Hello stampers and happy Friday to you! Today’s card features Cinnamon Cider and Just Jade and is made by Carol Koroleski from Conklin Michigan. Thanks so much Carol for your beautiful card! Before we take a look at your card, let’s find out where Conklin, Michigan is.
Conklin, Michigan
Michigan is actually a neighbour state to Ontario but with COVID19 it feels very far away. The oft traveled border in Windsor and Detroit remains closed. It used to be so easy to cross over into “the States” for a fun day of shopping or sight seeing. Hopefully this sad state of affairs will end soon and will not become the new normal.
Conklin is three hours and forty minutes from Chatham and lies between Grand Rapids and Grand Haven. Grand Haven is only twenty miles away and is on the shore of Lake Michigan which in my opinion is the most beautiful of the Great Lakes. The sand is like brown sugar and the water is super clear. Conklin is also known for its cherries. Michigan cherries are so, so good! Great for baking and for eating fresh. The orange “1” is where Conklin is.
In my search for images of Conklin I came across this page and I couldn’t believe my eyes. The first “castle” featured is a place that I stayed at years ago for my birthday getaway. How much fun is that? Who knows, I might even have driven right through Conklin. Pictured below is Henderson Castle in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
Carol’s Card
Carol used the colours Just Jade and Cinnamon Cider on this card as well as the stamp set Forever Fern. It was so very helpful that Carol included a note explaining what she did and what she used. Carol definitely stepped it up by sponing the linen ribbon with Cinnamon Cider ink and the vellum was also coloured with Cinnamon Cider. If you look in the product list below you will see all the other products used. If you live in Canada you can order online through me and if you do so and you use the host code, you can be entered into a Mystery Host draw. Contest ends August 3.
Thanks so much for joining in on my Happy Mail in Holland contest, it really is so much fun getting mail and reading your stories. I hope you also enjoy participating in this fun project. If you want to see another card made with Cinnamon Cider, just click here.
Off to the Beach Soon
Today is 27C and it might get even hotter. Yes, this is considered a very hot day in Holland! The crazy thing is that the locals who live so close to the beach often choose not to. Either the sand is too hot or the sea is too cold. Crazy Dutch people! On the other hand, the traffic reports say that the roads are clogged with people trying to get to the beach. Isn’t that ironic?
Gerard’s house is about one kilometre to the beach and his dad’s place is just across the road from the beach. Mind you, there is a big dunes area in between so you cannot see the sea from his house but you can hear the waves on a clear day.
This is the walk way to the beach that we use every day. I have walked it, biked it and sat on the back of a scooter. I have seen horses on this path as well!
Even though I know that seagulls can be a pest, they are beautiful to watch. There is some other type of waterfowl here as well, perhaps from the sandpiper family. I wish I had my “good” camera with me!
I hope to go live on Facebook in fifteen minutes. Most days I am live at 3pm in the Netherlands or 9am in Ontario, Eastern Standard Time but not on weekends.
Mystery Host Contest
If you order online using the host code you can be a part of the mystery host contest and win the host benefits! Contest ends August 3. You also get free bonus bucks. $6 with every $60 purchase, so that is also a great perk.
Hello stampers and happy Monday to you. Faye’s Forever Fern Fancy Fold Card. Doesn’t that have a nice ring to it? I have no idea what the official name of this fold is but I really like it. What a great way to use your 12 by 12 paper to make a fun card and showcase the beautiful patterns! Thanks Faye for sending me this great card.
Central Butte, Saskatchewan
I am pretty sure that this is the third time that Faye has participated in one of my happy mail contests and that makes me happy. It also helps me to remember the name of her unique town which I hope to visit some day! If you want to read more about this town and see some pictures, check out this blog post where you will also see another one of Faye’s fabulous creations. To see Faye’s other card, check out this blog post too.
Faye’s Forever Fern Fancy Fold Card
Here are two shots of Faye’s beautiful card. She used the Forever Greenery paper, So Sentimental dies and Just Jade cardstock as well as the Butterfly Gala stamp set and Butterfly Duet punch.
This Forever Fern Fancy Fold card is really quite impressive when you open it up. Do you see how Faye used the triangles that were cut off from the top of the card to decorate the bottom of the card?
Facebook Live video
I will be doing a Facebook live video today at 9am EST which is 3pm in Holland to show you how to make this card. Many of you have asked how you can support me if you do not live in Canada and cannot order from me. If you are a demonstrator you could choose to join my training group which is only $5 a month or you can purchase my pdf tutorials which you can find in my blog header. The other option is simply to etransfer me whatever you would like to jackiebultje@gmail.com. I appreciate each and every one of you very much and I hope that I can keep my business going with my very unique living situation and with COVID restrictions.
If you want to create with me this afternoon you can be prepared by having a paper trimmer handy and your choice of 12 x 12 paper. Cut the paper to 5 1/2″ by 12″ and score at 2″, 4″, 8″ and 10″. You can either wait for me to show you the next step or see if you understand these instructions. Cut from the 2 3/4″ mark on the side to the 4″ score line at the top to make the angled cuts.
Holland this Weekend
One thing that takes some getting used to no matter how many times I have been here is how often the weather changes and also that summer here is generally much cooler than in Canada. On Sunday for example we woke up to beautiful sunshine so I thought that we would go to the beach after church. The clouds started rolling in so it was barely warm enough at the beach, around 22C. Then the wind picked up, more clouds came and the temperature dipped a little to 20C which actually feels a LOT cooler. Perfect weather for a drive and a walk. After our picnic on the dock the wind picked up again and it started to rain. The temperature dropped to 16C and instantly it was sweater weather and time for a hot bath!
Wouldn’t this just be the perfect place for a stamping retreat? I’m not sure how much stamping we would get done but it sure would be nice to simply be together. On second thought, it would be ideal for a training/business retreat. Perfect environment for recharging your batteries and jump-starting your business!
Do you see Bailey sneaking in? He has no respect for privacy!
The three pictures above are from an idyllic bed and breakfast that I also photographed back in January. On one side they have a view of expansive pastures and on the other side is the water front where you can boat and swim and watch birds.
Bonus Days
Did you know that if you place a $60 order in July you get a bonus bucks coupon for $6 that you can redeem in August. The best part is that you can start ordering out of the Holiday catalog in August. I will make sure to order some of these catalogs so that you can pick them up from my front porch. As soon as I know whether or not I have to quarantine when I get back I will set a date for a Christmas Bingo. In the meantime I might start planning for an online event.
If you need anything and you live in Canada, just click on the links below to go to my online store and please do use the current host code 3TUB7Q2V.
Hello stampers and happy Friday to you. Today I am introducing you to Just Jade, a lovely new In Colour from Stampin’Up! from 2020-2022. If you have any doubts at all about this colour, just pair it with the Forever Greenery designer series paper and you will fall in love! Let’s take a look at my simple card.
Forever Fern Card with Just Jade
Isn’t this card just a breath of fresh air on a hot day? I left this card behind in Chatham, so I am guessing at the measurements. The Just Jade piece is 1 3/4″ by 5 3/8″ and I ran it through the Greenery embossing folder. The Forever Greenery paper is 2 3/8″ by 5 3/8″. Adhere them to the card front and then tie the gold metallic trim from the Forever Greenery trim combo pack around twice ending with a nice big bow. The saying is from Forever Fern and is of course stamped in Just Jade. The die is from Tasteful Touches bundle.
Thanks!
Thanks for joining me today; I will be back next week with stories from Germany. If you want any of these beautiful products, just click on the link below. You can only shop with me if you live in Canada. Live in the United States? Just click on the shop with Julie button and you will be all set! Let her know I sent you!! Have a great weekend and see you again on Tuesday.
Hello stampers and happy Monday to you. I almost forgot to share these beautiful Forever Fern sympathy cards with you! Forever Fern is a stunning DistINKtive style stamp that is perfect for making sympathy cards. Take a look at what I have made and I think you will agree with me.
Forever Fern Sympathy Cards
The dies used on this card are from Tasteful Touches bundle which is one of the choices you have as your free bundle if you get the starter kit. I used Pretty Peacock as the accent colour and the stamp set is Here’s A Card. The gold foil embellishments from the last two cards are from the vastly improved Laser Cut Gold Foil Paper.
Embossing on Wood with Forever Fern
Yes, you can emboss on wooden elements. Just press the wood into the versamark firmly several times and sprinkle with white embossing powder. Hold it firmly with tweezers and heat emboss. If you only use one coat of embossing powder then the intricate design will still show through. Here is a close up.
Stamp Sets Used
Here are the stamp sets I used for these cards. If you watched my daily live videos you have seen how quickly and easily these cards came together. Stampin’Up! makes it so easy to make beautiful things with their coordinated suites. Don’t forget that if you live in Canada you can get the amazing deal on the starter kit through me and get a free bonus bundle. There is no need to “do parties” or to do what I do. If you love to stamp, you deserve your own discount, it is as simple as that.
One More Card!
Wow, this is turning into a long blog post, you are definitely getting a good read today and lots of ideas to jump start your own creativity. This last card uses more of that beautiful Forever Gold Laser-Cut Specialty paper. I also used the dies from the Tasteful Touches bundle.
To save you from searching everywhere, the ribbon is from the Flowers for Every Season suite collection, it comes in a ribbon pack with lovely twine and also gingham ribbon. Love, love, love.
The Video
Here is the video I made showing you how to make these cards. It’s a Facebook live video so there is a fair bit of chitchat, but you can fast forward at any time and I will never know! I hope you have a super day. As an aside, I must share that I find it very therapeutic to make sympathy cards. I know that in a small way I am making a difference, I am showing that I care enough to make a personalized card for the person who is grieving. Somehow, I think you feel the same way.
Hello stampers and happy Monday to you! Today I am going to share with you my original “toilet paper” card using Forever Fern. Forever Fern is a stunning “DistInktive” stamp set in the new annual catalog which goes live on Wednesday. Let’s take a look at this great card.
Forever Fern Toilet Paper Embossing Card
I made this card on my Facebook live video on Thursday and I shared this video in my blog post on Friday but now you get to see the finished card. I made a few little changes. Can you see them? I added another gold foil element from the Forever Gold Laser Cut Specialty paper on page 152 of the new annual catalog. The finishing touch was a few little gems from the Flowers for Every Season gems which come in clear and Just Jade.
Here is a close up of the card so that you can see how pretty the gems are and how lovely the ribbon combo is! I am going to be making this card for one of my clubs on Tuesday and I am going to switch it up again with different ribbon. I will be sure to share a picture on my Facebook and Instagram accounts.
Embossed Toilet Paper
I thought you might like to see what the embossed toilet paper looks like before I trim it down. If you want the step by step instructions, be sure to check out my blog post from Friday. You can see it here.
It is surprising how well this embossed toilet paper holds up to sponging with a sponge dauber! The embossing folders are all from the new catalog except for the one at the bottom, it is Parisian Flourish. If you want to see the products used in my card, check out the images in the product list below.
Online Bingo
Did you see that I am offering my first ever online Bingo? This fun event will be on Friday June 26 at 7pm EST. It is open to demonstrators and if you already have the stamp set that I am including in the fee then you can tell me which one you would like instead as long as it is the same value or less. Check out the details here.
Thanks for joining me! There will not be a regular Facebook live today as I am visiting my parents again. Now that I am home for a bit I want to take advantage of it and visit them more often. Time is of the essence! Have a super day. See you on Wednesday when the new catalog goes live!! What fun, I can’t wait because there are so many wonderful things to be ordered.
