Hello stampers! My, it has been way, way too long since I have written a blog post. My brand new Umbrella Days card kit has given me the inspiration to get back in the blogging saddle! Let me tell you how this kit has come about, it really is a bit of an epic journey.
Inspiration for a Card Kit
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When I first moved to the Netherlands and had to transform my business to an online model, I decided to focus all my energy on my YouTube channel. While this was successful in that I got lots of subscribers and am even getting paid by YouTube for ads, it was not successful for getting online orders. My hope was that people would watch my video, be inspired and then click on the links in my description to order the products that they wanted.
When chatting with fellow demonstrators who were mainly from the States, they told me that I needed to offer card kits. I dragged my heels for a while because I didn’t want to stand there for hours die cutting and making packages, but now I feel that I really must give it a try. Here is my first kit!!
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Tips and Tricks for working with Umbrella Days
Clear emboss the rain on a dark background, Basic Black, Night of Navy or Misty Moonlight.
White emboss the sayings on Basic Black Cardstock for a dramatic effect.
Paper piece the umbrella, either on its own or on the stamped image. You can do this with the dog coat, or the boots as well. To take it up a notch you can dry emboss these pieces as well, use two-tone white core cardstock or patterned paper.
Colour your stamped images with Blends, Watercolour Pencils and a Water Painter or Blender Pen, Water Painter and ink or Stampin’ Write Markers for the smaller parts like the hands, the hair and the boots.
For an interesting variation, leave your image black and white and just add colour to the umbrella!
Use Adhesive Sheets with several different colours of cardstock to create sticker diecuts with the small dies. This is so easy and useful!!
Lastly, did you know that if you choose option 2 for the starter kit you can choose $206 worth of products for only $135? This will allow you to get the Umbrella Days bundle, the Spring Corners Bundle AND the Everyday Arches bundle plus either a set of Blends in your choice of colour OR your choice of 12×12 two tone cardstock??
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When you watch my video you will see how all the parts of the Umbrella Days bundle work and I will also make the bottom right hand card with you. I also share some details on the square card that I gratefully cased from the talented Jacque Williams from New Zealand. If you haven’t already done so, please subscribe to my YouTube channel. Trust me, I am way more active there than on my blog, but hopefully that will change in the future.
Shop with me
If you live in Canada, you can simply click on the easy links below to shop with me. As a thank you, you will get at least one pdf tutorial bundle AND you will get the six card kit shown above as long as your order is at least $75. Thanks so very much for stopping by my blog after I have been silent for so long. It’s good to be back!!
Hello stampers and happy Tuesday to you. Time has once again slipped through my fingers when it comes to blogging. I hope that you missed me!! Perhaps you have been a part of my Fourteen Days of Love video series. These gorgeous cards were a part of that, and I now also have a complete tutorial bundle for you to either get for free with a purchase OR if you are a part of my team. Otherwise you can purchase it on my blog here.
One Design, Two Outcomes
I love it when you can make one design and use it for two completely different purposes. This started out as an adorable framed art project. I thought it would be perfect to give to a loved one so they can put it in their work space and be reminded that they are loved. What do you think?
It can also be made into a card which you can then mail anywhere in the world!! We often forget to tell our people how much we love them.
Of course, I am all about options. The card also has two choices: black mat or sweet sorbet mat?? Both have their charms as you will see.
Fun Little Bee Mine Tip
While the Bee My Valentine stamp set is adorable, the Bee Mine paper is over the top!!! You can cut myriad images out of this paper. Some of it is a little busy for my taste, so use it in small doses, OR cut out the adorable bees and use them as fun accents. For these cards I also fussy cut the jars and the honey pot. It really isn’t difficult and it makes for very affordable crafting.
The other great tip is to use white embossing on black cardstock for your sentiments. It really pops in contrast to the yellow and red backgrounds and it coordinates with the gingham ribbon. Repetition is a great design technique!
Valentine’s Day Present
For one day only, I am offering buy one get one free for pdf tutorials. This is how it works. Purchase one tutorial from me on my blog, then message me to let me know which tutorial you would like for free and I will send it to you. Valid on February 14, 2024 only.
Of course the very best present you can give yourself as a papercrafter is the starter kit. You can get the beautiful glass plate, silicone palette and gray shammy as a free bonus OR you can an extra $41 in product which is enough for you to be able to put the die cutting machine in your kit!!! Here is the link if you want to join my Canadian team. If you live in Europe, join my team here. Either way, I can promise you that we will have a LOT of fun together, plus I have 18 years of expertise as a demonstrator that I can share with you.
Bee Mine Video Tutorial
Seeing is believing, so here is a video tutorial for you. See first hand how I made these cards. You can pause and fast forward as often as you like, you are the boss!!! Thanks so much for joining me today. Hugs from Holland, Jackie
Hello stampers and happy Tuesday to you. I have found a magical combination for some serious Saleabration Inspiration!! The Meandering Meadow suite coordinates so well with so many of our saleabration offerings. In fact, I made a 17 card pdf tutorial to inspire you. You can get it for free when you order with me, or you can purchase it in my tutorial store here.
Features and Benefits of Saleabration Inspiration
One of the great features of this saleabration inspiration tutorial is that it shows a. card that is suitable for a beginner and then also has a stepped up version for more advanced stampers. There are some great tips and tricks for getting the most out of your saleabration freebies! I love tutorials because they jump start your creativity and make you happy to be in your stamp room again!
Video Tutorial
I made a little video tutorial showing you a few tips and tricks with the Flight & Airy paper. It really is amazing what you can do with this lovely Flight & Airy Paper! If you want to have more saleabration inspiration, check out this blog post from last year! (actually less than two weeks ago)
Best Deal Ever!
If you have followed me for any length of time, you know that I am a firm believer in the starter kit. It is an absolute mystery to me why every single customer of mine has not purchased the starter kit. It is such an amazing deal and there are no strings attached. If you could get a Costco membership for free for six months and you also got to choose around $200 worth of ANYTHING in the store and pay only $135, wouldn’t you jump on it? That is what the offer is with the starter kit.
Right now for only $135 you can get $165 worth of products PLUS the glass plate, silicone palette and gray shammy as a bonus (worth about $100 with shipping and tax) You can also choose the option of getting $206 worth of product for only $135. Here is the link if what I said made sense to you (valid only in Canada)
Hello stampers and happy Wednesday to you. Today I am going to share with you a gorgeous card that I made using the Flight & Airy paper. This paper is one of the free saleabration offerings that you can choose from starting on January 4. I have had so much fun playing with it but today I am only going to share one card. If you want to see more, be sure to check out my “shorts” section on my YouTube channel. The video with all the cards will be up on Friday. We will be making ALL of those cards at my Cozy Cabin Winter Retreat from January 2-4 in New Hamburg, Ontario. I still have room for one more person if you are interested!!
Flight & Airy Card
This card is called “Bird’s Eye View”. You will see why, I think!
PDF Tutorial
Tomorrow I hope to write a pdf tutorial for the cards that we will be making at my retreat. When it is finished, I will put in the tutorial section of my blog so you can purchase it there. Are you looking forward to saleabration as much as I am??
In the Air!!
This card is also quite fitting, as I will be in the air tomorrow as well. I’m flying back to Canada for almost four weeks without Gerard. He needs to be in the greenhouse tending to his flowers and bulbs. I am excited to see my mom, my kids and grandkids and of course my team and my customers and my friends. Phew!! I need to take a breath after that long sentence. Besides the retreat I am also offering a Bingo class, both in person and online. As I write this, I realize that I have not marketed that enough yet, it only went into one newsletter!! Life is busy, especially at this time of the year.
I hope to see you while I’m in Canada, either at the retreat, in a class or in a Zoom class! Hugs from Holland and Happy New Year if I don’t get a chance to blog again before that. Thanks for being here.
Hello stampers and happy Wednesday to you. Today I have some super simple cards for you that I made with Day at the Farm paper. This paper is one of the FREE choices with the saleabration sale from Stampin’Up! This sale ends on February 28, 2023. When the paper is this cute, all you need to do is add your sentiments and call it a day.
Day at the Farm Cards
My Favourite Day at the Farm Project
Are you a parent or grandparent? Want to make a true labour of love? I saw a project made by an Australian demonstrator Catherine Proctor and I absolutely adore it. She made a counting book for kids and has video tutorials for it right on her blog. You can see it here. Happy stamping and let me know if you end up making it!
Hello stampers and happy Monday to you. Today I have some striking masculine cards for you using two free stamp sets. How much fun is that? Many of you say that you struggle with making masculine cards, so these will be right up your alley!!
Two Great Free Stamp Sets for some Striking Masculine Cards
The two sets that I am talking about are In The Country and Sending Support. Each of them is free with a $60 purchase until February 28, 2023. While I have left these cards tone on tone, they also look wonderful when you colour them with watercolour pencils, Blends or water painters and ink. Let’s take a look.
For this card I used the Dutch stamp set Echt Iets Bijzonders. If you live in Europe you can click on this link to buy it.
Why Not Add a Tent?
I loved adding the cyclist and the runner from Greatest Journey, so why not add a tent and the lady with the lantern? What do you think?
A Few Tips and Tricks
I really love that the sayings from the Sending Support fit well with our Stitched Rectangle dies. For the layering, I used the fabulous Deckled Rectangle Dies. My colour palette was Basic Black and Very Vanilla which has both a vintage feel to it as well as a richness. Timeworn Type embossing folder adds to that very nicely!
These cards would also lend themselves very well to sympathy or thinking of you cards. You can use them with or without the die cuts from Greatest Journey.
If you want to take the vintage look to the next level, be sure to use our Blending Brushes to add some Soft Suede ink to all your layers. Looks great and is very easy to do!
Use your Stamparatus so that you black images are nice and dark black. This great tool lets you stamp multiple times in exactly the same place. I use mine every day!
Video Tutorial
Here’s the video tutorial on how to make these cards. Thanks so much for joining me today and happy stamping! If you would like to order any of the supplies that I used, just click on the links below in the product list. They are for my Canadian store. To shop with me in Europe, or join my team, click here. Have a super day!
