by Jackie Bultje | Dec 13, 2019 | Christmas, Most Wonderful Time |
Hello stampers! Happy Friday to you all. I’m a big fan of the little things. It is often the little things that can make the biggest difference. Little things can bring great joy, they can also irritate if you let them. Finding joy is often closely connected with appreciating and showing gratitude for the little things in our lives. What little things are you thankful for?
Little Things with Stamping
Little things can really make people feel special. They also don’t have to cost much. For example, bake some of your favourite cookies and then put each into a small cello bag. Tie on some festive ribbon and then add a simple stamped tag. This little extra step of the bag and the tag is enough to make a person feel very special and loved. Now take a small batch of these specially packaged cookies and go spread some love. Not into baking? Love to shop? It can be fun to find cute and festive things to put in a little cello bag as well. The point is to just make some adorable tags and add them to a little package and make someone’s day.
The Hobby that Keeps on Giving
I like to remind people that stamping is hobby that just keeps on giving and blessing people. First it blesses the person who has the hobby. It makes you happy to stamp, it helps with your mental and physical well-being. Second, it blesses your family. It gives you a great activity to share with your kids, their friends, your in-laws and whoever drops by. Have you ever gathered around the kitchen table to make Christmas cards or tags? Such fun! Even if they don’t enjoy stamping with you, they will often come and ask if you have a card for them to give to someone for any number of occasions! Third, you bless and bring joy to the person receiving your creation. How wonderful is that?
The Gift of Time
Have you noticed that Christmas time is SUPPOSED to be about spending time with your family and friends but that is more often spend rushing around doing and buying stuff? Slow down and gather with your family or friends or a combination thereof and share the gift of creativity. It is such a great feeling letting time slow down and enjoying each others company while you chat and create. You will find it to be a completely different experienced compared to just having a cup of coffee together somewhere. I know that as demonstrators we often forget to share our hobby with those we love the most. We forget to enjoy it the way we did before it became our business.
Our First Card
Before I left for Holland I got an envelope clearly marked for “Jackie and Gerard” so it had to come with me unopened so we could open it together. I’m not sure if Janis realized the significance of this seemingly little thing! Our first Christmas card together! We were very touched. Janis used the Most Wonderful Time product medley to make this pretty card. Thank you!!
Here is Gerard opening the card in his office.
You can see that I took this picture in the greenhouse with the amaryllis in the background. Gerard did say that this card should go back to the house to be displayed. I agree.
Make your Hobby your Gift
If you are like me and you love to make cards you may forget how special they really are. Did you know that most people would be thrilled to get a package of your handmade cards with some envelopes so that they can give your cards to their loved ones? That’s right! No need to go shopping on Amazon or stand in long lines at the mall or peruse all the gift ideas at the store. Just package up some of your pretty cards, tie on some ribbon and add a tag and you will be making a gift of your hobby. You can check out the cute tags I made with the November Paper Pumpkin here.
Thanks
Thanks so much for joining me today, I would love to hear your stories of how you incorporate stamping into your Christmas season. Do you have traditions with your family that include your hobby? What are your favourite little things? I hope you have a super day. This is my first blog post from Holland! I will be sharing more photos and videos from here on my Pampered Stamper Facebook page.
Product List
by Jackie Bultje | Oct 31, 2019 | Christmas, Most Wonderful Time |
Hello stampers! Happy Thursday and happy Halloween. It is cold and rainy here today, not great at all for the little tricker treaters. Today I want to talk to you about mixing and matching. Amazing things can happen when you think outside the box and combine different products from different suites together.
I Love Deer
Have you seen the amazing deer stickers in the Most Wonderful Time product medley? There are more than two sheets of stickers with the deer standing, eating and facing either way not to mention with or without antlers. The variety is truly wonderful! I really love these deer and I think you will too. Remember that this is a sticker sheet so the deer are more delicate once they are removed from the sheet. Let’s take a look.
Mixing it Up
While Most Wonderful Time is a great product medley and you can make beautiful things just using this suite of products, it can get even better! When you add different embossing folders, the deer framelits from the annual catalog or the framelits from the Still Scenes snow globes you will simply go ga-ga!! The best part of the suite is that it allows you to create lavishly since there is just so much to work with. There is no need to skimp an I truly love that.
The Cards
New Traditions
I would like to suggest that you use this product medley to bring some joy to your family, to your neighbours or to your friend group. Just spread the products all over your kitchen counter or dining room table and let people get inspired by what they see. Have some white cards ready to that everyone can make what they want.
When I bought my first Stampin’Up! products I sat around the kitchen table with my kids and together we made Christmas cards, tags and even some ornaments. It was so much fun.
Thanks!
Thanks a lot for stopping by today, I appreciate you ever so much. I love it when you pin my cards to Pinterest, when you take the time to comment and when you order online from me. You need to live in Canada to shop with me, but you can still support me no matter where you live and I know you do. Big hugs back to you and have a super day.
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by Jackie Bultje | Oct 8, 2019 | Christmas, Emboss Resist technique, Most Wonderful Time |
Hello stampers! Do you want to hear about my super simple emboss resist technique? It really doesn’t get any easier than this and the results are simply spectacular. That is exactly what we want in our card making experience: great results with very little effort.
The Card
Here is a closeup of the tree and present collage. The presents were all fussy cut from the patterned paper that comes in the Most Wonderful Time product medley. You can see the gorgeous colour from the simple emboss resist technique. The blueberry bushel really makes the gold stars pop in the background. The star is made by pressing the framelit which is part of the product medley into the copper delicata ink pad and then running it through the die cutting machine on whisper white cardstock.
The Technique
The reason this simple emboss resist technique is so very easy is that the embossing is already done for you! Twelve gold embossed card fronts are included in the Most Wonderful Time product medley. All you have to do to get this rich look is to sponge blueberry bushel ink all over the card front. The more you sponge the deeper the colour you will get. I prefer to leave mine with a little ombre effect so it is not the same depth of colour everywhere, but that is a personal choice. the sponging works best when you work in a circular motion starting off the edge and working your way inwards.
The Measurements
Card base: thick whisper white cardstock 8 1/2″ by 5 1/2″ scored at 4 1/4″.
Card front- no measuring necessary since it is included in the product medley, simply use as is.
cardstock vellum: 2 1/2″ by 4 3/4″ cut into a banner at the bottom
Blueberry Bushel cardstock- due to circumstances I had to fussy cut a circle! I used our tear’n’tape adhesive and traced the inside of the adhesive on the cardstock. It actually worked!!
The Christmas Tree
The tree was stamped in Shaded Spruce on shimmery white cardstock and then it was colour washed with an aquapainter. I then pressed a clear block into some Call Me Clover ink and used the aquapainter to colour wash the tree again to get a great depth and variance of colour. Let it dry for a few minutes and then use the die that comes in the Most Wonderful Time product medley to cut it out using a die cutting machine. Put a strip of tear’n’tape on the back of the Christmas tree and then wrap tinsel trim (also included in the product medley) and wrap it around the tree. Pop the tree up on the blueberry bushel circle and add some presents.
If you would like to see some of this card being made as well as a few other cards that I have blogged about in the past few days, you can watch my Facebook live video here.
A Story
If you have watched my Facebook live video, you might find it interesting to hear a little background story. I had originally given myself two hours to first make a card for my blog post today and then to get ready for my Facebook live. Then life happened. First three flower buyers came to negotiate prices with Gerard. He really wanted me to be a part of the process. So we had coffee and “gember koek” which is a delicious Dutch cake with chunks of candied ginger. The flower buyers had been told about me and they brought me gorgeous roses!! I learned that flower prices are negotiated to a tenth of a cent!! It’s a tough market.
Then I got a text from my Tante Nel asking if she could drop by. Well of course I was thrilled to see her and she brought a drawing that my Tante Irene had made for my mom the day before she died. I can only imagine how much that is going to mean to my mom. By the time my Tante Nel left it was 2:45 and I had fifteen minutes to prep for my video. That is why it was a bit crazier than normal today, at least that is what I like to tell myself. Perhaps this is par for the course, but at least it keeps things interesting.
Thank You!
I always like to thank you personally for stopping by to read my blog. There are many things that you can choose to do with your time and I am honoured that you have chosen to spend some time with me. I hope you were inspired to make some pretty Christmas cards with your friends. When you consider that if you chose to go out for an evening with a group of friends for some drinks and appetizers then you have a pretty good idea what that might cost. Consider the alternative of buying the Most Wonderful Time product medley and gathering with your own wine and snacks and instead making pretty cards that will be fun to do and also fun to send out. A fine investment I think and perhaps the beginning of a fun new tradition. Have a super day and happy stamping.
Product List
by Jackie Bultje | Oct 7, 2019 | Christmas, fancy fold, Most Wonderful Time, product medley |
Hello stampers! Have you noticed that there is a LOT of amazing paper in the holiday catalog? Maybe you missed the paper that is included in the Most Wonderful Time product medley. I thought I would showcase it by making a 6×6 easel card. Let’s take a look at it right away before I tell you some more stories.
The Easel Card
I thought I would include a close up of the presents in the bottom right hand corner. Did you know that when you make an easel card you need to have something dimensional to hold the popped up part in place? That is the purpose of the presents and the stars. Of course they had to look good too! I think I managed to combine function and style quite nicely. Some of the presents were stamped and cut using the framelit in the medley and some were cut from patterned paper. The one with the tinsel tied around it was inspired by a scrap laying on my stamp table. I thought, why not layer it on real red and turn it into a big present? Gold stars are also included in the medley.
Did I mention that there is a stamp in this product medley that stamps is a two-step DistINKtive stamp that is an image of three presents? There is a coordinating die that cuts all three presents out at once so you have three separate presents. I like to stamp them multiple times in different colour combinations so that when I create my scene I have different looking presents to choose from.
I will be offering a free class for everyone who orders the Most Wonderful Time product medley. The class will be held on Wednesday October 30 at 1pm and 7pm and we will make 6 amazing cards including this easel card.
The Measurements
I haven’t made an easel card in a while but it is one of the simpler folds to create and it is especially nice when you want to make a bigger card for a special occasion.
Card base: 5 1/2″ by 11″ scored at 2 3/4″ and 5 1/2″
The fold: fold the 2 3/4″ part up into a mountain fold. Make the fold sharp by using a bone folder.
Real red: 5 3/8″ square
Patterned paper: 5 1/4″ square.
Adhere this square to the bottom part of the mountain fold. I found it easier to put the liquid glue right on the white cardstock and then lay the patterned square in place. Tie a piece of cherry cobbler 3/8″ diagonally striped ribbon around this panel. Cut a vellum circle using a circle framelit. I had none of these with me in Holland so I traced a disposable coffee cup and hand cut it! Hand cut circles are never flawless so I disguised this by putting sparkling crystal effects around the edge and then sprinkling on ice stampin’ glitter on it.
I put some candy cane die cuts on this circle and a banner die cut stamped with “Hope You Have a Wonderful Christmas” on it. The banner was popped up. Some mini dimensionals were strategically placed on the back of the vellum circle where there was die cuts. That way you can’s see the dimensionals through the vellum; that would really ruin the look!
Remember that 3/4″ strip that I had to cut off to make my patterned paper 5 1/4″ square? Well, when you turn it around you get this delightful striped pattern. I adhered that to the base of the card for a nice contrast. Then I made a collage of presents with some of them popped up and a few gold stars and there you have it! It really is a very simple card to make but it definitely has a wow factor. I will be showing you how to make this card during my Facebook live video tomorrow at 9am EST or at 3pm European summer time.
If all you are interested in is the card, you can skip to the last paragraph. Otherwise read on for an interesting story about my family here in Holland.
A Story from the Weekend
On Saturday night we had dinner with two of my cousins and their partners. One of these cousins was Corrina, the first one I ever met and became friends with when I came to Holland. Her mom, my Tante Nel, is my mom’s younger sister by 14 years! I first set foot in Holland when I was a year old. My mom was returning to her family for the first time since she immigrated. She had to wait ten years before that was possible! I can’t imagine how difficult that must have been. No wonder there were so many letters written over the years.
The next time I went to Holland was when I was 14. That is when I met Corrina. I thought she was so lucky to have such a young cool mom who listened to Abba. My Mom didn’t even know about Abba! I think I may have met Macheld that year as well but only for a brief introduction. She owned a croissanterie in s’-Gravenzande which is also Gerard’s hometown. You can see how my world and his world intersected.
My other cousin Machteld is a daughter of my mom’s sister Adrie who died from cancer at the age of 42. She was not only mom’s sister but also her best friend. They were only a year apart in age. That is why it was so special to have this dinner and reconnect with the one cousin and get to know the other one. Wow, did we laugh a lot! We discovered that we have a lot in common. We love to cook and bake and eat. We order food the same way (two appetizers instead of a main) and we ordered the same dessert, and yes, we both feel that dessert is the proper way to end a special meal. We all love wine and we all have a very special man in our lives. I thought I would share these pictures with you too!
De Jutte was the name of the restaurant which means The Beachcomber. The view was incredible of the waterway that is part of the Maas River and the canal system from Rotterdam so every once in a while we would see a big ship going by and even the ferry going to England! It was so very special to spend time with my cousins and with the people we love. We all agreed there would be more evenings like this one. Unexpected blessings from being in the old country! I guess I just thought it would be so meaningful for my 86 year old mother to know that the daughter of her closest sister would become close friends with her own daughter even though she immigrated 61 years ago!
Thank You
As always I want to thank you so much for joining me here on my blog, I do so appreciate each and every one of you and I love it when you share your stories with me too. Be sure to take another look at page 39 of the holiday catalog and imagine a fun time with your friends creating beautiful Christmas cards that will surprise and delight your family, friends and neighbours. Take some time to slow down and do something meaningful together. Turn on some lovely Christmas music, pour a little wine and get creative. If you need help you know where to find me, there is nothing I would love more.
If you want to shop with me and you live in Canada, it is super easy. Just click on the images below and you will land in my online store. Just create an account and start ordering. Please do use the current host code as that really helps me out a lot. You can find that code in the column on the right hand side of the blog. Happy stamping and have a super day.
Product List
by Jackie Bultje | Oct 4, 2019 | Christmas, Most Wonderful Time, product medley |
Hello stampers! Have you noticed the Most Wonderful Time product medley in the holiday catalog? It is sort of a hidden gem since the pictures don’t really jump out at you. You can find it on page 39 of the catalog. It is chock full of great things.
What is in the product medley?
- a DistINKtive 11 piece stamp set, some of which are two-step stamps
- six framelit dies one of which cuts out three presents at once
- 48 sheets of patterned paper with gold foil accents
- 12 gold foil card fronts
- 7 sticker sheets that have deer, trees, candy canes, holly boughs and stars
- 10 yards of delicate gold tinsel trim
- 58 adhesive backed gold faceted stars
The Challenge
As my regular readers know, I am currently in the Netherlands on a working holiday spending time with Gerard. I took lots of supplies with me so that I could blog and create and do my regular Facebook videos. However….I am missing so many things! This time I would have loved to have a few circle punches or my layering circle framelits. Trust me, it has been a while since I have cut out a circle by hand. It’s not pretty! We’ll take a look at the card and maybe you can spot the trick I used on this card to make it work.
The Card
Here is close-up of the pretty details in this card.
Do you see the trick I used to mask my hand cut circle? I put a line of sparkly crystal effects around the edge of the circle and then sprinkled on Ice Stampin’ Glitter. Definitely an embellishment opportunity don’t you think?
The Lesson
I have learned that a new stamper needs a lot of products to make this hobby fun. Of course you can make do with less, but that isn’t nearly as much fun. Therefore each new stamper should really start this hobby by getting the starter kit. It is by far the best deal in the catalog and it also gives you a personal discount of 20% for a minimum of 6 months. How wonderful is that?
The Class
I will be offering a class with this product medley on October 30 at 1pm and 7pm. If you purchase the medley you will make 6 free cards. You can register for the event here.
Thanks
As always I want to thank you for dropping by. Did you know that behind the scenes I can see exactly how many people come to my blog? Blogging can be a lonely existence if no one drops by so I want to thank you and let you know that I see you and I thank you. Have a super day and happy stamping.
Product List
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