Hello stampers and happy Monday to you. This morning I did a very fun Stack and Shuffle technique video. I’ll share the video a little later. What a great way to not only use your pretty patterned paper, but also to create a stack of cards without getting bored. Let’s take a look!
Stack and Shuffle
Now it is a very good thing that is not normal shuffling, because I am a terrible card shuffler. This is quite easy and straightforward. However, if you watch to the end of the video you will see that it CAN go wrong if you try and do it too quickly. No worries, I got it solved after the video ended and I was no longer in a rush.
Here is the graphic that you need for the measurements.
Friendly Hello Stack & Shuffle Cards
Here is a shot of all the Friendly Hello stack and shuffle cards.
In The Moment Stack and Shuffle Cards
I thought I would try this technique with the In The Moment paper as well. Turned out quite nicely I think!
Look how fun they look all together in a little stack!
Individual Cards
Here are some closeups of the individual cards, they look so nice!
I forgot to show you the inside of the cards, that is where you use the 3/4″ strip that you cut off from the 4″ by 6″ piece. Simple but effective. Take the party to the inside!
Video Tutorial
Here is the video tutorial that I did this morning. Please watch it on YouTube as that will really be of benefit to me. If you leave a comment there and share my video, then you have a chance to win a gorgeous Stampin’Up! floral logo mousepad.
Thanks!
That’s it for today, thanks so much for joining me today and thanks in advance for your comments and for sharing my video. I would love to see what you make with this technique. Have a super day.
Hello stampers and happy Saturday to you. Today I have a powerful story for you. First of all, I couldn’t write a blog post yesterday because our phone lines and internet cable were cut by a greenhouse crew accidentally. Bummer!! I was so excited to tell you the stories about my first coffee and a card class in the Netherlands. It just had to wait a day.
The Fear of the Unknown
How many times have you heard people say “I’m not crafty”? Often it really means “I’m afraid to try something new, especially in front of other people. What if I don’t get it? What if I do it wrong? I don’t want to fail and look stupid.” Trust me, I have had those feelings too and I still do when I go to craft at other people’s houses. I am not in my own environment, I feel like I have to get it right the first time and there is no time to play around. This has inspired me to do my classes a little differently and you can read about that a little later on.
A Powerful Story
One of the people who came to my class yesterday had to come later due to a previous engagement. By the time she came the others had already finished their card and were playing around making a second one. I poured her a cup of coffee and cut a piece of amazing carrot cake and I sat down beside her. Time to make a card! No, she said, I really don’t feel like making a card this morning. I’m not one of those crafty people at all. No problem!! I will never try to make someone do something against their will. Card classes are about relaxing and enjoying, not coercion and stress.
I’ll just sit beside you and show you how I made the card and then you can take it home is what I said. Before I had stamped three images, she had changed her mind. “I’ll make a card” she said all of a sudden. Wonderful! Now the plot thickens.
This person who claimed not to be crafty right away changed up the card in a few different ways to make it her own. She knew what she wanted! I love that so much. Then it gets better. While she was making the card she said, I am going to make this for my mother. She has dementia but she will love this cheerful card. It will mean so much to her that I thought of her and made her this special card. There was no procrastination. A pen was produced, the card was written, put in the envelope and mailed on the way home! How wonderful is that?
When People Gather Together
Another powerful thing that I once again realized is that amazing things happen when people gather, first around food and drink and then around a table crafting. Stories are exchanged, lives are enriched and creativity is discovered. One lady shared how magic happens when she goes into her craft room. Emotional hurts go into the background, aches and pains lessen and joy bubbles up.
It makes me so incredibly happy to be a small part in this whole process. I love sharing what I do. If you are one of these people who think they are not crafty, order a card kit from Stampin’Up! to get started. They include everything you need except for a tape runner and scissors. Find some inspiration on my YouTube channel or check out my tutorials to guide you step by step through some wonderful cards.
I’m hoping to have our internet restored on Monday and then I will be able to share the awesome photos with you. I was able to get one to load and that is better than nothing. I hope you have a super day and I am so looking forward to some day crossing paths with you and helping you with your creative journey.
Hello stampers and happy Friday to you. Starting all over! That is what it feels like and there is a joy in this journey and I want to share the lessons that I learn along the way. Starting all over? What am I talking about? Let’s find out.
Starting All Over!
Did you know that I have been a demonstrator in Canada now for 16 years? I’m officially an old-timer in the Stampin’Up! world and I am proud of it. Now that I am spending more time in the Netherlands as well and running my business almost entirely online in Canada I have also become a demonstrator in the Netherlands. Yes, that is possible!
As a brand new demonstrator in the Netherlands I have decided to start all over here and teach beginner classes. Starting all over I decided it would be best to get back to basics. I think every demonstrator’s true joy is teaching people who have never held a stamp in their hands and inked it up. The joy of discovering creativity is contagious. Last night I taught my first beginner class and it was so much fun. We laughed so much and I actually stamped my sentiment upside down while demonstrating the Stamparatus!
This card was made using the Dutch stamp set Plantenpost which is `Plentiful Plants in English. You can find it on page 81 of the annual catalog. It does come with adorable dies which include to macramé plant hangers, but you can make gorgeous cards without the dies too. That being said, the dies also cut out many images from the designer series paper.
We took the party to the inside and stamped another potted plant and the sentiment using Cinnamon Cider and Just Jade. The stamparatus made positioning the words so simple. I love this tool so much and highly recommend it to all levels of stampers. Truth be told, when it first came out I resisted it thinking it was only for beginners. Now it stays on top of my desk within reach because I use it all the time.
Stepping It Up a Little
Beginner cards don’t have to be ugly or uninspiring. By adding some Bloom Where You’re Planted paper to the envelope flap and a little linen thread to the card we now have a really pretty creation don’t you think?
If you want to see another post featuring the Plentiful Plants bundle, check out this blog post.
One of the Most Beautiful Perks
Do you know why I wanted to start all over here? Besides the fact that I love introducing people to the joy of stamping, I also love, love, love meeting new people. Everyone has a story to tell and my life is enriched by their stories and their souls. Yesterday I had the deep joy of meeting Barbara. She brought me a gift (which was totally unnecessary as I really don’t expect that). The gift had so much thought behind it. Barbara made a cute little box to put it in and we laughed together because we discovered that both of us actually struggle with making boxes!! Inside the box was a bottle of blackberry syrup made by the people that Barbara works with.
You see, this lovely woman works with people who have learning disabilities (in Dutch they say verstandelijk beperkt) It is one of the things that I love so much about Holland is how they deal with their unique populations. Barbara works at the Nooitgedacht Werkboerderij (Never Would Have Thought working farm) and in this beautiful environment people are given meaningful work, some of which I enjoyed with my pancakes this morning!
You can read more about this wonderful place here. Rest assured I will be making a visit and will be telling you more about it!
More Beginner Classes
I am super excited to announce that I will be hosting beginner classes each Friday for the next four weeks at Bloemenlaan 6, -s’Gravenzande 2691 JC at 9:30am. We’ll start with coffee and treats and then make a card at 10am. Cost is only 10 euros. I am looking forward to meeting you and hearing YOUR story.
Don’t Forget!
There are only 6 days left of saleabration, so don’t forget to place your order and get some bonus free items. If you have been sitting on the fence about getting the starter kit, take a leap of faith. You have nothing to lose and EVERYTHING to gain. Your kit has no shipping or tax, you pay only $135 and you get to choose $165 in product (perfect way to get your new die cutting machine!) You also get to choose a bonus Christmas bundle worth up to $80 AND you get to be a part of my amazing team. Together we’ll have more stories to tell.
Thanks for joining me today, have a super day and a great weekend.
Hello stampers!! It’s so good to be back to share my love of stamping with you. Today I will be blogging about the Christmas Whimsy card kit. You may have noticed the cute whimsical images at the beginning of the holiday catalog and wondered where to find this kit. It is now available! Let’s take a look.
Christmas Whimsy Card Kit
The Christmas Whimsy card kit is part of our online kit collection. Kits are no longer available in the catalog and I will tell you why. In the past our kits were a bit confusing. Some included the stamp set and ink spot, and some didn’t. Some had instructions for the cards and some didn’t. There were different price points and sometimes our kits sold out. Now the kits are all the same price and they all include the same basics: an ink spot, a stamp set, a clear block as well as all the consumable products needed to make your cards. All available kits will be seen online. When they sell out, they will be gone and this will eliminate the frustration of trying to order something that is either back-ordered or sold out.
I don’t know about you, but these whimsical Christmas cards remind me of Nordic Christmas folk tales. They bring me back to my childhood, although I realize that probably has more to do with nostalgia than reality!
The Whimsical Christmas kit also comes with a versatile stamp set so you can finish your cards beautifully and then use this stamp set for other cards too. Take a look!
Why Get This Kit?
I am on a mission to get my stampers to share their hobby with others! The past two years have taught me that this amazing hobby has more meaning and purpose than ever. Let’s try and give the gift of stamping and creativity to more people. I think we can all agree that we need more joy in life. More moments to treasure, to slow down, to enjoy the little things and each other. Less screen time. Less loneliness.
If you are a seasoned stamper, I would encourage you to get this kit or a different one if you prefer. Invite a few friends over if you feel comfortable having people in your home (I know at first it can feel a little weird after all this time of isolation!) Take a photo of your group enjoying the kit and I will send you a surprise in the mail!! Click here to order your kit in you live in Canada.
A Personal Note
I thought you might want to get up to speed what is happening in my life. Gerard was finally able to visit me from August 28 to September 7. Yesterday we were able to fly back to Holland together, which was so very lovely!! Our first time flying together and not having to say goodbye at an airport. When the KLM crew heard about this and the rest of our story they surprised us with a tray of champagne in real crystal stemware, chocolates and nuts as well as a handwritten postcard. Quite unforgettable really!
We had a whirlwind tour including a wonderful two day visit with my parents, my cousins on my mom’s side and then a visit to Ottawa and Montreal. Having five kids has never felt so busy as now!!
Thankfully my back is doing much better. I was concerned about the plane ride, but I managed just fine. It helped that we had an extra empty seat beside us and I could lay down for a while with my head on Gerard’s lap! His lap was much cosier than the seat armrest!
Sharing What I Love
I hope that you will join me on Tuesdays for the weekly virtual coffee and a card classes. At 10am EST I will be live on YouTube and on Facebook I hope! I am going to do a trial run and see how the internet is doing here at Gerard’s house. He has made some changes and has done his very best to make this possible. If the speed is not sufficient then I will prerecord these classes for the highest possible quality.
Blogging should be back up to speed again as well. I do love connecting with your this way and it keeps me creating. This time I brought a LOT more supplies with me so that my creativity isn’t stifled. I am also trying to set work hours. In the past when I was in Holland I often slept in thinking that all my people in Canada were still sleeping too. This became a bit of a problem because I was often on my computer in the evenings and then it seems like I am working all the time and that is not healthy for a relationship! We’ll see how it goes. Let me tell you, 7:30 came way too fast this morning but I did it!
Thanks for joining me and I hope you have a super day. Looking forward to sharing what I love in Holland too.
Hello stampers and happy Friday to you. Today I am going to share with you Cute Fruit which is a stamp set that is NOT in the annual catalog. So where can you find it? In the Beginner Brochure called “Make Beautiful Things”. Let’s take a look at your options.
Cute Fruit Collection
This is what the beginner brochure says: Combine juicy fruit and happy smiley faces for bright and fresh projects. The Cute Fruit Cards & Tags Collection includes enough supplies to create as many cards and tags as you can imagine. No guesswork needed – we’ve done it for you! Mix and match the images and greetings to create projects for any sweet friends. The Two-Step Stampin’ allows you layer images in multiple colors. You’ll have so much fun combining the images to create a variety of fruit!
Collection includes
*Cute Fruit Stamp Set – 17 stamps
*Whisper White 8-1/2″ X 11″ Cardstock
*Classic Stampin’ Spots Assortment (Basic Gray, Coastal Cabana, Daffodil Delight, Flirty Flamingo, Gorgeous Grape, Granny Apple Green, Real Red, Shaded Spruce)
*Clear Block D
I think that this is a fantastic way to start your stamping journey. When I first started the hardest thing was not having enough colours. This collection gives you a fabulous selection and you don’t have to figure it out yourself. The block is big enough to work with all the stamps.
This collection is only $79.75 which is a pretty affordable way to start a new hobby. Already have a block and inks? The stamp set is only $22. Just click on the links below in the product list and you will get all the details.
My Cute Fruit Collage Card
I have long extolled the virtues of notecards and envelopes. Every stamper should have at least one pack of these on hand as they are great for making quick and easy cards. Simple stamping at it’s best!
Don’t you just love the bright colours and bold images? This card was so much fun to make! I also made the tags and one of the other cards from the brochure. I’ll take a picture of that page so you can see them too.
Collage Stamping
What is collage stamping? It is when you stamp a lot of images repeatedly to create a background. The most effective way to do this is to:
Stamp your largest images first.
Stamp some of your images off the edge of your card.
Rotate your images so that they look more natural and random.
Fill in the open spots with your smallest images.
Use complementary colours.
My Video
Here is the video I made when making this card. Be forewarned, it is a Facebook live video so there is the regular amount of chit chat. I won’t know if you fast forward to the good parts!
Thanks!
Thanks again for joining me today, I hope you have a wonderful weekend. Just a reminder that the great deal on the starter kit with the bonus free bundle of your choice ends on Tuesday June 30. You could put this collection in your starter kit as well as anything else you like excluding host sets. Ready to take the plunge and have Christmas for yourself in the summer? Just click here. Let me know if you have any questions. You already know that if you live in Canada I would love to have you on my team. Have a super day.
Hello stampers and happy Monday to you. Today is going to be a philosophical post called “Never Assume”. What am I talking about? Let’s find out.
Never Assume
Of course on a stamping blog my topic of “never assume” is going to be card related. I was inspired by a picture I had saved on my desktop. The picture is of my very active grandson Leo making a card. We had assumed that Leo would not be the slightest interested in sitting down to stamp. Boy were we wrong. Here he is eagerly making a birthday card for his cousin Ana.
The Magic of Stamps, Ink and Paper
Deep down we all yearn to be creative. We want to express ourselves in art but there is fear. Fear of failure. Fear of not being able to accomplish what we can do in our heads. Then came stamps! The art is already done. All we have to do is ink up that stamp and put it to paper and we already have beauty. Everything that happens after that is just icing on the cake. I challenge you to introduce someone new to stamping. Invite a friend over and bring out the paper, ink and stamps. Start with plain white computer paper so that there is no stress about ruining your “good stuff”. See where that takes you.
Stamping With Children
When stamping with children stick to using just one colour of ink. Put out some grid paper or butcher paper or even newspaper to protect your table. Show them you to put the stamp on the ink pad and then on the paper and let them have at it. Suppress the urge to control the outcome. Marvel at their joy! Here is another blog post using note cards and envelopes. Coincidentally it is also a blog post about children!!
Stamping Yourself
When you get a new stamp set take the time to stamp each image on whisper white cardstock. Stamp them in different colours; do “generational” stamping where you stamp off several times so that you get different shades. In other words, just play a bit. This will give you the feel of the stamp set and will remove any pressure to create something amazing right away. A pack of notecards and envelopes is a very economical investment to allow you to play with the simple stamping technique. You can get twenty note cards and envelopes for only $9.50. That’s cheaper than a movie ticket and will keep you occupied just as long.
Thanks!
Thanks for joining me today for this little ramble. Just think what could happen when you stop deciding for others whether they will enjoy stamping or not. You might find yourself a whole new group of stamping buddies. I can’t wait to hear your stories! Be sure to tell your new people about the great deal on the starter kit that ends at the end of June. What a great way to get started on a fantastic hobby.
