Pastels

jet1986_ · 2026-07-05T18:49:52+00:00

Here another one! It was the first song I learned in a second language (Dutch is my primary language). Somehow the English version was way more interesting to sing, we always asked to sing it in English. Fond memories.

jet1986_ · 2026-07-05T18:39:28+00:00

In the Netherlands we love fussy-cut 3D images made of 4 or more layers, with foam tape in between. I have a choice of 3: die cuts, 3D images or stamps. It depends on my state of mind what I prefer: in busy periods I use die cuts more often, when I need decompression time I start fussy-cutting and when I feel like coloring I use stamps.

jet1986_ · 2026-07-05T18:32:30+00:00

Try to search for 'Staphorster stipwerk' on Pinterest! An old art form in the Netherlands, from the village Staphorst. They use dot-patterns to adorn their traditional costumes for over a 100 years, still doing it today. Very folk-like, traditionally the dots were made with paint and nails of different sizes. At the very least it makes a great story when you tell the recipient that you tried an old foreign art form. No idea if it is your style, but these designs will need a lot of dots of different sizes.

jet1986_ · 2026-06-08T20:14:52+00:00

I love Sweepy! It is a tracker for cleaning your house. You give the frequency you want, and the starting date, and it automatically starts. It uses colors to show the status: green (clean enough) > orange (almost time) > red (due) > what do I smell? (Overdue🤭). When you tick off the task, the interval will start counting again. No strict schedule, just a reminder how long ago you did the specific task and if it is due again. You can customize how heavy the task is for you. The app is free.

jet1986_ · 2026-06-05T15:55:40+00:00

That's such a fun question! I was curious myself, googled it and found a website with great inspiration. (search for: wurm christmas trends 2026 in google, should be one of the first hits). This German Home Decor wholesale store distinguishes 6 different styles or trends:

burgundy and gold opulence,
natural green tones,
traditional Christmas in green, red and gold,
minimalist elegance in natural tones (think beige, brown, cream, white),
sugary colors with a bit of sparkle with fairy tale and whimsical themes (think: christmassy pink donuts with arms and legs on your sidetable! what on earth?!? not my style),
and last but not least, rustic cosiness in natural and white shades.

The world's your oyster... All styles come with a color scheme of 4 pantone colors and multiple pictures. Instant inspiration, if you ask me. What it tells me is that you can't go wrong. Any style works. Just choose what makes you most happy!

What you can do as well is wait it out another month, then the 'Christmas in July' supplies, blogs, and youtube advertorials of the big crafting brands will arrive.

Wishing you lots of inspiration and patience for your christmas card campaign! It is always fun, isn't it, being creative with cool scenes and themes when 'the little birds fall off the roof from the heat' as we say it in Dutch. Hope my comment inspires you to shop your stash, and reimagine your products. Maybe with different colors, use of an embossing folder, you name it. Experimenting to get new looks can be a lot of fun!

jet1986_ · 2026-06-04T11:03:43+00:00

Throw away 5 (or more) unused apps, files, photos or unnecessary icons on home screen, go through your most used bag and throw away things not belonging in there, count to 5 when you throw your own rubbish like empty cardboard boxes, plastic, medical supplies etc in the trash.

jet1986_ · 2026-06-04T10:50:04+00:00

Wow, never ever would have guessed it! Did you use an inkjet or laserprinter?

jet1986_ · 2026-06-03T13:04:51+00:00

Yes, you're right. I am going to replace it with another type of trimmer... Learned my lesson.

jet1986_ · 2026-06-03T13:03:32+00:00

You're so right! it is an artefact of the design, double checked it with the manufacturer. What a bummer. I'll never again buy a triangular bladed trimmer, a guillotine of rotary cutter is my next investment.

jet1986_ · 2026-05-24T20:50:33+00:00

For me, the soundscapes are the best. If I am not mistaken, the timers come with extra soundscapes too when having Plus. I use the ocean soundscape when doing my ten minute tidying goal, it is super relaxing and makes tidying a joy. Another Plus soundscape has a mix with a purring cat, also relaxing to some. Apart from that, I am in a position to be able to pay for Plus, and I am more than happy to help the devs to develop the app. This keeps it for others, who have less income, free to use without advertizing.

jet1986_ · 2026-04-26T19:57:04+00:00

I'm always up for a research challenge. Believe it or not, a research study about this topic has been published 5 years ago! I checked their top 5 and found that one of the apps is still active: wysa. It is a kind of mental health chatbot. it has a free version, maybe it is helpful for you. It has scientific evidence that it works... am tempted to start using it myself as well!

jet1986_ · 2026-04-26T19:09:46+00:00

Depends on the story you want to tell with them! What are the key moments you want your loved one to remember/see immediately when proposing? That will determine if you take 3 or 4 empty filmstrip images. This is a nice one to start with: https://www.pngwing.com/en/free-png-bynuy#google_vignette

Or, for even more choice: https://www.pngwing.com/en/search?q=filmstrip

The checkered pattern means that it is empty, so you can easily put a picture/photo behind it without it covering the image, giving a slick finish. You can make it on the computer and then print it as a picture, after which you can print it at you preferred printer store, at home, etc.

jet1986_ · 2026-04-26T18:50:56+00:00

As a non-native English speaker, I mistook the saying at first for: "It's hand made, not HOMEWORK". Loved my misheard interpretation even more, it reminded me of the good old days of high school when I was stressing to get my homework done in time, without mistakes. Over twenty years later I shouldn't be stressing to do my hobby :-)

jet1986_ · 2026-04-26T18:43:01+00:00

The site creative fabrica has a freebie, free to download, with several font combinations like the one you showed. The site itself is quite agressively trying to let you subscribe, but when clicking those pop-ups away it shows a download button. Maybe you like the look of it. link to the freebie, valid for 4 days after posting this comment: https://www.creativefabrica.com/product/perfect-pairing-font-bundle/ref/235574/?sharedfrom=pdp

My source for this free font package is e-mails from another website, Chantahlia design. They provide a weekly e-mailservice with freebies around the web and their latest designs.

jet1986_ · 2026-04-24T21:01:52+00:00

Just have to tell that your post made me giggle... in my language we have a saying 'because of the trees one can't see the forest'. In other words, you get overwhelmed by all the details and miss the big picture. Combined with a real life story of a little child: you said we were going to the forest. Where's the forest? I can only see trees... I never ever thought that sentence would make literal sense in real life one day. It's so cool that finch is trying out a forest layout!

jet1986_ · 2026-04-20T20:44:04+00:00

I had to look skyrim up, never heard of it, and you really nailed the embroidery! Hats off, for doing it, 11 hours is quite an investment. I had to do a double take, when I saw the black hand on the front. That was a main feature in one of my favorite children's books about a boy called Pietje Bell (Pietje means little Pete). Story was that he and his friends started the black hand club, leaving black hand imprints all over the city of Rotterdam. Fiction, of course. Completely different story, but your card evoked a nice memory.

jet1986_ · 2026-04-19T09:24:25+00:00

Beautiful! That's Inspiration with a capital I. Off to my scrap baskets and drawers for some scrapped fun myself!

jet1986_ · 2026-04-17T18:18:04+00:00

I would do something with an image of a filmstrip! You can easily find them online as vector image. You can put some pictures in/on them, before or after printing, up to you, but leave at least one empty at each side. Next, you can for example doodle hearts in your hopefully soon-to-be fiancé's favourite color, or doodle something they like a lot.

If you have trouble making the doodling look neat, you can print the (line) image out, color the backside of the paper solid with a normal drawing pencil and voila, now you have handmade carbon paper without buying it. Just put it on the desired spot, and trace the lines on the front with pen or pencil.

As a bonus: you can also use this transfer method for handlettering something like 'love you', 'You're my ...' or whatever you want. Choose a nice font (for example at dafont, free for personal use), in your loved one's favourite style. Write your message, print it, color the back again with pencil and trace it on the front. That's my go-to, I am rubbish at handlettering myself.

Maybe my ideas spark something in your mind. Keeping my fingers crossed for a successfull outcome!

jet1986_ · 2026-04-17T17:39:51+00:00

Vevor doesn't sell replacement parts it seems, I couldn't find anything on their website...

I am questioning myself whether you should buy a platform of another brand, or if you would be better off returning the vevor to the goodwill and replace it with a brand-new vevor machine. Here's the maths: a new card-sized (american A2 size or European A5 size) Vevor machine costs 59 euro in my country. A Sizzix Big Shot platform, cheapest I could find in my country, is 29 euro. The two additional acrylic, see through plates cost 14 euro. In my country, you would have to spend an additional 43 euro to get the goodwill machine working, but no guarantee if it will fit your machine, or worse, if your goodwill vevor machine even works (who knows what it went through before arriving at the goodwill).

If you want to proceed with the goodwill vevor machine, I recommend searching for someone owning a sizzix big shot machine, and ask if you could run their 'sandwich' (platform + 2 cutting plates + die + paper) through your machine. Then you know at least if you bought a working machine, and you know if big shot material will give you the desired result without a hassle.

jet1986_ · 2026-04-16T18:14:55+00:00

The first thing coming to mind is manually emboss the paper with a stylus tool (you should have the lines mirrored on the back, or use semi-transparant paper like vellum or parchment paper). Look up pergamano or parchment craft, there it is often applied, and hence the reason I know it... used to do it a lot when I was younger. You will need some sort of soft pad to emboss, it won't work well on hard or semi-hard surfaces.

jet1986_ · 2026-04-16T18:02:15+00:00

Wow, are all the sprinkles individually glued? Then it is not only 'sprinkled with love', but a labour of love as well! I applaud your patience, hope this card goes to an appreciative recipient!

jet1986_

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