Long Time No Sea by Donna Sledzik

Hi everyone!

Today I have a fun and simple summer card for you featuring both new and old products.  

To make this card, I started with a white cardbase and spattered it with blue ink.  

Then, I  cut the seal using the Sweet Seal die and the Wave Ribbon Collage background die from white cardstock.  I used the negative part of the wave background and glued those to a piece of white cardstock.  I ended up cutting another wave background because I needed a few more waves for my piece.

Once the pieces where glued to my paper, I trimmed it to a 2 3/4 " square.  

Next I sponged the background with Distress Oxide Inks and spattered it with white ink.

I sponged the seal with Hickory Smoke Distress Ink.  I glued a piece of black cardstock on the back side of the seal so that the eyes and nose would stand out.

I also sponged a 3" square of white cardstock with Hickory Smoke Distress Ink and adhered it at an angle to my card front. 

Next I glued my wave panel to the card front and adhered the seal using foam tape.  

I white heat embossed the sentiment on a strip of black cardstock, then glued it to the card front.

To finish the card, I used some glass baubles for embellishment.  

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

CL5240 Oceanside Typewriter Sentiments clear stamp set

94005 Wave Ribbon Collage craft die

99906 Sweet Seal craft die

Daisy Silhouette Card with Starflower Flower Frame Envelope Address Box by Anne Thompson

Here's a simple card that uses the DAISY SILHOUETTE 94249 and some coordinating pretty papers.  A perfect summer card!

Start by die cutting the Daisy Silhouette from watercolor paper.  Leave the flowers in the background and paint them.  I used a waterbrush and a variety of Distress inks.

Next choose some coordinating papers and a notecard to go with the colors of the flowers you painted.

Whichever paper you choose for the larger background, cut it 4 x 5.25 and adhere it to the card front.  Cut a narrower strip from a second paper 2 x 5.25 and adhere that on top of the first paper.  Once the flowers are dry, remove them from the background and glue them to the narrow paper piece.

That's it!  Easy peasy!  I had a group of five of us make this card last week.  They all chose different colors for their flowers, so matching papers and notecard colors was a lot of fun.  Similar but different!  I thought then that a set of four or more would make a lovely gift along with decorated envelopes, stamps, and a pen.  

So, thinking about envelopes led me to this:

The box made by the STARFLOWER FLOWER FRAME 94246 is perfect for a name and address!  I found that my glue pen secured this nicely to the envelope.

In my challenge to use more of the paper I have collected and stashed over many years, I also papered the inside of the card using a bold plaid on the left and a pale print on the right so I can add a stamped sentiment and a written message.  I also made a liner for the envelope.

I hope you are enjoying your summer and still finding some time to make summer cards with these great new products from Memory Box.  Happy crafting!

 

Big Butterfly Wing and the Rose Bouquet Clear Stamps and Die Set by Jean Okimoto

Sunny days bring butterflies and flowers - combine them on a watercolored card and you're ready for any occasion!  Hello, Jean Okimoto here with a card featuring two of my favorite designs  - Big Butterfly Wing and the Rose Bouquet Clear Stamps and Die Set.  We're using just the stamps here, but you'll want the matching dies to extend the versatility of this great floral design.

Brush diluted Kaleidacolor Dye Inks onto the smoother side of watercolor paper.  I like to use a 6" square of watercolor paper to pick a pretty mix of colors for the stamped area.  Dry the inks, then give it a light spritz of water to add some little specks of color variation.  Air-dry it.  Cover it with a scrap of paper and press it with a dry iron on the cotton setting to smooth it out and prep it for stamping.

Stamp Rose Bouquet with Morning Mist VersaFine Clair and emboss it with detail clear powder.  Add some additional color to the top flower, little round seedpods or berries and the flower centers.

Cut smooth white cardstock with the 5-¼" x 4" Rectangle Basics die.  Cut the rectangle with Big Butterfly Wing.  Save the diecut for another project, we're using the offcut here. Cut the antennae and center section from dark gray cardstock.

Cut the stamped watercolor paper with the 5" x 3-¾" Rectangle Basics die.  No measuring needed - and it'll fit neatly behind the cutout without any watercolored edges peeking out along the sides.

Stamp "wishing"  - also from the stamp set - on a scrap of watercolored paper with Morning Mist.  Dry the ink, then trim it with the smallest Rectangle Basics die.

Attach the diecuts to a top-folded 5-½" square card of textured white cardstock - use foam dots for the greeting.  Add turquoise gem stickers.

Stamp the remainder of the greeting on smooth white cardstock with Morning Mist and attach it inside the card with foam dots.

Hope you'll experiment with different techniques - and supplies - and create your unique version of this bold summer design.  Have fun with it!

Big thanks to everyone from the BUTTERFLY WISHES class on July 4th!  I appreciate how you spent a few hours of your holiday creating cards with me at Impress.  Special thanks to Elaine for your cute and sweet patriotic candy treats!  And thanks Ann and LaVonne for working on a holiday and helping us fill those shopping baskets.  We're having a second BUTTERFLY WISHES class - along with the new SUMMER COLLECTIONS FROM BIRCH PRESS & POPPYSTAMPS class - on July 13th.  Looking forward to seeing everyone this weekend!

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

 

 

 

 

Supplies

 

99943 Big Butterfly Wing craft die

30086 Rectangle Basics Set

CL5241 Rose Bouquet clear stamp set

Say Hello with the Rose Bouquet Clear Stamps and the Matching Die Set by Jean Okimoto

Diecut a trio of flowers from the Rose Bouquet Clear Stamps and add a glittered greeting for a quick summer card.  Create a minimal, downsized version of the Rose Bouquet with the individual flower and leaf stamps. They're all included in this popular clear stamp and die set from this spring's  Garden Bouquet Collection.

Hi, happy weekend - Jean Okimoto here with another idea to take advantage of this great combo of stamps and dies.

 Stamp the flowers and two of the leaves on peach and green cardstock with Shady Lane VersaFine Clair.  Cut them with the matching dies.

Paint watercolor paper with Peerless Watercolors.  Heat-set it, then cut it with the 1-¾" x 3" Rectangle Basics die.

Attach ScorTape to light aqua cardstock and cut the "hello" background.  Cut the delicate "hello" from white cardstock - leave the diecut in the die.  Use a piercing tool to remove the little pieces in each of the letters.  Place the die over the adhesive-covered background and press it firmly to attach the white diecut to the background.  Brush the remaining adhesive with iridescent glitter - like Impress' Sparkle Glitter.

Attach the diecuts to a side-folded white A-2 card - use foam dots for the smallest flower.  Add orange gem stickers.

We're already into the second week of summer - and there are still so many more ways to use the great Garden Bouquet Collection.  Combine it with some beautiful butterflies from our January release for very special summer cards!

We'll be doing some of that  in the BUTTERFLY WISHES class at Impress on the 4th of July.  Dies, stamps,  origami, embossing, glitter, and the new Imagine Sheer Shimmer Stix create great greetings for any occasion. Join us if you're in the Seattle area! 

Thanks for visiting...

Supplies

 

CL5241-D Rose Bouquet clear stamp and die set

94069 Hello Jotted Script craft die

30086 Rectangle Basics Set

Birthday Card by Donna Sledzik

Hello everyone!

Today I have a fun background technique for you to try, which includes blowing bubbles! 

To create this background you need to mix about a tablespoon of acrylic paint and dish soap in a shallow bowl. Add some water to thin out the paint mixture.  Take a straw and blow into the mixture to create bubbles.  The bubbles will come to a dome shape over the bowl, then you can tap your paper onto the bubbles. You can repeat this process to cover your paper.  

Once the background was dry, I used foam tape to adhere it to a white cardbase.

Next I die cut the Happy Octopus 3 times from white cardstock.  The waves and the octopus were sponged with Distress Ink.  

I glued one of the white circle frames to my card front and then adhered the waves and octopus.  Next I glued another white frame on top of the first one.  I adhered an acetate die cut circle to the back of the third frame and glued that on top of the others. 

I stamped and white heat embossed my sentiments on strips of black cardstock and adhered those to the front of my card.

To finish the card, I added some dew drops to add a little dimension.

Thanks for stopping by today and have a great weekend!

 

 

Just a Little Note with Scribble Roses and the Rose Bouquet by Jean Okimoto

Sending a little note is thoughtful - and creative - with the Rose Bouquet Clear Stamp Set and the Scribble Roses.  Happy weekend - Jean Okimoto here with a flowery felt design featuring our Garden Bouquet Collection.  

Stamp the bouquet on pale gray cardstock with Morning Mist VersaFine Clair.  Dry the ink.   Trim the stamped image with the coordinating Rose Bouquet die.  Cut another Rose Bouquet from the same cardstock and attach it behind the stamped diecut for dimension.

Trim the left side of the double layer with the 4-¼" x 5-½" Rectangle Basics die.  Attach it to a side-folded pale gray A-2 card.

Cut Scribble Roses Outline from dark gray cardstock.

Attach adhesive label paper - or a sticker sheet - to light pink, bright pink and light peach wool-blend felt.  Cut the Scribble Roses Background.  Assemble the roses and add them to the card.  The paper backing stabilizes the felt and keeps adhesives from soaking through. 

Stamp the greeting - also from the Rose Bouquet Clear Stamp Set - on light pink cardstock with Morning Mist.  Dry the ink, then trim the greeting with the smallest Rectangle Basics die.  Attach it with foam dots.

Add orange gem stickers.

Hope you like flowery cards - and felt diecuts too!  There are so many ways to combine the beautiful florals from the Garden Bouquet Collection - it's versatile, timeless - and my new favorite!  

Thanks for visiting - have a fun weekend and I'll see you again next week...

Supplies

 

30086 Rectangle Basics Set

94271 Scribble Roses Background craft die

94270 Scribble Roses Outline craft die

CL5241-D Rose Bouquet clear stamp and die set

Create a Dark Floral Card with Scribble Posies and Scribble Fronds by Jean Okimoto

Combine Scribble Posies Outline,  Scribble Frond Background and Scribble Frond Outline on a spring card delivering a simple upbeat message.  There were happy thoughts - literally - when I saw this great new collection!  

Hello, happy weekend - Jean Okimoto here with another blog blitz design and a chance for you to win a die from the Garden Bouquet Collection.  Bright florals on a dark background are a great spring theme - but it can be challenging to create that look with stamps.  Memory Box dies and cardstock create that look quickly and easily.

 

Cut Scribble Frond Outline from Easter Grass cardstock.  Cut Scribble Frond Background from Juicy Pear cardstock.

Cut Scribble Posies Outline from flamingo, white and Coral Creme cardstock.  Save the delicate center and outer outlines too.   (Outer outlines??)  

Cut scraps of yellow glittered cardstock and attach them behind the blossoms.  

Stamp the label outline - from the new Big and Little Words Clear  Stamp Set - with Verdant VersaFine Clair.  Stamp the greeting.  Dry the ink, the trim the cardstock and trim the corners with a corner punch.  I used the 4mm corner section  from the WeRMemoryKeepers corner rounder.  

Attach the diecuts to a top-folded 5-⅜" square card of textured dark gray cardstock.  Add pale peach gemstickers.

Would you like a chance to win Scribble Posies Outline Die Set?  Just add a comment to this post by 11:59pm EST on Sunday, May 12th.  One winner will be selected at random to win the new die.  All winners will be posted on the Outside the Box blog on Monday, May 13th at 6pm EST.  Good luck, and I hope you will visit us often this week!

If you're in the Seattle area - join us for another ASIA NOW class at Impress on Mother's Day, May 12th.   We're making 6 contemporary cards featuring our favorite almost-Asian dies, beautiful artpapers and lots of techniques.

Impress is celebrating Mom and Ladies Day at Tukwila too - Moms and ladies receive a 30% discount on one item of their choice on Sunday, May 12th.   Take advantage of this great discount and buy one of the Memory Box dies you've been eyeing!

Thanks for visiting - have a great weekend!

 

Supplies

 

94273 Scribble Frond Background craft die

94272 Scribble Frond Outline craft die

94268 Scribble Posies Outline craft die

CL5242 Big and Little Words lear stamp set

New Starflower Flower Frame with Big and Little Words by Jean Okimoto

Create spring-into-summer cards with the just-released Starflower Flower Frame and a thoughtful greeting from Big and Little Words. These great new designs from our April 2019 Collection began shipping yesterday - they'll be at  your favorite Retailer soon!  Hello, happy weekend - Jean Okimoto here with a watercolored card featuring one of many beautiful flower dies from this wonderful new collection.

Press the Melon Melody Kaleidacolor inkpad onto a large acrylic block.  Use it as a palette to paint watercolor paper  in soft overlapping shades of green, yellow and orange.  Heat-set the inks.  Splash it with a few dots of the green ink and set it aside to dry.

Pressure-emboss Starflower Flower Frame on a Lemongrass Notecard using the embossing mat and plates required for your machine.  The embossing creates a nice base for attaching the diecuts - simply add a few drops of adhesive and place them in the debossed areas surrounding the embossed design.

Diecut Starflower Flower Frame from pale green cardstock - save the oval flower centers.  Attach the diecut and flower centers to the notecard.

Cut the watercolored paper with the Starflower Flower Frame - we'll just use the center portion here.  Attach it to the notecard.

Stamp the greetings - from the new Big and Little Words Clear Stamp Set - on pale green cardstock with Pearlescent Thyme Brilliance.  Dry the ink and diecut the greeting with the smallest Rectangle Basics die.

Attach the greeting and yellow gem stickers to the card.  Here's a closeup showing the great embossed details on the blossoms.

This special release is filled with beautiful flower designs - traditional, classic, contemporary and scribbly.  I love the solid background and delicate detailed combinations - you'll see them often here on Outside the Box and in my classes.

Big Thanks to everyone from last weekend's Charming Prints class at Impress!  It's always great to see my friends and loyal students - and to meet newcomers too.  Special thanks to Jenny for her special Easter candies - so yummy in those sweet little spring pails!  Thanks too - Erin and Lynne - for helping everyone fill their shopping baskets!

If you're in the Seattle area this weekend be sure to take advantage of Impress' annual Spring Sale and their 20% shopping discount.  Check out the Memory Box Collection at Impress  - don't forget your your Memory Box/Poppystamps/Birch Press shopping list!  Enjoy inspiring samples, beautiful displays and great customer service.

Join us for a new ASIA NOW class at Impress today too - and take advantage of the 20% shopping discount for class supplies, and everything you've ever wanted.  We'll be using some of the great new dies and stamps from the April Collection - along with beautiful papers, lots of techniques and a very cool origami fish.

Thanks for visiting...have a great weekend!

Supplies

 

CL5242 Big and Little Words lear stamp set

94246 Starflower Flower Frame craft die

Lemongrass A2 notecards

30086 Rectangle Basics Set

Whale Hello by Laura Fulcher

Greetings friends.  Or should I say whale hello there friends?  Today I want to talk about creating a striped background using Distress Oxide inks.

First, I started by adding some strips of low-tack tape to my white cardstock.  I used strips of Eclipse tape, but you could use washi tape as well:

I used a ruler/lined mat underneath my card so that my stripes would be straight.  Notice that I used various widths of tape as well as random spacing between the tape strips.

Next, I colored between the various strips of tape using Broken China, Peacock Feathers, Salty Ocean and Faded Jeans Distress Oxide ink.  Use extra post it sheets for masking if needed.

Before I removed the tape, I lightly spritzed the ink with water to make it look splotchy.

When I removed the tape, I was left with this:

To color the whales, I colored the top part with C3, C5 and B21 Copic markers.  For the bottom of the whales, I used C1 and a tiny bit of C3 Copic markers.  Here is a close up of the coloring:

Thanks for stopping by today.  I hope you had a whale of a good time.

 

 

Supplies

 

94228 Wonderful Whale Frame craft die

CL5240 Oceanside Typewriter Sentiments clear stamp set

99969 Swirl Switch Clouds craft die

Clean and Simple Cards with Blooming Floral Circle Frame by Anne Thompson

Maybe you'll recognize this first card from the introduction to this month's challenge.

I chose to feature one die on a series of clean and simple cards for each season: BLOOMING FLORAL CIRCLE FRAME 94218.  

For this spring card, I used an aqua notecard, white cardstock cut with the Blooming Floral Circle Frame, cloud paper cut with one of the Wrapped Circle dies just a tad bigger than the floral circle as an underlay, and a scrap of pool distressed dot paper cut with a small circle die the same diameter as the inner circle of the frame.  I stamped "springtime wishes" from
SPRINGTIME TYPEWRITER SENTIMENTS CL5239 using Hero Arts Tide Pool ink on a scrap of white cardstock.  I layered everything up using a glue pen, tucking the sentiment under one of the branches and adding the small cut-outs on the end of that tag.

Want an even cleaner and simpler version?

Here I covered the front of a pink notecard with plaid paper, added the white cardstock Blooming Floral Circle Frame, and glued on a bow and a few small pearls.  Summer card!

Here I've added fall and winter cards with the summer one.

For the oranges fall card (which I made as a birthday card with a sentiment from Bold Friendly Greetings CL5236), I used a gold cardstock and a darker orange one for the circle frames and layered them just a bit offset before adding the ribbon bow.  The winter dark chocolate card has a white cardstock circle frame over a kraft circle die cut to the same size and finished with a brown ribbon bow. 

I'm now thinking of other color combinations and celebrations appropriate for this design.  So many possibilities!

I also added coordinating papers to the inside panels of each card and also on the back--trying to use up some of the pretty papers from my 6X6 collections and scraps from previous projects.  

Happy Crafting!