Spritz, Sponge and Speckle a Slimline Birthday Card by Jean Okimoto

Need a birthday card idea? Here's a spring birthday greeting in pinks and greens. Hi, Jean Okimoto here with techniques for weekend crafting.

Spritz both sides of Open Studio Watercolor Paper lightly with water. Attach the Stained Glass Floral die to the smoother side of the paper. Pressure-emboss it with the rubber embossing mat and plates required for your machine.

Cut Stained Glass Floral again from printer paper - we're using the 3 large offcuts to mask the uninked sections of the watercolor paper. (You can also mask the very small triangle at the bottom...I didn't!) Lightly tape the offcuts to mask areas around the embossed design. Have a double layer of paper towel nearby.

Hold the offcuts down with a stylus or skewer and sponge the embossed sections with flamingo kitsch and twisted citron Distress Oxides. Carefully remove the offcuts and spritz the inked design with just enough water so the inks start moving and filling the embossed sections. Blot the excess ink with the paper towel. Heat-set the inks. Diecut it with the 2-½" Square Basics die.

Flick specks of diluted flamingo kitsch ink around the embossed design.

Cut the pink and green Spring Plaid Slim sheet with the 2-¼ x 7-¼" Slim Basic Rectangle Layers die. Cut a ¾" x 3-½" strip of the lime green Frosted Glitter Pad sheet. Attach both pieces to a pale sage slimline card (3-⅝" x 8-½"). Attach the embossed square.

Diecut Stained Glass Floral from a sheet in the 6x6 Lush Green Collection - leave it in the die. Attach narrow strips of lined doublestick tape - like Diecut'nBond or Scor-Tape - along the outer edges and run it through the machine again to cut the tape. Leave it in the die and remove the offcuts and tape liner pieces. Flip the diecut (still in the die) over onto the watercolor paper. Press it firmly to transfer and adhere the diecut onto the watercolor paper. Carefully remove the die.

Cut the Birthday Mail background from another 6x6 Lush Green Collection sheet. Cut the delicate Birthday Mail overlay from the pink Delicate Pastel Glitter Pad sheet. You can either save and attach the very, very tiny piece that dots the "i" - or punch a ¼" dot of the pink glittered sheet and attach it behind the tiny hole on the green diecut. Option #2 is much easier! Punch 3 more dots and attach them on the left side.

Thanks for following this long, detailed process - it's a lot easier than it sounds! Hope you'll try this idea with similar Memory Box dies and your favorite colors.

Have a great Sunday - see you again on Thursday...