Thistle Stems Hello by Anne Thompson

I have three HELLO RUSH SCRIPT 94468 cards today that all feature the THISTLE STEMS 94689 against one of the CURVED CAP PINPOINT LAYERS 94646.

• white notecards
• green plaid papers cut 5 1/4 X 4 from MADRAS PLAID CORAL AND GREEN PP1013

• cut CURVED CAP PINPOINT LAYERS 94646 die (the third size up from the smallest) and HELLO RUSH SCRIPT 94468 from three different green card stock papers in the LUSH GREEN COLLECTION SP1003

• add to the note cards

• die cut the THISTLE STEMS 94689 three times
• color with markers

• assemble the flowers
• add to the Curved Cap Pinpoint Layers
• add three WINTER FANTASY FAIRY GEMSTONES GEM 102 to each card

That's it!  Three pretty cards for spring!

Happy Crafting!

 

PP1013 Madras Plaid Coral and Green

94646 Curved Cap Pinpoint Layers

GEM102 Winter Fantasy Fairy Gemstones

94468 Hello Rush Script

94689 Thistle Stems

 

Backyard Floral Stems by Anne Thompson

Following along with this month's blog challenge, here's another of my floral favorites:  BACKYARD FLORAL STEMS 94638.

to make this card

• I die cut the BACKYARD FLORAL STEMS 94638 four times using watercolor paper.
• I left the die cuts in place and used my Kuretake watercolors to paint the flowers and stems.

• While waiting for the paint to dry I chose three different plaids from SPRING PLAID PP1012, trimmed each one to 5 1/4 X 4, and added each to the front of a white A2 note card.

• I carefully removed the painted flowers from the watercolor paper background--before painting I had run the die/paper through my machine several times to cut through the thick watercolor paper.
• I added the painted flowers to the front of one plaid notecard using a glue pen.

And because I had painted more than one bunch of flowers and had another card with pink plaid paper, I made a second card.

Two pretty floral all-occasion cards ready for appropriate sentiments before popping into the mail!

Happy Crafting!

Backyard Floral Stems 94638

Spring Plaid PP1012

 

Floral Bud and Stems by Anne Thompson

We've had significant snow every other day for awhile with more in the forecast.  I'm ready for spring!  So today's card is a bright spring-y one that features the new FLORAL BUD AND STEMS 94647.  It's also a card that fits with this month's blog challenge of Floral Favorites.

to make this card

• I began by cutting the FLORAL BUD AND STEMS 94647 three times using watercolor paper.
• I left the dies in place and used my Kuretake watercolor paints and a small brush to add color to the flowers and stems.

• While waiting for the paint to dry, I trimmed three pieces of MADRAS PLAID CORAL AND GREEN PP1013 to 5 1/4 X 4 and added each one to the front of a white A2 note card.

• Next I removed the dried flowers and stems carefully from the background watercolor paper and auditioned them on the three note cards.
• I chose the lightest one for this card and added the Floral Bud and Stems images to the front of the note card using a glue pen.

This all-occasion card is now ready to add whatever sentiment is appropriate before it goes into the mail.  Most likely I'll use a stamped sentiment on a banner at the base of the stems.

I hope you'll participate in this month's blog challenge.  I'd love to see what you create with your Floral Favorites.

Happy Crafting!

Floral Bud and Stems 94647

Madras Plaid Coral and Green PP1013

 

Thistle Stems by Anne Thompson

Here's a sweet and simple card featuring THISTLE STEMS 94689.

to make this card

• trim a piece of purple plaid paper from the SPRING PLAID PP1012 paper pad to 5 1/4 X 4
• add this plaid paper to the front of a side-fold A2 white note card

• die cut the third largest die from the CURVED CAP PINPOINT LAYERS 94646 SET using one of the darker green card stock papers from the LUSH GREEN COLLECTION SP1003
• die cut the THISTLE STEMS 94689 once from a light green card stock from the Lush Green Collection and once from a scrap of the same purple plaid used for the background

• assemble the flowers by snipping the small purple buds off the purple flower stems and glue them over the green ones; add the larger separate blooms on top of the small purple buds, letting a bit of the smaller bud peek out from underneath
• glue the flowers to the Curved Cap Pinpoint Layer
• add this panel to the front of the note card

This is a great all-occasion card--just add the appropriate sentiment and send it off!

If you haven't seen the latest from Memory Box, look here for 2023 February Collection.  There's an idea book to get you started and keep checking the Outside the Box blog for design team inspiration.

Happy Crafting!

94646 Curved Cap Pinpoint Layers

94689 Thistle Stems

Introducing a New Collection from Memory Box by Anne Thompson

I am beyond excited about a new release from Memory Box which debuts today!  There is so much spring goodness--florals, leaves, more sentiments, A2 rectangle and other frames, another hot foil plate, embossing folders with coordinating dies, and so much more.  I'm  sharing just the few things that I used to create this card:

materials and steps to create this card

choose one of the green plaid papers from MADRAS PLAID CORAL AND GREEN PP1013 to cover the front of a white notecard

die cut the CURLICUE PLATE 94698 from one of the bright green card stock papers in the LUSH GREEN COLLECTION SP1003

add the Curlicue Plate to the plaid paper--I used a Glue Pen

die cut the GENTLE ROSE WATERCOLOR FLORAL 94713 from two coordinating coral papers from the MADRAS PLAID CORAL AND GREEN PP1013 paper pad and assemble the flower--I used that Glue Pen again; the base die makes impressions that help to put the smaller pieces in the right place and the images on the back of the envelope are also helpful for placement

die cut the WAYFARER LEAVES 94712 from scraps of the same green card stock; later I added more leaves cut from the scrap of green plaid I had left

add the leaves to the flower with glue dots or tape

cut a 1" strip of white card stock the width of the card; at this point I decided this would be a top-fold card

secure the flower to the right end of the strip using dimensional foam dots

die cut the HELLO RUSH SCRIPT 94468  from a scrap of the same bright green card stock; add it to the left of the flower on the white strip

use more dimensional foam dots or squares to add the strip to the front of the notecard

I am so ready for spring!  And you will be, too, once you start making things with the newest from Memory Box in the February 2023 release.

Happy Crafting!

 

Sweets Packages for My Sweeties by Anne Thompson

Here are simple little packets to hold sweets for your sweeties.

• I actually made quite a few of these over the weekend using up more of the Jolly Christmas 6X6 papers.

This is the way I assembled them.

• Trim your paper to 3" X 4 1/2".  You'll need two of these.
• Score both pieces at 4".
  
• Add a piece of double-sided tape (I used Scor-Tape) on the back side of one of the folds.
• Add the other scored piece on top, matching the inside and outside plaids.  This forms the base of the packet so it will stand up.
  
  
• Add a strip of a coordinating paper to the center front.
• Punch a hole on either side of that strip near the top of the packet.  You will add baker's twine (or another kind of ribbon, twine, etc.) to close the packet once you've added the sweets.

• I used large Glue Dots to secure the chocolate squares inside the packet, attaching one to each inside strip.  

• I decorated this packet simply, adding small white pearls to the flower centers and larger red Fairy Dewdrops over the berries printed on the paper, and tied the packet closed with baker's twine.

• For this packet I die cut three of the SCALLOP PINPOINT LOVING HEART CUT OUT 94364  from white card stock.  I used the heart centers by gluing the largest one to the front center strip and then adding the others with foam dimensional dots between each one.
• I used baker's twine to tie the packet closed.

For a quicker assembly, use 8 1/2" X 11" card stock.  I prepared these for my valentines class at the senior center.

• Cut your card stock strips 3" X 8 1/2".
• Score at 3 7/8" and 4 5/8".
• Add decorative papers and embellishments to the front, add your sweets to the inside, punch two holes at the top through all the layers, and tie the packets closed.

You might need to adjust the size of your strips (width, length) depending on what kind of sweets you want to tuck inside...peanut butter cups, needhams, small candy bars, bags of sweets.  

And for decorating them--any of the hearts and floral dies and the valentine words dies from Memory Box!  Mix it up even more and add vintage valentine images, paper clips, buttons, ribbons, etc. 

Happy Crafting!

Valentine Card Backgrounds Using Jolly Christmas Paper by Anne Thompson

The idea for today's cards came from my friend Donna and I think it's a great way to repurpose the rest of the Jolly Christmas papers you have as backgrounds for valentine cards and also using Garland papers for adding decorative details. 

Start with a 4" X 4" square of one of the JOLLY CHRISTMAS PP1019 papers--I chose ones that had a lot of red and white or pinks in them.  Cut the square in half on the diagonal so you end up with two triangles.  Adhere the triangles to the front of a white (or red or pink) notecard with the shorter sides of the triangles aligned with the outside edges of the notecard, with the corner point in either the upper left and lower right corners or the upper right and lower left corners.  This will leave a solid band of color (that of the notecard) between the two triangles.  Cards can then be oriented for top-fold or side-fold opening.

Card One

• red and white plaid paper on a white notecard, side-fold, one triangle in the upper left corner and one in the lower right corner
• PINPOINT BURST HEART 94639 cut from white card stock glued on the top 2/3 of the card overlapping both triangles and the center band
• "Love" from SENDING LOVE DAILY SCRIPT 94661, background cut from white card stock and the detailed letters cut from a scrap of the same red and white plaid, assembled and glued in the lower right corner

Card Two

• pinks plaid paper on a white notecard, top-fold, one triangle in the upper left corner and one in the lower right corner
• large heart cut with one of the DOUBLE STITCH LOVING HEART CUT OUT dies 94359--use the plain heart that cuts out--cut from a coordinating floral paper in the GARLAND PP1010 paper pad, glued to the center of the card, overlapping both triangles and the center band
• "Love" from SENDING LOVE DAILY SCRIPT 94661, background cut from white card stock and the detailed letters cut from a scrap of the same pinks plaid, assembled and glued in the lower left corner

Card Three

• red plaid paper on white notecard, side-fold, one triangle in the upper left corner and one in the lower right corner
• HEART RING STACK 94662 cut from the pink roses on black floral paper in the GARLAND PP1010 paper pad, glued in the center white band
• two hearts, one medium and one small, cut with dies from the DOUBLE STITCH LOVING HEART CUT OUT 94359 set, the medium heart glued on the upper left triangle and the smaller one on the lower right triangle
• "Love" from SENDING LOVE DAILY SCRIPT 94661, background cut from white card stock and the detailed letters cut from a scrap of the same red plaid, assembled and glued in the lower right corner under the small heart

Card Four

• red plaid paper on white notecard, side-fold, one triangle in the upper right corner and one in the lower left corner
• RING STACK 94547 cut from a pink flowers with green ferns and white dots paper from the GARLAND PP1010 paper pad, glued across the white band, overlapping the plaid triangles a bit
• two medium hearts, again using the DOUBLE STITCH LOVING HEART CUT OUT die, one white and placed off-center behind one from the same floral paper, added to the lower right corner with dimensional foam dots
• one small heart, again using the DOUBLE STITCH LOVING HEART CUT OUT die, cut from the same floral paper and 0"Love" from SENDING LOVE DAILY SCRIPT 94661, background cut from white card stock and the detailed letters cut from a scrap of the same red plaid, assembled and glued in the lower left corner under the small heart

These are the dies I used:

Honestly, these cards came together very quickly.  I made all of the background triangles first and glued them to the notecards.  Then I auditioned the dies in my valentine box.  And there are so many I didn't choose that would have worked just as well or even better.  Think of all the floral dies you have!  And stamps!  The possibilities are endless.

Happy Crafting!

 

Using Your Dies as Stamps by Anne Thompson

I decided to make a technique post after watching this YouTube video recently where Jennifer McGuire demonstrated how to make stamps from dies using craft foam.  So this post today is about how you might try that technique with your Memory Box dies.  Unfortunately I haven't been able to download any of the many photos I took to accompany this post.  So...you are going to have to use your imagination along with what I've written below.  And then I would suggest that you watch Jennifer's video for a more detailed demonstration and stamping tips.

• I bought Sticky Back Foam Sheets in a package of five at the local Dollar General store for $1. 
• I used the white craft foam sheet for the two samples I made for this post. 
• I chose the BLISSFUL HEART HOT FOIL PLATE MBF014 first, mostly because I don't have the materials to do hot foiling and I'd been trying to find another way to use that die. 
• The other die I chose was the PINPOINT BURST HEART 94639. 
• I die cut both of them from the white foam craft sheet, one at a time, using the same set-up in my Big Shot as I would for die cutting card stock. 
• I then inked up each new foam stamp with VersaFine Clair Tulip Red ink.  I found that using a stylus or or other pointy tool to hold the stamp in place while I inked it up kept my fingers from getting too inky.  After flipping each stamp over onto a white notecard, I used a piece of scrap paper over the back as I applied even pressure to the stamp to transfer the ink and that scrap paper caught whatever ink was still on my fingers. 
• Because the craft foam has a sticky backing, using a Misti tool would also make the inking up and stamping much easier and would allow for multiple layers of ink for better coverage.

With the Blissful Heart Hot Foil Plate the raised images on the die are recessed on the stamp so those parts allow the white of the notecard to come through inside the red heart.  (That is the opposite effect of what happens when you use foil--the raised parts become the foiled images.)  With the Pinpoint Burst Heart, the little dots are white against the red heart.

What a great technique for expanding the use of the dies in my craft room!  Who knew that you could make stamps from your dies this way and very inexpensively.  I can't wait to try this technique with a variety of Memory Box dies.

Happy Crafting!

 
Blissful Heart Hot Foil Plate MBF014

Pinpoint Burst Heart 94639

Snowy Forest and Hearts Card by Anne Thompson

I need some quick and easy valentine card designs for the senior center card-making session later this month.  I have only 90 minutes with a group of six to eight participants to make at least four or five cards.  For the first card I decided on plaid paper using heart dies mixed with shiny mirror card and a favorite embossing folder.

• I began by covering the front of a white notecard with one of the red plaids from JOLLY CHRISTMAS PP1019.
• I took a second sheet of the same plaid pattern and placed three of the SCALLOP PINPOINT LOVING HEART CUT OUT 94364 dies nested inside each other and ran them through my die cutting machine.
  

• I chose a silver mirror paper from the VINTAGE PASTEL MIRROR PAD FP1002 and one of my favorite Memory Box embossing folders--SNOWY FOREST EF1010.

• I trimmed the embossed piece to 5 1/4 X 4 and added it to the card front using Scor-Tape.
• I tried several combinations of the die cut hearts against the silver embossed piece before settling on the one outline heart added with tape to the embossed image and its center solid heart added with a round foam dimensional dot offset to the bottom right of the first heart.

Embossing folders are a great way to add texture and dimension to a card.  Check out these in the Memory Box catalog.  In addition to SNOWY FOREST EF1010, HEART BOUQUET EF1006 and many of the others would make great backgrounds for valentines.  There are many new products in the 2023 Valentines Collection here as well that can be combined with other products from previous releases that you may already have.  And there are always the idea books and samples with the catalog entries as well as our blog posts for additional inspiration.

Happy Crafting!

Luxe Peony Pinpoint Burst Heart Thank You Notes by Anne Thompson

'Tis the season for writing a stack of thank you notes.  I chose a simple composition featuring a Luxe peony on a Pinpoint Burst Heart for the first few I need.  Here are two of them.

• I started with a white notecard and a green plaid from SPRING PLAID PP1012 cut 5 1/4 X 4.
• I added the PINPOINT BURST HEART 94639 cut with gold mirror card from VINTAGE PASTEL MIRROR PAD FP1002, secured with Scor-Tape.

• My next step was to choose two sheets of red plaid paper from JOLLY CHRISTMAS PP1019 for the LUXE PEONY 94714 and the THANK YOU POSH SCRIPT 94529.  I cut the peony several times from both sides of the plaid paper so I could mix the two papers.  I cut the background for the Thank You from the scraps left of the darker red plaid and the more detailed lettering from the lighter paper scraps.  I assembled the flowers with Glue Dots (and have tucked away a couple more for cards I'll make later) and I put the sentiments together with a Glue Pen.

• I wanted larger leaves than came with the peony so chose the larger set of leaves from the EXQUISITE LEAF SET 94664 and cut them from a darker green cardstock from the LUSH GREEN COLLECTION SP1003.

• For the final assembly, I added the leaf sprig with Glue Dots under a couple of the leaves and added the single leaf with another Glue Dot off to the bottom left corner.
• I used a large circular dimensional foam dot behind the center of the peony to add it to the heart.
• I used a Glue Pen to add the sentiment in the lower right.

This design would also work for a valentine, a wedding card, a birthday, or any other number of occasions.  And the color combinations are endless!

Happy Crafting!