Hello stampers! My, it has been way, way too long since I have written a blog post. My brand new Umbrella Days card kit has given me the inspiration to get back in the blogging saddle! Let me tell you how this kit has come about, it really is a bit of an epic journey.
Inspiration for a Card Kit
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When I first moved to the Netherlands and had to transform my business to an online model, I decided to focus all my energy on my YouTube channel. While this was successful in that I got lots of subscribers and am even getting paid by YouTube for ads, it was not successful for getting online orders. My hope was that people would watch my video, be inspired and then click on the links in my description to order the products that they wanted.
When chatting with fellow demonstrators who were mainly from the States, they told me that I needed to offer card kits. I dragged my heels for a while because I didn’t want to stand there for hours die cutting and making packages, but now I feel that I really must give it a try. Here is my first kit!!
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Tips and Tricks for working with Umbrella Days
Clear emboss the rain on a dark background, Basic Black, Night of Navy or Misty Moonlight.
White emboss the sayings on Basic Black Cardstock for a dramatic effect.
Paper piece the umbrella, either on its own or on the stamped image. You can do this with the dog coat, or the boots as well. To take it up a notch you can dry emboss these pieces as well, use two-tone white core cardstock or patterned paper.
Colour your stamped images with Blends, Watercolour Pencils and a Water Painter or Blender Pen, Water Painter and ink or Stampin’ Write Markers for the smaller parts like the hands, the hair and the boots.
For an interesting variation, leave your image black and white and just add colour to the umbrella!
Use Adhesive Sheets with several different colours of cardstock to create sticker diecuts with the small dies. This is so easy and useful!!
Lastly, did you know that if you choose option 2 for the starter kit you can choose $206 worth of products for only $135? This will allow you to get the Umbrella Days bundle, the Spring Corners Bundle AND the Everyday Arches bundle plus either a set of Blends in your choice of colour OR your choice of 12×12 two tone cardstock??
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When you watch my video you will see how all the parts of the Umbrella Days bundle work and I will also make the bottom right hand card with you. I also share some details on the square card that I gratefully cased from the talented Jacque Williams from New Zealand. If you haven’t already done so, please subscribe to my YouTube channel. Trust me, I am way more active there than on my blog, but hopefully that will change in the future.
Shop with me
If you live in Canada, you can simply click on the easy links below to shop with me. As a thank you, you will get at least one pdf tutorial bundle AND you will get the six card kit shown above as long as your order is at least $75. Thanks so very much for stopping by my blog after I have been silent for so long. It’s good to be back!!
Hello stampers! Have you discovered the Online Exclusives section of products from Stampin’Up? These are not found in any catalog, only online. Today I am featured the Latte Love bundle which is a fabulous online exclusive. There is a whole suite of coordinating products called A Little Latte Suite Collection. I quite adore this suite, but then coffee is a huge part of my life. I am even learning to try a cappuccino once in a while because they are really pretty!! Together with my good friend and team member, Caroline, we held a fabulous class with this suite. I am planning to bring the samples along to my St. Jacobs Fall Retreat.
Some Details on this Latte Love card
It really is all in the details isn’t it?? I love the patterns in this designer series paper and the colour is just right. I love Lost Lagoon and Crumb Cake together. Add in some Early Espresso and Pool Party and it just looks fabulous!! Do you see those adorable little cups? The dies cut and emboss them at the same time.
Time to Spoil Yourself
Have you heard about my St Jacobs Fall Retreat? This is the second annual one and it will take place in a quaint Mennonite village right beside the famous Farmers Market. Imagine two days of stamping, laughing and sharing with your friends and soon to be friends. Lasting relationships are formed at these retreats, and I am so excited to be able to offer this to you. Registration closes on August 25, but there are still a few spots left for you and your friends!! Here is the link so you can check it out and decide if it is for you.
Testimonials
I can tell you how awesome this retreat is, but of course I am biased. It is much nicer to hear from other people what they thought of the experience last year.
Anne Wallace: “This was a fabulous, fun-filled weekend. My sister and I have already signed up for this year. To anyone who’s ‘on the fence’ about attending this retreat – jump off the fence and onto the list of attendees. This was the most amazing weekend last year and great value for the money. The instructions were clear and concise, (I’ve referred back to the instructions for several card ideas since then). The Goodie Bags were awesome. Friendships were begun and/or renewed and I truly believe a great time was had by all who attended. Don’t hesitate and miss out on this great opportunity!”
Sharon Verbeem: “We had loads of fun“
Marion Greenlund
Every retreat is unique and I am a firm believer that just the right mix of people attend each retreat. Blessings abound!! I really hope that YOU can be a part of it too. If your heart and soul are stirring as you read this, then I hope I can help you make it a reality.
The Theme of the Retreat
The theme of the retreat this year is Reindeer Fun. You will get a 20 card pdf tutorial and a goodie bag worth $140!! There will be lots of samples to inspire you and a host of new products for you to play with as well. This all happens in a gorgeous floor to ceiling windowed room that will make you feel like you are at an official Stampin’Up! event. Throughout the weekend I will be doing stamping demonstrations so that you will go home having learned some new tips and tricks to make you an even better card maker!! Ready to have some unforgettable fun? Click this link to sign up and share this blog post with anyone who you think will also love an event like this. Sharing is caring!!
There will be a “latte love” shared at this event. Be sure to take your phone so you can take lots of pictures!!
Hello stampers and happy Wednesday to you. Yes, it is Valentine’s Day today so Fluffiest Friends to melt your heart is entirely appropriate. I have only scratched the surface of this lovely bundle with these two cards, and already I am smitten. Let’s take a look at the bear and the bunny!
The Bear and the Honey Pot
Many thanks to Patty Bennett for her inspiration for this card. I definitely learned a few colouring tips from her.
I altered Patty’s card by adding a strip of acetate at the bottom, which you can see better in the photo below.
How to keep it all clear!
Can you relate to this? You come across a card that you have made and you want to recreate it but you forget the details? I LOVE how the colours of this bear turned out, so I made a swatch card of the colours and tucked it into the stamp case. Next time I go to colour a bear, I have my little “cheat sheet”.
Some Bunny Loves Me card
I just came up with that saying because I think it’s cute, but this bunny truly is adorable!!
Here’s the closeup of this adorable card. Isn’t the Delightful Floral paper just perfect for this card?
Check out the product list….
Check out the product list at the bottom of this blog post to see what I used to make these cards. You see, the Fluffiest Friends bundle is only available as an online exclusive, so these links are very helpful. They save you from having to look everywhere for what was used to make the projects. Of course they serve another purpose. If you are a Canadian, you can also use them to shop with me. If you choose to do so, you will make this squirrel very happy indeed. I will send you at least one free pdf tutorial bundle as a thank you!!!
Thanks for joining me today, I hope you have a super day. (remember the Valentine’s Day special, buy one tutorial get one free, details are in yesterday’s blog post)
Hello stampers and happy Saturday to you. I am over the moon about the Meandering Meadows paper. The Garden Meadow bundle that goes with it is also pretty awesome, but the paper blows my mind. So, so beautiful. Perhaps you have never heard of it? You can find it in the online exclusive section on the SU website.
In The Moment Meets Meandering Meadows
I was playing with this paper and looking at this particular sheet and it occurred to me that the lady from In The Moment would look great with the fence dies and stamp. She is holding a glass of wine and pondering life, or someone in particular. I think she looks just like me!!
To make this even more special you can “paper piece” the lady. Simply stamp her again on patterned paper and cut out the dress. Stamp the lady on basic white cardstock as well and fussy cut her being sure to remove the railing that she is leaning on. Glue the dress to the lady and then arrange her beside the path and behind the shrubbery and the gate. The base for this card is a large Assorted Memories & More card. That’s it!! The saying is from Thoughtful Expressions.
Saleabration Time!
This is the best time of the year to stock up on stamps. Your best deal is of course the starter kit which will also score you a free glass plate, silicone craft palette and large grey shammy. You can do that here. It’s like getting a Costco membership so you can get your own 20% discount on future purchases as well. You will also be part of a pretty awesome stamping community, including my Beyond Pampered team!!
Of course, if the starter kit doesn’t make your heart skip a beat, I am always happy to have people order from me. With every $60 purchase you can get a free saleabration item.
Video Tutorial
I can’t share the video tutorial for this card because it is exclusive for my YouTube platform members. You can join this membership too if you like! I do have another great video to share with you that shows you how wonderful this paper is. If you want written inspiration, I have made a 17 card tutorial featuring the cards in this video and fifteen more, all using saleabration products as well as the Garden Meadow suite., You can find this tutorial here.
Thanks so much for joining me today. I hope you have a good rest of your weekend! I am off to have a nice hot bath, read my book and go to bed early. Living with the kids and grandkids for a few weeks tires this oma out!! Next Wednesday I fly back to my husband in the Netherlands!! Hugs from Canada, Jackie
Hello stampers and happy Monday to you. Today I am sharing a lovely “Roodborstje” (which is a European robin) card with you that I made for my Cheer Corner last week. There are two things that I think make this card super special. The first is the detail on the birch trees that have been added with a blender pen and a black watercolour pencil. Secondly, the European robin or “roodborstje” has been coloured with watercolour pencils and Blends! Watch my video for the trick to make it easier to blend your colours together!!
Where is the greenery from??
The European robin, or roodborstje, looks quite natural perched in all this greenery. You may have various greenery already to choose from in your existing stash of stamps and dies, but this is what I used. You can thank me that all of the dies and the stamps for the greenery come from ONE bundle, Joy of Noel. It’s a fantastic bundle. You might want to add it to your order on Wednesday when you take advantage of the seasonal sale saving 10-20% on inks, paper, cardstock and ribbon from the annual catalog. This stamp set isn’t on sale, but you may as well add something fun to all the essentials that you will be ordering at a discount. Remember, if your order gets to $200, you also get host benefits even if it is only you ordering. What fun!!
The benefits of bundles
When you order the Joy of Noel bundle you will save 10%. That is because it is a current bundle in the holiday catalog. Perched in a Tree, the stamp set that the roodborstje or European robin comes from was bundled last year with the Aspen dies. It got carried over to the annual catalog and now it is no longer a bundle. No more ten percent discount. That is why I always encourage my customers and team members to buy the bundles when they are first offered as such.
Thanks!
Thanks for joining me today. I appreciate everyone who visits my blog. Please pin the cards that you like to Pinterest. It really helps me!! Have a super day and feel free to click on the links below in the product list to shop with me in Canada. Host codes for both Canada and Europe are on the left hand side of the home page of my blog. Don’t forget to tune into Cheer Corner every Monday at 10am EST in Canada or CET in the Netherlands. Hugs from Holland, Jackie
Well hello stampers!! It has been two months since I have written a blog post and I am sorry about that. I hope you have missed me a bit. Today I am sharing a lovely card with you using the set Whale Watching. Whether or not you have ever gone whale watching, this stamp set is spectacular. Capture the magic and majesty of these creatures on your cards or in your scrapbook pages. Mine was a card for my weekly Cheer Corner and you can also see the video which I will include a little further on in my blog post.
Whale Watching Card
Masking paper was the secret to creating a nice scene for this Whale Watching card. It really is a simple card with just stamps, ink and paper. I used a blending brush and some Blends markers to step it up a notch.
Mini Catalog Inspiration
Do you remember to use your catalogs as tools for inspiration? Sometimes we forget, don’t we? There is a great card that I want to share with your from the mini catalog. It uses this Whale Watching set in conjunction with Waves of Inspiration and the Nested Essentials dies. Brilliant really!
Video Tutorial
Ready for Something Special??
If you have been following my blog for a while as well as my business Facebook page, you will know that Stampin’Up! has really enriched my life. I have met SO many wonderful people through stamping. You can too!! There is absolutely no need to be a stamping super star, but you can still have the benefits of this amazing stamping community. How??
Change your life and get the starter kit! This will mean that you are on my Beyond Pampered team. Together we do such fun things, the best of which are the team retreats. They are truly life-changing! The starter kit also means getting your own stamps at a 20% discount.
Did you know that if you get the starter kit this month you get either 35% off OR 35% more in your kit? You also get to keep your discount until the end of April 2024 regardless of how little you purchase. Truly, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain!!
Are you ready to take this exciting step? If so, click here to join my team in Canada. Live in Europe, you can click here to join my team.
A Personal Note
We are now all moved into the home where Gerard grew up, right next to the greenhouse. That means that I now have my stamp room on the main floor where the living room used to be! You can guess what that also means. I have to keep it neat!! I do love the natural light and I can see right into the greenhouse to see Gerard work. We now have coffee together every morning at 10am in the greenhouse. On December 28 I will fly back to Canada to spend a late Christmas with the kids and then have a team retreat from January 2-4. Maybe you can come too??
I hope you have a super day, and thanks so much for joining me today.
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