InKollage

Jeweled Butterfly

The delicate Damask Butterfly (D1350) from our Enchanted Butterfly Collection  makes a garden appearance here,  on papers from our new Enchanted 6x6 Set.  It's a beautiful collection of my favorite colors - greens, blues, aquas, pinks and purples - in a splash of stripes, flowers, starbursts, flourishes and text.  To summarize - it's the perfect combination of everything for spring and summer!

I'll try not to bore you with my life stories...but bear with me here.  It's been a challenging week - a 6-month old dryer that quit drying, a Highlander recall, another probable SUV recall, computer issues, and a cocker spaniel who decided to prune and unearth my emerging Autumn Joy Sedums.  Not the end of the world, I know, but a bit much.  Then - like a splash of sunshine on a cloudy day - I received a box of our newest papers to make samples for you.  Life is good! 

Here's a preview of a butterfly card featured in tomorrow's "Have a Notion" class at the Tukwila Impress store (and at the University Village store on May 16th).  Sewing notions and tools - tracing wheels, thread, pattern tissue, an iron and "faux-buttons" from Memory Box papers - are the theme. 

Clearsnap, who now collaborates with Memory Box on Design Adhesives, has invited me to blog on their website. I'll attach frequent links that'll lead you to more ideas featuring Memory Box stamps, papers and trimmings. Scroll down to the April 23 post for  a card idea with our popular Create Art (G1330) collage and the Damask Butterfly.

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Butterfly Birthday Wishes

Butterfly stamps are popular each spring - here's our version of them in a cheerful mix of pinks, chartreuse and fresh greens...hope you like them.  

The new Garden Cutaway stamp (G1353) is perfectly-sized 3" x 4" - for an A2 Notecard.  It creates an instant collage of flowers and butterflies - just in time for spring and summer greetings.   The small butterfly (stamped here in Pearlescent Orchid)  is on the side of the new Happiest Birthday wordstamp (B1354), for a perfect pairing on cards for that special day. The Dotty Butterfly, stamped twice and layered for dimension, adds the final touch.

You can never have too many butterfly stamps!

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Tranquility

A  shimmery Soiree Lagoon Notecard is the setting for the Leaf Print Butterfly (D1349) on a backdrop of willow leaves from the Spearmint 6x6 Set.  The pigment inks in the ColorBox Swell Queue take a few minutes to dry - creating a perfect opportunity to blend them in soft sweeps of color.

Hope you've had a chance to see the Enchanted Butterfly Collection of stamps and papers and the beautiful handmade samples Dave designed for you - all part of the great new release shipped to participating retailers.  Hope your favorite store is among them!    

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Inspired By a Butterfly

A butterfly wing floating over a background of vintage script creates a simple statement on a Hyacinth Notecard.  It's the first of many butterfly-accented cards you'll see here on InKollage as we unveil our new Enchanted Butterfly Collection of stamps and papers.  

Retailers across the US - and in Europe - are receiving the collection right now.  I think you'll love the elegant, timeless designs.  They'll  be perfect with a multitude of inkpads, watercolors, markers, chalks, color pencils and paints.  

Inspire Butterfly Collage (G1352) is stamped twice on the Spearmint 6x6 sheet.  First, in French Blue for the background, then again in True Blue.  The True Blue image is embossed with detail clear powder. Embossing allows the image to resist the inks that color the butterfly.  You don't even have to stay inside the lines - you'll be cutting the second butterfly out anyway.

Sunday, April 18th is the last day of the annual Spring Sale at Impress.  It's a great time to stock up on basic supplies - and treat yourself to the latest must-have goodies - all at a 20% discount. Our Enchanted Butterfly Collection and all of the Memory Box stamps, printed papers, Soiree stationery and jewel and pearl stickers in stock are discounted too - just in time for your spring and summer projects.

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Belated Birthday Wishes

Sometimes it's fun - and a good challenge - to venture away from my usual flower/butterfly/tree/bird-themed cards and do something silly and fun, like this forgetful elephant card.  It combines our All Ears Clear Set (CL130), Glitterati 6x6 Set - and the Birthday Wishes Design Adhesives designed by Dave.  Colorful, bright, sparkly - and sure to grant you forgiveness for forgetting someone's birthday!

If you're not familiar with Design Adhesives, our sidebar Blinkie shows you what the packaging looks like. It's like a double-sided rub-on design - perfect for glitter, leafing, flocking and embossing powders.  If you teach classes or do in-store demos, it's perfect for you...instant-gratification with great impact. Very high on the "wow" scale.

Speaking of "wow" - wait till you see the new Memory Box Enchanted Butterflies Collection that we're introducing tomorrow.  Beautiful butterflies, and two great collagey backgrounds.  See them here.

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Lion Dropping a Line

The friendly lion from the Hear Me Roar Clear Set (CL131) is great for any occasion.  Here he is with a stamped greeting that appears to be...dropping from a line. 

Stamp a second image of the head and mane section, punch it out, fringe it, and ink it to highlight the fringe.  The bright, splashy Glitterati 6x6 Set creates the perfect background for the king of the jungle. The shimmery Soiree Grass A2 Notecard adds to the tropical feel of this colorful card.  

Two important reminders before I go.  First -  our new Enchanted Butterflies release of great stamps and beautiful papers starts shipping this week - be sure your favorite Retailer has placed their order for the wonderful collection, perfect for spring and summer projects.

Second - The Annual Impress Spring Sale begins with an 8:00 AM early opening on Thursday, April 15th. Regular store hours return for the remainder of the sale on April 16, 17 and 18. It's a perfect time to treat yourself to the new goodies you've been hearing about - and the basic items you use throughout the year - all at 20% off.   Receive a prize ticket for every $25 spent...each ticket is a chance to win cool prizes and more tickets increase your chances of winning.  It's a great time to buy anything - and everything - you've ever wanted from Memory Box, including our new Enchanted Butterflies Collection!

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Spring Bloomer

Here's another idea featuring our Seed Stems Clear Set (CL139) - combine the versatile flower head with two of the florets to create a fresh spring blossom.

Background layers from the Frond 6x6 Set frame the flower in soft shades of blue, lavender, aqua, green and white. The Soiree Amethyst Shimmer card and Frost Blue Pearl Stickers add a subtle luster and make this a great card for any occasion.  Make two, three, or oodles of them - and just add a quick greeting when you need a handmade card for a birthday, wedding, anniversary, thank-you, or get-well card.

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Pretty Party Dress

Easter - with its soft pastels, flowery dresses and fresh flowers - came and went so quickly this year.   Here's our version of a spring dress, with our Dress Form Clear Stamps  and prints from our Gossamer 6x6 Set.  

It's a versatile set - with the dress form and an assortment of flourishes, swirls, leaves and tiny flowers. Stamp the dress form over one of our 6x6 or 12x12 prints to create a quick card.  

Or, if you have a few minutes, stamp the dress form over a Smooched background - then fill it in with a freehand pattern of flourishes and swirls.  Unique, pretty and perfect for any occasion!

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Posies and Pods

We've been so busy sharing card ideas featuring the 2010 stamp collections that I haven't used my Memory Box Clear Stamp Sets recently.  I "discovered" them again while I was re-organizing my workroom, and will post more clear stamps card ideas in the coming days. 

We've even added a Clear Stamps Gallery to our website's Ideas section.  It's a collection of projects featuring our clear stamps, 6x6 Sets and 12x12 papers, Jewels and Pearl Stickers.    The penguin card and calendar ideas are still in the Penguins section.

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Pretty Posy

Vintage Notes and Vine Border are quickly becoming a favorite combination for cards - and classes.  I've used them in three different classes within the past week.  Here's another variation - with a die-cut felt flower and Hot Pink Jewel Stickers on a Dove Gray Notecard.  Having the little flower attached to the side of the Vine Border stamp makes it easy to use - and, equally important - impossible to lose!

Here's a Dove Gray sampler - with an assortment of some of the other Memory Box colors that match it. They are, from left-to-right and top-to-bottom:  Granny Smith, Mango, Lagoon, Begonia, Robins Egg, Sugar Plum, Bayou, Raspberry, Parsley, Cherry Blossom, Blueberry, Wisteria, Currant, Key Lime and Boysenberry.   These are just the duplex (white on the back) colors - our Soiree Collection deserves its own sampler.  Try some of these combinations - you'll be pleasantly-surprised at how versatile Dove Gray is!

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