Hello stampers and happy Monday to you! Today I have the most adorable gingerbread & peppermint house to show you. My fellow Dutch team member Mardette Krosse made this cute creation and she graciously allowed me to borrow it so I could recreate it. One of the things I love so very much about being a part of the Stampin’Up! family is the creativity and generosity of my fellow demonstrators.
Gingerbread & Peppermint House
Good things come in small packages and this house is one example of that. Mardette is another! She is such a wonderful person who loves to spoil the elderly people that she works with. It is not unusual for her to make gift packages for them complete with intricate handmade packaging. I love her heart! People like her restore my faith in the human race.
A Mystery
There is one mystery about this cute little house that I have not yet solved. I am not sure what Mardette used to make the Nordic looking decorations along the edges of the house front. I am going to make an alternative which you can see in the graphic below that also shows you the measurements and components.
Edited: we found out what the mystery component is! It is the So Many Snowflakes Dies! I can’t wait to make this at home and I will be doing a video on it in November as well.
À La Carte Class
Did you know that I am offering a really lovely class featuring the Gingerbread & Peppermint Suite? There are three different tiers of pricing so you will be sure to find the one that suits you best. I really should write a tutorial for this class don’t you think? You can read all about this class here. Please don’t procrastinate too long! You have until October 1 to sign up so I can get all the supplies ordered and the kits sent to you.
Bonus Paper
I forgot to mention that you get some bonus paper with your class so you can finish off the inside of your cards as beautifully as the outside! Some of you will be joining me for an in person class on Saturday October 30 at 10am and I am hoping that people all over with join me virtually on Thursday October 28 at 7pm EST.
Share What You Love!
This class and this box, in fact this entire suite is just perfect for sharing with those that you love of all ages. I can just picture all the laughter and joy around kitchen tables all over the country as these elements are used to make adorable cards and houses and boxes and surprises for loved ones. Be sure to send me a photo if you end up doing just this!
I am going to keep encouraging you all to share this wonderful hobby. People need to tap into their innate creativity. Creating things really makes for a joyful soul. Giving away your creations results in even deeper joy. Do you see the beautiful flow that is being created here?
You Belong and I Have a Place Waiting For You!
There is a wonderful place waiting just for you on my team. Join with others who love creating with paper and ink and be inspired and warmly welcomed. If you love card making or want to get started, the starter kit is just fantastic and it will score you your very own discount every time you place an order for yourself or for your friends. I would love to help YOU get started too.
Have a super day and thanks so much for joining me. It’s time for a cup of coffee and a dessert. I have saved one pavlova from the weekend! Whooohooo. #itsallaboutthetreats
Hello stampers and happy Wednesday to you. I am thrilled to present to you an online and in person class called À la Carte Christmas Class. This class will take place online on Thursday October 28 at 7pm EST and in person on Saturday October 30 at 10am. You will make ten gorgeous cards regardless of which option you choose. You will receive a class kit that will include more items than you will need to complete your cards so that will be a LOT of fun. Let me explain how it works.
À la Carte Christmas Options
I called this class À la Carte Christmas Class because you have three options to choose from as to which format you choose and then at the class you can also choose which cards you want to make with your kit. Lots of options for you to personalize your experience. You can even choose to join in on the online event on Thursday and then come in person on Saturday as well.
All options include ten cards, a kraft gift box and a package of Gingerbread & Peppermint acrylic shapes. The base price for this is $35 plus $5 shipping anywhere in Canada.
The regular class also includes a stamp set of your choice. You can choose between For Unto Us OR Holly Jolly Wishes. For this option you will also receive 6 iridescent snowflakes. The price for the regular option is $55 plus $5 shipping if you need it shipped.
Lastly there is the deluxe option at $120. You get all the things that are offered in option one and two PLUS the Frosted Peppermint bundle as well as a 6″ by 12″ piece of white velvet and red velvet paper.
Video Tour of this Class
There are so many cute details on these cards and they are finished beautifully on the inside and even on the back!! You can check it out in this video tour as well. Seeing is believing!!
Here is a closeup of one of the cards so you can see just how lovely they are up close.
Here is another look at all the cards. Remember, you will be making ten cards in any combination that you like. Included in your class is a half a package of the Gingerbread & Peppermint Memories & More collection which means ten large cards and envelopes, two sticker sheets, three “baking racks”, 18 3″ by 4″ cards and 9 4″ by 6″ cards.
Ready to Join This Fun Class?
I have tried to make it really easy for you to join this À la Carte Christmas Class. You can just click on the button below and choose your option. I am looking forward to crafting with you either in person or online!
Hello stampers and happy Thursday to you. Today I am featuring the Lots of Happy Card Kit which I did a live video on yesterday. Doing that video with you and colouring with the watercolour pencils was a real eye opener for me. I discovered that I really enjoy colouring with watercolour pencils and a blender pen. Remember, I am a die hard Blends fan, so it takes a lot to convince me to colour with different things. This kit is a winner!
What Makes this kit so Special?
Why am I trying to get you to buy this kit? I can think of lots of great reasons, but let’s just list a few for fun.
It has twenty cards in it and some of them have fun and funky shapes and sizes.
The colour scheme allows you to really change things up if you want. You can colour the black and white images in the whole spectrum of colours.
The green variegated ribbon that is included is beautiful and will go with everything,
This set comes with four watercolour pencils, a mini ink pad AND an acrylic block, plus a 6 piece stamp set. One of the watercolour pencils is exclusive and only comes in this kit. (the lemon-lime twist one)
It will give you HOURS of fun while you are stuck at home and there are lots of cards so your whole family can join in on the fun too. There are refill kits available if you want to make more cards.
Lots of Happy Card Kit cards
Let’s get to the fun! Here are the cards all close up so you can see how beautiful they are. I stuck to the colour scheme, but in the past I have done them in vibrant reds and greens as well for a stunning effects.
The colours that I used include flirty flamingo, rich razzleberry, lemon-lime twist and old olive. Here is a video so you can see the cards in real life.
Thanks!
Thanks so very much for joining me today, I hope you are doing well both mentally and physically. Today promises to be a nice day so be sure to get some fresh air! If you need more inspiration check out my tutorials in the blog header. Have a super day.
Hello stampers and happy Wednesday to you. Today I am featuring the Seriously the Best kit. Catchy name and it doesn’t mean that I think the kit is the very best one out there, but it is seriously a very good one indeed. The reason it is called that is because of the saying in there “you’re seriously the best”. For the next few days I will be focusing on kits because they are so great to share with your non-stamping friends and will really help people who are looking for meaningful things to do in their homes.
Kits to Save Your Sanity
Boredom is crippling. Too much time on your hands and too much time watching the news is NOT good for your mental health. If you are missing your kids and grandkids, or if you wish they were not stuck at home with you 24/7, then check out the great kits that Stampin’Up! has available. The kits in the annual and mini catalogs are great and Paper Pumpkin is seriously the best kit as it gets delivered to your door monthly. You can order online and get it shipped to your kids or grandkids too or to your elderly parents. Here is the link for Paper Pumpkin. Remember, you can skip a month anytime with no penalty or end your subscription, so no stress!
Seriously the Best Kit
Would you like to see what comes in this kit? There are sixteen cards and a beautiful box to keep them in. This box will either hold your finished cards that you want to send or you can keep your stamping supplies in it. It would also make a lovely gift for someone who doesn’t stamp. Truthfully, this kit is one of the pricier ones because it doesn’t include the stamp set. Of course you can choose to use a stamp set that you already have, but the bold font of Seriously the Best stamp set is really nice. I tried to hold out, but I ended up ordering the stamp set later.
A Perfect Kit for this Time
When I started making the cards to see if I really liked them, I noticed that it really is seriously the best kit for right now. Happy mail has never been more important. Reach out to your family and friends by sending a card. We do miss each other more when we know we can’t go over and visit. Please, please do take the social distancing recommendations seriously. I know I will be sending one of these cards to Gerard and probably to his sisters too. They feel very far away right now.
Where’s Waldo
Do you remember the Where’s Waldo books? You have to find Waldo in the picture? Or games where you have to find the thing that is different? Well, there is one detail on one of the cards that is different in the individual pictures than the big picture of all the cards together. I noticed it when I was putting the cards back in the box. I thought to myself, this one looks a little naked! It’s missing something! Maybe you will see it too. The card that is missing something is in the “group” picture.
Seriously the Best Stamp Set
Here is a closeup view of the stamp set.
I have more kits currently in stock. If you check out this blog post you can see one of the kits that I have here if you need instant gratification. There are five of these kits available. Want the supplies I have used for this blog post? Just click on the images in the supply list.
Happy Mail in Canada contest
I just want to thank you all so very much for participating in this contest. Strangely it means even more to me now that he cannot come. Every time happy mail arrives with his name on it, it feels like he is here. On March 29 I am planning to do a Zoom call with him and record it so you can see his reaction.
I do have a confession. When I had a video call with him the morning after telling him the news that the Canadian borders were closed and he couldn’t come, I help up the stack of envelopes. This moved him almost to tears. He couldn’t believe that all those envelopes had his name on them! He is very, very touched.
Confirmation
Here is the list of people who have sent cards so far. I figured you would like confirmation that your card has arrived. Most of you have probably heard from me, but not all of you are friends with me on Facebook. Today a card came from Peg Dotson.
Peg Dotson
Debby Kainu
Sandra Allman
Debbie Colquhoun
Shel Anderson
mystery card (I’m not opening them but it is someone local)
another mystery card from a local
Joanne Foster
Ina Eisen
Mrs. Charles Meyer
Jessica Bégin
Terry Hamilton
Ann-Marie Paré
Wow! This list was made in reverse order, so the first card received was #13. Thank you all so very, very much. Our stamping community is priceless, my heart is full and very grateful for each one of you.
Share What You Love
I’m pleading with you all to use your stamping stash to make the world a better place, to help ease the low hum of menace that surrounds us. The unknown is scary. Change is difficult. Share Stampin’Up! with your friends, family and neighbours. People need meaningful recreation, things to do with their families in their homes. If you are alone it is even more important to have creative release and also to connect with a group. Facebook lives really do make a huge difference. Please share my blog, my Facebook page, my videos. Together we can make a difference. I hope you have a super day.
Hello stampers! Have you heard about the power of vulnerability? I stumbled across this Ted talk by Brené Brown a few years ago and it really made a lot of sense to me. Brene is actually a shame researcher and this talk was just a happy accident that went viral. If you haven’t heard it, you can check it out here.
One of the basic premises is that in order to truly connect with people you need to allow yourself to be vulnerable. Be real. Take the mask off and get rid of shame. I find that the older I get the easier that gets as well. Once again, this has nothing to do with card making but it does have a lot to do with life so I thought I would share it with you.
Sharing What I Love
Stampin’Up! is all about sharing what we love and loving what we do and in that making a difference. That is why I share not only my love of card making, but my love of life, my love of God and my love for people. How awesome is that? It sure makes me happy and I hope some of that rubs off on you. Happiness is not something that you wait for, it is something you create. Something you choose. Today I also want to share more about Paper Pumpkin.
Vulnerability and Blogging
When I finally sat down to blog today I wasn’t sure what I was going to write about and show you. I wasn’t sure if I would bore you by sharing more Paper Pumpkin creations. As a blogger there can be pressure to create THE post that is just going to be so amazing that everyone will share it and you will get a record number of visitors to your blog. In short, your blog could become your idol. Not a good thing.
By telling you what was going through my mind before writing this, I am being vulnerable! The bottom line is though that these cards are pretty awesome and it was a lot of fun to make them AND it shows how well the last two Paper Pumpkin kits can work together as they were intended to.
The Cards
If you are on Facebook and on the Paper Pumpkin Fan Club, then maybe you have already seen that I shared these cards there. You see, I wanted some feedback as to whether there should be a bow or no bow. Now I am curious as to what you think. I will show the final version that I was most happy with. It really is interesting to see how a card can change dramatically just by changing one small detail.
For these cards I used the tree die cut and the deer die cut from the November Winter Gifts tag kit and the card base and birch tree layer from the October Winter Woods kit. I simply cut off one of the sets of birch trees to make room for the other tree and the deer. So lovely to have this easy option for card making at this busy time of the year.
The saying is from Itty Bitty Christmas and I used the Stamparatus to stamp it several times on the glimmer paper so it would be crisp, bright and clear. What a great tool the Stamparatus is!!
I wanted to add a pop of red so I tied a knot with the curly red ribbon from the Let it Snow suite. This ribbon is more like yarn, so I fluffed it up and cut it at an angle. Reviews on Facebook were mixed, some loved it, others not so much.
This final card was my compromise. Still has a small pop of red but the linen thread bow tones it down a little and has more finesse as well. Which one is your favourite?
Another little detail: I turned the deer over so that it is white and not silver. Both are nice and give you lots of options. I also think this deer would look great with our Wrapped in Plaid paper. Here is one more card using the Winter Gifts Paper Pumpkin tags.
The paper behind the tag is from Pressed Petals specialty designer series paper. I love the woodsy feel of this card. I used a few glue dots to adhere the red cardinal to some black cardstock and then I fussy cut him. This little trick makes him stand out a little more and gives him a little attitude, just like in real life!
The Gift of Paper Pumpkin
Paper Pumpkin is truly a great gift. It is a paper crafting subscription that comes in the mail once a month right to your door. Why not make it a new family tradition? With Paper Pumpkin you can spend time together at least once a month with no social media or devices and get creative. After the blessing of quality family time together you can then bless other people with what you have made. When all the creating is done you will still have a stamp set and a mini ink pad left to begin your own collection of craft items for the family to use over and over.
If you want the easiest way to subscribe to Paper Pumpkin, just click here.
Thank You
Thanks so much for joining me today, I hope you have been inspired to create and to share. Be sure to take a listen to the Ted Talk about vulnerability by Brene Brown as well, I know you won’t regret it and I would love to hear what you think.
Year-End Sale
Tomorrow there is supposed to be an epic sale, so be sure to tune in to my Facebook page here. That is the first place I share the latest and greatest about Stampin’Up! I do not know ahead of time what will be on sale or by how much, but I do know that sometimes things sell out very quickly, so if you really want it shop online using the current host code 6KVMESQ6. If your order is more than $200 then please do NOT use this code, you will be entitled to your own host benefits.
This is what I was told on the SU website:
Stampin’ Up!’s Year-End Closeout is almost here! Beginning December 3 and while supplies last, you and your customers can save big on a selection of retiring and surplus items including holiday catalog items, stamp sets, and Paper Pumpkin past kits. Remind your customers to shop early to avoid missing out! Supplies are limited and popular items will sell out quickly. This amazing sale ends on January 2. Visit the promotion page on December 3 to learn more.
Have a super day!! Only two more coffee and a card classes until I leave to go to Holland again.
Hello stampers! Before I tell you about the double value on the Looking Up card kit I want to give you an update on my Pap. First of all, thank you so much for the outpouring of love and prayers for him. He was put on a very strong antibiotic for his pneumonia, and while there were some unpleasant side effects, it kicked in right away and he saw dramatic improvement. I am so thankful that I was able to drop everything and just go and be with them. My mom said that my very presence calmed them both and gave them optimism. My amazing daughter in law baked and cooked up a storm so they were blessed with a lot of food too. Thanks to the United Church ladies I had some rhubarb pies in the freezer that I baked up for them and even though they said they didn’t have great appetites, I knew that my roast beef and mashed potatoes would hit the spot with these old Dutchies. I wasn’t wrong! I felt like a mother bird watching her chicks eat. Good food and good sleep go a long way to helping with the healing process.
It really does help to have a tribe! That is what I call my stamping family. My team member Liz Fields took over for me and set up the booth at the Art at RM show which was part of Retrofest. It was such a good feeling knowing that this opportunity was not wasted and that it was in good hands. I came home with renewed vigor and inspiration. When time is of the essence then kits are our best friend. The kit I am using today was at the top of my list when I first saw the new catalog. It is a stunner! At first I was a little disappointed since I only had three kits and each kit had three of each card. That means only nine cards and one would be a sample. Doing more math, that meant I only had room for 8 people at coffee and a card class. What’s a girl to do? Take a look at the picture below, it has both the original cards from the kit as well as three cards that I designed myself.
Here is a close up of the alternatives. Do you know how I did it? The kit has additional pieces that you can pop up on the cards to make them look 3D. To tell the truth, I wasn’t happy with that look at all. I thought there was a much better use for those beautiful die cuts! Before I could use the die cuts I wanted to recreate the look of the clouds and watercolour wash in some of the kit cards. I just bought the rainbow builder dies that are on the clearance rack and the main reason I bought them is for the two long cloud shaped dies in there. Good news!! They are still available. Just click here and you are one step closer to owning them. On two of the cards I did a watercolour wash and on the hot air balloon card I made window sheet masks with the dies from the Rainbow Builder set and I sponged some gorgeous clouds using Bermuda Bay.
Tomorrow I will share closeups of the cards as well as some simple tips and tricks for getting your watercolour wash to look a little nicer. I will end this post with a quick video showing all the cards and a few tips and tricks that helped me get twice as much value from this kit. This kit comes with all the supplies to make 15 cards, a mini ink pad, a big clear acrylic block a stamp set and 15 gorgeous lined envelopes and two sheets of dimensionals to pop up the sentiments and the die cuts.
Thanks so much for joining me today, I hope I inspired you with these fun and easy cards. Tomorrow I will do a video of the background techniques. I so appreciate everything you do. Each card or project that you pin helps me out and each comment encourages me. I love my stamping tribe! Have a super day.
**PS In case you are waiting for a PayPal button for paper and ribbon shares I cannot do that/ These items are not cash and carry items, you need to let me know that you want one and then I can send you an invoice. Paper shares are $66 for a 6×6 piece of each paper in the new catalog. Ribbon shares are $37.
