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!!
Stampin’ Up! is a company that specializes in the sale of paper crafting and stamping products. They offer a wide range of products and supplies for various creative projects. Some of the main product categories offered by Stampin’ Up! include:
Stamps
They provide a vast collection of rubber stamps and clear-mount stamps. These stamps come in various designs, themes, and sizes, and can be used for card making, scrapbooking, and other paper crafts.
Ink Pads
Stampin’ Up! offers high-quality ink pads in various colors and formulations, including Classic Stampin’ Pads, Stampin’ Write Markers, and Stampin’ Blends alcohol markers. These inks are designed to coordinate with their paper and other products.
Cardstock and Paper
They sell a wide assortment of cardstock and patterned paper in different colors, patterns, and finishes. This includes solid cardstock, designer series paper, specialty papers, and more.
Dies and Punches
Stampin’ Up! offers a range of dies and punches that enable precise and creative cutting or shaping of paper and cardstock. These products can be used with manual die-cutting machines or punch tools.
Embellishments
They provide various embellishments to add texture, dimension, and decorative elements to projects. This includes ribbons, twine, buttons, brads, sequins, enamel shapes, and other embellishments.
Tools and Accessories
Stampin’ Up! offers a variety of tools and accessories to enhance the crafting experience. This includes adhesive products, scissors, trimmers, embossing folders, heat tools, stamping platforms, and more.
Kits
They offer project kits that contain pre-designed materials and instructions for creating specific projects like cards, gift boxes, and home decor items. These kits are great for beginners or for those looking for quick and easy crafting options. You can see the Kits Collection here.
The European market sometimes has a different inventory of kits which you can see here.
It’s important to note that Stampin’ Up! regularly introduces new products and retires older ones, so their product offerings may evolve over time. It’s best to visit their official website or consult a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator for the most up-to-date information on their product range.
Can I order directly from Stampin Up?
Stampin’ Up! is a direct sales company and a member of the Direct Selling Association (DSA). Therefore, we allow customers to buy our products online through stampinup.com or through individual demonstrator websites.
Hello stampers and happy Friday to you. Today I am going to share the Triple Floating Diamond card that my team member Barb Gourlay taught at my team retreat a couple of weeks ago. It’s a stunning card and with some clear instruction it is not that difficult to make. This blog post will include Barb’s written instructions as well as my video. I hope it inspires you to make your own card, and if you do, please share it with me, I would LOVE to see your work. Let’s take a look.
Triple Floating Diamond Card
Here is the photo of my triple floating diamond card. This style of card was designed by Scrimpingmommy from the UK. I have been unable to find her video or blog post on this card, but that is what Barb used as her inspiration. She changed up the measurements so that the card would fit in a regular North American envelope that Stampin’Up! sells.
Edited: one of my followers found the link to the original video, so if you want to make this card in metric you will find it most helpful. Just click here.
Barb’s Instructions
Here is a copy of Barb’s instructions, I hope you find them helpful!
Triple Floating Diamond Card Video Tutorial
Here is the video tutorial. The nice thing is that you can pause it whenever you need to or you can go back and watch a part again if you didn’t understand it clearly. I hope you also subscribe to my channel so you don’t miss any of my videos! There is a red subscribe button on the bottom corner of the video. It also helps if you click “watch on YouTube” when you click on the video in my blog post. Hope that makes sense!
A Little Smile Kit on Sale!
Good news! The kit that I used to make this card, A Little Smile, is on sale! All kits in the Stampin’Up! kits collection is buy one get one half price until the end of June. If you want to check out the selection, just click here. Remember, there are two different categories of kits so be sure to check them both out. When you put in your order be sure to make the second kit the more expensive one since it will be the one that gets reduced by 50%.
Thanks!
Thanks so much for joining me today, I hope you enjoyed this card. Happy stamping and have a super day!
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 Tuesday to you. There is going to be a big sale tomorrow! 15% off of ALL red rubber cling stamps in the annual catalog except for host sets. I am hoping to use this sale to get more kits into the hands of health care workers and teachers! This is how!
Take Advantage and Give!
You can take advantage of the sale and by doing so I will get host benefits. I am going to use ALL the host benefits AND my commission on more kits for our teachers and health care workers. Hopefully you will also add a kit to your order to give to one of these front line workers as well. Together we CAN make a difference.
When you place your online order please use this host code so that I can use my host benefits to get more kits for the teachers and health care workers. Don’t need anything yourself? You can sponsor one or more kits by sending me your $$ via etransfer to jackiebultje@gmail.com or through PayPal with the friends and family option.
More Good News!
I worked my tail off to get this huge 16 project pdf tutorial done before I fly home. So happy to tell you I did it! It’s finished and it’s fabulous. Perhaps you would like a copy? This tutorial gives you clear instructions and photos of lots of Christmas boxes, treat holders, cards and even a gingerbread house. It includes a link to a Zoom party on Saturday November 27 where I will demonstrate three of the projects: the gingerbread house, the spinning tower card and the Post-It note holder.
The house is not in this picture because I had to return it to Mardette and I didn’t have the Lots of Snowflakes dies here to make the trimmings for the house. You can see it in this blog post.
If you wish to purchase the tutorial, you can do so here.
“Fun-Raiser” Update
We are now at 26 kits sponsored and that is wonderful. I did a video yesterday showing the Love, Santa kit and explaining that my fellow demonstrator Tamara Bertram sold 75 kits. She lives in Edmonton, Alberta and there has always been rivalry between western Canada and the “east”. Funny how Ontario is in the middle of Canada but is considered to be “east”. Let’s show what we can do together! I would be over the moon to reach my initial goal of 100 but even 75 would be pretty awesome.
Instead of sponsoring a kit for $30, you can now sponsor TWO kits for $40. Two at a time we will reach our goal more quickly. Can I count on YOU to help??
Video of the Love, Santa Kit
Goodbye from Holland
Tomorrow will be my last day here, so no blog post. That is why I am writing one today. Thanks again for joining me, I hope you have a super day. Happy stamping.
Hello stampers and happy Monday to you. This weekend I posted a video explaining my Christmas Whimsy Health Care Worker “Fun-Raiser”. I have since decided to expand it to include our teachers. Why a “fun-raiser” for them? Let me explain how I came to this decision and what I hope to get from you my followers.
Why a Christmas Whimsy Health Care Worker “Fun-Raiser”?
This is not a new idea. It started in the winter/spring when my daughter Rachel was working at the Chatham hospital in the emergency department. She came home with stories of how stressed the health care workers. I was shocked. At that point I had quite a stash of Paper Pumpkin kits so together we made cards to go in them and I purchased blocks to add to them. She took them all to work with her and actually ran out. One person had missed out, so I found another kit to give away. This time I thought I would rally the troops so to speak.
Please, Not Seven Times!
I am told that people need to see something seven times before they take action. Please let this NOT be the case this time. I believe in YOU that you will be moved to make a difference. Someone commented on my YouTube video asking if I thought I would make my goal of giving away 100 kits. My answer is an unabashed YES!! Let me tell you why I think this should be very doable.
If every blog reader today decides to sponsor a kit we will already be at 300 kits. If each of my YouTube subscribers would sponsor a kit we would be at 3800 kits. What about my Facebook people? Then we would have another 8000 kits! So really, if you look at it this way my goal is sort of pathetic. Together we can prove the naysayers wrong. If you are reading this post, don’t think that someone else will step up. Step up yourself.
Stories from the Trenches
I heard from a teacher a few days ago saying that they are so disheartened and it is only September. The bureaucracy that they have to deal with is suffocating. I am not up to speed on mask wearing any more but they not only had to do online teaching which is a TON of work, they also had to be double masked ALL DAY LONG. Have you ever tried that while needing to walk and talk at the same time? Not pleasant.
We won’t even get into all the behavioural issues that they have to deal with, the under-staffing, the last minute changes to their classrooms or even the class that they have to teach, blended populations, the list could go on.
As for the health care workers, morale is low. They too are expected to more with less money. Less staff, more work. Covid that just doesn’t stop. The squabbling about vaccinations, about not following the rules.
Doesn’t it just exhaust you to read about this? Don’t you think these great people could use a lovely surprise in their life? One that lets them relax and enjoy something new either on their own with some music in the background or with their kids that they don’t get to spend enough quality time with? Maybe a girlfriend afternoon or evening. I will include a list of ways that they could enjoy this kit for even more fun and I will also include your name on the card or letter if you decide to sponsor. Be sure to let me know whether you want to sponsor a teacher or a health care worker.
Time for Smiles!
Take a look at these cards samples. Don’t they just make you smile? Do they make you feel like a child again? That’s a pretty amazing feeling and this what is often channeled when you take time to play and be creative. At least that is what happens with me and many people that I have talked to. Many, many times I have heard: “I wouldn’t know how I would have gotten through COVID without my stamping hobby!”
My brain is even going a step further. Wouldn’t it be great if we heard stories back from the recipients of how your gift affected them? I will come up with a letter (stamped of course) to include in the kit that asks them to share back with us with a photo of social media post with a hash tag #fun-raiser and then I can share some of them here. Stories are powerful!!
I want a hat like that and those outfits are just so darn cute!! There are 8 cards in this kit.
Video Explanation and Card Tutorial
What I Love About This Kit
What I really love about this Christmas Whimsy kit is that it is perfectly suited for beginner stampers but it is also a lot of fun for seasoned stampers. These card bases and die cuts are fantastic and you could use them as base elements for a fancier or different card. Combine this kit with offerings from our holiday catalog such as Whimsical Trees or Peaceful Deer. Perhaps I will have some time to play and design something for you. Rest assured that the quality is wonderful. It’s always nice to have another ink spot, clear block and sheet of dimensionals. At $26 in Canada or €23 in Europe it’s a great deal.
Thanks!
Thanks for joining me today. You know that I believe that we can make the world a better place one card at a time, and in this case one kit at a time. I hope you have been inspired to participate in this fun-raiser. Could you do one more thing for me? Share this blog post on Facebook or Instagram or wherever you can. Tell YOUR people about this opportunity and help spread the word. Let’s knock this Christmas Whimsy fun-raiser out of the park and blow away that 100 kit goal!!
PS. Are you an avid stamper? Do you know someone in your area that could use a kit to brighten their day and relieve their stress? You could also just use the host code and order this kit online. If you choose that option then you can also take advantage of saleabration which ends on September 30 and you can get some free products for yourself too. Win win!
