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30 posts from December 2019

Tue 31

Ending the Year with Something New

Greetings friends.  It is time to say goodbye to 2019 and move on to 2020.  We thank you for your support this year and hope you will continue your creative journey in the upcoming year.

With the arrival of the new year, we celebrate the new  Valentine release that will help you design cards for those you cherish most.  Here are just a few ideas of how to use the latest supplies:

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Wishing you all a very happy and healthy new year!

Mon 30

Antique Heart Label and the Pinpoint Leaf Plate by Jean Okimoto

MemoryBoxPinpointLeafPlate, MemoryBoxAntiqueHeartLabel, MemoryBoxDoubleStitchHappyHeartCutOut, MemoryBoxOpenStudioBigAndLittleValentines, MemoryBoxRectangleBasics, MemoryBox2020ValentinesCollection, JeanOkimoto, HandmadeValentineCards, ValentineDiecuts, HeartDiecuts, VersaFine, ImpressCardsAndCrafts, ValentineGreetingStamps

The beautiful Pinpoint Leaf Plate creates the perfect backdrop for any occasion.  The intricate details surround and highlight the Double Stitch Happy Heart Cut Out and the Antique Leaf Label on a simple Valentine I've designed for you. Hello, Jean Okimoto here on the second-to-the-last day of another decade!  

MemoryBoxPinpointLeafPlate, MemoryBoxAntiqueHeartLabel, MemoryBoxDoubleStitchHappyHeartCutOut, MemoryBoxOpenStudioBigAndLittleValentines, MemoryBoxRectangleBasics, MemoryBox2020ValentinesCollection, JeanOkimoto, HandmadeValentineCards, ValentineDiecuts, HeartDiecuts, VersaFine, ImpressCardsAndCrafts, ValentineGreetingStamps

Cut light gray cardstock with the 3-¾" x 5" Rectangle Basics die.  This versatile die set is temporarily out of stock at Memory Box but may be available at your favorite Retailer.  

Cut it with the new Pinpoint Leaf Plate.  Round the corners of the rectangle - and a top-folded light gray A-2 card.  They'll match the Antique Heart Label.  

Cut the second-largest Double Stitch Happy Heart Cut Out from red cardstock.  This great die set dual-tasks as 4 stitched outlines and 4 solid hearts - it's a new favorite here at Memory Box!

Cut Antique Heart Label from dark gray carstock.  Cut the top 4 hearts from silver glitter cardstock and the bottom 3 hearts from red glitter cardstock.

Stamp the greeting - from the new Big and Little Valentine's - on white cardstock with VersaFine Onyx Black. Dry the ink, then trim it with the Antique Leaf Label.

Assemble the card...then sign, seal and give it to someone special.

MemoryBoxPinpointLeafPlate, MemoryBoxAntiqueHeartLabel, MemoryBoxDoubleStitchHappyHeartCutOut, MemoryBoxOpenStudioBigAndLittleValentines, MemoryBoxRectangleBasics, MemoryBox2020ValentinesCollection, JeanOkimoto, HandmadeValentineCards, ValentineDiecuts, HeartDiecuts, VersaFine, ImpressCardsAndCrafts, ValentineGreetingStamps

Big thanks to everyone from last week's first VALENTINE WISHES class at Impress!  More thanks to Jenny, Jan and Jacky for the pretzels, Valentine and New Year's treats and German Santas - and to Robin for the blueberry fritters and Jan's birthday lunch!  My dogs and I thank Debbie for her cool Mindful Pet Parent bag.  (I resolve to be more mindful and less mindless in '20.) Thanks too - Ann, Shari, Erin and Lynne for helping everyone fill those baskets with the Memory Box and Poppy Valentine Collections.

If you're in the Seattle area, join us for the new LOVENOTES Valentine class at Impress on January 4th.  There are so many great new dies and stamps in the 2020 Valentine's Collection that it's hard to chose which design to use next!

Hope you liked today's card.  I really appreciate all of your thoughtful comments throughout the year...thank you!

Jeansignature-3

 

 

 

 

 

 

Supplies

 

Sun 29

Friendship Across the Miles
by Laura Fulcher

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Greetings friends.  When I wrote my tutorial about using 3D embossing folders, I went ahead and made a ton of backgrounds.  After all, when you have things set up, why not make a bunch to have on hand? The Shining Mandala folder will be part of the Memory Box February release.

For today's card, I used the embossed background as well as one of the images from the Friendship Floral Heart clear stamp set.  I absolutely love that the set has a ton of sentiment to send your friends. I stamped the image onto 140lb watercolor paper with black versafine ink and then colored my flower with Zig clean color real brush markers.  I then softened all of the colors using a waterbrush.

Here is a close up of the flower:

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I cut out the flower with detail scissors and then glued it along with the sentiment onto my 3D background.

Do you send more cards to your friends or family?  I am just curious.

Have a wonderful end to your weekend.

Laurasignature


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Fri 27

Feeling Grateful
by Michelle Bala

Hello there!  Michelle here.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        10

Today I used the stamp sets Grateful Autumn and Winter Greenery and designed a card for a friend who is always there for me :) I embossed the leaves with gold embossing powder and colored them using Copic Markers.  I used shades G40, G43, and G46 for the base and added some dots with W7, and G28. Trim and set aside.
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I inked up the background using distress oxide inks in shades tumbled glass, shaded lilac, and chipped sapphire. I splashed some white and gold paint spaltters. After the paint dried, I stamped the background using the Winter Greenery stamp set with black ink. 
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I adhered the embossed leaf cluster with foam tape and added some clear stickles glitter glue. Lastly, I embossed and trimmed the sentiment and added some gems.

Thank you for taking a peek! Hope you have a great day!

Michellesignature (2)

 

 

Supplies

 

Fri 27

Memory Box Valentine's Card ft. Heart Bouquet 3-D Embossing Folder
by Vicki Finger

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Good Morning!  Vicki here with you today!  It's my turn up on the Memory Box Blog, "Outside The Box" today.  I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday yesterday!  Christmas Eve and the weekend before are our big days to celebrate, so I spent a quiet day at home yesterday with my husband and our doggies.  

In the new Memory Box Valentine's Release, there is a gorgeous Embossing Folder called Heart Bouquet.  This is a 3-D Embossing Folder and it is so beautiful that I confess I had a hard time putting anything over it to create a card.  There are so many ways to use embossing folders, but I wanted something that would enhance it, rather than cover it up.  

To start, I misted the back of a 4.25 x 5-inch Panel of Sweet Blush Cardstock with plain water on the back side.  I use a bottle that sprays a very fine mist.  This allows the paper to stretch and give a little bit and gives the crispest impression.  

Next, I die cut the outline of the Scribble Rose Trio from Gold Foiled Cardstock and the solid images from Pale Peony Cardstock.  I attached the outline to the back piece with Ranger Multi Medium Matte.  I have a ScraPerfect fine line tip for this purpose.  

I die cut the Love Airy Script from Gold Foil as well and laid it across my heart while adding the roses to the lower-left area.  This card was super simple to make!  I can't wait to have time to play with this folder more and I have a specific technique in mind to try with it.  I'm traveling for the first few weeks of January so it will be a few weeks before I know if my technique worked or not.  How's that for a little teaser?  I hope you won't mind waiting too much and will look forward to my next post!  Thanks so much for stopping by today.  We all really appreciate it when you take the time to spend here on the blog.

Vickisignature

Thu 26

Scribble Rose Trio and the Tall Sketch Heart by Jean Okimoto

MemoryBoxTallSketchHeart, MemoryBoxScribbleRoseTrio,MemoryBoxDashingStripesAndDots6x6Prints, BirchPressDesignShimmerLinesWideWashiTape,JeanOkimoto, MemoryBox2020Valentine'sCollection, HeartDiecuts, FlowerDiecuts, ImpressCardsAndCrafts

The new Tall Sketch Heart creates a great background for the Scribble Rose Trio on a simple card for any occasion.  Add an upbeat greeting from the Big and Little Valentine's Clear Stamps Set and gem stickers to complete the design.  Hello, Jean Okimoto here with a quick and easy card today.

MemoryBoxTallSketchHeart, MemoryBoxScribbleRoseTrio,MemoryBoxDashingStripesAndDots6x6Prints, BirchPressDesignShimmerLinesWideWashiTape,JeanOkimoto, MemoryBox2020Valentine'sCollection, HeartDiecuts, FlowerDiecuts, ImpressCardsAndCrafts

Cut Tall Sketch Heart from light gray cardstock.  Cut the solid Scribble Rose Trio background from Coral Creme cardstock.  Cut the rose trio outline from Smoky cardstock.

Stamp the greeting on Coral Creme cardstock with Morning Mist VersaFine Clair.  Emboss it with detail clear powder.

Attach Birch Press Design's Shimmer Lines Wide Washi Tape to Arroyo cardstock.  Cut a 1-¼" x 5" strip of it to add a soft shimmer and a delicate gold pattern to the card.

Cut accent strips - ¾" x 4-½" of the gray stripes from the Dashing Stripes and Dots 6x6 Set - ad 2" x 3-½" of Coral Creme cardstock.

Attach everything to a white A-6 card.  Add gold gem stickers.

MemoryBoxTallSketchHeart, MemoryBoxScribbleRoseTrio,MemoryBoxDashingStripesAndDots6x6Prints, BirchPressDesignShimmerLinesWideWashiTape,JeanOkimoto, MemoryBox2020Valentine'sCollection, HeartDiecuts, FlowerDiecuts, ImpressCardsAndCrafts

Join us for the Valentine Wishes class at Impress on December 28th.  It's a new, added class to introduce the Valentine's 2020 Collection.  We're making cards featuring the new collection - and adding glitter, artpapers and a favorite origami heart.

Impress is also having their annual after-Christmas sales thru December 31st.  Enjoy 40% discounts on all in-store Christmas products.  It's a great time to make a list of the Memory Box, Poppystamps and Birch Press Designs Christmas items you've been wishing for and take  advantage of this great sale.

Thanks for visiting...keep warm!  Jeansignature-3

Wed 25

Diecut Friendship Floral Heart with Double Stitch Loving Heart Cut Out by Jean Okimoto

MemoryBoxFriendshipGardenFloralHeartClearStamps, MemoryBoxBigAndLittleValentinesClearStamps, MemoryBoxDoubleStitchLovingHeartCutOut, PoppystampsSnowspeckleWideWashiTape, JeanOkimoto, MemoryBox2020Valentine'sCollection, HeartDiecuts, ValentineDiecuts, WatercoloredHearts, ImpressCardsAndCrafts

Merry Christmas to everyone celebrating today!  

December arrived so quickly, bringing the Valentine's 2020 Collection filled with beautiful hearts and flowers.  Hello, Jean Okimoto here with a simple watercolored design from the new collection - and a faux-splatter technique.

MemoryBoxFriendshipGardenFloralHeartClearStamps, MemoryBoxBigAndLittleValentinesClearStamps, MemoryBoxDoubleStitchLovingHeartCutOut, PoppystampsSnowspeckleWideWashiTape, JeanOkimoto, MemoryBox2020Valentine'sCollection, HeartDiecuts, ValentineDiecuts, WatercoloredHearts, ImpressCardsAndCrafts

Spritz the smoother side of watercolor paper with a fine mist of water.  Paint it a pale, watery pink - I used a diluted Kaleidacolor dye ink refill.  Heat-set it - from both sides to minimize curling.

Stamp the large Friendship Floral Heart with VersaFine Onyx Black.  Quickly emboss it with detail clear powder.  Watercolor the flowers, leaves and berries.  Heat-set it again.

Cover the entire heart with the Poppystamps Snowspeckle Wide Washi Tape. It's a versatile tape with a soft translucent shimmer - and white specks. It resembles random splatters of white paint, water or bleach.  These amazing little white spots landed exactly where I wanted them to - unlike the wayward, wonkly splatters I usually end up with. Cut it with the largest Double Stitch Loving Heart Cut Out.  Cut the front panel of a gray 5-½" square card with the same die.  

Paint the smooth side of a watercolor paper scrap pink.  Heat-set the ink and stamp "be happy" from the new Big and Little Valentine's Clear Stamps with a clean VersaMark inkpad.  Heat-emboss it with detail clear powder, set it aside to cool.  Brush Slate Gray Kaleidacolor Dye Ink over it with a slightly damp wide paintbrush.  The embossed greeting will resist the dye ink and match the Friendship Floral Heart.

Assemble the card - use foam dots for the greeting.  Add ¼" punched circles of pink glittered cardstock.

MemoryBoxFriendshipGardenFloralHeartClearStamps, MemoryBoxBigAndLittleValentinesClearStamps, MemoryBoxDoubleStitchLovingHeartCutOut, PoppystampsSnowspeckleWideWashiTape, JeanOkimoto, MemoryBox2020Valentine'sCollection, HeartDiecuts, ValentineDiecuts, WatercoloredHearts, ImpressCardsAndCrafts

Hope you enjoyed the tutorial and will try these techniques on holiday thank-yous and Valentine designs. 

Thanks for visiting - see you again tomorrow!

Jeansignature-3

94359

Double Stitch Loving Heart Cut Out

CL5250

Friendship Floral Heart Clear Stamps Set

CL5252-1

Big and Little Valentine's Clear Stamps Set

WT301

Poppystamps Snowspeckle Wide Washi Tape

 

 

 

Tue 24

3D Embossing Folder Tutorial
by Laura Fulcher

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Greetings friends. In the latest Memory Box release, there is a new 3D embossing folder called Heart Bouquet.  The advantage of using a 3D folder is that you get incredible dimensional layers in your paper.  There are a couple of steps though to make sure that you get a good impression. For the tutorial today though, I will be using an embossing folder called Shining Mandala that will be part of the February release.  The tutorial works for any of the 3D folders!

I have a Sizzix Big Shot, so I will be sharing steps for using this die cutting machine.

1.  Spritz your paper lightly before putting it in the folder.  This will give you a much better impression.

2. Open the base plate to "Tab A," which is the embossing folder setting

3. Place folder with cardstock inside on top of the base plate.

4. Place one of the plates on top of the folder (you will only be using one plate).

5. Run the folder through the machine twice to get a good impression.

You can then choose if you want to use the embossed side for your card:

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Or, you can flip the paper over and used the debossed (flatter) side:

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The impressions you get with a 3D folder are just incredible.  Here is a close up of the background of my card:

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To finish the card, I added a heart cut from patterned paper, a strip of vellum and my love sentiment.  I hope everyone will give the folder a try!

Laurasignature

Mon 23

Hanukkah Gift Tags
by Anne Thompson

Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday which celebrates the victory of the Maccabees over the larger Syrian army. It also celebrates a miracle that happened during this time, where just a day's supply of oil allowed the menorah in the rededicated Temple in Jerusalem to remain lit for eight days.  --Wikipedia

Hanukkah this year began at sunset on Sunday December 22nd and the first candle was lit on the menorah.  Families celebrate by lighting one candle the first night, two on the second and so forth during the eight days of Hanukkah.  They recite prayers, sing songs, children play a game with dreidels (a spinning four-sided top), and gifts are exchanged.  And there's chocolate (gelt) and latkes and other delicious foods.

Sun 22

Merry & Bright
by Donna Sledzik

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Good morning everyone, I can't believe Christmas is in a few days!  I have my final Christmas card for 2019 for you today! Inevitably, we always need one more card.

To make this card, I placed a piece of painters tape across the middle of a piece of white cardstock.  Using a blender brush I applied green distress inks to my cardstock.

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Once the ink was dry I stamped my image with Versa Mark ink and heat embossed it with gold embossing powder.  While the tape was still in place I sponged the edges of the paper with Forest Moss distress ink.  

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Next I peeled off the tape and spattered it with white ink.  I adhered this to a red glitter cardstock mat and glued it to a white card base.  

I die cut the word merry from red glitter paper and glued it to my card front.

I stamped the sentiment "and bright" on black cardstock and heat embossed it with gold embossing powder. Then I used foam tape to adhere it to the card.

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I hope you enjoyed this final Christmas card of 2019!

I wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Donnasignature

 

Supplies