by Jackie Bultje | Aug 7, 2024 | Blends, community, dies, fancy fold, retreat |
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
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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!!
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by Jackie Bultje | Nov 15, 2021 | Birthday, Cheer Corner, community, Memories & More cards |
Hello stampers and happy Monday to you. Cheer Corner. That is the name of a weekly video I am doing on my personal Facebook page. My goal is to reach non-stampers and to show them that you really CAN change the world one card at a time. I have done Cheer Corner off and on for a couple of years. What I used to do is post a card and then ask people to nominate who I should send it to. Now I am taking it a step further.
Cheer Corner
Never underestimate the power of a hand made, handwritten card. People are touched when they get happy mail and even more so when the card was made from scratch. It is such an easy way to make a difference in someone’s life. Here is the video that I made this morning.
Anyone Can Do It
The other purpose of my newly revised #cheercorner is to show people how easy it is to make a card. With a few key tools you are all set. You don’t have to have everything but the kitchen sink. Ink, paper, stamps and a paper trimmer will get you a long ways. True, the other stuff is nice to have but it is not essential.
Speaking of the Basics
Speaking of the basics, tomorrow is an incredible day. It is the start of a really fantastic sale. This one makes sense and it is a reason to celebrate. Stock up on your cardstock, ink pads and dies. Ok, the dies aren’t essential but at 20% it’s a great deal.
Here is the host code that you can use when you place your order. Only use the host code if your order is less than $200. If it is more than that then you qualify for host benefits. How awesome is that??
Lousy Picture, Great Cards
Here is a photo of my #cheercorner cards. I shouldn’t have put them on the buffalo plaid table runner, it is too distracting. Now it is dark so I cannot take a better picture. I just noticed that there is even a shadow in the picture, but if you want to get a better look, check out the video.
Thanks!
Thanks so much for joining me. This is going to be an epic week. I am going wedding dress shopping with my sister on Wednesday and on Friday Pap will turn 95 Lord willing! Wow. So much to celebrate. I hope you have a super day.
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by Jackie Bultje | Oct 15, 2021 | Christmas, community, fundraiser, gifts, Gingerbread & Peppermint, swap |
Hello stampers and happy Friday to you. My Strong of Heart stamp set came in and I immediately made a card with it that fits with the colour scheme of the Cross-Country Christmas Cookie Exchange with a Heart class. First we’ll take a look at the card and then I will talk some more about this epic class.
Strong of Heart for Christmas
When you first take a look at the Strong of Heart stamp set you may think of Valentine’s Day, but not Christmas. With the colour scheme I chose, this would be a perfect card to send to someone at Christmas, especially to someone who has had some struggles in life and may not want a traditional Christmas card. I made two versions. One is sparkly, the other is slightly more masculine or rustic. Which one is your favourite?
Here is the one that is more rustic. The only difference is that the Be Dazzled paper is taken away. Small but significant detail.
Part of the pdf Tutorial
The purpose of my Cross Country Christmas Cookie Exchange Party with a Heart is three fold. First I want to unite stampers across the country with a recipe swap. Doesn’t that sound wonderful? Second, I want to give you LOTS of great ideas for Christmas cards and projects. Third, I want to raise money for heart health as a fellow demonstrator in Ontario lost her husband to a congenital heart defect. The hospital that tried to save his life is now conducting research to try and prevent more tragedies like this. Stampin’Up! has designated this specific hospital for the funds raised in Canada!! That makes my heart sing.
This card will also be a part of the pdf tutorial that is included in the class/event. You will get the Strong of Heart stamp set as well as the tutorial and there will be a Zoom party on November 26. More details are in this blog post. If you live in the States you can simply purchase the tutorial.
The tutorial will be finished at the latest by November 1, hopefully sooner. I now have all the projects completed, now I need to write it all up and take and edit the photos. Usually it takes at least a full day to write a tutorial, sometimes two! You can order yours here below by clicking on the PayPal button. When it is finished I will add it to my tutorial store on this blog.
Recipe Swap
To participate in the recipe swap you need to preregister for the class which includes the stamp set. Deadline to send out the recipes is November 13. That way we will get them in time to share and talk about at the Zoom party. Please use as your base either 4″ by 6″ kraft paper or crumb cake cardstock. Here is a picture of my recipe card.
To make it less daunting to write out so many recipe cards I am suggesting that you handwrite the front of the card and then print out the instructions and adhere them to the back of the card. Best of both worlds!! During the Zoom party I will demonstrate three of the projects from the pdf tutorial. I hope YOU can join me for this fun class. Thanks so much for joining me today, I hope you have a super weekend. Hugs from Holland!
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by Jackie Bultje | Sep 30, 2019 | Come to Gather, community, fall, fancy fold, harvest hellos, leaves |
Hello stampers! Many of you know that I am in the Netherlands for four weeks. Today I wanted to share some insights with you that I have gleaned over the weekend. It all comes down to the power of community. I had four totally different experience of gathering but all showed the need for and power of community.
A Funeral
On Saturday morning I had a family funeral. Of course it was a sad event, but in this case there was more joy than sadness. My Tante Irene had lived much longer than expected and she died both pain free and with the full assurance of salvation. She knew she was going to heaven! The beautiful thing for me was gathering with family members, some of whom I had not seen since I was a young teenager. One of my cousins is battling cancer, one of my aunts is in the early stages of Alzheimer’s, many more are dealing the regular vicissitudes of life, but all together there was just such a beautiful power of community. Together we are strong. Together we are weak, together we are sad or joyful. I was so thankful that I could be a part of this. To be in such a big group of my mom’s family in the “old country” was meaningful and powerful for this immigrant’s daughter. Our extended family in Canada was small. I had one uncle on my dad’s side and one aunt on my mom’s side, that’s it. Eight cousins in all. When you have so much family so far away it really is beyond words to finally be part of this tribe in a very real way.
A Community Race
On Saturday afternoon Gerard had a community race. There were two options, either a 5km or a “ten English miles” which is 16km. Normally he runs a 10k but that was not an option. He wasn’t feeling great and a 5km is not a real challenge for him so I was curious as to why he would still want to run. Turns out it was all about community, about gathering with all the runners before the race and after the race and with running together in a big group. It was the energy of the group that was the big factor. It was not running a 5km. It was being connected with the power of community. How awesome is that?
A Retirement Party
Saturday night there was a retirement party for two brothers who are in the same business as Gerard; they are amaryllis growers. They sold their business and they wanted to celebrate with all their colleagues, friends and family. The amazing thing is that I met total strangers who had unknown connections to me. One man told me that his mother and my oldest aunt were best friends. Another man told me that his oma was a good friend of my mother’s!! Another man asked me where I was from so I said southern Ontario. Where he persisted. Somewhat impatiently I said Chatham. He then tells me that he has nephews there. Do I know the VanderEndes? Well, yes I do. Crazy small world. Even though the music was so loud that we had to shout in each other’s ears (boy was I feeling old!!) it was still wonderful to connect with all these people and to feel the power of community. Together we could celebrate with these two amaryllis growers and be happy for their success and also for the coming time where they can enjoy the fruits of their labour. With the power of community our joys are doubled and our sorrows are made less.
The Connection
Now what on earth does this all have to do with card making? Well, now I am going to tell you about the fourth event. I was invited to go to a good friend’s team gathering on Sunday afternoon. What a delightful group of women. I learned from them that also here in Holland, they get great satisfaction of gathering together as a team. They just love to meet in person once in a while and create together, to touch base and catch up with each other’s lives. Inspiration and energy is derived from these gatherings. I know that I certainly left inspired by their creativity and enthusiasm! Once again I was witness to the power of community. My friend told me that without these gatherings she would have stopped with Stampin’Up! when the going got tough. It was the power of community that kept her strong and motivated. Wondering who this friend is? It is the lovely and talented Caroline van der Straaten. You can check out her blog here.
How very fitting that the cards I am going to share today are made with the Come to Gather suite of products. Gathering with these ladies was so lovely. Even though I was still feeling under the weather with a bad cold, I am so very glad that I went. Believe it or not for the first five or ten minutes I was feeling a little overwhelmed and almost decided not to make a card. I was just going to take all the pieces back home and make them quietly alone later. It is a very enlightening experience for me to be on the other side of the creative experience. Does this surprise you?
I absolutely love this card that Annette Koolmees designed. While I love the Come to Gather paper, I have to admit that this particular sheet didn’t at first appeal to me. After seeing and making this card, I changed my mind. The tipping point was that Annette chose to stamp the pumpkin and the leaf on crumb cake card stock and then use an aqua painter to colour it. The result is an entirely different effect. My cajun craze leaf didn’t quite turn out the way it should have because I was using a brand new Wink of Stella and I squeezed a little too aggressively!! This led to a little heavier application of what should have been a subtle touch of bling.
A better surprise with this card is in the inside when you open it. It is a fancy fold with a tea light inside! The picture definitely doesn’t do it justice. Do go on over and check out Annette’s blog here. I see that she has already blogged about our wonderful afternoon together!
I used this card to participate in a tic-tac-toe challenge with The Joy Of Sets. You can check that out here!
Annette had more cards using this suite of products but I will share just one more with you. I might share some more of them tomorrow if I run out of time to create myself!
Here is a closeup of this fantastic card. the leaves have been blinged up with a bit of wink of stella.
The Power of Community for You
If you are feeling like you could use a little more “power of community” you may want to consider coming to a card making class. Maybe you are not into cards and scrapbooking is your thing. Perhaps neither of those things make your heart sing, but you really do love home decor. Well, paper, stamps and ink can be used to make some pretty amazing things and making them together with other people is simply wonderful. No classes offered in your area? Then I challenge you to step outside your comfort zone, get the starter kit and start playing. There is so much information on this hobby online, so many videos and tutorials to watch that you will have no problem figuring out how to do it. Once you get a feel for it you will be ready to share the love of your new hobby with other people and YOU can create the power of community and bring joy to the world through paper crafting. Click here to get the starter kit. You can put anything you want into this kit. You pay only $135 but you get $165 worth of product with no shipping or tax. It really is wonderful thing. I’m happy for you. I’m hazarding a guess that if you are here you are already either hooked into this lovely hobby or intrigued by it. Happy stamping and thanks for dropping by!
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