New Summer Meadow Collage and Awesome Jotted Script by Jean Okimoto

Butterflies and blossoms from the just-released Summer Meadow Collage create the perfect backdrop for the new Awesome Jotted Script set.  Add a watercolored background and pale turquoise gem stickers and you'll have a sweet card for a very special person.  Hello, Jean Okimoto here with more inspiration from our Summer 2018 Collection.

Cut white cardstock with the 3-¾" x 4-¾" Pinpoint Rectangle Layer.  Cut Summer Meadow Collage - save the center offcut.  This die is designed to  cut a delicate frame with an open center.  We'll recyle the offcut to create a solid background for the greeting here.

Paint watercolor paper with pale, diluted layers of Kaleidacolor ink refills.  They're perfect as liquid watercolors - and come in over 50 great shades ranging from soft pastels to bright jewel tones.  Airdry it for a few minutes, give it light spritz of water to soften the colors,  then heat-set it.  Cut it with the same Pinpoint Rectangle Layer die. 

Stamp the greeting - from the Spring Lilacs Clear Stamps - on the collage offcut with Starlite Black Brilliance.  

Cut the delicate Awesome Jotted Script from dark gray cardstock.  Cut the background from pink cardstock.  Here's a tip to make layering quick and easy...attach both ends of the delicate script to the matching background first, then secure the remaining portion.  You'll never run out of background - or have too much background.  

Attach the diecuts to a 5-½" square white card.  Add pale turquoise gem stickers.

There are three other Jotted Script die sets - birthday, thanks and wonderful - and we love all of them too!  They may look fragile - but they're easy to diecut.  Trust me - I cut twelve "awesome" sets and twelve "thanks"  for last week's Summer Hearts class in just a few minutes.  

Special thanks to everyone from the BEYOND THE BOX and SUMMER HEARTS classes at Impress last weekend.  I appreciate how so many of you took both classes - and drove or ferried to Tukwila for the entire day!  Thanks too - Shari and Laura - for helping everyone fill their baskets. 

Thanks for visiting - see you again tomorrow...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Supplies

 

94015 Awesome Jotted Script craft die

94013 Summer Meadow Collage craft die

CL5199 Spring Lilacs clear stamp set

30065 Pinpoint Rectangle Layers

Everglade Collage and Elegant Shorebirds by Jean Okimoto

Everglade Collage looks like the perfect background for a trio of flamingo-colored Elegant Shorebirds.  Tuck one behind the leafy edge and layer the others over the collage for a bit of dimension.  Add a quick greeting - and your card is ready to go!

Hello, Jean Okimoto here with another quick and easy design today.  Cut white cardstock and watercolor paper with the 4.4" Stitched Oval Layer die.  Cut the cardstock oval with the Everglade Collage.

Press the orange, yellow and pink inks from the Kaleidacolor Luau inkpad onto an acrylic stamp block.  Paint diluted, blended layers of the inks onto the watercolor paper oval. Air-dry it for a few minutes.  Spritz it lightly with water -  daub the darker areas with paper towel to lighten some areas if necessary.  Heat-set the inks. 

Cut Elegant Shorebirds from flamingo cardstock.  Mask the adjacent areas and daub VersaFine Clair Nocturne onto the legs and beaks.  Trim the legs and beaks from the black birds and layer it  - slightly offset - behind the others for dimension.

Score, cut and fold a white A-6 (4-½" x 6-¼") card.  Stamp the greeting - from the Sentimental Iris Clear Stamps Set - with VersaFine Clair Glamorous.

Attach the diecuts to the card.  Add black gem stickers.

Summer has finally arrived - even in Seattle!  It's time for simple cards, splashy colors and outdoor scenes.  Take a few minutes to make some quick cards for your stash,  then enjoy the sunshine!

Thanks for visiting - hope you'll stop by tomorrow for Donna's great card...

 

 

Supplies

 

99730 Elegant Shorebirds

99945 Everglade Collage craft die

30069 Stitched Oval Layers

CL5202 Snetimental Iris clear stamp set

Reverse Butterfly Collage, Wrapped Stitch Rectangles and Honeycomb Square by Jean Okimoto

A summer favorite - the classic Reverse Butterfly Collage - is great for a watercolored card.   Add a trio of glittered hexagons from the Honeycomb Square for  sparkly accents and it's ready for any occasion.  Hi, Jean Okimoto here with a simple summer design for you.

Cut smooth white cardstock and watercolor paper with the 4-¼" x 5-½" Wrapped Stitch Rectangle die.  Cut the white cardstock with the Reverse Butterfly Collage.

Paint the watercolor paper with diluted,  overlapping layers of Kaleidacolor Dye Ink Refills - they're great as  liquid watercolors.  Air-dry it for a few minutes, then lightly spritz it with water.  Heat-set it.  Trim the edges just a tiny bit so they don't unexpectedly peek out along the sides of the card

Attach the diecuts to a top-folded A-2 card of smooth white cardstock.

Cut three of the butterfly center/antennae from the Morning Garden Butterflies set from gold mirror cardstock.

Cut purple glitter cardstock with the Honeycomb Square die to create a stash of sparkly little hexagon accents.

Paint some extra watercolor papers while your supplies are still out and you'll have a stash of pretty backgrounds for future projects.

Big Thanks to everyone from Monday's BEYOND THE BOX Memory Box class at Impress.  Hope you liked the cards - and the different ways we used our Memory Box and Poppystamps dies and stamps.  Special thanks too - Shari, Becca and Erin - for all of your help!  We'll  have a second BEYOND THE BOX class on June 16th, followed by the SUMMER HEARTS class.

Thanks very much for stopping by - see you again this weekend...

 

 

 

 

 

Supplies

 

99145 Reverse Butterfly Collage

30094 Wrapped Stitch Rectangles

99921 Honeycomb Square craft die

30085 Morning Garden Butterflies

Sweet Seal, Seaweed Collage and Wrapped Stitch Rectangles by Jean Okimoto

Turn Seaweed Collage on its side and tuck Sweet Seal behind it a bit for a sweet and simple summer card that's great for any occasion.  It could be a hello, thank you or thinking of you card - or just a surprise greeting to brighten someone's day.  I hope it makes them smile!

Hi there, Jean Okimoto here with a quick card for a busy summer weekend.

Press the inks from a vivid Caribbean Sea Kaleidacolor inkpad onto a large acrylic block.  Spritz it lightly with water, then drag watercolor paper through the blended inks.  Air-dry it for a few minutes.  Spritz it again, then heat-set it.

Cut ultra-smooth white cardstock with the 2-¾" x 4" Wrapped Stitch Rectangle die.  Cut it with Seaweed Collage.

Cut the dried watercolored paper with the 2-½" x 3-¾" Rectangle Basics die.  No measuring needed and it fits neatly behind the collage without any edges peeking through.

Cut Sweet Seal from gray and black cardstock.  Layer the black piece  - slightly offset - behind the gray for dimension.  Attach a scrap of black cardstock behind the face.

Attach the diecuts to a side-folded turquoise A-2 card.  Add yellow gem stickers.

Simple variations - like turning a diecut sideways, pressure-embossing instead of diecutting or using just portions of a stamp or die are just a few of the many creative options to explore with Memory Box, Poppystamps and Birch Press products.  Experiment and you'll discover how easy it is to get the most from your stash of these great designs.  That's what we'll be doing in our BEYOND THE BOX class at Impress on Monday May 28th!

Thanks for stopping by - have a safe and enjoyable weekend... 

 

 

Supplies

 

99906 Sweet Seal craft die

30086 Rectangle Basics Set

99727 Seaweed Collage

30094 Wrapped Stitch Rectangles

Ready for Spring – Everglade Collage, Stitched Rain Boots and Proper Umbrella by Jean Okimoto

Stitched Rain Boots, Everglade Collage and Proper Umbrella are ready to welcome spring - even if it is Valentine's Day!   Hello and Happy Valentine's Day  - Jean Okimoto here with a quick spring design for you today.

Cut an unfolded Parsley Notecard with the Everglade Collage.  Stamp the greeting - from the Spring Lilacs Clear Stamp Set - with the new Charming Pink VersaFine CLAIR .  It's a clear, bright fuchsia-pink that'll brighten a dark winter day.  

Cut Proper Umbrella from a colorful floral print.  I've used #1125 by Shizen Design, available at Impress,  and #61096 at Birch Press Design.    Cut the umbrella again from a scrap of cardboard and from gold metallic cardstock. Attach the gold umbrella behind the floral portion of the umbrella- every so slightly offset along the top edge  to outline it against the Parsley Notecard background.    Attach the cardboard umbrella behind them for more definition.

Attach a layer of laminate over turquoise cardstock and diecut Stitched Rain Boots.  The laminate adds a glossy, waterproof look - like real rainboots!  Diecut another pair of rain boots from scrap cardstock and layer them for added dimension.

Add pink gem stickers.

Special thanks to everyone from last weekend's CAKES, CANDLES & BIRTHDAY WISHES class at Impress!   Hope you liked the birthday cards we made - and the new VersaFine CLAIR inkpads we used.  Yummy colors, great for both solid images and detailed designs and quick embossing too - the perfect inkpad.  Big thanks to Erin and Laura too - for helping everyone fill their baskets with dies from Memory Box and Poppystamps, VersaFine CLAIRS and great papers.

There's a second class on Presidents Day, February 19th.  Join us if you have the day off (or even if you don't!)  Thanks for visitng - see you again on Saturday...

 

 

Supplies

 

99955 Stitched Rain Boots craft die

99945 Everglade Collage craft die

99639 Proper Umbrella

CL5199 Spring Lilacs clear stamp set

Parsley A2 notecards

Rolling Wave Collage, Sweet Seal and Heart Rays by Jean Okimoto

Combine the new Rolling Wave Collage and Sweet Seal for a simple Valentine design.  Add a trio of glittery hearts with the Heart Rays die.  Hello - Jean Okimoto here today - with a quick project for Valentines of any age.

Cut a Pool Notecard with the Rolling Wave Collage.  Stamp the greeting from the Wirework Hearts Clear Stamp Set  with Onyx Black VersaFine.  Memory Box Notecards - with their crisp white interiors - create the ideal background contrast our the collage dies.  Try re-folding the card with the white side out for an entirely different look.  

Cut Sweet Seal twice from gray cardstock.  Attach a scrap of black cardstock behind the cutouts for his face.  Attach the seal over the waves.  Attach the second seal behind the waves to create a nice finished look on the interior of the card.

Diecut Heart Rays from red glittered cardstock.  Attach the large heart on the card front.  Attach two smaller hearts inside the card.  You'll have just enough space to write or stamp a sweet message inside the card.  No pressure to write a long loveletter!

Memory Box Collage Dies are great when you want a quick card with a detailed look.  Less is definitely more here - less time, more impact.

Big thanks to everyone who took last weekend's SO MANY HEARTS class at Impress!   Hope you liked the techniques, cards and candy box.  Thanks too - Ann, Erin and Laura - for helping everyone fill shopping baskets with the perfect dies, papers and inks for their Valentine projects.  

If you're in the Seattle area - save Saturday January 27th for the Impress Valentine Event.  Special displays, samples and demos.  Stop by for some great inspiration - I'll show you how to make and decorate a heart candy box for your sweeties.  I've also added another LOVE IS SWEET class that day - from 12:00 to 1:45.  We're making 5 Valentine cards and a special candy card too.

Thanks for visiting...see you again tomorrow, and on Saturday.

 

 

Supplies

 

99906 Sweet Seal craft die

99933 Heart Rays craft die

99963 Rolling Wave Collage craft die

CL5218 Wirework Hearts clear stamp set

Pool A2 notecards

New Distressed Heart Collage, Dibble Heart Border and Have a Heart by Jean Okimoto

The new Distressed Heart Collage, Dibble Heart Border and Have a Heart create a bold background for the happy owl from the Feathered Friends Deep Edge Dies.  Hi, Jean Okimoto here, with a Spring 2018 Release preview Valentine card for you today.

The Distressed Heart Collage set of four cool/vintage/bold/edgy designs  creates great backgrounds - and little heart cutouts in a array of versatile sizes.  They make sweet DIY accents from glittered cardstock, mirror cardstock, felt and vellum.  This set will definitely earn a place in your stash.

Cut the Distressed Heart Collage from black cardstock.  It's not torn along the edges - that's what it's supposed to look like - I promise!  Cut gold glittered cardstock with the same Distressed Heart Collage die.  Save the outlines for another project - it's too pretty to toss.  Use three - or as many as you wish - of the sparkly heart cutouts here.

Cut the red cardstock heart with a Have a Heart die.  

Cut the Feathered Friends owl from printed paper - like this cool screenprint from Shizen Design.  Cut another owl from black cardstock to layer for dimension and bit of a shadow effect along the right and bottom edges.

Cut the face from textured natural cardstock. Cut the wing from gold glittered cardstock.

Here's an improvement of technique I shared earlier.  Stick two layers of orange cardstock together with doublestick tape to add dimension to the little pieces. The deep edge dies are great for cutting through multiple layers.  Scribble a portion of it with a black Sharpie.  Position the eyes+beak die on the cardstock so it cuts the black section just for the eyes - and the orange section for the beak.  That's a lot easier than cutting the pieces from black and orange cardstock.  It's also beats trying to color the tiny eye circles with a black marker (like I did earlier).   Live and learn!

Cut red glittered cardstock with Dibble Heart Border for that little heart on the owl.

Attach the diecuts to an A-6 card (4-⅝" x 6-¼") of kraft cardstock.  No need to add sequins or gems - it's already blinged!

Hope you're enjoying this week's  preview of our Spring 2018 Release.  Hearts, borders, flowers, butterflies, bunnies, sea creatures, collages, greetings, clear stamp sets and matching dies - it's everything you'll need for Valentines, holiday gift thank-yous and spring cards.  Be sure your favorite retailer has placed their order - I know Impress has!  View them here.  I saw Jeannie busy receiving and stocking them  - and Becca was packing some for online orders too.  

If you're in the Seattle area - join us for the first class of 2018 at Impress this Saturday.  We're starting off with LOVE IS SWEET - 6 Valentine cards featuring the new release.  Can't wait to see everyone again this weekend!

Thanks for visiting...

 

 

 

Supplies

 

30102 Feathered Friends craft die

99932 Dibble Heart Border craft die

30121 Distressed Heart Collage craft die

30118 Have a Heart craft die

Merry, Light and Bright…Tisdale Snowflake Collage, Starlight Snowflake Collage and Piccolo Snowflakes by Jean Okimoto

 

The Tisdale Snowflake Collage and Starlight Snowflake Collage dies are perfect for super-fast projects on this eve of Christmas eve.  Simple vellum candle sleeves take just a few minutes and add another reason to have these beautiful contemporary dies in your personal Memory Box Collection.    Hello, Jean Okimoto here tonight with a quick project for your dining table, mantle or windowsill.  

Cut a sheet of white vellum sized to fit around big and little battery-operated candles with a ½" overlap.  Diecut the large piece three times with the Tisdale Snowflake Collage placed slightly diagonally.  Cut the three  uncut areas with the Starlight Snowflake Collage.  Wrap the vellum around the candle.

Oops...you'll probably notice that the curvature of the candle pushes the center portion of one of the large Tisdale snowflakes out like little spikes.  Attach Scor-Tape behind a scrap of white vellum and cut the smallest Piccolo Snowflake three times.   Carefully attach these self-adhesive Piccolo snowflakes over the center of the defiant Tisdale snowflake points to secure the little pieces.  They're the center top and bottom snowflakes in the picture above.  The delicate Piccolo snowflake not only controls the little pokies - it also adds a bit of dimension to the collage.

Cut the small strips of vellum with the Starlight Snowflake Collage.  Wrap the vellum around the candles.

That's it...done!

Thanks very much for stopping by on this busy weekend.  Be sure to visit Impress during the holidays to complete your collection of Memory Box and Poppystamps dies and stamps.  They're making room for our January Release too - so it's a good time to shop for some of the current designs on your wishlist before they go away!

Please join us again for Penny's Christmas Eve project tomorrow.

Merry, Merry Christmas to everyone celebrating on Monday!

 

 

 

 

Supplies

 

99883 Starlight Snowflake Collage craft die

99827 Tisdale Snowflake Collage

99850 Piccolo Snowflakes

Batavia Snowflake Channel, Feathered Friends Deep Edge Dies and Starlight Snowflake Collage by Jean Okimoto

Add a diecut snowflake wing to one of the Feathered Friends for a holiday design to match the delicate Batavia Snowflake Channel.  The matchup of soft peach, crisp white and gray creates a fresh look for Christmas - and a few gem stickers add a bit of bling.

Hi, Jean  Okimoto here, sharing another Feathered Friends Deep Edge die design.  The birds and owl will be great throughout the year - in fabric, felt, wood veneer, silkscreened prints...even recycled La Croix cans!  

Cut the bird from pale peach cardstock and gray printed paper.  Cut the eyes and beak from orange cardstock. Color the eye circle with a black Sharpie.  

Cut Starlight Snowflake Collage from white cardstock, then cut it with the Feathered Friends wing die.

Assemble the bird - offset the gray layer  for dimension, and to add a pretty peach outline along one side.  

Cut Batavia Snowflake Channel from white cardstock.  Trim it with the 4-¼" x 5-½" Rectangle Basics Die.  Attach it to a top-folded gray A-2 card with a tape runner or double-stick tape.  Here's an optional step -  I like to protect the card with printer paper and run the open card through my Spellbinders Platinum machine to seal the edges where the card meets the Batavia Snowflake panel.  This creates nice, neat edges and seals any gaps.  Details, details!

Attach the bird with foamdots.  Add silver and dark peach gem stickers.  Color clear gem stickers with a marker if you don't have matching gem stickers.  

Imagine the same basic design with a column of hearts in February - or a leafy border in the spring.  Use a floral border in the summer and autumn leaves in the fall.  These birds will be busy!

Big thanks to everyone from last week's ASIAN INSPIRATION class at Impress!   Who would have guessed that so many Memory Box and Poppystamps designs could be used to diecut those beautiful silkscreened papers and Asian icons.  Thanks too - Ann, Erin and Lauren - for gathering those dies and papers for everyone.

If you're in the Seattle area, join us for my last class of 2017 - WINTER BLISS - on December 16th.  Make 6 un-holiday cards  - including a low-profile (OK...flat) shaker card using Memory Box products to create custom-sized shaker packets for glitter and diecut bits and pieces.  We're using the Feathered Friends dies too - Impress just received another shipment of them.

Thanks for visiting - see you again next week!

 

 

Supplies

 

99815 Batavia Snowflake Channel

30102 Feathered Friends craft die

30086 Rectangle Basics Set

99883 Starlight Snowflake Collage craft die

Penguin Collage, Wrapped Stitch Rectangles and Snowflake Wire by Jean Okimoto

The new Penguin Collage makes it quick and easy to add a crisp layered look to your holiday cards.  Frame him with a Wrapped Stitch Rectangle and add a glittery red scarf and silver Snowflake Wire.  He's sure to brighten a wintery day as he delivers your holiday greeting.

Hello, Jean Okimoto here, with a "less is more + glitter" design for you today.  The Penguin Collage is a great basic design that works with many backgrounds - like Licorice Distressed Dots.  A collage of snowflakes or a bright holiday print would be good backdrops too.

Here's a tip - briskly rub the die with a piece of scrunched wax paper to make it easy to remove the diecut.  This technique also helps with detailed dies, other stitched dies and pinpoint dies.  Cut the 2-¾" x 4" Wrapped Stitch Rectangle from white cardstock.  Cut it with the Penguin Collage and remove the center portion. 

Cut the Penguin Collage again from Licorice Dots - this cuts the center background portion.  

Attach adhesive label paper or a sticker sheet to black felt and cut the head and side portion of the penguin.  The paper backing stabilizes the felt and prevents adhesives from soaking through.  

Another tip...cut the eyes and beak (on the same die) from light orange cardstock that's attached to Scor-Tape.  Then just color over the orange eyes with a black marker!  That's faster than cutting them all from white cardstock and then coloring those tiny pieces with orange and black markers.  Or cutting them from both black and orange cardstock.

Cut the long, wavey "tail" of the Curled Ribbons from the backside of red glittered cardstock.   This portion of the Curled Ribbons would normally be on the right side, we want it on the left side.  Trust me, it works.

Cut Snowflake Wire from silver glittered cardstock.

Attach the diecuts to a white A-6 (4-⅝" x 6-¼") card.  Add red gem stickers.

Big Thanks to everyone from my MERRY AND QUICK and GIFT TAG PORTFOLIO classes at Impress last Saturday.  It was great seeing my loyal students and friends again - and welcoming new Memory Box fans too!  Thanks to Ann, Shari and Lauren too - you certainly helped us fill those shopping baskets!

No classes for me this weekend - but I'm prepping for the December 9th ASIAN INSPIRATION calendar class.  We'll make a mini calendar using dies, stamps and artpapers - and a New Year card too.  

Thanks for stopping by!

 

 

Supplies

 

99893 Penguin Collage craft die

30094 Wrapped Stitch Rectangles

98936 Curled Ribbons

99809 Snowflake Wire