time with you. Several of you made me very happy during the video by giving me “stars” on Facebook. This is something new and I know very little about it, but the affirmation was great. I hope you seriously consider becoming a member of the Prime Time group. Remember, there is no commitment. If you find after three months that you are not getting enough value from it, you can just leave the group.
Have a super day and happy stamping my friends.
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by Jackie Bultje | May 31, 2021 | International Tutorial Bundle Team, Pansy Patch, travel |
Hello stampers and happy Monday. What do you think of when you here “the least of these”? I chose this phrase rather than the longer version: “Whatever you do for the least of these my brothers, you do for Me.” This is a loose paraphrase of the Scripture verse Matthew 25:40. Perhaps it is a bit of an odd topic for a stamping blog, but let me tell you why I chose it.
A Visit to the Market
There is a famous market in the Hague that Gerard has been meaning to take me to for a long time. Last Saturday we finally made it. What makes this market so famous is its size and popularity. More than 100,000 people visit each week and it is the largest market in Europe. It is open on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Saturday alone has between 35 and 40 thousand visitors!
This market is not “kitchy” with great Instagram photo opportunities. Instead it has down to earth fruit and vegetable stands, lots of fish mongers, some butchers, a few cheese stalls and a lot of clothing stalls and even drugstore items like shaving cream and toothpaste.
Who We Met
The highlight of our market trip was not a thing but a person. We met Samse there and it is his story that I want to tell. As soon as he saw us his face was transformed with delight. Before we knew it he had ushered us to his only table outside of his stall and was telling us to wait, he would bring food. Boy, did he bring food!! We started with Turkish pizzas that are more like a burrito. They are thin and topped with a mixture of spices, herbs and a wee bit of sauce. Then you add chicken schwarma meat, chopped tomatoes, red onions and lettuce. Add some garlic sauce and sambal sauce and roll it up or fold it and eat. Delicious.
There was more! More spinach and cheese filled phyllo pastries, some sort of beef croquette and then dessert which was assorted baklava, walnut and pistachio. Why all this food? Why the effusive welcome?
The Least of These
You see, Semsi came from Turkey with nothing. He was an illegal immigrant and had to rely on the mercy of the Dutch people to find employment. He ended up working for Gerard’s dad in the greenhouses. Semsi tells the story of how he was working and got injured with a pitchfork. Gerard’s dad took him to the doctor and arranged things so that his care was covered and that he even received sick pay. This sick pay was unheard of in Turkey and Samse was delighted to be able to send this money home to his family.
Semsi also told us how lonely it was for them in a new country with most of their family still in Turkey. He spoke fondly of Gerard’s mother who used to bring coffee to the greenhouse twice a day. Semsi told us that she was like a mother figure to them. Later Gerard told me that his mom brought coffee since there wasn’t a coffee machine in the greenhouse. She didn’t even stay to drink coffee with them and I am sure she did not realize what this simple gesture meant to those workers.
A few years later Semsi and his brother wanted to invest in a restaurant but they were short a few thousand guilders. When they explained to Gerard’s father, he didn’t hesitate. He loaned them all the money they needed. Because of this generosity and trust, Semsi has now built a successful business that employs his entire family. What a joy to see.
As we were walking away Gerard says, I think he is seeing things with rose-coloured glasses. This could be, but how wonderful when the little things you do for another person can have such significance.
A Few More Glimpses of the Market
Even though this was an outdoor market, it was far more crowded than I was comfortable with, so I didn’t take many pictures. There were at least five huge fish stalls like this one. You could even buy fish heads, which I assume you would use to make fish stock.
Seeing the butcher walk through the crowds with a fresh carcass on his back made me want to become vegetarian!
The person in the blue jacket was a “pedestrian” control person making sure that people followed the arrows for one way traffic.
Perhaps a Card Now??
Since this is supposed to be a stamping blog I suppose I should at least share one card with you!! I am only going to show you a little sneak peek of a beautiful and unique card that I made using the Pansy Patch bundle. If you love pansies you will also love this suite. My card really capitalized on the pretty paper. Did you know that the dies cut out two whole sheets of pansies as well as over 100 leaves? My card is part of the new Create With Us International Tutorial Bundle team and the theme this month is Pansy Patch.
Here you get a better glimpse of what you will get in this amazing 15 tutorial bundle. Many of our team members are Artisan Design team members so you are getting the best of the best!!
If you want to purchase this tutorial is is $25, but you can also get it for free with a $60 order in June. It will be released later today and then I will put it on my tutorials page for you to purchase.
On Wednesday I will share some cards using the Peach suite as this will most likely be my theme for July virtual coffee and a card class.
Thanks!
Thanks so much for joining me today. Tomorrow will be the first day for the Sweet Strawberry and Berry Blessings virtual coffee and a card class. If you are interested in this kit in the mail, let me know, I think I have a couple of extra ones! Have a super day!!
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by Jackie Bultje | May 28, 2021 | drapery fold cards, fancy fold, International Tutorial Bundle Team, Pansy Patch |
Hello stampers and happy Friday to you. Today I have some Pansy Patch drapery fold cards for you. What I like most about drapery fold cards is that they let you show both sides of your patterned paper. I chose to add even more patterned paper to the mix by using the pretty Soft Succulent gingham paper as the background. Let’s take a look.
Pansy Petals Drapery Fold Cards
It has been years since I made a drapery fold card. About two months ago we decided to do weekly challenges with my Beyond Pampered Team. My team member Alison Reid posts the challenge each week and we are loving that it gets us stamping cards that we might not make of our own accord. Alison shared Lisa Curcio’s tutorial with us, so I will share it here with you as well as it super clear to follow.
Here is a closer look at the Pansy Patch Drapery Fold. I embellished with some In Colour Jewels and some open weave ribbon. If you want to see another card that I made with the Pansy Patch bundle, you can check it out here.
Stamping With Pansy Patch
It takes just a little bit of trial and error to stamp with the Pansy Patch bundle. Some colour combinations are better than others, but thankfully that is a choice in personal taste. In real life there are also lots of different colour choices. The easiest way is to just get them all or make them all. I hope to share a video with you today on a Facebook live.
International Tutorial Bundle Team
Next month our Create With Us International Tutorial Bundle Team is focusing on Pansy Patch. You will get 15 tutorials all featuring this beautiful suite of products. It costs $25 OR you can get it for free with a purchase of $60. Here is the sneak peek.
Daily Routines
I am trying to get into the daily routine of a morning bike ride. We have our daily beach walks but my job involves a lot of sitting and some standing while I made cards. I find that COVID has not been kind to my body so I am pushing myself. The weather here doesn’t make it easy to stick to a routine. There is a LOT of wind and even more rain, but now we have five days in a row with a sunny forecast and a high of 20C. Ideal!!
You might be asking, what is the problem here? I would bike if this was my view. True, true. Just be aware that my bike has three gears and it is stuck in third gear. That means that occasionally I have to humble myself in front of very fit locals who were basically born on a bike. Picture me huffing and puffing up the dike as they whiz past me tinkling their bike horns as I meander dangerously close to the middle line!
I am always proud of myself when I stick to my guns and make it up the few hills or when I finish the stretch against the wind. What are your challenges?
Thanks!
Thanks for joining me today. Just a gentle reminder that the chance to get the amazing deal on the starter kit ends on May 31 which is Sunday. If you are not interested yourself, maybe you know someone who is? Many people are looking for a new hobby with all the COVID restrictions and this would also be great for young families.
Here is the link to get your box full of goodies ($206 worth of products) for only $135. There is even a Paper Pumpkin kit in there as a bonus. Remember, this deal expires May 31.
Have a super day!!
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by Jackie Bultje | May 26, 2021 | Paper Pumpkin, stencils |
Hello stampers and happy Wednesday to you. Today’s post will not be about cards. I came across a photo I took of my parents and I called it This Is Love. When I look at this photo love is what I see. At first I was going to make a Facebook post about it, but then I thought, no, this deserves a blog post!!
This Is Love
My parents, Kees and Rina are now 94 and 89. When they married with their Dutch names, Cornelis and Arendje they did not expect that they would be given 63 years together. They have quite the story and they have weathered so much together. Through it all there has been this incredible love between them.
This Picture Says so Much
What do I see when I look at this picture? I see two grey heads bent together in intimacy. I see the one caring for the other when it was often the other way around. In the bottom left corner I see the old “beschuit” tin that has been with them their entire marriage I think. I see bacon and eggs on Pap’s plate. He has always loved this for breakfast so we have now taken to making it every morning to help him keep his weight on.
Mom used to get up at 5:30 every morning to make bacon and eggs for us before we went out to milk the cows. After the table was set and breakfast made, Pap would wake us all up and Mom would go back to bed. It was the one thing that made getting up early easier.
Against All Odds
My Opa was giving up on the idea that his daughter would ever marry! Apparently she was quite fussy. The bar was high! So high that Opa said to her, you better go the local carpenter and get a husband made to your specifications. Pap was also a very eligible bachelor traveling the seas to work in Canada.
Through two disasters, the flooding of their island province by the Germans in World War 2 and then the flood of 1953, my parents’ families met as the Boot family had to take refuge in my Mom’s environs. The families met at the local church on Sunday. When Pap went to Canada he wrote letters to Mom’s family. One time Mom was home sick so she volunteered to write that family letter back to Pap. That is how their letter writing began!
When they married a year or more later she was 26 and he was 31. Their honeymoon was a cruise ship from Rotterdam to Halifax. After that it was a long, uncomfortable train ride to Manitoba. Pap was quiet. He was feeling the pressure of providing for his new wife and they didn’t even have a house waiting for them!! Mom was also getting a little quiet. Canada was so vast!! She was getting further and further away from her family whom she thought she would never see again.
I Could Write a Book
I could write a book about their life. Suffice it to say they have inspired me. It is through them that I have a deep and abiding faith, the greatest gift of all. Their work ethic and the joy they found in the everyday has also been the foundation of my love for my work. I made this simple card last night using the March Paper Pumpkin. Our team had a challenge to use stencils. This card is for my parents who have now had the blessing to travel from coast to coast in their adopted country.
Paper Pumpkin
Paper Pumpkin is a craft kit subscription that is very flexible. It works out to about $30 a month and you get a stamp set, a mini ink pad and all the supplies to make quite a few cards. Usually 8 but sometimes 12. You can skip a month any time you wish or you can cancel your subscription. There is so much inspiration for these kits online so the creative options are many! If you are interested you can subscribe through me here.
Thanks!
Thanks for joining me today. I hope that you can celebrate love today as well. Have a super day!!
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Old Olive Classic Stampin’ Pad [126953] $8.50 | | |
