Welcome Spring with the Oval Fold Frame, Picket Tall Curve Border and Sunset Blush Wide Washi Tape by Jean Okimoto

Sunset Blush Wide Washi Tape adds instant springtime when you need a quick card.    Diecut Poppystamps' Oval Fold Frame and emboss it with Picket Tall Curve Border to add some quick texture.  Hello, Jean Okimoto here with an easy spring design for you.  I love it when my tools and supplies do all of the work for me!

Cut and score pale pink cardstock twice with the Poppystamps Oval Fold Frame.  Fold the narrow tab back. Crease both frame sections on the other scored line.  

Pressure-emboss the folded panels with the Poppystamps Picket Tall Curver Border.  Attach the embossed pieces to a pale pink cardstock rectangle cut with the 4-¼" x 5-½" Rectangle Basics die.  

Attach Sunset Blush Wide Washi Tape to pale pink cardstock and diecut it using the oval from the Oval Fold Frame set.

Stamp the greeting - from the Big and Little Spring Clear Stamps Set - on a scrap of the pale pink cardstock with Summertime VersaFine Clair.  Quickly heat-emboss it with detail clear powder - VersaFine Clair is a fast-drying ink.  

Looking for a bit of sparkle?  Diecut the bright green glitter cardstock from the Twinkling Jewel Glitter Pad with the Picket Tall Curve Border.  Tiny sparkly green squares!

Need some Easter cards?  Just add some felt bunny diecuts and a new greeting instead - and you're done!  This could be a Mother's Day card too.

The pandemic forced us to cancel the March 28th SPRING THINGS class at Impress - but I'm hoping to sell class kits for the 5 Spring/Easter cards and a treat wrapper.  

Thanks for visiting - be careful, stay safe and make some  spring cards...

 

 

 

 

Supplies

 

2359 Oval Fold Frame

2363 Picket Tall Curve Border

30086 Rectangle Basics Set

WT502 Sunset Blush Wide Washi Tape

GP1003 Twinkling Jewel Glitter Pad

CL5254 Big and Little Spring clear stamp set

A Thankful Feathered Friend by Jean Okimoto

A felt Feathered Friend perched on a layered Jovial Wreath creates a lighthearted Thanksgiving card today.  Most Thanksgiving cards are quite serious - this one will make you smile!  Here's the message on the inside...

Hi, Jean Okimoto here with a fall card with a sense of humor.  The new Mini Vintage Varsity Alphabet set is perfectly-sized for the greeting.  Diecutting it is easy too.  There are 4 of each letter on this great die - you'll cut everything you need here with a single run thru the machine.  Much better than fidgeting with each letter - and cutting additional repeating letters. 

Cut the Feathered Friends bird and beak from felt, cut the wing from the stripes in the Dashing Holiday 6x6 set. Borrow the eye die from the Feathered Friends owl - cut it from dark brown cardstock.  Leave the tiny beak and eye diecuts in the die until you're ready to attach them.  

Cut Jovial Wreath twice from Candy Corn cardstock. Cut "thankful"  from green and metallic brown cardstock. Cut a 3-½" square of the dark green striped Dashing Stripes and Dots 6x6 sheet. Cut the accent strips - ¾" x 4" (Candy Corn) and ¾" x 3-¼" (lighter green dots from the Dashing Stripes and Dots 6x6 sheet).

Attach the diecuts to an A-6 (4-½" x 6-¼") recycled Kraft card.  Attach the Mini Vintage Varsity Alphabet letters on the inside - start in the center of each line and work outwards.  Use a credit card or T-ruler to keep the letters in line.  

Create unique messages with the Mini Vintage Varsity Alphabet - it would be hard to find an "I am not a turkey" stamp!

Special thanks to everyone from Saturday's GRATEFUL - FALL GREETINGS class at Impress!  Hope you liked the origami maple leaf - and mix of colors, papers, dies and stamps. Thanks for the cute pumpkin spice lollipop treats Jan.   Thanks for the caramel/cheddar popcorn and cookies Jenny - and thanks for the imported candies Jacky!  Thanks for helping us fill those shopping baskets again Ann, Erin and Lynne.  Lots of thanks here - this card says it all!

If you're in the Seattle area - join us for the MERRY POP-INS class at Impress this Saturday afternoon.  We're making special cards with little extras on each design.  More like pop-ons than pop-ins, but I wanted a fun class title.

Thanks for visiting - see you again this weekend!

Supplies

 

30102 Feathered Friends craft die

94076 Thankful Jotted Script craft die

94305 Jovial Wreath craft die

94342 Mini Vintage Varsity Alphabet craft die

PP1002 Dashing Stripes and Dots 6x6 pack

PP1001 Dashing Holiday 6x6 pack

Autumn Thanks and New Blog Blitz! by Laura Fulcher

Guess what?!  Memory Box has new dies to add to your holiday collection as well as brand new papers!  There are two new 6" x 6" packs that coordinate with each other.  The first is called Dashing Holiday:

The second is called Dashing Stripes and Dots:

I used papers from both packs for my card....the dots for the thanks and some striped paper from the Dashing Holiday for the background paper.

This time of year makes me think of creating cards giving thanks.  Therefore, I really wanted to make a thank you card.  I know I will be needing some to have on hand.

To create the card, I started with some Strathmore Bristol paper and cut out the Scribble Leaf Bundle Background (solid leaves).  Next, I added some yellow, orange, red and brown Zig Clean Color Real Brush markers to the solid leaves and softened the color with a waterbrush:

Next, I cut out the coordinating Scribble Leaf Bundle Outline dies from dark brown paper and glued them on top of the solid leaves.

The Thank You sentiment are letters that are cut to piece together like a puzzle.  I love the design!  I especially like that they aren't meant to be lined up straight...  a skill that I don't really have.

To finish the card, I outlined the cream cardstock with some Vintage Photo Distress Oxide ink and layered all the pieces:

Want to win your own Thank You Puzzle Letters craft die?  Leave a comment to this post by Sunday, October 20th at 11:59pm EST.  One winner will be selected at random from the comments to win the die.  Visit the blog from Monday, Oct 14th- Sunday, October 20th to see more of the new release and for a chance to win a prize each day.  Winners from the blitz will be posted on the Outside the Box blog on Monday, October 21st at 6:00pm EST.  Good luck!

 

 

Supplies

 

94352 Thank You Puzzle Letters craft die

94343 Scribble Leaf Bundle Background craft die

94346 Scribble Leaf Bundle Outline craft die

30082 Stitched Rectangle Trimmings

PP1001 Dashing Holiday 6x6 pack

PP1002 Dashing Stripes and Dots 6x6 pack

Thankful Jotted Script, Looking for Mr. Right Triangle and Snowberry Sprigs by Jean Okimoto

 

Create a simple fall card with the new Thankful Jotted Script set and Looking for Mr. Right Triangle stamps.  The delicate Snowberry Sprig - like autumn seedpods - adds a woodsy botanical look perfect for Thanksgiving.  Wouldn't it be nice to send (and receive!) Thanksgiving cards before the big  holiday rush?

Hello, Jean Okimoto here with a November Challenge inspiration card today.  This month's theme is "Falling for You" - and we can't wait to see your great designs.  View the Challenge details here. 

Diecut the 2-¾" Wrapped Stitch Rectangle from smooth white cardstock. Stamp three triangles from the new Looking For Mr. Right Triangle clear stamps set with VersaFine Habanero and VersaMagic Turquoise Gem.  

Diecut Thankful Jotted Script from dark brown and dark orange cardstock.  

Here's a timesaving tip to create a dimensional Snowberry Sprig diecut...spread a thin layer of glue between two pieces of brown cardstock (80# or less).  Press the layers together.  Diecut the Snowberry Sprig - you may need to use a metal shim and/or run it through the machine two or three times.  

Gently pull the offcut sections away from the sprig instead of trying to pull the sprig out of the surrounding cardstock.  These simple steps are a lot easier than cutting the sprigs separately and gluing the delicate bits together.  As a bonus, the machine's pressure on the double layers seems to add a subtle sheen to the pods.  

Attach the diecuts to a 4-½"x 6-¼" Kraft card.  Add ¼" punched circles of orange glittered cardstock for a seasonal accent.

 Thanks for visiting...see you again tomorrow!

 

 

Supplies

 

94021 Snowberry Sprigs craft die

CL5231 Looking For Mr. Right Triangle clear stamp set

94076 Thankful Jotted Script craft die

30094 Wrapped Stitch Rectangles

Thankful by Melissa Rusk

Happy Friday! Today I have some new dies to highlight that are perfect for Fall. I started with the beautiful Stitched Maple Circle Frame die and cut it out of a gold mirror card paper. To color the leaves I used my Copic markers on this shiny paper, you could also color them with alcohol inks as well. It's such a fun technique and another way to get more out of your alcohol markers or inks.

I glued it all to the card and then I added a gold mirror card thankful that I cut using the Thankful Jotted Script die over the leaves. A fun and easy card to send to someone you are thankful for this season. Have a great weekend!

 

Supplies

 

94083 Stitched Maple Circle Frame craft die

94076 Thankful Jotted Script craft die

Embossed Leaf Collage Cards by Anne Thompson

Today's cards feature the LEAF COLLAGE die 99800, both as an embossed image on a card front and as die cuts adhered on top of the embossing.  I had never tried embossing a regular die until I had this idea today.  Easy Peasy!

I followed the directions with my Big Shot for embossing with a metal stencil, using a piece of red plumbers rubber since I didn't have a silicone rubber mat.  This is my sandwich from the bottom up:  Tab 1, plastic plate, rubber, cardstock, die face down, plastic plate.  I love the way the embossing came out, particularly when I used metallic papers as in the photo below.

 Card No. 1:  embossed Leaf Collage on gold metallic paper, die cut brown leaves adhered with popdots over the embossed image, tiny gold pearls on the leaves and in the lower right corner; this piece layered over more of the brown cardstock and aligned with the right edge of a top-fold cream notecard; black/metallic washi tape added on the left edge; three more leaves inside card and some more washi tape and stamped message from the EACH DAY IS A BLESSING Clear Stamp Set CL 5214:  "THANKFUL FOR EVERY blessing" in Archival Jet Black ink.

 

Card No. 2:  embossed Leaf Collage on brown cardstock, die cut leaves from Mango Distressed Dots Paper; stamped "THANKFUL FOR EVERY" from Each Day is a Blessing Clear Stamp Set in VersaMark ink and gold-embossed; die cut BLESSING die 99864 from more of the Mango dots paper; four small amber gemstones; this panel adhered to a piece of Mango dots paper that covers the front of the cream top-fold notecard; more mango dots paper inside for the message.

Card No. 3:  embossed Leaf Collage on copper metallic paper , die cut leaves from mango and red cardstocks, panel adhered to Mango Distressed Dots Paper and then onto a red side-fold notecard...

...more Mango dots paper inside, a red leaf, and "THANKFUL FOR EVERY blessing" stamped with Archival Jet Black ink.

These will be some of the cards I send at Thanksgiving this year, and I plan to make more.  I love how the look of each one changes with the papers I select.   I have soooo much paper--more experimenting ahead!

Happy Crafting!

Supplies

99800 Leaf Collage

99864 Blessing Perky Script

CL5214 Each Day is a Blessing clear stamp set

Stencil a Falling Maple on a Sketch Journal Background by Jean Okimoto

Here's another design featuring the Sketch Journal Cling Stamp - with the Falling Maple Garden Stencil.  Hello, Jean Okimoto here tonight. We have so many great dies and stamp sets in our Holiday Collections - I almost forgot about the great stencils we have too!

 

Stamp Sketch Journal on natural cardstock with Imagine Crafts Vintage Sepia VersaFine.  Emboss it with detail clear powder.  Mask the adjacent areas and stencil Falling Maple diagonally across the stamped background with Brilliance Rocket Red, Pearlescent Orange, Pearlescent Thyme and Pearlescent Olive.  Heat-set the inks.

Cut it with the 3-¼" x 4-½" Stitched Rectangle Trimming.  Cut dark orange cardstock with the same die.  Attach the rectangle and orange frame to a top-folded 5-½" square card of dark kraft cardstock.  

Cut the greeting portion of the Stitched Celebrate Circle Frame from dark orange cardstock - don't remove the diecut.  Flip it over and attach strips of ¼" wide Scor-Tape along the bottom and near the tops of the "l," "b," and "t."  Run the tape-covered diecut through the machine again to cut the tape.  Seeing the cutting lines lets you attach the tape just where you really need it - and the self-adhesive greeting is  easier to work with when the entire piece isn't sticky.  Another tip!

Cut the smallest Stitched Rectangle Layer from green cardstock and attach the greeting.

Attach the greeting strip to the card with foam dots.  Add green sequins.

Thanks for stopping by again - hope this inspires you to re-discover stenciling and include it in your repertoire of cardmaking techniques.  See you again on Wednesday.  Penny's sharing a great project with you tomorrow!

 

 

 

Related articles

Lovely Oak, Sketch Journal, Grosgrain Ribbons and Stitched Rectangle Layers, by Jean Okimoto - Outside The Box

Falling Maple Stitched Rectangle Trimmings 99320 Stitched Celebrate Circle Frame CS2204J Sketch Journal

InLinkz.com

Lovely Oak, Sketch Journal, Grosgrain Ribbons and Stitched Rectangle Layers, by Jean Okimoto

Sketch Journal - rotated 90 degrees - creates a backdrop for the Lovely Oak garden stencil on a fall card I'd like to share today.  Hi, Jean Okimoto here, with an inky, spritzed, stenciled card for any autumn occasion.

Spritz watercolor paper with water and paint a light background with fall shades of Peerless Watercolors.  Heat-set it.  Stamp Sketch Journal with Imagine Crafts Olympia Green VersaFine.  The dark green ink blends with the orangey background and creates a soft image that's more subtle than it it was stamped in black.  

Place the leaves over the branches and mask the adjacent areas with Post-It notes - I love the super sticky full-adhesive version that my friend Donna Mikasa shared with me.  It makes life so much easier...thanks Donna!  Sponge the leaves over the stamped branches with Brilliance Rocket Red Gold, Pearlescent Olive and Rocket Red.  Dry the inks.

Cut it with the 2-¾" x 4" Stitched Rectangle Layer.  Not exactly rocket-science, but here's a tip...if you're not sure which die size to use when trimming something, start with the larger size first.  You can always re-cut it with a smaller die if it doesn't look right.  That's what I did here.

Spritz it with Gold Sheer Shimmer Spritz and dry the ink.

Cut two of the widest Grosgrain Ribbons from green cardstock.  Another tip  - run the die through the machine lengthwise for best results.   For extra texture, leave each diecut in the die and dry-emboss it using the plates and embossing mat required for your machine. Trim the ribbons to 4-⅝" and 5".

Attach everything to a top-folded A-2 card of dark orange cardstock.  Add copper sequins.

Very special thanks to everyone from my classes at Impress last weekend!  It was a busy day - especially for those who took both classes - and for Ann, Shari and Becca who helped us fill our shopping baskets.  See you again in the Merry and Quick speedy Christmas cards class next weekend - on November 26th!

Thanks for stopping by on this busy fall weekend...

 

 

 

Lovely Oak Grosgrain Ribbons Stitched Rectangle Layers CS2204J Sketch Journal

InLinkz.com

Thanksgiving Deer by Jenny Griffiths

Hello Crafty Friends,

 Today I am happy to share a "thankful" card featuring the beautiful Enchanted Deer Collage die and an old favorite technique--shaving cream marbling.  

 I think I played with this technique back in the days of planning classes as a stamp store owner...Ok, maybe it was when I was a Girl Scout...anyway, it's always fun since everyone's project turns out differently and it's inexpensive with great results---sometimes surprisingly so.

 On today's card I am die cutting into the marbled paper instead of using it as a background panel as it's commonly used.  

Here's a step-by-step of my marbling experience---and don't think it wasn't fun keeping the shaving cream off my camera while shooting the steps!  No phone calls please during this process.

• Shake then squirt aerosol shave cream (unscented and not gel) into a shallow container.
• Drop dye inks (reinkers) onto shave cream. (I used 3 colors, slate, mushroom and espresso dye inks)
• Blend ink drops, as little or as much as you like.  The more you blend the inks, the smaller and more muted the marbling patterns.  I used a plastic pickle fork for my blending tool (because I always have pickle forks handy). 

     

• Place card stock face down onto inky shave cream, press to make contact in all areas of paper.
• Lift off or slide paper off cream, set face up on washable surface, then remove all cream.  I used a window squeegy and it all came off in one swipe.

     

• Now, repeat with another sheet of card stock--make lots!
• You can add more inks and blend again--experiment!  Remember your color combinations.
• Air dry or use a heat tool to dry throughly before die cutting.
• Easy clean up in the sink with plain water.  
• Buy more shaving cream and keep playing.  My can of shaving cream cost only $1.39 (that's a lot of fun for the money) Start over and use different color palettes.

  

  To finish the card, I die cut the Enchanted Deer Collage into the center area, rounded the corners, then mounted it onto a top-fold brown notecard and added the sentiment strip.  Because the marbling can give a very busy look, I kept the rest of the card simple.  I can make about 10 more cards with the marbled papers I now have on hand after playing with different colors and blending techniques---it's addicting and so fun! 

 

 Happy Tuesday!

Enchanted Deer Collage Give Thanks combo

InLinkz.com

Watercolor a Memory Box and Open Studio Calendar - #4 by Jean Okimoto

***1/11/16 UPDATE***We've added a Memory Box Calendar + Watercolor Workshop class to the Impress class schedule!  It's  on Sunday January 31st from 12:00 to 3:00 PM - $43 includes a metal calendar stand too.  Please bring a waterbrush.  Please call 206 901.9101 to reserve a seat.

We've reached the final quarter of our watercolored calendar.  Jean Okimoto here with a few of my favorite seasonal dies from Memory Box and Open Studio, Peerless Watercolors - and of course, more sequins.  I love how those tiny, sparkly little circles of prettiness can add so much to a design.  

Cut three of the 4-¾"x 3-¾" Open Studio Pinpoint Rectangle Layers from watercolor paper.   Paint one of them with orange, rust and yellow Peerless Watercolors.  Cut Swirling Ghosts from watercolor paper and daub Memento London Fog lightly along the edges of three of them.  Attach scraps of black cardstock behind them for eyes.  Attach black and copper sequins.

Cut a 3-½" x 2-½" Pinpoint Rectangle Layer from green cardstock.  Paint of strip of cream cardstock with orange, green, and yellow Peerless Watercolors.  Press it with a dry iron on the cotton setting.  Cut Autumn Border from the watercolored cardstock.  Attach chartreuse sequins.

Paint a Pinpoint Rectangle Layer with turquoise, blue and teal Peerless Watercolors.  Cut Snow Burst from white glitter craft foam.  Attach clear and turquoise sequins

Hope you've enjoyed creating this calendar with me!  Designs for previous months are shown here, here and here.  

Here's a link to InKollage, my Pinterest page and gallery of designs from Outside the Box.  I know most people pin someone else's designs on their pages...but I refer to it for a quick personal reminder of what I've done in the past - and a one-stop look at some of the great Memory Box and Open Studio products in my stash.  

Thanks for visiting Outside the Box, taking my classes, and for all of your special comments throughout 2015.  I'm looking forward to sharing more ideas, designs and techniques with you as we unveil our 2016 Collection.  You'll love it!

 

Related articles

Merry, Bright, Spritzy, Shimmery and Sparkly

Holiday 2015 Collection - The Snowflake Collage

Pinpoint Rectangle Layers Swirling Ghosts Autumn Border Snow Burst

InLinkz.com