Add Layers of Texture with the Heart Bouquet 3D Embossing Folder by Jean Okimoto

The new 3D Heart Bouquet Embossing Folder adds texture, dimension and a great backdrop for the Scribble Rose Trio and Tall Sketch Heart.  There's a lot happening on this card - let the pink, gray and white balance the mixture of textures.

Hi, Jean Okimoto here with a soft, subtle design for Valentine's Day. Switch the greeting and it's ready for weddings, baby cards or a thinking-of-you message.

Cut a 4-¼" x 5-½" rectangle of watercolor paper.  Give it a light spritz of water on the back side.  Pressure-emboss it with the Heart Bouquet 3D Embossing Folder.  Trim the corners with a corner rounding punch.  

Cut Tall Sketch Heart from light pink cardstock - save the skinny offcuts from the top left corner and the right edge/bottom point.  Cut it again fron dark gray cardstock.  Stamp "xoxo" - from the Big and Little Valentines Clear Stamps Set - on the pink heart with Brilliance Starlite Black.

Cut the Scribble Rose Trio outline from dark gray cardstock.  Cut the solid background from light pink cardstock and pressure-emboss it with the detailed outline die.  

Round the corners of a top-folding white A-2 card and attach the embossed layer. Add the heart and rose diecuts.

Try this design with fuchsia and gray diecuts too - or red and black - for a different look.  Hope you've been inspired to create an assortment of Valentines this year.  Make a few extras and have them ready for other occasions and everyday greeting too!

Special thanks to everyone from last week's LOVENOTES class at Impress!  Thanks for the pretzel chips Jan and Jenny!  Hope you liked the cards and enjoy making them for the special people in your life.  Thanks too - Ann, Erin and Lynne - for once helping everyone fill those shopping baskets.

In the Seattle area and need birthday card ideas?  See you at Impress on January 11th for the BIRTHDAYS HAPPEN - SO MANY CANDLES class.  Create cards, laugh and share the joys of growing better, not older.

Thanks for visiting...

 

Supplies

 

EF1006

94365 Tall Sketch Heart craft die

CL5252

94399 Scribble Rose Trio craft die

Challenge Inspiration - Friendship Floral Heart Clear Stamps and Double Stitch Happy Heart Cut Outs by Jean Okimoto

The Valentine's 2020 Collection celebrates more than just the 14th of February.  It's perfect for celebrating friendship, caring and sharing too.  Hello and Happy 2020 - Jean Okimoto here with a versatile design that works for many occasions.

Stamp Friendship Floral Heart on pink cardstock with VersaFine Onyx Black.  Emboss it with detail clear powder.  Cut it with the largest Double Stitch Happy Heart Cut Outs die.  Cut white vellum with the 1.90" tall die. 

Pressure-emboss a closed/folded white A-6 (4-½" x 6-¼") card with the largest heart die using the plates and embossing mat required for your machine.  My Platinum machine easily embossed both layers of the 80# cardstock - but results may vary depending upon the thickness of your cardstock.  Don't force the card through the machine - you can also unfold the card and emboss just the card front.  

Stamp "grateful" on the pink cardstock and heat-emboss it.  

Stamp and emboss the inside greeting and attach it inside the pressure-embossed heart.

Cut a 1-⅜" x 5" strip of gray cardstock.  Cut a ¾" x 4-½" strip of the lighter gray Dashing Stripes and Dots 6x6 print.

Assemble the card and add pink gem stickers.

Here's a storage tip - attach your die sets to curtain hooks to keep them organized, handy and visible.  The hook can also be attached to a magnetic tool strip that can then be attached to chrome shelves or a pegboard.

Hope you'll have fun designing special Valentines with our latest release - and creating some friendship and all-occasion cards while your supplies are out.  A set of heart notecards would be a sweet and thoughtful Valentine gift too.  

Thanks for visiting.  Looking forward to seeing everyone at the LOVENOTES class at Impress on Saturday!

Supplies

 

CL5250

94361 Double Stitch Happy Heart Cut Out craft die

PP1002 Dashing Stripes and Dots 6x6 pack

Antique Heart Label and the Pinpoint Leaf Plate by Jean Okimoto

The beautiful Pinpoint Leaf Plate creates the perfect backdrop for any occasion.  The intricate details surround and highlight the Double Stitch Happy Heart Cut Out and the Antique Leaf Label on a simple Valentine I've designed for you. Hello, Jean Okimoto here on the second-to-the-last day of another decade!  

Cut light gray cardstock with the 3-¾" x 5" Rectangle Basics die.  This versatile die set is temporarily out of stock at Memory Box but may be available at your favorite Retailer.  

Cut it with the new Pinpoint Leaf Plate.  Round the corners of the rectangle - and a top-folded light gray A-2 card.  They'll match the Antique Heart Label.  

Cut the second-largest Double Stitch Happy Heart Cut Out from red cardstock.  This great die set dual-tasks as 4 stitched outlines and 4 solid hearts - it's a new favorite here at Memory Box!

Cut Antique Heart Label from dark gray carstock.  Cut the top 4 hearts from silver glitter cardstock and the bottom 3 hearts from red glitter cardstock.

Stamp the greeting - from the new Big and Little Valentine's - on white cardstock with VersaFine Onyx Black. Dry the ink, then trim it with the Antique Leaf Label.

Assemble the card...then sign, seal and give it to someone special.

Big thanks to everyone from last week's first VALENTINE WISHES class at Impress!  More thanks to Jenny, Jan and Jacky for the pretzels, Valentine and New Year's treats and German Santas - and to Robin for the blueberry fritters and Jan's birthday lunch!  My dogs and I thank Debbie for her cool Mindful Pet Parent bag.  (I resolve to be more mindful and less mindless in '20.) Thanks too - Ann, Shari, Erin and Lynne for helping everyone fill those baskets with the Memory Box and Poppy Valentine Collections.

If you're in the Seattle area, join us for the new LOVENOTES Valentine class at Impress on January 4th.  There are so many great new dies and stamps in the 2020 Valentine's Collection that it's hard to chose which design to use next!

Hope you liked today's card.  I really appreciate all of your thoughtful comments throughout the year...thank you!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Supplies

 

94382 Antique Heart Label craft die

CL5252

94381 Pinpoint Leaf Plate craft die

94361 Double Stitch Happy Heart Cut Out craft die

 

Scribble Rose Trio and the Tall Sketch Heart by Jean Okimoto

The new Tall Sketch Heart creates a great background for the Scribble Rose Trio on a simple card for any occasion.  Add an upbeat greeting from the Big and Little Valentine's Clear Stamps Set and gem stickers to complete the design.  Hello, Jean Okimoto here with a quick and easy card today.

Cut Tall Sketch Heart from light gray cardstock.  Cut the solid Scribble Rose Trio background from Coral Creme cardstock.  Cut the rose trio outline from Smoky cardstock.

Stamp the greeting on Coral Creme cardstock with Morning Mist VersaFine Clair.  Emboss it with detail clear powder.

Attach Birch Press Design's Shimmer Lines Wide Washi Tape to Arroyo cardstock.  Cut a 1-¼" x 5" strip of it to add a soft shimmer and a delicate gold pattern to the card.

Cut accent strips - ¾" x 4-½" of the gray stripes from the Dashing Stripes and Dots 6x6 Set - ad 2" x 3-½" of Coral Creme cardstock.

Attach everything to a white A-6 card.  Add gold gem stickers.

Join us for the Valentine Wishes class at Impress on December 28th.  It's a new, added class to introduce the Valentine's 2020 Collection.  We're making cards featuring the new collection - and adding glitter, artpapers and a favorite origami heart.

Impress is also having their annual after-Christmas sales thru December 31st.  Enjoy 40% discounts on all in-store Christmas products.  It's a great time to make a list of the Memory Box, Poppystamps and Birch Press Designs Christmas items you've been wishing for and take  advantage of this great sale.

Thanks for visiting...keep warm!  

Diecut Friendship Floral Heart with Double Stitch Loving Heart Cut Out by Jean Okimoto

Merry Christmas to everyone celebrating today!  

December arrived so quickly, bringing the Valentine's 2020 Collection filled with beautiful hearts and flowers.  Hello, Jean Okimoto here with a simple watercolored design from the new collection - and a faux-splatter technique.

Spritz the smoother side of watercolor paper with a fine mist of water.  Paint it a pale, watery pink - I used a diluted Kaleidacolor dye ink refill.  Heat-set it - from both sides to minimize curling.

Stamp the large Friendship Floral Heart with VersaFine Onyx Black.  Quickly emboss it with detail clear powder.  Watercolor the flowers, leaves and berries.  Heat-set it again.

Cover the entire heart with the Poppystamps Snowspeckle Wide Washi Tape. It's a versatile tape with a soft translucent shimmer - and white specks. It resembles random splatters of white paint, water or bleach.  These amazing little white spots landed exactly where I wanted them to - unlike the wayward, wonkly splatters I usually end up with. Cut it with the largest Double Stitch Loving Heart Cut Out.  Cut the front panel of a gray 5-½" square card with the same die.  

Paint the smooth side of a watercolor paper scrap pink.  Heat-set the ink and stamp "be happy" from the new Big and Little Valentine's Clear Stamps with a clean VersaMark inkpad.  Heat-emboss it with detail clear powder, set it aside to cool.  Brush Slate Gray Kaleidacolor Dye Ink over it with a slightly damp wide paintbrush.  The embossed greeting will resist the dye ink and match the Friendship Floral Heart.

Assemble the card - use foam dots for the greeting.  Add ¼" punched circles of pink glittered cardstock.

Hope you enjoyed the tutorial and will try these techniques on holiday thank-yous and Valentine designs. 

Thanks for visiting - see you again tomorrow!

Double Stitch Loving Heart Cut Out

Friendship Floral Heart Clear Stamps Set

Big and Little Valentine's Clear Stamps Set

Poppystamps Snowspeckle Wide Washi Tape

 

 

 

 

 

Single Daisy Stem, Leafy Heart and Love Airy Script by Jean Okimoto

The new Double Stitch Happy Heart Cut Out set is a versatile set of stitched outlines and heart shapes.  Think of it as four dies that create 8 unique looks.   They're the perfect backdrop for the Single Daisy Stem and Love Airy Script.  Hello and happy weekend - Jean Okimoto here with more new designs from our 2020 Valentine Collection.

Cut the largest Double Stitch Happy Heart Cut Out from watercolor paper.  Pressure-emboss it with the new Leafy Heart - use the plates and embossing mat required for your machine.  

Cut Love Airy Script from silver glitter cardstock.  

Cut Single Daisy Stem from dark gray cardstock.  Attach adhesive label paper or a sticker sheet to pink felt and cut the daisy background.  The paper backing stabilizes the felt and keeps adhesives from soaking through.  

Cut the lighter gray Dashing Stripes and Dots 6x6 print using the 2" x 3-¼" Rectangle Basics die.

Attach the diecuts to light gray A-6 card (4-½" x 6-¼").  Add pink gem stickers.

It's hard to believe Christmas arrives in 5 days - and a new decade begins in 12 days!  Hope it's beem a great year for you - and that we've inspired you to use your Memory Box products in many, many ways.  

Thanks for visiting...see you next week!

Supplies

 

94377 Leafy Heart craft die

94398 Single Daisy Stem craft die

94326 Love Airy Script craft die

94361 Double Stitch Happy Heart Cut Out craft die

30086 Rectangle Basics Set

PP1002 Dashing Stripes and Dots 6x6 pack

Scribble Rose Trio and Double Stitch Happy Heart Cutouts by Jean Okimoto

The 2020 Valentine's release is here!  It's a great collection of hearts, frames, words, flowers, foliage, butterflies - and a detailed deep-impression 3-D embossing folder.  We can't wait to share our latest designs with you and hope you'll be inspired to highlight them in your projects. Hello, Jean Okimoto here with the first of many Design Team Valentine designs. 

Cut the largest Double Stitch Happy Heart Cut Out from Smoky cardstock.  Cut the heart with the second-largest die from the set.  Save the center heart for another project - we're using the outer section as a frame here.

Attach Birch Press Designs Shimmer Lines  Wide Washi Tape to pink cardstock and cut it with the second-largest heart.  It's a generous 4-½" wide tape - with delicate gold lines and a frosty, translucent look.  Use it as an overlay to enhance white and colored cardstock and create custom-colored coordinated backgrounds and accents for your projects.  

Cut the detailed Scribble Rose Trio outline from light gray cardstock.  Cut the solid rose trio from pink cardstock.  Emboss the pink diecut with the outline using the plates and embossing mat required for your machine.  Embossing adds dimension and shadows.  

Stamp "cherish" - from the Big and Little Valentine's Clear Stamps - onto a white A-6 (4-½" x 6--¼") card with Morning Mist VersaFine Clair.  Attach the diecuts.

 

View the Valentine Collection here - we hope you'll love it as much as we do!

Big thanks to everyone from last week's WHITTLE, SCRIBBLE & STACK class at Impress!  It was like a festive cardmaking party among friends - with wonderful holiday treats from Jenny, Jan, Jean C, Jacky, Kelly and Lynne. It was an 8:6 ratio of treats:cards!  We laughed, ate - and even made 6 cards. Thank you for all of your special treats!  Thanks too - Ann, Erin and Lynne - for helping everyone shop.

Thanks for visiting - see you again on Saturday with another Valentine's 2020 Collection design...

 

 

Supplies

Double Stitch Happy Heart Cut Out 

Scribble Rose Trio

 

Big and Little Valentines Clear Stamp Set

 

WT715 Shimmer Lines Washi Tape

Watercolored Joy and a Mistletoe Swag by Jean Okimoto

Layer Twas the Night Wide Washi Tape over the Mistletoe Swag for a new look combining two special holiday designs.  The bold Joy Airy Script - watercolored to match the berries - and clear gem stickers add the final touch.  Hello, Jean Okimoto here with my last holiday card of a very quick and busy year.  Mistletoe isn't usually bright green with pink berries...but it is today.

Stamp the large swag from the Mistletoe Swag Clear Stamps Set on watercolor paper with Pinecone VersaFine Clair.  Emboss it with detail clear powder.

Paint it with diluted inks from the Fruitcake Kaleidacolor inkpad. Yes, fruitcake!  Dry the inks, then cover it with a layer of Twas the Night Wide Washi Tape.  Cut it with the large Stylish Frame.  Diecutting the tape-covered paper or cardstock leaves a smooth,beveled edge - it's a nice finishing touch on your cards.

Attach the frame to a 5-½" square white card. add the stamped circle - layer it over one of the delicate sections on the right side.

Paint a scrap of watercolor paper with the pink used for the berries.  Dry the ink, the cut it with Joy Airy Script.  Leave the dot over the "j" in the die until you need it.   Attach the greeting to the card.  Tiny dots or slivers of ScorTape or Couture Creations doublestick tape will attach it to the washi tape.

Add clear gem stickers.

Layering Twas the Night wide washi works with all of the Holiday 2019 clear stamps.  I wish I had used this technique sooner!  It's a great technique for tags too - the tape reinforces the hole punched for the cord or ribbon.  

If you're in Seattle - join us for the Whittle, Scribble and Stack class at Impress on December 14th.  We're making 6 everyday cards  - two each with the Poppystamps Whittles, Memory Box Scribbles and stacking dies from Birch Press Designs.  We'll use several items from the Memory Box and Poppy 2020 Valentine Collection.  You'll love the new designs - and the wide range of heart-styles.  There's a heart for everyone!

Thanks for visiting - see you again next week...

 

 

 

Supplies

 

94325 Joy Airy Script craft die

94308 Stylish Frame Trio craft die

CL5247 Mistletoe Swag clear stamp set

WT501 Twas the Night Wide Washi Tape

Wintergreen Leaves on the Petite Leaf Frame by Jean Okimoto

Send warm holiday wishes with a watercolored Petite Leaf Frame card - or make it a birthday card for someone celebrating in December.  Hi, Jean Okimoto here with a versatile design that's great for any occasion.  Different colors would have made it a fall card just a few weeks ago. 

Diecut the large Petite Leaf Frame from white cardstock and set it aside.  Save the center square too.

Pressure-emboss it on watercolor paper.  This will be a guide for watercoloring the leaves in a random mix of green.  Carefully remove the frame with the leaves intact.   Paint the leaves - I used the different shades from the Fresh Greens Kaleidacolor inkpad.  Set it aside to dry.  

Attach the white diecut frame to a 5-½" square white card.  Patiently attach the painted leaves.  It took a bit of time, but it was a welcome distraction after spending several hours at the Emergency Vet with Taffy last night.

Stamp the greeting - from the Winter Greenery Clear Stamps and Die Set - on the center square with Golden Glitz Delicata.  Emboss it with detail clear powder.  I don't usually clear-emboss metallic inks, but this gave it a very cool shimmer.

Paint a scrap of watercolor paper with the green inks.  Cut 3 little leaves and 1 large leaf.  

Cut the seed pod from gold glittered cardstock.

Assemble the card.  

Square cards require extra postage - but I think this one's special enough to deserve it.  Hope you like it!

Thanks for visiting - see you again on Thursday.  Have a great weekend!

 

 

Supplies

 

94318 Petite Leaf Frame craft die

CL5235-D Winter Greenery clear stamp and die set

Jovial Wreath, Vintage Varsity Alphabet and the Dashing 6x6 Sets by Jean Okimoto

Combine the delicate Jovial Wreath and the bold Vintage Varsity Alphabet on a Christmas card in contemporary colors.  It's an easy card - and great for mass production.  Hello -  and Happy Thanksgiving to everyone celebrating today!  Jean Okimoto here with merry and bright greeting in contemporary holiday colors.

Cut a 3" circle of the pale gray and white dotted print from the Dashing Holiday 6x6 Set.  Cut Jovial Wreath from green cardstock.  Cut one of the Singing Birds from red glittered craft foam.

Attach red duct tape to lightweight cardstock and cut "NOEL."  

Cut accent strips - the dark Dashing Holiday plaid (3-¾" x ¾"), Dashing Holiday gray text (2-¾" x ¾") and green cardstock (3-¼" x ¾").

Score, fold and cut a gray textured A2 card.  Assemble the card and add clear gem stickers.

 

Need more holiday inspiration and supplies?  If you're in the Seattle area, join us at Impress for the annual Holiday Open House, and two Memory Box holiday classes - MERRY + QUICK and OUTSIDE THE BOX-HOLIDAY FAVORITES.   Don't forget  your Memory Box/Poppystamps/Birch Press Design wish list!  The first 25 people at the store opening will receive a special gift.  

There's a special Memory Box Art Pins Pop Up this weekend too!  Be the first to see these beautiful works of art - just in time for holiday gifting.  

Thanks for visiting, have a great weekend and I'll see you again next week!

 

Supplies

 

30087 Circle Basics Set

94305 Jovial Wreath craft die

99953 Singing Birds craft die

PP1001 Dashing Holiday 6x6 pack

PP1002 Dashing Stripes and Dots 6x6 pack

94341 Vintage Varsity Alphabet craft die