Gentle Bunny, Happy Octopus and Springtime Typewriter Sentiments by Jean Okimoto

Waves from the Happy Octopus set create a garden to grow instant carrots for the new Gentle Bunny.  Hi, Jean Okimoto here with a spring design combining new  favorites from the Spring Collection and great designs from my Memory Box stash.

I skipped coloring class in preschool - and never learned to stay inside the lines.  Here's a solution that resolves that issue and creates a bunch of carrots in the proper colors.

Tape strips of orange and green cardstock together on the backside - then stamp the carrot from the Spring Bunnies Clear Stamp Set on the other side with Pinecone VersaFine Clair.  Instant carrots!  Dry the ink, then cut them with the carrot from the Spring Bunnies Die Set.

There are some cute cupcakes in the Spring Bunnies stamp set that would work with this patchwork coloring technique too...that's another card!

Cut the circle and waves from the sweet Happy Octopus set from dark Kraft cardstock.  Trim the top edge of the waves with a die from the Stitched Curves set to create a little pile of dirt.  Tuck the carrots into the wave slots at various heights.  Trim the bottoms of the lower carrots.

Stamp the greeting - from the new Springtime Typewriter Sentiments Clear Stamp Set - on the smoother side of watercolor paper with Summertime VersaFine Clair.  Dry the ink, then trim it with the smallest Rectangle Basics die.  Attach it to a flat toothpick to create a garden sign.

Cut Gentle Bunny from watercolor paper three times.  Layer the diecuts - slightly offset - for dimension.

Attach the diecuts to a Pool Notecard - use foam dots for the sides of the sign and the top three carrots.  Add ¼" punched circles of green glittered cardstock.

Big thanks to everyone from last weekend's FRIENDS + FLOWERS and SIMPLY ASIAN classes at Impress!  Hope you like the designs (and origami!) - and were inspired to use your stamps and dies in as many ways as possible.  Thanks too - Ann and Lynne - for helping everyone fill those baskets.  It was great seeing Cindi too - can't wait to see your springtime displays.

Looking forward to seeing everyone again on March 24th for the BEYOND THE BOX class.  We'll use our favorite dies and stamps as intended - or not (!) - to get the most from our stashes.

Thanks for visiting...hope you like this timesaving, no-coloring-skill-required carrot project!  See you again this weekend.

Supplies

 

94237 Gentle Bunny craft die

32220 Spring Bunnies die set

CL5220 Spring Bunnies clear stamp set

30086 Rectangle Basics Set

CL5239 Springtime Typewriter Sentiments clear stamp set

94227 Happy Octopus craft die

99842 Stitched Curves

Pool A2 notecards

Happy Easter Card by Donna Sledzik

Hello everyone,

Today I have a simple Easter card for you showcasing new products from the spring release.

To make this card I inked the dot border stamp with Versa Ink and stamped it several times to fill the card front.  I applied clear embossing powder to the stamped images and heat set it.

Next I sponged various colors of Distress Oxide Inks onto the cardstock.  I took a dry paper towel to remove the excess ink from the embossed images.

I die cut the Happy Easter from gold metallic cardstock and glued it to a strip of vellum paper.  I wrapped the vellum around the card front and adhered the vellum to the back of the cardstock.

Next I adhered this to a gold metallic mat layer and glued that to a white cardbase. 

To finish I added some gold embellishments to the card front.

Thanks for stopping by today!

 

Supplies

 

94239 Happy Easter Premiere craft die

CL5236 Bold Friendly Greetings

Spring Bunnies Dies, Spring Bunnies Clear Stamps and Half a Dozen Eggs by Jean Okimoto

An assortment of chocolate Spring Bunnies and a Birch Press washi tape egg venture a bit outside the box here today now that spring has officially arrived.  We hope!  Hello, Jean Okimoto here, with a just-in-time Easter design for you.

It's easy to create some great custom-colored washi tape backgrounds for diecutting.  Just attach them to bright cardstock and let a bit of the background show through the lighter areas of the tape.  Cut it with a die from the Half a Dozen Eggs set.  I love how these three tapes - from Birch Press Design - were instantly transformed into a coordinating backdrop of greens and blues for my bunnies.  (Yes, half a dozen usually means 6 - but the smallest egg somehow slipped away from the others during the photos.)

The pressure of diecutting washi tape also bonds the tapes securely to the cardstock backing.  These pretty tapes won't be peeling away or curling before they reach their destination.  

Cut an extra egg from the smoother side of textured cardstock for a background layer with textural contrast.

Don't you just love the different personalities reflected in the expressions on the bunny faces?  It's a great stamp set for any occasion - look at those cupcakes!

Stamp the bunnies  - from the Open Studio Spring Bunnies Clear Stamp Set - on the smoother side of watercolor paper with the new Pinecone VersaFine Clair.  Emboss it with detail clear powder.  

Here's an embossing tip that I've shared in classes - wave the heat tool a few inches from the backside of the stamped, powdered image for a few seconds to preheat the embossing powder first.  Complete the embossing from the right side - as usual - for a quick, glossy finish without overheating or scorching the image.

Instead of applying watercolor pencils directly to the stamped image - and risk scraping the embossed design -  scribble them  onto a scrap of watercolor paper and use it as a palette to dissolve and blend the colors first.

Color the bunnies, blot them to be sure they're dry, then cut them with the coordinating die from the Spring Bunnies Die Set.  Diecut an extra layer of plain watercolor paper and attach it behind the stamped layer for dimension.  Attach everything to a top-folded A-2 card of textured green cardstock.  Add yellow gem stickers.

Big thanks to everyone who took last weekend's PAPER AND INKOLLAGE class at Impress!  I appreciate your driving, ferrying or flying from Canada, Spokane and cities near and far for my class.  Hope you liked the cards - and enjoy using the "extras" on future projects.  Thanks too - Ann, Shari, Erin and Laura - for helping everyone fill their shopping baskets.

Have fun creating spring cards - thanks for stopping by!

 

 

 

Supplies

 

32220 Spring Bunnies die set

CL5220 Spring Bunnies clear stamp set

30072 Half a Dozen Eggs

Quick Bunny Window Card by Sharon Harnist

Happy Friday, Memory Box fans -- Sharon Harnist with you again and today I'm sharing a Quick Bunny Easter window card!

These adorable Quick Bunnies from the new 2018 Spring Release fit perfectly around the Grass Stitched Circle Frame!  I simply die cut a circle out of a lavender notecard about the same size as the stitched frame opening, then glued the frame on the card front.

Of course, the bunnies needed tiny pom-poms glued on for tails, and pink noses dabbed on with Copic R20 to complete their cuteness!

Inside the notecard, I placed the pretty Happy Easter Perky Script (die cut from Cherry Blossom notecard).  I love the dimension, looking through the grass to the inside of the card at the greeting:

Easter weekend is only two weeks away ... are you ready?  Thanks so much for joining me today!

 

Supplies

 

99902 Quick Bunnies craft die

99924 Grass Stitched Circle Frame craft die

99628 Happy Easter Perky Script

Left Hutton Gate, Simple Chicks and Sweet Bunny by Jean Okimoto

The new Left Hutton Gate - sideways - creates a leafy setting for two Simple Chicks and the Sweet Bunny.  Add one of the Half a Dozen Eggs - cut from Lawn Fawn's Simply Plaid Spring prints - for a quick Easter card.  Hello, Jean Okimoto here with an outside-the-box way to use the just-released Left Hutton Gate horizontally instead of vertically, as intended.

Cut the Left Hutton Gate from light green cardstock.  

Cut two small Simple Chicks from bright yellow cardstock.  Attach scraps of flamingo cardstock behind them for beaks.

Cut Sweet Bunny from white cardstock.  Use a black marker to scribble black dots on a scrap of flamingo cardstock and place it behind the bunny for a nose and eyes.  

Cut the second-largest egg from the Half A Dozen Eggs set from Lawn Fawn's Simply Plaid Spring paper.

Attach the diecuts to a side-folded A2 card of textured green cardstock.  Save some time by attaching just the straight edges of the Left Hutton Gate so you can tuck the egg and bunny behind it.  A bit of glue behind the chick twins will secure the curved edge.

Add orange gem stickers for a contrasting pop of color.

The new Left and Right Hutton Gates are actually a coordinating pair designed to be displayed vertically.  Add them to your collection for spring and summer cards - or for romantic designs for Valentines and weddings.  Scatter flowers, birds or butterflies among the lacy leaves too!

Big Thanks to everyone for taking last week's SPRINGTIME GREETINGS class at Impress - and spending a few hours indoors on that unexpected sunny and warm winter day!  It really did feel like spring had arrived.  Thanks too - Ann and Erin - for helping us fill those shopping baskets with latest and greatest new release items, papers, VersaFine Clairs and felt for our Easter cards.

Visit Impress or their site to view their collection of Memory Box and Poppystamps dies and stamps.  

Just a note...Impress' first shipment of the new VersaFine Clairs sold out immediately - but many of the new colors have been re-stocked in time for your spring cards.  Get there quickly before they sell out again!

Thanks for stopping by...

 

Supplies

 

99978 Left Hutton Gate craft die

99905 Sweet Bunny craft die

99934 Simple Chicks craft die

30072 Half a Dozen Eggs

Sweet Bunny Baskets with the Grass Stitched Circle Frame and half of the Cracked Up Egg by Anne Thompson

I decided to create some Easter baskets for cards this week using the SWEET BUNNY die 99905, the GRASS STITCHED CIRCLE FRAME die 99924, and the zig-zagged half of the CRACKED UP EGG die 99951.  I also used one of the ovals from the STITCHED OVAL LAYERS set of eight dies 30069 and the HAPPY BIRTHDAY CURSIVE die 99949 for a "happy day" sentiment on  Key Lime notecards.

CARD ONE:

to make the first bunny basket card

• Die cut the zig-zagged half of the Cracked Up Egg from Lawn Fawn plaid paper.
• Die cut the Grass Stitched Circle Frame from Key Lime dot paper twice and again from a scrap of Key Lime notecard.  Glue the layers together, offsetting them a bit for showing more blades of grass.
• Adhere the patterned half-egg on top of the grass circle, lining it up so the frame acts as a basket handle.
• Die cut a large oval from the set of Stitched Oval Layers dies using white cardstock and adhere it to the Key Lime notecard.
• Die cut the Sweet Bunny from off-white cardstock.  Mark a scrap of the same paper under his head where the eyes and nose are, color those spots using markers, then adhere it to the back of his head.
• To attach the basket for some dimension, put two pop-dots or other foam adhesive in the center of the basket and tape or glue around the side and bottom edges before sticking onto the white oval layer.  This lets the basket bow out from the card front.
• Tuck the bunny into the basket with tape or glue on his bottom half and a pop-dot behind his head.
• Add a bow on the basket handle.
• Die cut the Happy Birthday Cursive from more of the Key Lime dot paper.  Snip off the "day" to create the "happy day" sentiment at the top of the white oval.

CARD TWO:

The basket for this card is assembled in the same way using layers of the Key Lime dot paper.  The top half of the notecard is covered with Key Lime dot paper and the basket is adhered to a white paper doily on the notecard.

Here's a close-up of the first bunny basket:

Happy Crafting!  Remember that Easter is on April 1st this year so you still have plenty of time to create!

Supplies

99905 Sweet Bunny craft die

99924 Grass Stitched Circle Frame craft die

99951 Cracked Up Egg craft die

30069 Stitched Oval Layers

99949 Happy Birthday Cursive craft die

Happy Spring by Sharon Harnist

Happy Spring, Friends!  The Spring rainy season has been here and now green is popping up everywhere ... I love it!  To celebrate, I thought these adorable Spring Bunnies would be appropriate!

Aren't those bunnies adorable?!!  I stamped them in Memento Gray Flannel ink, then colored them with Copic T0, T1, T2, and gave them rosy cheeks and pink ears with Copic R00 and R20.  Next, I die cut Blossom Circle from a green alcohol ink background paper I created with Copic Various Ink Refills and glued it in place around the bunnies.  Next, I used Broadsworth Floral Border to cut the card front right edge of my white top-folding card base.  Then I glued a strip of pink alcohol ink background paper to the inside of the card, to make the delicate die cut edge pop.

To finish the card, I stamped the "happy spring" sentiment from the Spring Bunnies stamp set with Memento Rose Bud ink.

I hope you are enjoying a nice Spring weekend wherever you are!

 

 

Supplies

 

99985 Blossom Circle craft die

99986 Broadsworth Floral Border craft die

CL5220 Spring Bunnies clear stamp set

Singing Birds, Half a Dozen Eggs and Swooping Branches and Leaves by Jean Okimoto

 The new Singing Birds - diecut from bright wool-blend felt - are more than ready for Spring.  Aren't we all?  

Hi, Jean Okimoto here with a simple Easter idea - and another design featuring the pretty screen-printed handmade papers and felt in our stash.  A branch from the Swooping Leaves and Branches Deep Edge Dies set is the perfect, sturdy perch for the colorful birds.

Cut a pretty spring print with the 2-½" tall die from the Half a Dozen Eggs set.  I've used Shizen Design  screen-printed handmade  paper from Birch Press.  It's made of recycled cotton fabric scraps sourced from t-shirt factories in India.  

Attach adhesive label paper or sticker sheets to pink, fuchsia and turquoise wool-blend felt.  The paper backing stabilizes the felt and keeps adhesives from soaking through.  Cut three of the Singing Birds.  

Cut the branch from the Swooping Branches and Leaves Deep Edge Dies from dark kraft cardstock.

Stamp the greeting - from the Spring Lilacs Clear Stamp Set - on a top-folded natural A-2 card with the new VersaFine Clair Charming Pink.  Dry the ink, attach the diecuts to the card, and add pale turquoise gem stickers. 

Singing Birds is another great set for all seasons.  Imagine this design with a floral heart, circle or oval for the summer.  Shiny black birds would create a spooky Halloween card.  Red glittered or velvet birds on snowy branches would be beautiful for winter cards.  Hope the Singing Birds set is already in your Memory Box collection, or on your wishlist!

If you're in the Seattle area, join us for the SPRINGTIME GREETINGS  class at Impress on March 10th.  We'll make 5 cards and a little candy wrapper for Easter chocolates.  Pretty colors, the promise of warmer weather, flowers - and dark chocolate in cute wrappers  - so many reasons why Easter is my favorite holiday!  What's yours?

Thanks for visiting...see you again tomorrow.

 

 

Supplies

 

30072 Half a Dozen Eggs

30107 Swooping Branches & Leaves craft die

CL5199 Spring Lilacs clear stamp set

99953 Singing Birds craft die

Cracked Up Egg, Sweet Bunny, and Cheery Flower Stems by Anne Thompson

I'm starting on cards for Easter using the CRACKED UP EGG 99951, SWEET BUNNY 99905, and CHEERY FLOWER STEMS 99947.  I have made two cards with flowers and/or bunnies tucked into the pocket created by the half shell placed on top of the egg.

Card 1:

• Use a Key Lime notecard as the base.
• Die cut the Cracked Up Egg from two different pieces of Lawn Fawn plaid paper.
• Die cut a larger oval from white cardstock using one of the dies from the STITCHED OVAL LAYERS 30069 that is a bit larger than the egg.
• Attach the white oval to the front of the notecard.
• Add the plaid oval in the center of the white one.
• Die cut the Cheery Flower Stems from a scrap of a Key Lime notecard, Key Lime Dot paper, and Squash Dot paper.  Layer the Key Lime Dot stems on top of the solid stems, offsetting them a bit.  Snip off the Squash Dot flowers and and add them on top of the others.  Place pearls in the flower centers.
• Shorten the stems so they won't stick out below the half shell.  Glue the stems onto the plaid egg.
• Add the half shell on top of the flowers.
• Die cut the Sweet Bunny from white cardstock.  Add a scrap of pink and a scrap of black behind his head for the nose and eyes.  Add a tiny bow at his neck.  Pop dot the bunny onto the egg.

Card 2:

• Die cut the Cracked Up Egg and the larger oval as for the first card.
• Die cut three of the Sweet Bunnies and attach them to the plaid egg, one flat, and two popped up.
• Put adhesive around the outside edge of the half shell and place it over the bunnies so it curves out a bit over them. 
• Add a tiny bow on the half shell.

These cards would be very quick to mass produce once the die cutting was done.

These were the supplies I used:

Can't wait to try tucking other die cuts into this egg shell pocket!  Happy Crafting!

Supplies

99951 Cracked Up Egg craft die

99905 Sweet Bunny craft die

99947 Cheery Flower Stems craft die

30069 Stitched Oval Layers

Welcome Spring…Simple Chicks and Glorious Floral Stem by Jean Okimoto

It's snowing here - but Simple Chicks and the Glorious Floral Stem are ready to welcome spring today!  Hello, Jean Okimoto here, hoping spring arrives soon.  Till then, I hope these great diecuts, bright pastels and pink gem stickers will brighten your day.

Cut the 2-¾" x 4" Wrapped Stitch Rectangle from white cardstock.  Cut the larger Simple Chick near the bottom right corner.  Cut the small chick - slightly overlapping.  You'll end up with chick cutouts on the rectangle - and two little pairs of chick-feet.

Cut Simple Chicks from yellow cardstock.  Attach scraps of orange cardstock behind to diecuts to create beaks. Glue them into the cutouts on the rectangle background.

Cut Glorious Floral Stem from green and pink cardstock.  Trim the pink flowers.  Attach the diecuts to the background.

Stamp the greeting - from the Wirework Hearts Clear Stamp Set - on white A-2 card with Verdant VersaFine Clair.  Attach the diecuts.  Add pink gem stickers.

Big Thanks to everyone who joined us for Monday's CAKES, CANDLES + BIRTHDAY WISHES class at Impress!  Hope you liked the cards - and the new dies and VersaFine Clair inkpads.  Special thanks too - Jeannie and Becca - for helping everyone fill their shopping baskets with the latest and greatest supplies.

See you again at SIMPLY ASIAN class on the 24th - 6 cards, an origami butterfly, lots of diecuts and techniques!

Thanks for stopping by...

 

 

 

Supplies

 

99934 Simple Chicks craft die

99958 Glorious Floral Stem craft die

30094 Wrapped Stitch Rectangles

CL5218 Wirework Hearts clear stamp set