by Jackie Bultje | Dec 20, 2021 | Christmas, embossing, Happy Mail in Holland |
Hello stampers and happy Monday to you! Today I am featuring Happy Mail in Holland: Whimsical Trees. It’s a perfect day for happy mail because your squirrel is under the weather. As Gerard likes to stay “my tail is hanging low” but of course he says in adorably in Dutch. “Je staartje hang laag vandaag!”. Thanks to Karen Silvester for this beautiful card.
Karen’s Card
The blessing of this card is manifold. First of all it made me happy to open happy mail. Second it gave me a bit of a break for my blog post. No need to create a card, a beautiful one was given! Third, this card can now inspire you. What a wonderful hobby.
I purposely included the envelope so you can see my address here in the Netherlands. If you want to participate in the Happy Mail in Holland contest, then please send me a card before January 15. I am here until January 29 so that will give enough time to get in here. If you send me a card, I will blog about it AND your name will go into a draw for the Friendly Hello stamp set and paper sampler. This stamp set is free with a $120 purchase during saleabration, but you can get it for FREE with happy mail if you are the lucky winner.
Non-Traditional Colours
Wouldn’t you agree that Karen really rocked the non-traditional Christmas colours by choosing Fresh Freesia? It wouldn’t have occurred to me, but I love it! Karen Silvester is a fellow Stampin’Up! demonstrator from Chaplin, Saskatchewan. I hope to someday go and visit her together with Gerard. Our dream is to travel from coast to coast in a camper some day and when that happens I hope to visit some great stamping friends along the way!
I have one more picture showing all the great detail in this monochromatic card.
To see all the wonderful products used to make this stunning card, check out the product list below. If you want to add any of them to your own personal collection, just click on the photos and you will be in my online store. Happy shopping! Remember, Whimsical Trees will no longer be available after January 4, 2022.
Chaplin, Saskatchewan
Just where is Chaplin, Saskatchewan? Well, first of all, it is in Canada, but Canada is a very large country. I have never been to Saskatchewan which is one of the prairie provinces west of Ontario. You can read more about Chaplin in this blog post but I also want to share some details here today.
Chaplin is famous for its salt flats. It looks like there is snow in summer except it isn’t snow, it’s salt! I have seen this when flying into Salt Lake City, Utah but I imagine it is similar in Chaplin. Did you know that they also mine for salt?
From what I have read it sounds like Saskatchewan Mining and Minerals is doing an excellent job with sustainability and the environment. You can read all about it here.
Thanks!
Thanks for joining me today! I am placing an order today, there are still some great deals on the clearance rack and on the Last Chance List. You can check them out here yourself and place your own order online. Any orders placed in December will be in a draw for the Amaryllis Blooms host set. I will be doing a video with that set today for my Cheer Corner card. Please use the current host code when you order. Your business is much appreciated! Have a super day.
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by Jackie Bultje | May 17, 2021 | flowers, Happy Mail in Holland |
Hello stampers and happy Monday to you. Today my post is about inspiration at a flower stall. Let me tell you the story of what happened.
Inspiration at a Flower Stall
On Saturday afternoon, despite the rain in the forecast, Gerard and I stepped into the car and headed for the beautiful old city of Dordrecht. This time we made sure to pack our umbrella and I had a big wool scarf to drape over my lap in case it was cold on the terrasjes. When we got there we were delighted to see that there was a Saturday market. Gerard tells me that every market is basically the same wherever you go in Holland.
There are fish stalls, cheese stalls, flower stalls and of course bakery stands and some clothing and even craft stalls. The flower stalls always draw my attention first and today was no exception. I started snapping photos and before I know it this adorable old woman is asking me if I want to buy some flowers. She is describing her favourites. Did I see the gorgeous peonies? They are the first of the season she says.
Of course I wanted to buy as many bouquets as my arms and Gerard’s arms could hold, they were all so beautiful. With regret I told her that I already had a living room full of flowers. I shared that I was from Canada so my appreciation for her beautiful flowers was immense! I asked if I could take a picture with her. She just lit up! Then she told me her story.
Her Story
What I loved so much about this lovely lady was her enthusiasm for life and for her work. She is 75 years old and she just buried her husband a week ago. He was 92. She was at the flower stall where she has worked most of her life and she was there on Saturday especially to thank everyone who had sent her cards and gifts to honour her husband.
She met him first when she was 14, but he was 17 years older than her so her parents were naturally vehemently opposed. They met again when she was 17 and then there was no stopping her. She moved in with him and back then of course this was very taboo. Even now I am sure that most parents would be aghast at their 17 year old moving in with a 34 year old. They had a great life together, had children and grandchildren and ran their flower shoppe. Her son and daughter-in-law now run the flower stand.
What inspired me most was her passion for life. Even after such a recent loss, she was so joyful. It made her happy to share her story and she was so happy for us as well. Her joy made me want to buy her flowers and I know that the next time I am in Dordrecht, I will be looking for her flower stall.
So Many Beautiful Flowers
It doesn’t seem to make any difference how many flower stall I see, every time I am enthralled. What a joy to be surrounded by such beauty!! I couldn’t share just one photo, so enjoy them all! I wish I had taken more!
So Happy!
I’m so happy that I took my big Canon camera with this time. It is heavy to carry around but the pictures are so much nicer than with my phone. Yes, the phone takes great pictures, but I like these even more. I feel like you can almost smell and touch the flowers in these pictures. Hopefully they also bring you some joy.
I think it might be time to share a few other things that brought me great joy this week. Happy mail!!!
Happy Mail
Here are three hand made cards that I received this week and I am so very happy to share them with you. The first one is from Karen Silvester from Saskatchewan. She cased this design from Amy Koenders. I love it, thank you!!
Karen used the Pretty Perennials bundle from the mini catalog. Did you know it is retiring? Be sure to get it before it’s gone. The current host code is on the left hand side of my blog.
I also received cards from some Dutch demos. How wonderful!! Gerard and I are really feeling the love and it is amazing.
Thanks!
This was a super long post, I hope you enjoyed my story of the inspiration at a flower stall. I do love sharing what I see and do in Holland. On Gerard’s advice I have decided to spoil my Prime Time people even more for their loyalty to me. Prime Time members pay $10 a month for private video tutorials and for prizes. I have decided to also post more pictures and videos from my travels exclusively in this group to give it more value. Thanks Prime Time members for keeping my business alive during COVID19! I appreciate you ever so much. If you want to join, that would be just awesome. Here is the information for you.
Have a super day!
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by Jackie Bultje | Nov 30, 2020 | Dressed to Impress, Happy Mail in Holland, paper |
Hello stampers and happy Monday to you. Today we have another Happy Mail in Holland contest card using Dressed to Impress. Thanks to Sharon Meyer for this cute card. I absolutely love this paper and was so sad to see it retire. If you need some, I have extra!! Sharon’s card has a nice newsy letter inside which I just love. Let me share some of what Sharon wrote in her beautiful handwriting.
Farmington, New York
Farmington is about twenty miles east of Rochester, New York in the Finger Lakes district. I have heard of the Finger Lakes and that this region is really pretty, but I have only driven slightly north of them with the hope of someday being able to visit. Gerard and I hope to do a cross America and Canada road trip at some point and we will definitely be touring the Finger Lakes as well. Sharon goes on to say that she lives near Canandaigua Lake which is in wine country. Apparently there is such a thing as grape pie, but I have never heard of it or tried it. Sounds very intriguing. The Grape Festival didn’t happen this year because of COVID. So sad to miss all these wonderful events.
TripAdvisor tells me that one of the most popular things to do in Farmington is to visit the Antique Mall. I really do love antiques so I would probably listen to their advice! I was intrigued by the name of Sharon’s hometown because there is a town in MIchigan with the same name. Believe it or not, this town in Michigan was founded by one of the town fathers of the original Farmington!!
Another recommendation right up my alley was a wine tasting tour by Stomping Good Times. Who wants to come with me when we go visit Sharon? Sharon tells me that she has been a demonstrator for four years now and she has a small group of ladies that she stamps with. What fun!
Here is a view of the surroundings in the Finger Lakes wine district.
Sharon’s Dressed to Impress Card
The background of this pretty card by Sharon Meyer is lovely lipstick and it was embossed with the retired basket weave embossing folder. Sharon cut out one of the perfume bottle for the inside of her card. Thanks so much for this Happy Mail in Holland contest card. It’s always nice to get a card that says “hello fabulous”!
YouTube Live Videos start Tomorrow!
I am so excited that my weekly YouTube live videos start tomorrow. From now on, every Tuesday at 10am EST there will be a live video on YouTube for my virtual coffee and a card class. Everyone can tune in and comment and if you choose to, you can participate by purchasing the monthly card kit. Next month the kit will focus on Posted For You bundle. The kit is $25 per month and includes all the card components. I cannot include stamped images but I can include punched out items, embossed layers etc. You can choose to purchase the bundle that I am using online using the host code or you can substitute with stamps that you already have.
I have not set up a PayPal button for this class because I prefer to accept etransfer. That being said, if you really prefer PayPal, let me know and I will send you an invoice.
I hope you have a super day and that I can see you virtually on YouTube tomorrow. Here is the link to my channel in case you haven’t found me yet.
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by Jackie Bultje | Nov 19, 2020 | dragonfly garden, Happy Mail in Holland, shaded spruce |
Hello stampers and happy Thursday. That sure feels weird to type “happy Thursday” as I normally don’t blog on Thursdays anymore. However, happy mail in Holland has begun and I want to start sharing these great cards right away. My first happy mail card arrived several days before I came and that sure did make my heart happy!
The First Happy Mail Card
The very first happy mail card comes from Kim Fiore from Hudson, Ohio. Thank you so very much Kim!! Kim used the brand new set Dragonfly Garden that we as demonstrators got to purchase early for our #OnStageAtHome event two weeks ago. Dragonfly Garden will be available to all demonstrators on December 1 and to customers in January 2021. Here is Kim’s card and then I will tell you a little bit about her home town.
I love how Kim stamped her scene on patterned paper and also stamped on her envelope. This is truly happy mail in every respect! It was so nice getting a call from Gerard and a photo message saying your first happy mail has arrived! He gets just as excited about this happy mail as I do and that makes me even happier.
The “Happy” in Happy Mail
One of the things that I like so much about this tradition of “Happy Mail in Holland” is that I hear from people who have been following my work that I don’t even know about! What a wonderful surprise it is to hear the stories. Kim is no exception. She tells me that she has been getting my emails for years and she congratulated me on my 15th anniversary with Stampin’Up! Kim is a fellow demonstrator and her business has also been affected by COVID. I really do hope that when the border opens you can come and visit me and we can have lunch. Hopefully I will be able to do an in person retreat for fellow demonstrators to kick start your business after COVID.
Hudson, Ohio
It’s time to find out a little bit more about Hudson, Ohio. I have driven through Ohio many times on my way to Tennessee and I have stayed in this beautiful state once for a weekend getaway, but Ohio is a big state so I am curious to know more about Hudson.
The first thing I saw when checking out Hudson online was the pretty picture of the town, but then it was a headline that a local firefighter was the first American to receive the Canadian Order of the Red Cross. You can read about it here.
Hudson has a lovely historical downtown and it was also a stop along the Underground Railway helping slaves escape to freedom in Canada. It is a suburb of Akron and home to several universities as well as the Loomis observatory which is the oldest observatory in the States that is still in its original location. I think you are a lucky lady to live in Hudson Kim!
Thanks!
Thanks so much for joining me today. I love how you journey with me by commenting on my blog posts and Facebook posts and participate in my Happy Mail contests. I appreciate the online orders more than you will ever know. Not one order is taken for granted, each one brings me great joy. A special thanks to Kim Fiore for this lovely card!
#itsallaboutthetreats Online Retreat
I am looking forward to baking and crafting with you on December 15. If you order the Heartwarming Hugs suite online then you can participate in this event for free. Are you a demonstrator or do you live somewhere other than Canada? Then you can simply pay $20 and participate in this fun event as well. I will be making a pdf tutorial on the cards and the Christmas baking with some tips and tricks on the packaging and of course the patterns for the boxes. You can sign up here.
I hope you have a super day! Tomorrow I will be back with a beautiful card by Ina Eisen.
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by Jackie Bultje | Aug 26, 2020 | free as a bird, Happy Mail in Holland, Posted For You |
Hello stampers and happy Wednesday to you. Today I am sharing two Happy Mail in Holland cards, one uses Posted for You and the other uses Free as a Bird. Posted for You is on my wish list and Free as a Bird was and still is one of my favourite stamp sets. Let’s take a look!
Posted for You by Jean Saunders
Jean Saunders is one of the most wonderful people I know and is very dear to my heart. She is on my team and would make a fantastic demonstrator but she has a busy enough world as a very active mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Shis has many talents including sewing, knitting, painting, cooking, baking, gardening. If there is a craft then Jean can excel at it. She is also a lot of fun!! Jean lives in Chatham, just five minutes away from me.
Jean stamped this great sentiment, which is also from Posted for You, on the back of the envelope. Feeling the love!! Postage for You has a coordinating
Free as a Bird by Shelley Merkin
I love Shelly’s card, especially the way she stamped on the designer series paper and used a no line stamping technique. In this technique you stamp with a very light colour so that you can barely see the lines. It makes it look like you drew the image yourself!! I love that idea but it is more difficult than you might think. You have to colour very carefully, so I am quite impressed with Shelley’s card. She nailed it!
Shelley was so kind as to include the details about her card. She used the following markers to colour the birds: calypso coral, pear pizzazz, taupe, chocolate chip, dapper denim and pacific point. She added wink of stella to the birds for some subtle bling. The envelope and the inside of the card also had flowers stamped in flirty flamingo. So pretty!! Thank you Shelly for this lovely card. If you want to see more Free as a Bird cards check out this blog post.
Lawrenceburg, Indiana
Shelley’s card is postmarked as Lawrenceburg, Indiana, so let’s take a look at what this place is all about. It is a small town located on the Ohio river and is also known as Whiskey Town since Seagram’s has a distillery there. Sounds like it is also a great place for winter sports with the Perfect North Slopes located there.
Judging by the location on the map, I have driven very close by in the past on my way to Tennessee. Small world indeed!
Some Photos of Holland
These three pictures just summarize a few of my favourite things while I am here. Eating good food. Seeing beautiful art. Enjoying the expansive outdoors.
Tasting platter at my favourite local restaurant, de Jutter in Hoek van Holland.
This painting is from the 1500s. I know that is rather vague, but I don’t know which painting it is! It is a Winter Scene, but I will have to research which one it is, my photos are not clear. See the photo below and you will know it is either one or the other! I love the winter scenes and the age of this masterpiece is just staggering to me.
Ok, I decided not to be lazy and I did my homework. It turns out that the painting is indeed Winter Landscape by Hendrik Avercamp.
This is an Impressionist painting from 1879 by Auguste Renoir called Banks of the Seine at Ruiel.
We walk the beach every day with Bailey the dog and almost every time I feel compelled to take a picture. The beach is usually deserted unless it is above 26C. There are usually some kite surfers, dog walkers and a few fisherman but as you can see it is an expansive beach. This photo makes the dunes look flatter than they are. I will miss this happy place.
Thanks!
Thanks for joining me today, there will be one more blog post on Friday finishing up the Happy Mail in Holland contest as well as my stay here in the Netherlands. I have loved getting your feedback on my travel stories and of course all the cards. If you haven’t left a comment yet, I would love to hear from you! If you live in Canada you can shop with me by simply clicking the pictures of the supplies below. Everyone who places an online order using the host code will get a paper sampler in the mail from me in September.
I hope you have a super day.
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by Jackie Bultje | Jul 22, 2020 | Blends, Happy Mail in Holland, Masking |
Hello stampers and happy Wednesday to you. Today I am going to share some Happy Mail in Holland contest cards with you. I had a bit of an internal debate because these two cards do not use current product. They are beautiful cards though and I am guessing that you might still have some of these great products lying around from saleabration too. I am not going to do the homework of finding out the names of everything as it doesn’t help. You either have it or you don’t and you can’t buy it any more!
Elfie Kron’s Card
Elfie’s card was actually the first card I received and it made me very, very happy. I met Elfie at a Stampin’Up! event. I believe it was a half day business building seminar in Mississauga and we all went out for supper afterwards. Elfie has a big smile and a hearty laugh and I love her spirit. Her home town of Guelph is where I went to middle school for four years (grade 7 though 10) Emmanuel Christian High School on Sussex Street. That was an exciting time of my life, especially since it wasn’t common for grade seven and eight to be combined with high school. The first two years the school went up to grade 12 but then the community could no longer afford it.
The flowers were cut from what I believe was called Flowering Foils paper and they are coloured with Calypso Coral and Petal Pink Blends. Elfie used a decorative mask to make the background and the butterfly was cut with a die and vellum that was also sponged or coloured with Blends and the blinged up with Wink of Stella. Thanks so much Elfie!!
Sandy Allman’s Happy Mail in Holland Card
Sandy’s card is made from the beautiful butterfly paper that was also either a free saleabration item or a saleabration coordination product. I love the colour combination of blushing bride and basic black. So many pretty details on this card including the pearls that were coloured with Blends. Sandy is from the beautiful city of Prince George British Columbia and is also a regular contributor to my card contests. I love it!!! If you want to read more about Prince George and see Sandy’s other creations, check out this blog post. There is actually a link in that blog post that will take you to another blog post that has the actual pictures of Prince George.
I love the layout of your card Sandy! You definitely pay attention to all the little details. Here is a shot of the inside of the card.
The final finishing touch (other than the patterned paper on the envelope flap) is this cute signature on the back of the card. The recipient definitely knows that they are receiving a work of art. Doesn’t she just have the most beautiful handwriting?
#itallaboutthetreats video
I thought it would be fitting to share a video of my favourite Dutch bakery here. It would be so wonderful to be able to share these amazing treats with all of you. Not only are their gebakjes (pastries) divine, their bread is also great and of course they make simply the best krentenbollen (raisin buns).
Thanks!
Thanks so much to everyone who is participating in my Happy Mail in Holland contest, it warms my heart. So nice to read all of your messages inside your beautiful cards. It seems that now it is only taking a week for a card to get here so that is great news. Don’t forget about the Bonus Days! Until July 31 you will get a $6 bonus coupon to spend in August when the Holiday catalog goes live. If you want a Paper Pumpkin for July, let me know, I have a few extra and I also have someone who can put one out on the porch for you. Have a super day!!
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