Slimline Flowers and Friendships by Jean Okimoto

Surprise a special friend and celebrate a lasting friendship with a flowery slimine card.  The Slim Diagonal Collage creates a subtle, dimensional background and a nice contrast to the bold flowers.  Hi, Jean Okimoto - and yes, it's another slimline card!  I love how slimlines provide a lot of the whitespace to balance large design elements and bright colors.

Stamp the floral design from the All the Happiness Clear Stamp and Die Set on smooth white cardstock with Onyx Black VersaFine and emboss it with detail clear powder.  Sponge the stamped image with Distress Oxides - picked raspberry, worn lipstick, wild honey, twisted citron and mowed lawn.  Dry the inks, then cut it with the coordinating die.

Stamp the greeting on ivory cardstock with Onyx Black and dry the ink. Cut the greeting circle with the 2" Circle Basics die.  Blend the green inks on a scrap of white cardstock and cut another 2" circle. Attach the green circle - offset to the right - behind the greeting.

Trim a sheet of ivory cardstock to 8-½" tall x 7-½" wide.  Save the remaining 8-½" x 3-½" piece for the back panel.  Score the 7-½" wide piece at ¾" and 4-¼".  Fold and crease the cardstock on the scored lines.

Unfold the cardstock and cut Slim Diagonal Collage about 1" to the right of the ¾" scoreline - run the die through the machine lengthwise.  

Assemble the card - attach the ¾" folded section behind the 3-½" x 8-½" panel to for the back of the card.  Fold the remaining section to the inside and attach it with narrow strips of foamtape about ¼" away from the diagonal cutouts.  Foamtape adds shadows and dimension.

Attach the stamped pieces.  Add ¼" dots punched from the yellow-orange Frosted Glitter sheet.

There are two floral clear stamps and matching dies in the All the Happiness set.  Create a similar design with the other stamp and die.

Thanks for stopping by - hope you like slimline cards too!

Supplies

 

94555 Slim Diagonal Collage craft die

CL5265-D All the Happiness clear stamp and die set

30087 Circle Basics Set

GP1004 Frosted Glitter Pad

Emboss and Distress the Garden Party Floral Corner by Jean Okimoto

Blend the warm colors of a summer sunset onto Open Studio Watercolor Paper and add 3D embossing to create a floral card for any occasion.  Hello, Jean Okimoto here with another Garden Party Collection design before we introduce you to our 2020 Holiday Collection.

Cut the smoother side of Open Studio Watercolor Paper with the 4" Square Basics die.  Spritz it with a light mist of water and sponge it with overlapping layers of Distress Oxides.  I've used spun sugar, squeezed lemonade and dried marigold here - but any combination of your favorite soft pastels would work for this design.

Air-dry the inks.  Moisten the reverse side of the paper with another quick spritz of water to prep it for embossing.  Emboss it with the Floral Corner 3D Embossing Folder using the plate(s) required for your machine.  Here's what I used for my Platinum - thick base platform, folder with the watercolor paper (inked side up) and two layers of 80# cardstock.  No embossing mats or plates.

Place the embossed paper on a smooth, hard surface and distress it with sandpaper or a sanding block.  I used #180 sandpaper and short, light upward strokes. Remove the residue with a tissue.  Attach it to a side-folded 5-½" square white card.

Stamp the greeting - from the Peony Garden Corner Clear Stamp and Die Set - on white cardstock with Melon Fresh Ink.  Heat-emboss it with detail clear powder.  Cut the top and two sides with the 2-½" Square Basics die, then trim the bottom edge.  Attach it with foam tape.

Color the white glitter sheet from the Delicate Pastel Glitter Pad with a Copic, Sharpie or Zebra Mildliner pen.  Punch ¼" accent dots.

Our Design Team can't wait to start sharing our newest release and holiday designs with you...great dies, embossing folders, new glitter glues, artpapers and 6x6's.   There's something for everyone!

Thanks for visiting...see you on Thursday - 

 

Supplies

 

EF1007 Floral Corner

CL5255-D Peony Garden Corner clear stamp set

GP1001 Delicate Pastel Glitter Pad

30088 Square Basics Set

WP101 Watercolor Paper

Build a Birthday Cake with Snowglobe Bases by Jean Okimoto

 

 

One of my favorite classes to teach at Impress is BEYOND THE BOX.  We take ideas from my blog posts then tweak them, using Memory Box products in unexpected and unintended ways.  For example, build a 4-layer birthday cake with the popular Snowglobe Bases and Sunset Blush Wide Washi Tape.

Hi, Jean Okimoto here with a card that could have two reactions -  #1-OK, maybe it's a birthday cake - or #2-what was she thinking?    It all begins with Snowglobe Bases - 

Attach Sunset Blush Wide Washi Tape to pink cardstock and cut various sections of it with Snowglobe Bases.

Stack the layers and tape them together.  Cut three of the Tall Birthday Candles from the pink Delicate Pastels 6x6 glitter cardstock.  Color the flame sections with a Sharpie, Zebra Mildliner or Copic Marker.  Attach the candles behind the top layer.  Trim the left edge of the two bottom layers.

Attach peachy-pink cardstock to adhesive label paper or a sticker sheet and cut Birthday Cursive Script Circle.  Leave the tiny dot over the "i" in the die until you're ready to attach it.  Attach the diecut to a side-folded white A2 card.  Add the tiny dot.

Stamp "wishes" - from the Cherry Blossom Wreath Clear Stamp and Die Set - on the same cardstock with Shady Lane VersaFine Clair.  Quickly emboss it with detail clear powder.  Trim it and attach it to the card with foam tape.

Cut three butterflies from the Birch Press Design Butterfly Cluster set from the pale pink Delicate Pastel glitter cardstock.  Color them with a peach marker, dry the ink, and attach them to the card.

Enjoy experimenting and creating different looks with dies, stamps and papers from your Memory Box stash.  I think you'll be surprised and happy to discover so many ways to use Dave's great designs!

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

 

 

Supplies

 

30066 Snowglobe Bases

GP1001 Delicate Pastel Glitter Pad

94396 Birthday Cursive Script Circle

CL5256-D Cherry Blossom Wreath clear stamp set

94395 Tall Birthday Candles

WT502 Sunset Blush Wide Washi Tape

57084 Butterfly Cluster

Concentric-Cutting with Square Basics by Jean Okimoto

Multi-colored diecut frames are everywhere right now and the 16-piece Square Basics set is a great way to create that look.  View Jennifer McGuire's video for her great techniques and examples.  

You won't need a special set of dies to cut frames - thick or thin.  This link to our #300-series of dies displays our nesting sets of squares, rectangles, hexagons, ovals, octagons and circles that are perfect for frame-cutting. 

Hello, Jean Okimoto here with a design that began as a trial and became a card.  Tape the 2", 1-½", 1" and ½" dies together.  Brush the remaining exposed tape with the embossing powder tool to reduce the tackiness so the tape won't damage the diecuts.  

Instead of patiently piecing strips of the Delicate Pastel Glitter Pad and diecutting them into nesting frames I diecut the glossy cover of the 6x6 pad "for practice" and decided to use it for today's card.  

Remove the frames from the die and rotate them to arrange contrasting colors.  Cut the ½" square again from another section for better color contrast. Re-assemble the pieces and tape them together on the reverse side.  Pale peach sections keep the card from looking too sweet or like a pink and blue baby card.  

Cut the butterfly print - from the Springtime Bouquet 6x6 set - with the 3" square die.  Stamp the greeting - from the Cherry Blossom Wreath Clear Stamp and Die Set - with Lilac Posies Memento Luxe and emboss it with detail clear powder.  Cut it with the 1-½" square die.

Cut the 2 small Poppystamps Intricate Cut Butterflies from the pink Delicate Pastel 6x6 sheet.  It's a set of 4 detailed butterflies...beautiful details without the little pieces!  

Attach the diecuts to a side-folded 5-¼" square white card - use foam tape for the butterflies.  Square cards require extra postage.

Revisit your stash of prints, glitter and metallic cardstock and up-cycle them into great frames.  I'll  use the blue and green frame squares for a weekend project.

Thanks for visiting!

 

Supplies

 

30088 Square Basics Set

GP1001 Delicate Pastel Glitter Pad

PP1006 Springtime Bouquet 6x6 pack

CL5256-D Cherry Blossom Wreath clear stamp set

2367 Intricate Cut Butterflies

Giulia Border and a Concentric-Cut Set of Echo Blossoms by Jean Okimoto

The new Giulia Border is a delicate backdrop for the bold concentric-cut Poppystamps Echo Blossoms.  It's esy to create the look of stacked floral layers - without the bulk - by cutting a single layer of Memory Box Open Studio Watercolor Paper with 6 of the Echo Blossoms dies. Hi everyone, Jean Okimoto here sharing a summer design today.

Arrange the dies - cut-side down - and tape them together.

Flip them over and brush the remaining exposed tape with the embossing powder prep tool to keep the tape from sticking to the whatever you're diecutting.  The tape holds the dies securely - while the powder coats and deactivates the rest of the adhesive.  

I diecut some pink/coral/orange-sponged Memory Box Open Studio Watercolor Paper from the stash. Leave the diecuts in the die and tape them together across the back to handle them as one piece.

Stamp the greeting - from the Poppystamps Greeting Basics Clear Stamp Set - on a scrap of the inked paper with Morning Mist VersaFine Clair.  Dry the ink, then cut it with the second-smallest Echo Blossom Die.

Cut the gray Dashing Stripes and Dots 6x6 cardstock with the medium Stylish Rectangle Trio die.  

Attach adhesive label paper or a sticker sheet to white cardstock and cut Giulia Border.  The extra layer adds dimension to the diecut without having to glue two diecuts together. 

Attach the diecuts to a light gray A6 card (4-½" x 6-¼").  Cut yellow glitter cardstock - from the Twinkling Jewel 6x6 Glitter Pack - with the smallest Echo Blossom die.  Punch matching ¼" circles for little accents too.

Special thanks to everyone who ordered my VERY SIMPLY ASIAN class kits from the Impress OnLine Store and from Stamps and Memories in Hawaii (808 484.9107)  I appreciate your support personally - and for independent businesses like Memory Box, Impress OnLine and Stamps and Memories.  It's time to prep another kit - BUTTERFLIES, BLOSSOMS & BLING - 5 colorful cards with glossy diecuts and accents, glitter and favorite summer icons.  

Thanks for visiting - see you again on Thursday!

Supplies

 

WP101 Watercolor Paper

94411 Giulia Border

94416 Stylish Rectangle Trio

PP1002 Dashing Stripes and Dots 6x6 pack

2310 Echo Blossoms

CL490 Greeting Basics

Watercolor, Spotlight and Distress the Chrysanthemum Field by Jean Okimoto

Spotlight watercolored sections of the Chrysanthemum Field 3D Embossing Folder and make bright cards for summer greetings.  Embossing creates so many design opportunities ranging from simple monochromatic backgrounds to bright, splashy diecuts.  Hi, Jean Okimoto here - let's add another technique to our embossing folder designs.

 

 

Spritz a light mist of water onto  the smoother side of Memory Box Open Studio Watercolor Paper then sponge it with overlapping layers of Distress Oxides.  Colors used here are worn lipstick, picked raspberry, ripe persimmon  and abandoned coral.  Air-dry the inks.  Cut two sections of the paper with the medium-sized Bubble Circles die.

 

Lightly mist the reverse side of the round offcuts and emboss them with your favorite sections of the folder.  Distress the design using short, upward strokes and medium-fine sandpaper.  Remove the residue with a soft dry paintbrush.

 

Cut ¾" wide accent strips from the Springtime Bouquet and Dashing Stripes and Dotx 6x6 packs.  The strips for the slimline card are 3 ⅝", 3" and 5 ½".  Strips for the A6 card are 5-⅛", 4-¼" and 3-½".  

 

Cut the butterflies - from the Butterfly Meadow die set - from one of the pale Delicate Pastel Glitter pad sheets.  Cut Celebrate Cursive Script too.  Color the diecuts with a Sharpie or Copic Marker.  

 

Stamp "hello" - from the PeonyGarden Corner Clear Stamp and Die Set - on a scrap of watercolored paper with Morning Mist VersaFine Clair.  

 

Attach the strips and diecuts to a slimline card (3-½" x 8-½")  and an A6 card (4-½" x 6-¼").

 

Think of all the ways you can highlight pressure-embossed designs - watercoloring, distressing, and spotlights are just a few ideas.  Brayer them with metallic inks or stencil ink onto them too.  Cutting them from Memory Box Open Studio watercolor paper creates deep impressions and beautiful dimension.

 

Thanks for visiting...see you again on Sunday!

 

 

Supplies

 

WP101 Watercolor Paper

EF1001 Chrysanthemum Field

GP1001 Delicate Pastel Glitter Pad

PP1007 Springtime Bouquet Stripes and Dots

PP1002 Dashing Stripes and Dots 6x6 pack

94393 Celebrate Cursive Script

CL5255-D Peony Garden Corner clear stamp set

94238 Butterfly Meadow

94439 Bubble Circles

Distressed Watercolored Embossing by Jean Okimoto

 

Here are some techniques to add color and sparkle to 3-D embossed images. Let's add some distressed watercolors - and a lot of glitter - to the Butterfly Gathering design for a summer birthday card.  Hello, Jean Okimoto here with a card that evolved during the process.

Spritz a light mist of water onto the smoother side of Open Studio Watercolor Paper.  Sponge it with overlapping layers of shaded lilac, peacock feathers and cracked pistachio Distress Oxides.  Air-dry it. Cut it with the largest die from the Geodesic Oval Trio.

Spritz the reverse side lightly and pressure-emboss it using the plate(s) required for your machine.  Here's the sequence I used on my Spellbinders Platinum - base platform, embossing folder, two layers of cardstock.  No embossing plate or rubber mat.  Machines differ - please don't force the materials through your machine.

Carefully distress the three butterflies with sandpaper or the tip of a medium-grade sanding block. Use light, short sanding strokes instead of heavy pressure or a circular motion.  Brush the residue off.  Attach the diecut to a white A6 card (4-½" x 6-¼").  Attach the delicate geodesic frame.  Use a skewer to spread Open Studio Dragonfly Glitter Glue within the distressed outlines.  

We usually add accents to the diecut before attaching it to the card - but we all know what happens to the damp glitter glue when we flip the diecut over to add the adhesive, then press it onto the card.  

Cut the turquoise glitter sheet from the 6x6 Twinkling Jewel Glitter Pack with Honeycomb Square to create pretty little glitter hexagons.

Stamp the birthday wishes - from the Poppystamps Greeting Basics Clear Stamp Set - with Warm Breeze VersaFine Clair.  Quickly emboss it with detail clear powder.

Trim the greeting with a die from the Rectangle Basics set for nice finished edges.  If the dies don't match the shape of the greeting - cut it with a larger die, then just trim the bottom edge.  Attach it with foam tape.

Hope you know someone celebrating a summer birthday - and try these techniques with our other 3D Embossing Folders too.   

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

 

 

Supplies

 

94418 Geodesic Oval Trio

99921 Honeycomb Square

30086 Rectangle Basics Set

CL490 Greeting Basics

GP1003 Twinkling Jewel Glitter Pad

WP101 Watercolor Paper

40105 Dragonfly glitter glue

Scribble Rose Trio in the Circle Fold Frame by Jean Okimoto

The Scribble Rose Trio and Background fit perfectly into the new Poppystamps Circle Fold Frame.  Add details and texture with the Poppystamps Scallop Small Curve Border and a few glittered dots  - and your card is ready to go.  Hello, Jean Okimoto here with a mix of Memory Box and Poppystamps designs on a simple summer card.

The Poppystamps Circle Fold Frame cuts and scores the left and right panels for a square card.  Cut two frames from pale yellow-green cardstock.  Crease them on the "circle fold."  Pressure-emboss the folded panels with the Poppystamps Scallop Small Curve Border. Adhere the vertical inside edges of the panels.

Cut the  pale yellow-green cardstock with the 4-¼" Square Basics die.  Attach the tabs of the folded panels to the right and left sides of the square.  

The Circle Fold Frame set includes a die to cut a smaller inside circle.  Use it to cut the pale green Garden Folly 6x6 print.  Attach it in the center of the card.

Cut the detailed Scribble Rose Trio from Easter Grass cardstock.  Cut the solid background from Juicy Pear cardstock.  Layer the diecuts and attach them to the Garden Folly print circle.

Punch ¼" dots of the green glittered cardstock from the 6x6 Twinkling Jewel Glitter Pack.

Hope you'll be inspired to enter July's FRAMED! Challenge...for a chance to win some great dies for all of your papercrafting projects.

Big thanks to everyone who purchased my Garden Party Greetings card kits from the Impress online store and from Stamps and Memories in Hawaii - I appreciate it!  My new kit - Very Simply Asian - is ready now.  Make  5 cards reflecting the simple beauty of Japanese design - using a bunch of Memory Box and Poppystamps dies - and no origami!

Thanks for visiting...have a safe and happy long weekend if you're celebrating on the 4th!

 

Supplies

 

94436 Scribble Rose Trio And Background

30088 Square Basics Set

GP1003 Twinkling Jewel Glitter Pad

2348 Circle Fold Frame

2360 Scallop Small Curve Border

Gloriosa Butterflies, Geodesic Ovals and Glitter by Jean Okimoto

There are so many ways to combine the great dies, papers and stamps in our 2020 collections.  Take advantage of the coordinating colors and themes to create quick cards for any occasion.  

Hi, Jean Okimoto here with two cards using the same papers, dies, stamps and colors to streamline the process and save time.  The tools and supplies are ready - make some cards for your stash, or for gifts.  

 

Cut the Gloriosa Butterfly Duo Backgrounds from Juicy Pear cardstock.  Cut the Gloriosa Butterfly Duo Outlines  and center/antennae sections from the lime green glitter cardstock in the Twinkling Jewel 6x6 Glitter Pack.  Cut the tiny butterflies - from the Butterfly Meadow die set - from the green glittered cardstock too.

Cut the leafy green Garden Folly 6x6 print with the big little Geodesic Oval dies

Score, cut and fold an A6 (4-½" x 6-¼") card and a top-folded A2 card of Easter Grass cardstock.  

Stamp the greetings - from the Poppystamps Greeting Basics Clear Stamp Set - on light green cardstock with Shady Lane VersaFine Clair.  Quickly heat-emboss it with detail clear powder.  Trim the greetings with the Rectangle Basics dies.

Assemble the cards - use foam dots for the greetings and butterfly wings.

Take a few extra minutes to make duplicate or similar cards with the tools and supplies you're working with.  Save some time now, have handcrafted cards ready when you need them... and have a great weekend!

 

Thanks for visiting...

 

Supplies

 

94418 Geodesic Oval Trio

94387 Gloriosa Butterfly Duo Background

94383 Gloriosa Butterfly Duo Outlines

PP1005 Garden Folly 6x6 pack

30086 Rectangle Basics Set

CL490 Greeting Basics

94238 Butterfly Meadow

GP1003 Twinkling Jewel Glitter Pad

Diecut Wide Washi Tape Stickers by Jean Okimoto

Memory Box and Poppystamps dies create unique washi tape stickers for any project  Add them to cards, giftbags, tags, party favors or decor for color-coordinated accents with a very strong adhesive.

Hi, Jean Okimoto here with 2 easy summer cards.  I use a lot of labels, sticker sheets and laminates - I'll have a stash of of the liner sheets if I save them.

Attach Cornelia Aqua Wide Washi Tape to a recycled liner sheet from address labels.  Cut it with the Poppystamps Thank You Stitched Tag. Cut the Poppystamps Grosgrain Bow and the tag's "thank you"  from pale peach cardstock.  Attach everything to a side-folded blue 5 x 3 ½" notecard.  

Cut the middle-sized Geodesic Oval from the washi tape too.  Cut the Geodesic Oval again from natural white cardstock - we're using the frame. Place the smallest Poppystamps Flora Bloom in the 2 ¼" Flora Blooms Solids die.  Cut natural cardstock with the double-die. Color a light-colored Delicate Pastel glitter cardstock sheet with a marker.  Let the ink dry, then punch ¼" circles.  Cut a scrap of it to fit behind the circles in the diecut flower.

Stamp the greeting from the Peony Garden Corner Clear Stamps on natural cardstock with Morning Mist VersaFine Clair.  Attach the Geodesic Oval, Flora Blooms and greeting to a top-folded A2 card of Coral Cream cardstock.  Add the glitter dots.

Thanks for visiting!

 

 

Supplies

 

CL5255-D Peony Garden Corner clear stamp set

2333 Flora Blooms

2365 Thank You Stitched Tag

2358 Grosgrain Bow

2331 Flora Bloom Solids Set

94418 Geodesic Oval Trio

GP1001 Delicate Pastel Glitter Pad

WT509 Cornelia Aqua 1 inch Washi Tape