In Full Bloom by Jean Okimoto

Flowers bloom and evolve throughout the season - so do diecuts!  The versatile boldly-beautiful Magnolia Floral Stem easily grows from bud to bloomer.  Flowers can sometimes look very different from their seed packet pictures - or their die envelopes.  Stems are longer, buds bloom and leaves grow in different directions.   Hi, Jean here sharing a few ideas to change the look of a spring magnolia as we welcome summer.

The original spring magnolia is shown on the envelope.  Here's our sunny yellow summer version.

Cut Magnolia Floral Stem from Open Studio Watercolor Paper.  Cut an extra stem.  Daub, sponge or brush the pieces with Sunflower Yellow Brilliance, Pearlescent Thyme Brilliance and Vintage Sepia VersaFine.  Trim and join the stem pieces where it'll be hidden by the bottom of the big leaf.

Tape the 2-¼", 1-¾" and 1-¼" wide A2 Rectangle Frames Dies to the dark green leaf print from the Magnolia Grove 6x6 pack and diecut them.  Leave them in the die and tape them together to create an inlaid background.

Cut the small dragonfly - from the Birch Press Design Simple Dragonfly Contour Layers set - from the gold Rainbow Reflections 6x6.  Assemble just the wings.  It's easier to attach the delicate body to the card, then glue the wings over it.

Attach the diecuts to a natural A6 card (6-¼" x 4-½") - use foam tape for the tips of the leaves and petals.  Attach the dragonfly wings.

Attach the coppery-gold Treasure Chest Fairy Gemstones.  Cut an A6-sized rectangle of cardstock to protect the card front for mailing.

The Magnolia Collection of buds, blossoms, stems and leaves is perfect for transitioning the seasons as summer approaches.  Add brighter colors and full bloomers to your unique cards for celebrations and everyday greetings.  

Thanks for visiting...have a great weekend!

Supplies

 

pp1022

fp1003

94672 A2 Rectangle Frames Die Set

94717

wp101 Watercolor Paper

gem101 Treasure Chest Fairy Gemstones

 

 

 

Supplies

 

57487 Simple Dragonfly Contour Layers

Transfer, Emboss and Frame a Marvelous Magnolia by Jean Okimoto

Need a quick card?  Transfer, diecut and 3D-emboss a Marvelous Magnolia and add a shimmery Crystal Frame background.  A diecut greeting and Autumn Fairy Crystals top it off.  Hi, Jean here with a garden greeting to start the weekend.

Cut a Magnolia Rub-on Transfer and its paper liner - with a generous border.  Carefully remove the paper liner and tap the transfer onto heavy smooth white cardstock.  Place it between two sheets of printer paper to protect the design. Run it through the diecut machine (without the die!) with the plates used for cutting.  Carefully remove the top plastic liner.  Memory Box Rub-on Transfer sets include a wooden craft stick to burnish the transfer - but the rolling pressure of a diecut machine does a great job too!

Diecut the design with the matching die from the 3D embossing folder set.  Cut a second piece from heavy white cardstock and layer it for dimension.

Place the diecut in the Marvelous Magnolia 3D Embossing Folder and run it through the machine using the plates required for 3D embossing.

I used an ink-blended piece of Open Studio Watercolor Paper from my stash and spritzed it with more water and daubed it with a tissue to blot some of the inks for a lighter background.  Lightly spritzed it with Imagine's Gold Sheer Shimmer Sprtiz too.  Let it dry, then cut it with the large Crystal Frames die.  Attach the frame and its offcut to a white side-folded 5-½" square card.  The peaked Crystal Frame complements and resembles the top of the blossom without being too match-y.

Stamp the greeting - from the Friends and Family Clear Stamp Set - on a pale lavender 6x6 from the Twilight Purple Collection with Purple Delight VersaFine Clair.  Dry the ink, then trim the greeting with the 1-½" Square Basics die.

Assemble the card  - use foam tape for the greeting.  Add purple Autumn Fairy Crystals.  Cut a 5-½" square of cardstock to protect the card front for mailing.  Square cards require additional postage and handling.

Thanks for visiting - have a great weekend!

Supplies

 

ef1035 Marvelous Magnolia 3D Embossing Folder and Cutting Dies

sp1008 Twilight Purple

cry101 Autumn Fairy Crystals

94523 Crystal Frames

rub101 Magnolia Rub On

30088 Square Basics Set

CL5276 Friends and Family clear stamp set

wp101 Watercolor Paper

Hugs by Donna Sledzik

Hi everyone!  Today I have another card featuring new products from the April Magnolia release.

I saw this fun technique on YouTube and thought I would give it a try.  

You start by creating a background on watercolor paper using Distress Ink Reinkers.  The colors are so vibrant and stand out against the black background.

I created a few backgrounds, they look very messy but don't worry it all comes together.  I decided to use the yellow and pink background for my card.

I used the new Magnolia Blooms 3D Embossing folder for this technique.

On the flat side of the embossing folder, I applied Black Soot Archival ink as if I was inking a stamp.  I placed my background panel, ink side up, on the other side of the folder and ran it through my die cutting machine.  I repeated this process to get a little more black ink on my background.

This is what it looked like after the first pass through.  Next, I took Black Sharpie Markers and drew around the flowers and filled in the background so it was a deeper black.

Once the background was filled in, I applied Gold Foundry Wax lightly over the raised portions of the embossed background.  I also spattered the background with gold and white inks.

Next, I mounted the background onto a metallic gold mat and used foam tape to glue it to a white card base.

To finish the card I die cut the word hugs from metallic gold cardstock and glued it to a white die cut shadow piece.

That's it for today!  Thanks for stopping by!

 

 

Supplies

 

EF1036 Magnolia Blooms 3D Embossing Folder and Cutting Dies

94669 Hugs Tender Script

WP101 Watercolor Paper

Hello Seashell Card by Sara Cook

Hi everyone!  I have a greeting card featuring the new Dazzling Seashell 3D embossing folder and dies.

Seashells:

Ink Spray Open Studio's Watercolor paper with shimmer sprays.  I used Lindy's Starburst Sprays in a peach, gold, sand, and hot pink colors.  I also added 2 light sprints of Distress Mica Stain Hocus Pocus for some depth.  Let dry.  Die cut the Dazzling Seashells out of the paper.  Secure the die cuts in the matching 3D embossing folder with small pieces of Washi tape.  Embossing the die cuts.  Remove from the folder and lightly add some Lunar Paste Slippery When Wet and Bee Sting with your finger.  Let dry.

Frame:

Trim a piece of Black Glossy paper to A2 size.  Take the 2nd and 3rd largest dies from the Rectangle Frame Die Set to create 2 separate frames.  

Sentiment:

Die cut the Hello Rush Scrip from a light orange paper from the Sunny Orange pad.  Cover in Lunar Paste Slippery When Wet paste.  Let dry.

Assembly:

Adhere an A2 panel from the same paper used for the sentiment to a cream A2 card.  Glue the larger of the 2 frames to the card.  Arrange the Dazzling Seashells around the card front, making sure some of them are right up to the frame.  Adhere the smaller frame to the card base, hiding small portions of the shells.  Adhere the sentiment and add from Fairy Drops, small and medium size, around the shells.

 

Supplies

 

ef1029 Dazzling Seashells 3D Embossing Folder and Matching Dies

94468 Hello Rush Script

94672 A2 Rectangle Frames Die Set

sp1002 Sunny Orange

wp101 Watercolor Paper

sh44004 Black Glossy Paper

drp101 Fairy Drops

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

A Feathery View by Trina Pham

Hello everyone.  Using dies from the current 2023 February release, I created this thank you card.  To be honest I set out to do something else, but this resulted instead. 😂

Once again, I saw several watercoloring/painting reels on Instagram (IG) and wanted to give it a try.  Started by adding blobs of gouache paints on the smooth side of Memory Box’s watercolor paper in the order of the desired colors.

Using flat watercolor brushes and as little water as possible, created a background wash.

Took a small round brush and black gouache paint and painted in the land mass.  Lightly splattered with diluted white gouache paint for the stars.  Also used white gouache paint to paint the moo and reflection in the water.

The artists in the IG reels painted in their own silhouettes.  I didn’t want to take the chance of ruining my progress, so I die cut my silhouettes from black cardstock using the Backyard Floral Stems die.

The Plumed Gypsy Feather background die was then used to die cut the feather aperture from an A2 size Bristol panel.  The detailed top layer was also die cut from Bristol and mounted onto the back cutout layer.  Die cut the Tilted Thanks sentiment 3x to stack for dimension, then assembled the card onto a white card base to finish.  

That does it for my card.  Thank you for joining me today.  Have a lovely day.

Supplies

 

94711 Plumed Gypsy Feather

94638 Backyard Floral Stems

94470 Tilited Thanks

WP101 Watercolor Paper

Hugs by Donna Sledzik

Hi everyone!  I have another card using new products from the 2023 Memory Box Spring Release.  I love the pattern on the new Curlicue Die Plate and thought I would try it using Simon Hurley's Stamping Foam.

I heated the circle stamping foam with a heat tool and quickly pressed it into the die.  Next, I inked the foam with dye inks and misted it lightly with water to stamp it onto watercolor paper.

The stamped image looks like a watercolor painting.  I dry embossed the circle frame around the stamped image using the largest circle from the circle die set and followed the directions on my die cutting machine for embossing with a die.

The leaves were die cut from green cardstock and inked with Rustic Wilderness Distress ink, then glued in place on the card.

I die cut the word hugs from white cardstock and the shadow from black cardstock.  I used foam tape to glue the word to the card.

Next I glued the card front to a black cardstock mat and adhered it to a white card base.

To finish the card, I added some fairy crystals to add a little shine.

That's it for today!  Thanks for stopping by.

 

Supplies

 

94669 Hugs Tender Script

94712 Wayfarer Leaves

94698 Curlicue Plate

DDP101 Christmas Fairy Dewdrops

WP101 Watercolor Paper

Pastel Plumed Gypsy Feather by Jean Okimoto

The new Plumed Gypsy Feather is both bold and delicate - and perfect for any occasion.  It's just one of many beautiful and versatile designs in our Spring '23 Collection.  Hi, Jean here with a simple pastel design ready to welcome spring.

Cut the delicate overlay of the Plumed Gypsy Feather from heavy white cardstock.  Here's a tip - use the diecut as a template to find just the right section from a pale, watercolored background painted onto the smoother side of Open Studio Watercolor Paper.    Cut the background with the solid die.  This great set also includes a junior Plumed Gypsy Feather - I'm saving that for another project.

Tape two layers of white cardstock together and cut the new Hugs Tender Script background.  Pressure-emboss it with the overlay to create a debossed impression of the greeting to attach the overlay.  Cut the overlay from the pale blue Delicate Pastels Glitter Pad 6x6 sheet.  

Assemble the feather and the greeting.  Attach the diecuts to a pale aqua card - use foamdots for the greeting.  Add matching Pastel Fairy Jewels.  

  
We're loving the great designs in our Spring Collection - there's something for everyone, and every occasion.   View the newest dies, stencils, embossing folders and hot foil plates here.  Enjoy our Idea Book too!

Thanks for visiting - join us again tomorrow for Angie's great project.

Supplies

 

94711 Plumed Gypsy Feather

94669 Hugs Tender Script

jwl002 Pastel Jewels

wp101 Watercolor Paper

gp1001 Delicate Pastel Glitter Pad

Fresh and Fabulous for February by Jean Okimoto

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone celebrating today!

Brighten this winter day with the fresh new designs from Memory Box!  You'll love our latest collection - including florals, foliage, feathers, greetings, layering collages, seashells, shop tools and fishes -  and a beautiful Curlicue Plate.  There are so many great designs - we can't wait to share our ideas with you!  

Hi, Jean here with one of my new favorites - Backyard Floral Stems.  It can be a leafy background just in shades of green - or add bright pops of color for little blossoms and buds.  Snip and arrange some stems as fillers for bouquets or vases.  Add a bunny and pastel eggs for Easter.  Diecut black cardstock for a spooky Halloween scene.  

To create a subtle white-on-white background - tape two pieces of white cardstock together, then cut the doubled layers with the 2-¾" wide Curved Cap Pinpoint Layers die.  Run it through the machine twice to highlight the pinpoint pattern.

Paint the smoother side of Open Studio Watercolor Paper with diluted layers of abandoned coral, dried marigold and wild honey Distress Oxides.  Dry the inks, then spritz it with Imagine's Gold Sheer Shimmer Spritz and heat-set it.  Cut it with the Plumed Gypsy Butterfly background.  Cut the detailed butterfly layer from heavy white cardstock.

Prep Background Floral Stems by rubbing it briskly with scrunched waxed paper to help release the delicate pieces.  Cut it from the smoother side of Open Studio Watercolor Paper.  Leave the delicate diecut in the offcut and paint it with mowed lawn and abandoned coral Distress Oxides.  It's easier to paint it that way - especially the stems.  Gently heat-set the inks, then remove it from the offcut.

Cut Hello Rush Script from a green glittered 6x6 in the Graceful Garden Glitter Pad.

Attach the diecuts to a white A6 card (4-½" x 6-¼") - use foam tape for "h" in "hello" and the left edge of the butterfly.  Add pale gold Pastel Fairy Jewels.

Hope your favorite Retailer has ordered our latest release - you'll love the designs!  View the catalog of the newest Memory Box, Poppystamps and Birch Press Designs products. 

Thanks for visiting - join us again tomorrow for Sara's great Spring Collection card!

 

Supplies

 

94708 Plumed Gypsy Butterfly

94638 Backyard Floral Stems

94646 Curved Cap Pinpoint Layers

94468 Hello Rush Script

wp101 Watercolor Paper

gp1002 Graceful Garden Glitter Pad

jwl002 Pastel Jewels

Hugs and Kisses by Donna Sledzik

Hello everyone!  I have another Valentine's Day card for you featuring products from the 2023 Valentine's Day release.

I did a faux letterpress technique using the Blissful Heart Hot Foil die.  This is a good example of using dies other than what they were intended for.

To do this technique I used a brayer to apply Red Archival ink to the die and placed a piece of watercolor paper on top of the die.  Next, I ran this through my die cutting machine following the instructions for embossing.

 

I used one of the hearts from the Double Stitch Loving Heart die set to die cut the letterpress heart.  

I die cut the Pinpoint Leaf Plate on a white cardstock panel and adhered it to a red cardstock mat.  This was glued to a white note card.

To create the strip behind the heart, I applied double stick to a white cardstock strip of paper and glued strips of cardstock to it.  This is a great way to use scraps of cardstock.  I glued this to the center of the card and used foam tape to adhere the letterpress heart to the card.

Next, I white heat embossed the words Hugs and Kisses to a strip of black cardstock and used foam tape to adhere it to the center of the heart.

To finish the card I added some Clear Fairy Drops and that's it!

Thanks for stopping by today!

 

 

Supplies

 

94381 Pinpoint Leaf Plate

CL5252 Big and Little Valentines clear stamp set

SP1007 Vibrant Violet

DRP101 Fairy Drops

 

MBF014 

Blissful Heart Hot Foil Plate