Freshwater Fish Stories by Jean Okimoto

Say hello to Friday with embossed, stenciled and diecut Freshwater Fish. They're from coordinating sets of a 3D embossing folder, dies and 2-layer stencils.  Hi, Jean here with a white and bright design from our spring collection - and a new pinpoint cover plate from Birch Press Design.

Spritz both sides of watercolor paper with a fine mist of water.  Emboss it with the Freshwater Fish 3D Embossing Folder.

Use a sponge, dauber or blending brush to stencil the fish with Distress Oxides.  Colors used here are salvaged patina, iced spruce, twisted citron, peacock feathers, broken china and shaded lilac.  Dry the inks, then diecut the fish.  Smaller accent pieces are also included in the sets.

Brayer the fish with VersaMark - use a clean, well-inked pad.  Heat-emboss them with detail clear powder for a glossy highlighted texture, like fresh-caught fish.  Add black Sharpie marker dots for the eyes.

Cut white and black cardstock with the End of My Rope die - save the ropes for another project.  Diecut the white interior offcut with the Birch Press Design Pinpoint Contour Plate.  Trim a tiny amount from the edges of the black offcut and attach it behind the white layer.  The dark backing emphasizes the pinpoint pattern - it makes a difference!

Cut a blue 6x6 from the Glitzy Glitter Pad with Hello Rush Script.  Cut watercolor paper with the die too and layer it behind the glittered greeting for extra dimension.

Attach the diecuts to a top-folded 5-½" square white card. Add turquoise Christmas Fairy Dewdrops.  Cut a 5-½" square of cardstock to protect the card front for mailing.  Square cards require extra postage.

Freshwater Fish are perfect for embossing and diecutting from Memory Box mirror cardstock too. The Rainbow Reflections and Vintage Pastel 6x6 pads have a wide range of beautiful colors that capture the details of this great fish trio.  Add them to birthday, retirement and Father's Day cards for that special guy.

Thanks for visiting...have a great weekend!

Supplies

 

ef1028 Freshwater Fish 3D Embossing Folder and Matching Dies

88622 Freshwater Fish Stencil

94468 Hello Rush Script

94546 End of My Rope Set

ddp101 Christmas Fairy Dewdrops

gp1007 Glitzy Glitter Pad

 

 

 

Supplies

 

57511 Pinpoint Contour Plate

Hugs by Donna Sledzik

Hello everyone!  I have a bright and cheery card for you today, featuring some new products from the Spring release.  

I started by stamping and coloring the flowers with copic markers and die cutting them. I used gold ink to spatter the flower die cut.

The copic colors I used are as follows:

• Flowers - R20, R32, and R37
• Leaves - G24, G94
• Berries and flower center - Y11, Y19

I took the Rectangle Double Border hot foil plate and hot foiled a piece of Bristol paper with Gold hot foil using the Spellbinders Glimmer Hot Foil Machine.  Then I die cut the foiled frame with one of the A2 Rectangle Frames, mounted that on a black cardstock mat, and glued that to a white cardstock mat.  I matted this piece with black cardstock and adhered it to a white card base.

I used foam tape to glue them to the card front.

I die cut the word "hugs" from gold foil cardstock and the shadow from green cardstock and glued these to the card.

That's my card for today!  I hope you have a great week!

 

Supplies

 

CL5265-D All the Happiness clear stamp and die set

94669 Hugs Tender Script

94672 A2 Rectangle Frames Die Set

 

MBF006 Rectangle Double Border Foil Plate

 

Bunny Face and Rainbow Eggs by Jean Okimoto

Rainbow-colored Curlicue eggs surround a plush felt Bunny Face in a contrast of colors and textures.  The new Curlicue Plate is great for pressure- and heat-embossing in addition to diecutting!  Hi, Jean here with a quick and easy way to decorate a bunch of eggs in bright spring pastels for your Easter cards.

Blend Distress Oxides on heavy white cardstock - I've used worn lipstick, kitsch flamingo, salvaged patina and twisted citron.  Dry the inks.  Trim the cardstock about ¼" smaller than the Curlicue Plate so it fits inside the cutting edge.  Spray each side of the cardstock with a light spritz of water from about 12" away. Let it absorb the water for a few seconds.  Pressure-emboss it using the rubber embossing mat and plate(s) required for your machine.

Place the embossed cardstock on a smooth, flat surface and brayer Pearlescent Jade Brilliance ink evenly over the raised areas.  For best results and even inking - lift and roll the entire brayer over the inkpad about 25 times instead of using short strokes (which could leave dark blocks of ink in some areas).  

Quickly heat-emboss it with detail clear powder for a glossy, pearlescent look.  Unlike the smooth details of an actual embossing folder, this technique creates a rustic, hand-carved look.  Let's call this one rainbow-rustic!  

Cut eggs from different sections with the 2" high die from the Half a Dozen Eggs set.  I inked, embossed and brayered several pieces of cardstock to create a bunch of eggs in different color combinations.

Attach adhesive label paper (or a sticker sheet) to white and pink wool-blend felt.  The paper backing stabilizes the fabric and keeps adhesives from saturating it.  Cut Bunny Face from the felt and attach a scrap of  black cardstock behind the eyes.  Cut the mouth and nose section from heavy white cardstock.  Attach a scrap of black cardstock behind it to emphasize the details.  Bunny looks a little confused here - maybe he just emerged from hibernation and can't believe it's almost Easter!

Cut white cardstock with the 2" x 7" Slim Basic Rectangles die.

Stamp the greeting - from the Springtime Typewriter Sentiments Clear Stamp Set - on pale aqua cardstock with Warm Breeze VersaFine Clair.  Heat-set it, then trim it with one end of the second-smallest Slim Basic Rectangles die.

Attach the diecuts to a white slimline card (8-½" x 3-⅝") - use foamtape for the 2nd egg, Bunny Face and greeting.  Add aqua Pastel Jewels.

Think of different ways to use the new Curlicue Plate in addition to basic diecutting and pressure-embossing.  It's also great for stenciling.  Save and use the offcuts as accents for other projects too.

Thanks for visiting - see you again on Friday...

Supplies

 

94698 Curlicue Plate

94545 Bunny Face

94556 Slim Basic Rectangle Layers

30072 Half a Dozen Eggs

jwl002 Pastel Jewels

cl5239 Springtime Typewriter Sentiments clear stamp set

Two Cards With Alcohol Inks and New Dies by Angie Cimbalo

Hello and welcome!  It's Angie here today with 2 cards featuring new dies from the last release plus some alcohol inks!

I love working with alcohol inks and then die cutting from the resulting panels.  You never know how they will turn out and so it's truly an experiment in color every time!  For my first card I use the Curved Cap Pinpoint Layers die set, all of them to create a shaped card.  

First I cut all of the layers at once from white and then next I took the largest die and cut it from a folded card base, but left the top edge of the die hanging over the top so it wouldn't cut through.  That created the shape card base and all I had to do was add the set of dies I first cut right on top of the card base.  Next, I cut the smaller die in the center from alcohol ink panel (that was splattered with white paint) and heat embossed the sentiment from the Joyful Moments stamp set right in the center with white embossing powder.  I also cut the Scribble Daisy from the same panel and left it all in one piece to add to my card.  Lastly I added gold jewels from the Christmas Fairy Jewels package.  Here's a closer look:

Here's a look at card #2:

To create my 2nd card I did the same things except I cut the set of Curved dies from black and white and pieced them together, same look, 2 colors.  And instead of using the flower I used the Plumed Gypsy Butterfly die.  This time I used the sentiment new die called "Hello Rush Script" and I added the same gold jewels.

 

Here's a closer look:

 

And here's one last look at both cards:

I hope you like my cards for today!  I enjoyed creating them and I hope I inspired you to pull out your alcohol inks and dies and make some pretty cards!!!

 

 

Supplies

 

94646 Curved Cap Pinpoint Layers

CL5266 Joyful Moments clear stamp set

94617 Scribble Daisy

94468 Hello Rush Script

94708 Plumed Gypsy Butterfly

Backyard Floral Stems & Fence Picket Dies + Video by Angie Cimbalo

Hello and welcome, it's Angie here today with a mini slimline "Hello" card featuring the new Backyard Floral Stems and the Woodgrain Fence Pickets dies.  Here's a look at those dies below along with a short video showing how I made my card:

 

In the video you will see how I color the die-cuts with markers and colored pencils to get a fun realistic rustic look on them.  I also used some Distress Inks with pencil type blending brushes.  Putting the card together was so much fun!  I made the fence by using the pickets vertically and horizontally by cutting off the tops.  Here's a couple more pictures of my card:

I also share a tip for getting really clean white embossing on black card stock.  I prefer to use black alcohol ink card stock because it's such a dark solid black.  It's a little more expensive than just regular black card stock but it really holds up to the heat and the reaction the white embossing powder has on the paper, is always clean and bright white.

Here's a closer look:

I had so much fun making this card and video for you today.  

Here's one last look:

 

Let me know what you think in the comments and I will see you next time!  Be sure to come back every day for more inspiration from the team.

Check out my blog post HERE if you're interested in links to purchase the products.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

 

Supplies

 

94703 Woodgrain Fence Pickets

94638 Backyard Floral Stems

CL5266 Joyful Moments clear stamp set

JWL002 Pastel Jewels

Feather Pen by Trina Pham

Hello there.  I have a super CAS (clean and simple) mini slimline card today using the small Plumed Gypsy Feather and Hugs Tender Script dies from the February 2023 collection.

 

Started by die cutting a stencil from a scrap of thick white paper with the small feather die.  Cut away the three strips that extended in.

 

 

Positioned the stencil onto a 3”x6” Bristol panel and ink blended blue and turquoise dye inks with blending brushes.  Splattered with water and blot with a paper towel for texture.

 

Die cut another feather from another white scrap and stacked for dimension before adhering on top of the stencilled image.

 

Die cut the Hugs Tender Script sentiment from black cardstock.  Used the inside of the “h” loop for the pen tip.  Wanted to do a large ink splat, but was too nervous to do it, so added diluted black gouache splatters instead.  Added another piece of cardstock to the panel for a bit of dimension before mounting it onto a 3,25”x6.25” white mini slimline card base to finish.

So it appears Jean and I were on the same wavelength to die cut our own stencils. 😂  Anyway, that does it for my card.  Thank you for joining me today.  Have a wonderful day.

Supplies

 

94711 Plumed Gypsy Feather

94669 Hugs Tender Script

 

Drifting Feathers by Jean Okimoto

A trio of the feathers - simply stenciled - creates a glittery friendship card for a winter day.  Hi, Jean here with a simple design using DIY Plumed Gypsy Feather stencils cut from heavyweight vellum for easier placement and crisp stenciled edges.

Prep the small Plumed Gypsy Feather by rubbing it briskly with scrunched waxed paper to help remove the tiny offcuts.  Cut the feather stencil three times from heavyweight vellum.  Cut white cardstock with the medium-sized Wrapped Stitched Slim Rectangles die.  Stencil the feathers with Distress Oxides - salvaged patina, iced spruce and kitsch flamingo.  

Cut the feathers again from the pale blue Delicate Pastel Glitter Pad sheet and the silver Majestic Hues Glitter Pad sheet.  The pink-stenciled feather doesn't have a glittered layer - that's part of the "missing" theme.  (The Delicate Pastels Glitter Pad has a matching pink sheet if you want 3 glittered feathers.)

Glue 2 pieces of white cardstock together for dimension,  then cut the background of the Miss You Posh Script.  Pressure-emboss it with the detailed top layer of the greeting. Cut the detailed top layer of the greeting from the pale aqua sheet in the  Vintage Pastel Mirror Pad - leave the tiny dot for the "i" in the die (or on the cutting plate) till you're ready to attach it because it tends to disappear.  Embossing the background creates a debossed area to easily align and attach the top layer.

Attach the diecuts to a white slimline card (3-⅝" x 8-½") - use foamtape for the greeting.  Add the pale pinkish-violet Winter Fantasy Fairy Gemstones.  Cut a slimline-sized rectangle of cardstock to protect the card front for mailing.

Thanks for visiting - have a great weekend!

 

 

Supplies

 

94589 Miss You Posh Script

94554 Wrapped Stitched Slim Rectangles

94711 Plumed Gypsy Feather

FP1002 Vintage Pastel Mirror Pad

gp1008 Majestic Hues Glitter Pad

gp1001 Delicate Pastel Glitter Pad

gem102 Winter Fantasy Fairy Gemstones

Happy Birthday by Donna Sledzik

Hello everyone!  Today's card features a fun Gel printing background.

I began by using the new Curlicue Die Plate to die cut white cardstock, and used it as a mask on the Gel Plate.

I applied Distress Oxide Inks directly onto the gel plate and used a brayer to blend the colors.  Next, I placed the die cut on top of the gel plate and used white cardstock to pick up the print.  I removed the die cut and rolled the brayer across the gel plate to spread out the remaining ink and placed the pulled print on the plate to add more color to the print.  (Ignore the yellow fish on my gel plate.  It's stained from another printing)

I trimmed the printed background and used foam tape to adhere it to a white card base.

The words "Happy Birthday" were die cut from Gold Foil Paper, and the shadow from white cardstock.  I glued the words to the white shadow and then adhered it to the center of the gel printed background.

To finish the card I used some Fairy Crystals to add a little shine.

Thanks for stopping by today!

 

 

Supplies

 

94588 Happy Birthday Posh Script

CRY102 Christmas Fairy Crystals

94698 Curlicue Plate

FP1003 Rainbow Reflections Mirror Pad

Pretty Colors in the Tool Box by Jean Okimoto

Fuchsia, Pumpkin and Teal in the toolbox?  Yes, when they brighten a gal's slimline thank you with a happy Whittle Beaver!  Hi, Jean here with mix of old, new, blue, Memory Box and Poppystamps. I like a lot of open space on my cards - but these great design elements wanted to be together, filling the entire card. 

The new Toolbox 3D Embossing Folder & Matching Dies and the Woodgrain Fence Pickets are from our '23 Spring Collection.  Cut the pickets from light kraft cardstock.  Cut the tools from the silver Rainbow Reflections Mirror Pad 6x6.  Place them in the matching 3D Embossing Folder and add the details and dimension (one tool at a time is easiest!) using the plate(s) required for your machine.  

Mask the "metal" areas of each tool and sponge or daub the handles with StazOn Inks.  Airdry the first layer of ink, then repeat.  Colors used here are Pumpkin, Teal Blue and Fuchsia Pink.  Set them aside to dry completely.

Cut Wood Grain Planks from light kraft cardstock - we're just using a few of them here.

Cut the question mark - from the Wooden Alpha set - from light kraft cardstock too.

Cut the Poppystamps Whittle Beaver from dark kraft cardstock.  Lightly ink the edges and paws with Pearlescent Chocolate Brilliance ink.  Attach the fuchsia screwdriver between his paws.

Stamp the greeting - from the Poppystamps Whittle Wild Animal Sentiments - with Pinecone VersaFine Clair.  Dry the ink and trim the greeting with the second-smallest Rectangle Basics die. 

Attach everything to a light aqua slimline card (3-⅝" x 8-½") - use foamtape for the question mark and the beaver.

Make this card using different colors and greetings for your favorite DIY/fix-it/build-it gal or guy.  A toolbox card would be great for someone who just completed (survived?) a home renovation project too. The Woodgrain Fence Pickets can also diecut a great stencil for birthday candles...just some extra ideas!

Special thanks to everyone ordering my new kit - BLOSSOMS & BUNNIES - from Impress! They sold out quickly, I'm making more.

Thanks for visiting - see you on Friday...

 

Supplies

 

EF1034 Toolbox 3D Embossing Folder and Matching Dies

94703 Woodgrain Fence Pickets

94579 Wooden Alpha

94565 Wood Grain Planks

30086 Rectangle Basics Set

fp1003 Rainbow Reflections Mirror Pad

 

Supplies

 

2414 Whittle Beaver

cl500 Whittle Wild Animal Sentiments clear stamp set

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