You Are Mer-Mazing by Melissa Rusk

Happy Wednesday! Today I have a card to share using some of the latest release. These dies and stamps are so much fun!

I loved the mermaid from the Mermaid Wonder Frame die and I cut her out in a white paper. I colored her in with Copic Markers. I took the fish from the Underwater Scene die and did the same thing. Cut out in white and then colored with Copic Markers.

For my background I used a piece of glossy photo paper. Using two different colors of liquid water colors I placed drops on the paper. Then I took my mist bottle filled with water and sprayed over the drops.

The sprays of water will send the color in different directions on your paper. If you get any pooling of color near the edges, just place a paper towel next to the paper to pull away the excess water color. Let the paper dry and then you can trim it down to fit on your card.

I finished the card off with the cute sentiment from the Ocean Typewriter Sentiments stamp set. I added some clear gems and some clear Nuvo drops to make bubbles on the water.

I hope you try out this technique, it's super fun and you get a different look each time you do it depending on how much water you spray and in what direction.

 

Supplies

 

CL5240 Oceanside Typewriter Sentiments clear stamp set

94222 Mermaid Wonder Frame craft die

94224 Underwater Scene craft die

New Stained Glass Rose Frame and Springtime Typewriter Sentiments by Jean Okimoto

Brighten a winter day with the new Stained Glass Rose Circle Frame and a little note.  The greeting is from the new Springtime Typewriter Sentiments Clear Stamp Set.   Hello and happy weekend - Jean Okimoto here with more designs from our 2019 Spring Collection of dies and stamps.

There are many ways to use this delicately-pretty new frame.  Circles are an easy way to add a bright background to each blossom.  The ¾" circles aren't a perfect fit - but I think they add a cool, quirky pop of color.  Hope you agree!

Sponge the smoother side of watercolor paper with Brilliance Pearlescent Orchid, Pearlescent Orange and Rocket Red Gold.  Cut ¾" circles with a Circle Basics die - cut a few extras so you can chose the perfect colors.

You could glue the circles behind each delicate rose...that would take more time and patience than I have.  Here's an easier way - pressure-emboss Stained Glass Rose Circle Frame directly onto a side-folded A-2 card of white textured cardstock. The embossing shows exactly where the roses are - and adds shadowy extra dimension.  

Glue the circles onto the embossed roses - then attach the white diecut frame over the circles.  Adhere the leaves and a few spots on the frame.  You won't need any glue behind the delicate rose diecuts.

Stamp the greeting - from the Springtime Typewriter Sentiments set - on a scrap of sponged watercolor paper with VersaFine Clair Pinecone.  Use a light touch when stamping - the pearlescent inks can be a little slippery.  Heat-set the ink and trim the greeting with the ½" x 1-¾" Rectangle Basics die.  Attach it with foam dots.

Add pale pink gem stickers.

Hope our Spring Collection has arrived at your favorite retailer.  It's in stock and waiting for you at Impress!  Spring will be here soon - I hope.

If you're in the Seattle area, join us for the SIMPLY ASIAN class at Impress on February 18th, Presidents Day.  Create cards with the latest release, favorites from the stash - and designs from Birch Press and Poppystamps too.  Please call the store at 206 901.9101 to reserve a seat if you can join us.  

Thanks for visiting...enjoy your weekend!

Supplies

 

94231 Stained Glass Rose Circle Frame craft die

CL5239 Springtime Typewriter Sentiments clear stamp set

30087 Circle Basics Set

30086 Rectangle Basics Set

You are Enough by Melissa Rusk

Happy Saturday! Today I have a card that is perfect to send to someone who needs a little encouragement. 

The Lace Butterfly die is beautiful and perfect for thinking about Spring cards or encouragement cards. To highlight the beauty of the butterfly I decided to keep things simple and stamp repeatedly the sentiment you are enough from the Best Life Typewriter Sentiments set in a light teal color. Then I glued the butterfly to the card and added a line of pearls on the body.

This sentiment is one I can see using again and again in cards to friends. I hope you have a wonderful and crafty weekend!

 

Supplies

 

94116 Lace Butterfly craft die

CL5237 Best Life Typewriter Sentiments

Double Embossing with Dies by Trina Pham

Hi there!  This is Trina and I am back to share another CAS card using the Bright Hearts die from the Valentine’s Collection and a die technique I’ve had on my to-try-list for probably over two years.  😂   Better late than never, right?  I’ve seen it done throughout blogland, but I believe it originated from Jennifer McGuire.  Here’s my card.

This is a super easy technique combining both dry and heat embossing with dies.  I found darker cardstock looked best.  Started by prepping the cardstock with an anti static bag and then setting it in my die cutting machine to be dry embossed.  Placed the die with the cutting edge facing up, then gently inked only the raised cutting edge with VersaMark.  Carefully picked up the die and flipped it onto the cardstock.  Ran it through the die cutting machine to dry emboss it, then added white embossing powder.

The embossing powder sticks to the VersaMark embossed lines.  Heat embossed to complete the technique.  Even after using the anti-static bag, I found the powder strayed quite a bit.  I simply used a small brush to remove them before applying the heat.  

I wanted the image to stand out more, so I used a black Polychromos pencil to add some shading.  The sentiments from Best Life Typewriter stamp set were white heat embossed on hot pink cardstock and popped up with foam adhesive.  For some sparkle (wasn’t able to capture it in the photo), added clear shimmer to finish.

 Essentially this is like “turning your dies into stamps” and is a great way to stretch your dies.  Thank you for stopping by.  Enjoy your day!

Supplies

 

94120 Bright Hearts craft die

CL5237 Best Life Typewriter Sentiments

 

Snow Much Love by Trina Pham

Hello there!  This is Trina.  Before I begin, I want to thank everyone who took the time to leave such encouraging comments here, on my blog and on my IG account for my first DT post.  Not sure if you could tell, but I was a little nervous and those comments brought a smile to my face!  So my card today honoured that.  

Last year in September, I purchased the Snow Much Fun stamp set.  I think it’s just that - so much fun!  For some reason, it takes at least a month for my orders to arrive in Canada from this one US company.  This time, though, the waiting dragged to almost two months and then I received notification that my order had been returned because I had moved!  Huh, what?!?  (I may or may not have used more animated language here... just saying).  😂

Major postal service error since I never moved!  I ended up re-ordering it from a different US company, but that meant it would not arrive in time for the holiday season.  And rather than waiting till the end of this year, I used it to create this.

Love must be in the air because these two are no longer throwing snowballs at each other and are quite smitten.  😉   Started off by stamping the bunny images on X-press It cardstock with Copic friendly black ink.  Coloured them with Copics then die cut out with the matching dies.  The heart framed fence from Neighborhoid Heart Frame was then die cut three times from white cardstock and stacked for dimension.  Adhered the bunnies behind the frame and trimmed off the overhangs.

On a 4”x5.25”panel cut from mixed media paper, the sentiment from Best Life Typewriter was heat embossed with white embossing powder.  Next, Wilted Violet, Shaded Lilac and Blueprint Sketch distress oxide inks were blended on with a mini blending tool.  The embossed sentiment resisted the ink.  Spritz it with a DIY shimmer spray created by mixing water with Perfect Pearls (couldn’t capture the shimmer in the photo).  Adhered the panel to a white card base and added a few sparkly clear sequins to finish.

I love stretching my supplies whever possible.  And the Neighborhoid Heart Frame set made this possible today.  Thank you for visiting.  Have a wonderful week.

Supplies

 

94102 Neighborhood Heart Frame craft die

CL5237 Best Life Typewriter Sentiments

CL5224 Snow Much Fun clear stamp set

32224 Snow Much Fun die set

 

 

Butterfly Heart Frame by Melissa Rusk

Happy Wednesday friends! Today I have another fun die from the new release to share. I used the Butterfly Heart Frame to make a square card filled with bling.

I die cut the frame in two different colors of purple paper. I then covered each piece with Clear Wink of Stella to create the glittery look on the paper. I pieced the hearts back together on the square card by alternating the purple colors.

I finished it off with pearls in the centers of the biggest flowers. Since I cut it out in two colors I also had pieces to make a second card in opposite colors. I love when you can make more than one card with the same supplies. Have a wonderful day!

 

Supplies

 

94110 Butterfly Heart Frame craft die

Bokeh Woodland Heart Frame by Trina Pham

Greetings friends.  I wanted to take a quick moment to announce a change to our design team. We were very sad to see Penny Ward leave the team, but we are really excited to welcome our new design team member.....Trina Pham!  Trina's beautiful work with Memory Box products really caught our attention and we knew that we wanted her to join our team.  I hope that you will welcome her and her creative ideas.  -Laura

*********************************************

Hi there!  As Laura mentioned, I’m Trina and I am excited and honoured to join the Memory Box design team!  I live in Canada with my husband of 13+ years.  This was around the same time I accidentally discovered this wonderful papercrafting hobby.  I’m sure like a lot of you, heat embossing hooked me.  However, it wasn’t until I started entering challenges and blogging in 2016 that my addiction passion grew.  I scrapbooked and made 3-D paper projects, but now my focus is on cards. My cards are mostly clean and simple (CAS), but I don’t like to limit myself and will try anything.  You can find me at Phamtastic Design.  

Okay, now onto the fun stuff.  Here’s today’s card using the new Woodland Heart Frame..

Most, if not all, of my cards are inspired by challenges.  This month the theme at CAS Mix Up card challenge is Bokeh.  This is an easy and fun background technique.   To start, Cracked Pistachio, Salty Ocean, Mermaid Lagoon and Blueprint Sketch distress inks were blended with a mini blending tool on a scrap of white cardstock.  

A circle stencil was created next from a piece of acetate and the four smallest circles in the Basic Circles die set.  White pigment ink was then sponged through the stencil with a sponge dauber, making sure to overlap and vary the intensity of the ink.  Set it aside to dry. 

In the meantime, the circle framed trees from Woodland Heart Frame was die cut three times from  white cardstock and stacked for dimension.  

On an A2 size piece of white linen cardstock, the sentiment was stamped in blue then heat embossed with clear embossing powder.  To assemble the card, the Bokeh background piece was die cut out with a circle die and adhered behind the circle framed trees.  Mounted everything to a white card base to finish.

Many of the products from the recent Valentine’s release would work beautifully with this technique.  That does it for my first official DT post.  Thank you for stopping by.  Enjoy your day!

 

 

Supplies

 

94121 Woodland Heart Frame craft die

30087 Circle Basics Set

You Make Me Smile by Melissa Rusk

Happy Wednesday and welcome to another fun day of our Blog Blitz! 

Today I am sharing the Bright Hearts die and the coordinating Bright Rays die. I started with the Bright Hearts and cut it out in a white circle. Then using the Bright Rays die I was able to cut perfect slices of white paper that I colored in a rainbow with my Copic markers and glued them behind each line of hearts. It fits perfectly and is so much fun to play with!

To finish off the card I stamped the you make me smile from the Best Life Typewriter stamp set. This is such a great set that you are sure to get a lot of use out of, I know I will.

Now for the fun part! Would you like a chance to win the Bright Rays die for your very own?  Leave a comment to this post before Sunday, January 13th at 11:59pm EST.  One person at random will be chosen to win the die.  All the winners will be posted on the Outside the Box blog at 6pm EST on Monday, January 14th. Don't forget to visit the blog this week for more chances to win.  Good luck!

Supplies

 

94120 Bright Hearts craft die

94117 Bright Rays craft die

30087 Circle Basics Set

CL5237 Best Life Typewriter Sentiments

Heart Board, Best Life Typewriter Sentiments Clear Stamps and Awesome Jotted Script by Jean Okimoto

The new Heart Board creates a versatile background - and cuts sweet Valentine confetti too!  Add glitter, Awesome Jotted Script and a greeting from the new Best Life Typewriter Sentiments Clear Stamp Set.  Hi, happy weekend - Jean Okimoto here with a simple but special design for Valentine's Day - or any day.

Cut white cardstock with the 2-¾" x 4" Wrapped Stitch Rectangle die.  

Here's a quick tip to keep the painter's tape or washi tape from damaging the cardstock when the design requires very specific positioning.  Lightly brush the areas to be taped with the embossing powder tool.  It leaves a very light dusting of powder that allows the tape to adhere - but still be removable.

Cut the rectangle with the new Heart Board.

You could cut 25 glittered hearts and fill the cutouts individually.  Or - use this quick technique to add color using pink and salmon Scotch Expressions Magic Tape.  Just attach strips of tape to the reverse side of the diecut rectangle.  It doesn't need to look pretty - it's just the back.

Flip it over and brush ultrafine iridescent glitter onto the pink and salmon tape in the cutouts.  

Cut Awesome Jotted Script from pink and dark gray cardstock.  

Prep dark gray cardstock with the embossing powder tool.  Stamp "you are enough" - from the new Best Life Clear Stamp Set - with VersaMark.  Emboss it with detail white powder.  Trim it - and it's a quick upgrade from "enough" to "awesome."

Attach the diecuts to a 5-¼" square white card.  Add pink gem stickers.  

Hope you've loving the Valentine's 2019 Collection as much as we're enjoying sharing these ideas with you.  Thanks for stopping by!

 

Supplies

 

94104 Heart Board craft die

30094 Wrapped Stitch Rectangles

94015 Awesome Jotted Script craft die

CL5237 Best Life Typewriter Sentiments

Cheers Jotted Script, Equal Triangle Clear Stamps Set and Rectangle Basics by Jean Okimoto

Combine the upbeat Equal Triangle Clear Stamps Set with Cheers Jotted Script for a special celebration...like welcoming the New Year!  Hello everyone, Jean Okimoto here with a very stamp-y design for you on my last post of 2018.

Cut smooth white cardstock with the 5" x 3-¾" Rectangle Basics die.  

The Imagine Crafts inkpads used here are - Charming Pink VersaFine Clair, Pearlescent Orchid Brilliance, Starlite Silver Brilliance and Celestial Copper Delicata.  Place your cardstock on a padded surface - like the Craft Mat from Imagine Crafts -  for the perfect amount of cushioning.   I like to stand when stamping, and look directly through the acrylic block from the top.  Stamp each image, then briefly airdry it before proceeding with the next image.

Stamp the largest solid triangle with Charming Pink, clean the stamp, then stamp the "offset reflection" image with Pearlescent Orchid.  Repeat the process with the other two solid triangles.  Stamp the diagonally lined triangles with Charming Pink.

Clean the stamp and stamp the solid triangles with Starlite Black.  Stamp the double-lined triangles with Starlite Black too.

Stamp the smallest solid triangles with Celestial Copper.

Gently heat-set all of the inks.

Cut Cheers Jotted Script from Flintstone and white cardstock.

Attach everything to an A-6 (4-½" x 6-¼") card of textured white cardstock.  Add clear gem stickers.

Thanks for selecting genuine Memory Box, Poppystamps and and Birch Press Design products for your projects.  They're personally designed by Dave Brethauer - and made in the USA.  We appreciate your support!

Special thanks to everyone who drove, flew or ferried to Impress in Tukwila for my classes throughout the year.  It's always great to see you again  - and to meet new students and friends too.  Hope you enjoy the classes and are inspired to create unique designs too.

Cheers and happy wishes for the New Year!

Supplies

 

94075 Cheers Jotted Script craft die

CL5229 Equal Triangle clear stamp set

30086 Rectangle Basics Set