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

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

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

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

Dazzling Seashells Collection by Jean Okimoto

Pearly, pastel Dazzling Seashells are great for any occasion...and ready for a shell-ebration!  This beautifully-textured collection of 7 designs is from the Dazzling Seashells 3D Embossing Folder and Cutting Dies set.  Hi, Jean here - it's cloudy and in the 30's outside, a perfect day to stay inside and create cards with a warm, tropical theme.

Blend twisted citron, worn lipstick, kitsch flamiongo and cracked pistachio Distress Oxides on smooth, heavy white cardstock.  Trim it to fit in the Dazzling Seashells 3D Embossing Folder.  Lightly spritz both sides of the cardstock to prep it for embossing.  Place the inked side against the debossed (sunken) side of the folder.  Pressure-emboss it using the plates(s) required for your machine.

Place the embossed cardstock on a hard, flat surface and apply a layer of Pearlescent Jade Brilliance using a hard rubber brayer.  Dry the ink.  Cut the shells with the coordinating dies.

Prep Ring Stack by rubbing it briskly with scrunched waxed paper to make it easier to remove the delicate diecut.  Cut Ring Stack from the gold Rainbow Reflections Mirror Pad sheet.  Cut two more of the end ovals again to lengthen the diecut - hide the overlapped extension under the second shell from the left.

Cut white cardstock with the 7-¼" x 2-¼" Slim Basic Rectangles die.  Attach the Ring Stack diecuts to the rectangle - use tiny dots of glue just where the ovals are joined.  Attach the shells.

Stamp the greeting - from the Deep Blue Ocean Clear Stamp and Die Set - with Pearlescent Jade Brilliance.  Dry the ink and cut the greeting lengthwise with the second-smallest Slim Basic Rectangles Die.  Trim the short ends.  

Attach the diecuts to a white slimline card (3-½" x 8-⅝") - use foamdots for the greeting.  Add aqua Christmas Fairy Jewels.  Cut a slimline-sized rectangle of cardstock to protect the card front for mailing.

Dazzling Seashells would be beautiful cut from Rainbow Reflections or Vintage Pastel Mirror Pad 6x6 sheets too.  Their pearly shimmer will enhance the detailed textures of each shell.

Thanks for visiting...have a great weekend!

 

 

 

Supplies

 

ef1029 Dazzling Seashells 3D Embossing Folder and Matching Dies

94556 Slim Basic Rectangle Layers

94547 Ring Stack

cl5268d Deep Blue Ocean clear stamp and die set

fp1003 Rainbow Reflections Mirror Pad

cry102 Christmas Fairy Crystals

Garden Greetings…Gentle Rose Watercolor Floral by Jean Okimoto

The new Gentle Rose Watercolor Floral appears to have many tiny layers.  They are actually just four detail pieces - easily layered over the background that's gently marked with guidelines for the detail pieces.  Theyt're lightly marked so you can rearrange the layers if you prefer - and no one will know!  Hi, Jean here with another beautiful, layering floral set from our Spring Collection.

Paint heavy white cardstock with two shades of peachy-pink inks or watercolors.  Dry it, then spray the darker section with a light mist of Imagine's Gold Sheer Shimmer Spritz.  Dry the ink, then diecut it with the Gentle Rose Watercolor Floral set.  Assemble the rose.

Cut Wayfarer Leaves from light green cardstock.

Prep Thistle Stems by rubbing it briskly with scrunched waxed paper to help remove the delicate pieces.  Cut it from the light gold 6x6 in the Vintage Pastel Mirror Pad.

Add splatters of the Gold Sheer Shimmer Spritz to white cardstock.  Dry the ink, then cut it with the 2" x 7" Slim Basic Rectangle Layers die.

Attach the Gentle Rose, Thistle Stems and Wayfarer Leaves to the rectangle - use foam dots for the center and right edge of the rose.

Attach the rectangle to a white slimline card (3-⅝" x 8-½").  Add the peachy pink Pastel Jewels.  

Roses are always a classic design element for celebrations, thank-yous and friendship cards.  Adding Wayfarer Leaves and Thistle Stems to your collection makes it even easier to create garden greetings for any occasion.

We're working on the links for the Wayfarer Leaves and Thistle Stems.  View the entire Spring Collection here.  

Thanks for visiting - see you again on Friday!

 

 

Supplies

 

94689 Thistle Stems

94556 Slim Basic Rectangle Layers

fp1002 Vintage Pastel Mirror Pad

jwl002 Pastel Jewels

Backpaint a Vellum Scribble Daisy by Jean Okimoto

Here's a floral card with a technique that's fast, forgiving and foolproof!  The new Scribble Daisy is perfect for reverse-painting on vellum.  It's faster than paper-piecing, forgivingly painted on the backside and simply foolproof.  Hi, Jean here with a spring-into-summer design that would work in any color combination, for any occasion.

Cut medium-weight vellum with the 3-¼" wide Curved Cap Pinpoint Layer.  Cut the pale lavender 6x6 from the Twilight Purple Collection with the 2-¼" wide Curved Cap Pinpoint Layer.

Prep the Scribble Daisy die by rubbing it briskly with scrunched waxed paper to help release the little pieces.  Cut the daisy from Open Studio Watercolor Paper.  We won't be watercoloring it - but it's the perfect heavy weight for a bold outline. Attach tiny pieces of doublestick tape behind the top center - it'll be filled in with diecut yellow glittered cardstock.  Attach more tape to the flower's center, the leaf tips and where the stem meets the leaves. 

 

Flip it over to the reverse side and place it on a dark background (not purple or green!) - to make it easy to see and control the painted colors.  Paint the backside using diluted dye inks - Imagine's Pansy and Spring Green were used here, about 1 part of ink to 10 parts of water. Undiluted Distress Oxide refill inks can also be used.  Test the inks on scraps of the same vellum to see how they'll look.

Set it aside to airdry completely - heat-setting might warp or burn the vellum.

Cut the tiny pieces for the center of the flower from the light yellow 6x6 in the Graceful Garden Glitter Pad.  Attach them to the vellum background. Attach the vellum to the smaller Curved Cap Pinpoint Layer - narrow strips of ScorTape (or Couture Doublestick Tape) won't show through the painted areas.   Attach everything to a lavender notecard.

Cut the Hugs Tender Script background from green cardsstock.  Spritz both sides of it with a light mist of water to prep it for pressure-embossing. Pressure-emboss it with the detailed script background to make it easy to attach the top layer.  Cut the top layer from a green 6x6 in the Graceful Garden Glitter Pad.

Assemble and attach the greeting .  Add some sparkle with lime green Bright Jewels.

Thanks for visiting - backpainting vellum is a great way to brighten any outline design - try it in your favorite colors!

 

Supplies

 

94669 Hugs Tender Script

94646 Curved Cap Pinpoint Layers

94617 Scribble Daisy

gp1002 Graceful Garden Glitter Pad

sp1008 Twilight Purple

jwl003 Bright Jewels

wp101 Watercolor Paper

Trio of Window Collages by Jean Okimoto

Colorful butterflies flutter through a trio of collaged windows on a slimline thank you card.  The new collages - Distant Sun, Cloudy Moon and Cloudy Sun - create a layered, dimensional backdrop for the Intricate Mini Butterflies.  Hi, Jean here with more great dies from our Spring '23 Collection.

Score white cardstock horizontally at 3-⅝" and 7-¼".  Cut Cloudy Sun Collage from the front of the 3-⅝" panel. Cut Cloudy Moon Collage from the backside of the second panel.  Cut Distant Sun Collage from the front of the third panel.

Cut blue cardstock with the 3-⅝" x 8-⅝" Slim Basic Rectangle Layers die.  Attach the rectangle behind the Distant Sun Collage panel - align the left edges.  Trim the right edge.  Trim the top and bottom edges of the tri-folded card.

Prep the Intricate Mini Butterflies die by rubbing it briskly with scrunched waxed paper to help release the detailed diecuts.  Blend yellow, chartreuse, green, teal and blue inks on smooth white cardstock.  Dry the inks, then cut it with the Intricate Mini Butterflies die.  I cut two sets of the butterflies so I could select the sizes and colors  I wanted for the card.

The butterflies are just glued at the center, allowing the wings to lift at the edges.  Attach the 3 smallest butterflies to the blue area within the Distant Sun Collage.  Attach the 4th butterfly partially over the bottom edge of the Cloudy Moon Collage.  Attach the remaining 3 butterflies to the card front.

Cut Tilted Thanks from the turquoise sheet in the Rainbow Reflections Mirror Pad.  Attach the greeting to the card and add turquoise Pastel Jewels

Tri-fold collage cards are fun to create - and receive!  Substitute birds or dragonflies instead of butterflies for a totally different look.  Or maybe a plush brown felt Layered Polar Bear holding a bunch of balloons just barely floating over the window collages?

 

Thanks for visiting - see you again this weekend...

 

Supplies

 

94626 Cloudy Sun Collage

94627 Cloudy Moon Collage

94628 Distant Sun Collage

94641 Intricate Mini Butterflies

94470 Tilited Thanks

jwl002 Pastel Jewels

94556 Slim Basic Rectangle Layers

fp1003 Rainbow Reflections Mirror Pad

Curlicues, Plumes, Swirls and Shimmer by Jean Okimoto

The new swirly, curly, spiraled Curlicue Plate is quickly becoming a Design Team favorite.  It's great alone as a bold background - or highlight it with the new Plumed Gypsy Butterfly or Plumed Gypsy Feather.  Hi, Jean here with another butterfly card that just couldn't wait for warm and sunny butterfly-weather.

Trim an ink-blended (or watercolored) background to 4" x 5-¼".  Attach it to a top-folded white notecard.  

Prep the new Curlicue Plate by rubbing it briskly with waxed paper to make it quick and easy to remove the offcuts.  Cut Curlicue Plate from white cardstock.  

Cut the Plumed Gypsy Butterfly background from a shimmery purple 6x6 in the Rainbow Reflections Mirror Pad.  Prep the detailed butterfly die with scrunched waxed paper, then cut it from the Rainbow Reflections sheet too.

Stamp the greeting - from the Sweet Christmas Clear Stamp Set - on white cardstock with Brilliance Pearlescent Purple.

Attach the greeting and diecuts to the card - use foam tape for the butterfly, and leave the outer edges unglued.  Add pale pink Pastel Fairy Jewels.

The Curlicue Plate is great for pressure-embossing and paper-piecing too!  Save a few of the offcuts if you're cutting it from colored or metallic cardstock. They create great design elements - especially the 3 main circular pieces.  We save everything, don't we?

Thanks for visiting our blog,  Keep warm and make some cards this weekend - and please stop by to enjpy Laura's great design on Saturday!

 

 

Supplies

 

94698 Curlicue Plate

94708 Plumed Gypsy Butterfly

CL5283 Sweet Christmas clear stamp set

fp1003 Rainbow Reflections Mirror Pad

jwl002 Pastel Jewels

A Blossom and Big Hugs by Jean Okimoto

Brighten a gray winter day with a fresh pink blossom and big hugs from our new Spring Collection.  We're discovering countless ways to mix, match and layer the great design elements from our latest release.  Hi, Jean here with a simple idea that's easy to create in your favorite colors - or the recipient's favs.

The new Curved Cap Pinpoint Layers set is great for backgrounds, frames or tags.  Tape the three smallest dies together and cut an ink-blended or watercolored, gold-spritzed background.  Leave the diecuts in the dies and attach doublestick tape to the backsides of the intact diecuts to save time. Remove them from the dies together and attach them to a top-folded white A2 card.

Cut dark gray stems with the new Floral Bud and Stems set.  Cut the petals from the sweet pink Vintage Pastel Mirror Pad 6x6.  Attach the diecuts to the background - use foam dots for the 3-petal piece.

Tape or glue two layers of white cardstock together and diecut the solid Hugs Tender Script background.  Pressure-emboss it with the overlay to deboss the background and make it easy to attach the gold layer.  Cut the overlay from the gold Vintage Pastel Mirror Pad 6x6.  Attach it to the background.

Add pale gold Pastel Fairy Jewels for extra sparkle.

That's it!  Make several cards in different colors and have variations ready for thank-yous, birthdays or friendship cards too.

Thanks for visiting - see you on Friday...

 

Supplies

 

94647

94669

94646

FP1002

JWL002