Seashell Circle Frame and Bold Friendly Greetings by Jean Okimoto

The delicate Seashell Circle Frame is great for thank-yous, birthdays and celebrations.  I've chosen a few pretty colors for this card - hope you'll like it in beachy greens+blues or natural driftwood+sandy tones too.    

Watercolored diecuts add a quick burst of colors - and a stamp from the Bold Friendly Greetings Clear Stamps Set adds a personal, almost-handwritten look.

Hi, Jean Okimoto here with a card that practically shouts that spring's here and summer's coming!  Remember those precious scraps of watercolored paper you've been saving?  It's time to diecut them into pretty little shells for today's design.  Cut a bunch of extra shells - they'll be great for other cards and tags too. 

Prep the die by rubbing it briskly with scrunched wax paper - it helps release the diecut, and the little offcut bits and pieces. Cut Seashell Circle Frame from smooth white cardstock.  

Attach the watercolored shells behind the frame.  Stamp the greeting - one of many great messages from the Bold Friendly Greetings Clear Stamps - on a white A-6 notecard with Pearlescent Orchid Brilliance.

Attach the diecuts and lavender gem stickers.

There are so many materials available to diecut the shells - glitter paper, mirror cardstock, watercolored scraps and pearlescent paper are just a few ideas.  

Thanks for visiting...looking forward to seeing everyone again at the BEYOND THE BOX class at Impress on Sunday!

Thanks for stopping by...

 

 

 

Supplies

 

94225 Seashell Circle Frame craft die

CL5236 Bold Friendly Greetings

Splendid Rose Frame and Birthday Blowout from Poppystamps by Jean Okimoto

March is a popular birthday month...celebrate with the beautiful Splendid Rose Frame and Birthday Blowout Clear Stamps from Poppystamps.  Hi, Jean Okimoto here with another design featuring this great set of dies.  We're using the entire set here today!

Cut a square of medium green cardstock with the 4" Square Basics die.  Pressure-emboss it with the outer frame from the Splendid Rose Frame set using the embossing mat and plates required for your machine.

Cut the circle frame from light gray cardstock.

Cut the solid rose background from peachy-pink cardstock.

Stamp the greeting - from Poppystamps'  Birthday Blowout Clear Stamp Set - on light green cardstock with Green Oasis VersaFine Clair.  Dry the ink and cut the circle with the 1-½" Circle Basics die.

Attach the diecuts to a side-folded 5-¼" square white card.  Add clear gem stickers.

Take advantage of  the versatility of Memory Box die sets.  They're also perfect for pressure-embossing and cutting craft foam stamps as Donna did on her card.  They're great for stenciling and masking  too - like Laura did.  

Enjoy your Memory Box dies and stamps - and experiment with different ways to use them on your projects!

Thanks for visiting...see you again tomorrow.

 

Supplies

 

94229 Splendid Rose Frame craft die

30088 Square Basics Set

30087 Circle Basics Set

CL470 Birthday Blowout clear stamp set

Butterfly Meadow, Sweet Bunny and Forget Me Not Blooms by Jean Okimoto

Sweet Bunny and the new Butterfly Meadow create an Easter scene with glittery pink Forget Me Not Blooms.  Surround the bunny with with two layers of the meadow grasses to add extra dimension.

Hi, happy weekend!  Jean Okimoto here with a spring window card for you.  The layer of fresh green defines the details of this versatile new die set.  The set also includes four little butterflies - they'll be great for summer cards!

Cut a window on a side-folded A-2 card of textured white cardstock with the 3" Circle Basics die.  Prep the Butterfly Meadow die by rubbing it briskly with scrunched waxed paper to make it easier to release the cardstock.   Cut Butterfly Meadow from smooth white cardstock and green cardstock.  Attach the green diecut to the inside of the card.  Attach the white diecut to the front of the card.  

Cut Forget Me Not Blooms from pink glittered cardstock.  Punch ¼" circles of yellow cardstock. Attach the circles to the inside of the card, then glue the flowers over the circles.  

Attach adhesive label paper (or a sticker sheet) to gray felt and cut Sweet Bunny.  The paper backing stabilizes the felt and keeps adhesives from soaking through.  Cut another bunny from dark gray cardstock.  Punch one pink and two black ¼" circles and attach them to the cardstock bunny for the eyes and nose.  Glue the bunnies together, slightly offset.

Stamp the greeting - from the new Springtime Typewriter Sentiments - on smooth white cardstock with Verdant VersaFine Clair.  Quickly emboss it with detail clear powder.  

Impress now stocks VersaFine Clair refills in many popular colors.  The Clairs are rich, vibrant pigment inks that are perfect for fine details, solid designs and stenciling.  Emboss with them too - just be sure to have the embossing powder and heat-tool nearby before you stamp.

Cut the greeting with the smallest Rectangle Basics die.  Attach the greeting and add gold gem stickers.

Hope you're liking our Spring Collection as much as we are - and we love sharing our ideas with you.  Thanks for visiting - see you next week!

 

Supplies

 

94238 Butterfly Meadow craft die

99905 Sweet Bunny craft die

99997 Forget Me Not Blooms craft die

30086 Rectangle Basics Set

30087 Circle Basics Set

CL5239 Springtime Typewriter Sentiments clear stamp set

Gentle Bunny, Happy Octopus and Springtime Typewriter Sentiments by Jean Okimoto

Waves from the Happy Octopus set create a garden to grow instant carrots for the new Gentle Bunny.  Hi, Jean Okimoto here with a spring design combining new  favorites from the Spring Collection and great designs from my Memory Box stash.

I skipped coloring class in preschool - and never learned to stay inside the lines.  Here's a solution that resolves that issue and creates a bunch of carrots in the proper colors.

Tape strips of orange and green cardstock together on the backside - then stamp the carrot from the Spring Bunnies Clear Stamp Set on the other side with Pinecone VersaFine Clair.  Instant carrots!  Dry the ink, then cut them with the carrot from the Spring Bunnies Die Set.

There are some cute cupcakes in the Spring Bunnies stamp set that would work with this patchwork coloring technique too...that's another card!

Cut the circle and waves from the sweet Happy Octopus set from dark Kraft cardstock.  Trim the top edge of the waves with a die from the Stitched Curves set to create a little pile of dirt.  Tuck the carrots into the wave slots at various heights.  Trim the bottoms of the lower carrots.

Stamp the greeting - from the new Springtime Typewriter Sentiments Clear Stamp Set - on the smoother side of watercolor paper with Summertime VersaFine Clair.  Dry the ink, then trim it with the smallest Rectangle Basics die.  Attach it to a flat toothpick to create a garden sign.

Cut Gentle Bunny from watercolor paper three times.  Layer the diecuts - slightly offset - for dimension.

Attach the diecuts to a Pool Notecard - use foam dots for the sides of the sign and the top three carrots.  Add ¼" punched circles of green glittered cardstock.

Big thanks to everyone from last weekend's FRIENDS + FLOWERS and SIMPLY ASIAN classes at Impress!  Hope you like the designs (and origami!) - and were inspired to use your stamps and dies in as many ways as possible.  Thanks too - Ann and Lynne - for helping everyone fill those baskets.  It was great seeing Cindi too - can't wait to see your springtime displays.

Looking forward to seeing everyone again on March 24th for the BEYOND THE BOX class.  We'll use our favorite dies and stamps as intended - or not (!) - to get the most from our stashes.

Thanks for visiting...hope you like this timesaving, no-coloring-skill-required carrot project!  See you again this weekend.

Supplies

 

94237 Gentle Bunny craft die

32220 Spring Bunnies die set

CL5220 Spring Bunnies clear stamp set

30086 Rectangle Basics Set

CL5239 Springtime Typewriter Sentiments clear stamp set

94227 Happy Octopus craft die

99842 Stitched Curves

Pool A2 notecards

New Splendid Rose Frame and Butterfly Meadow by Jean Okimoto

The Splendid Rose Frame and butterflies from the Butterfly Meadow create a versatile card in soft spring colors.  Add a simple greeting from the Poppystamps Birthday Blowout Clear Stamp Set - and you're ready for any occasion.

Hi, Jean Okimoto here with an updated, glittery version of my March Challenge inspiration card.  But first - thank you for all of your wonderful comments during our Spring Blog Blitz and congrats to all of the winners.  Enjoy your prizes!

Create a dreamy background for these great new dies with a Pastel Kaleidacolor inkpad.  Spritz a 5" square of watercolor paper lightly with water.  Press the inkpad (keep the colors separated) onto a large acrylic stamp block.  Spritz the inks and let them blend for a few seconds.

Press the inks firmly onto the damp watercolor paper.  Lift and rotate the block to transfer the residual inks to other sections of the paper.  Lightly spritz the paper, then airdry it for a few minutes.  Heat-set it from both sides to minimize curling.

Cut it with the 3-¼" Circle Basics die - save a section for the greeting.

Cut the inner frame and rose section of the Splendid Rose Frame from dark gray cardstock. Cut the solid rose from pink cardstock.  Pressure-emboss it with the detailed rose using the embossing mat and plates required for your machine.  The embossing adds extra dimension to the pink diecut.

Stamp the greeting - from the Poppystamps Birthday Blowout Clear Stamp Set  - on a scrap of the watercolored paper with Espresso Truffle Memento Luxe. Love that contemporary typestyle!   Heat-set it.

Cut the butterflies from the Butterfly Meadow set from turquoise glittered cardstock.  Cut extra butterflies from gray cardstock and layer them for dimension.

Attach everything to a side-folded A-2 card of textured gray cardstock - use foam dots for the greeting.  Add clear gem stickers.

We'll be using several of the great Spring Collection stamps and dies in classes at Impress on Sunday March 10th.  We'll mix and match the just-released designs with classic favorites from my stash.  It's  FRIENDS + FLOWERS at 11:30 - followed by SIMPLY ASIAN at 2:30.  Cool techniques, some origami - and a lot of Memory Box, Poppystamps and Birch Press!  Join us if you're in the Seattle area - call Impress (206 901.9101) to reserve your seat.  

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

 

Supplies

 

94238 Butterfly Meadow craft die

94229 Splendid Rose Frame craft die

CL470 Birthday Blowout clear stamp set

30087 Circle Basics Set

Blog Blitz – New Floating Butterfly and Bold Friendly Greetings by Jean Okimoto

Set the scene for spring with the new Floating Butterfly and screenprinted papers in beautiful colors.  Welcome to Day #6 of our Spring Collection Blog Blitz!  Hello - Jean Okimoto here with a set of super-quick cards featuring the delicate new butterfly and Bold Friendly Greetings from our latest release.

There are so many ways to fill the butterfly's background including watercolors, glitter, fabric or sequins.  I chose a beautiful paper from Shizen Design's 18-piece set of 6 color-coordinated prints.  This one's a swirly pattern of flowers, tendrils and paisleys.  The paper set is a popular spring design - I bought it at Impress.

Cut three of the 4"x2-¾" Wrapped Stitch Rectangle from smooth white cardstock.  Stamp the messages - from the Bold Friendly Greetings clear stamps set - with Brilliance Pearlescent Jade, Orange and Purple.  Dry the inks, then cut Floating Butterfly.  Save the white diecuts for another project - were're using the offcut here.

Attach sections of the printed paper behind the cutout.

Cut the butterfly again from Coral Creme, Navajo and Kachina cardstock.  

Attach the diecuts to side-folded A-2 cards of Kachina, Snapdragon and Coral Creme cardstock.  Add clear gem stickers.

Want a chance to win the beautiful - and versatile - new Floating Butterfly?    Add a comment to this post by Sunday, March 3rd at 11:59pm EST.  One comment will be selected at random to win the butterfly.  Winners will be announced on the blog on Monday, March 4th at 6pm EST.  Good luck!

Be sure to add your comment to all of the Blog Blitz posts from February 25th thru March 3rd.

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

 

 

 

 

Supplies

 

94221 Floating Butterfly craft die

CL5236 Bold Friendly Greetings

30094 Wrapped Stitch Rectangles

Blog Blitz - New Happy Octopus and Oceanside Typewriter Sentiments by Jean Okimoto

Welcome to our Spring Collection Blog Blitz!  Watercolors are the backdrop for the new Happy Octopus, Underwater Scene fishes and Oceanside Typewriter Sentiments on today's card.  

Hello, Jean Okimoto here with a nautical design  - and a few techniques.  I'm hoping it looks like the octopus is emerging from the water and greeting the fishes.  

Create a quick ombre look with Blue Breeze Kaleidacolor.  Follow the instrucions on the container to move the individual inkpads together for brayering, but separated for storage.  Spritz the smoother side of watercolor with water.  Ink a 4" soft rubber brayer by rolling  it repeatedly (about 25 times) over the inks.  Cover the entire inkpad by rolling it in one direction instead of  back and forth.  

Hold the inked brayer horizontally (to prevent drips) and spritz it with water - two spritzes are better than one.  Roll the inks onto the damp watercolor paper.  Air-dry it for a few minutes.  

Spritz it lightly with water, wait a few seconds, then heat-set  both sides to minimize curling. Cut it with the waves and frame section of the Happy Octopus set - run it through your machine with the waves running horizontally instead of vertically.

Here's an easy way to select a specific section of the paper to diecut the fishes - 

Cut the fishes from a Post-It - use the offcut to select the area you want to cut.

Place the die back into the cutout and cut the fishes, exactly where you want them!

Cut the octopus head twice from watercolor paper.  Attach a scrap of black cardstock behind the eyes of one head.  Layer the second head behind it for dimension.  Cut the tentacles.  Attach the head and two tentacles behind the waves.  Slip two tentacles between the wave slots and tape them behind the waves.  

Stamp the greeting from the Oceanside Typewriter Sentiments set on the smoother side of watercolor paper with Electric Purple Radiant Neon.  Emboss it with detail clear powder.  Cut it into a strip with the scalloped edge of the wave section.

Attach the diecuts to a Violet Notecard - use foam dots for the fishes, greeting and octopus head.  Color clear gem stickers with a Sharpie or Copic Marker that matches the greeting.  The ink is much pinker that it appears on the inkpad.

Want a chance to win the whimsical Happy Octopus die set?  Add a comment on  this post by Sunday, March 3rd at 11:59pm EST.  One comment will be selected at random to win the set.  There will be a chance to win one of the new release items each day this week through Sunday.  Winners will be announced on the blog on Monday, March 4th at 6pm EST.  Good luck!

Big thanks to everyone from Sunday's GREETINGS FROM BIRCH PRESS class at Impress!  Hope you like the cards - and all of the techniques we used with those great dies and stamps.  Thanks also to  Ann, Erin and Lynne for your help in finding the supplies we needed for our cards.

Be sure to comment on all of the Design Team's blitz posts.  Hope you're a winner!

Supplies

 

94227 Happy Octopus craft die

94224 Underwater Scene craft die

CL5240 Oceanside Typewriter Sentiments clear stamp set

New Cottage Flower Circle Frame and Bold Friendly Greetings by Jean Okimoto

The new Cottage Flower Circle Frame is ready for spring...and so are we!  It's fresh, delicate and perfect when you need a quick card.  Finish it off with  a message and dotted strip from the Bold Friendly Greetings Clear Stamp Set.  

Hi everyone, Jean Okimoto here with a simple design for any occasion.  Add a dimensional look to your cards by pressure-embossing the delicate dies, then topping it with the diecut.  

Cut textured white cardstock with the 4" Circle Basics die.  

Separate the frame and the blossom stem of the Cottage Flower Circle Frame.  Pressure-emboss the frame onto the circle diecut.  

Cut the frame from smooth white cardstock.

Here's a tip  -  make it easy to attach the diecut frame to the embossed frame.  Just add  tiny dots of glue to the soon-to-be-hidden sections of the the sturdy embossed frame instead of the delicate diecut.  Press the delicate diecut onto the embossed frame.  

Stamp the dotted strip - from the greetings set - on white cardstock with Brilliance Pearlescent Thyme. Dry the ink,then trim it to about 4-½" long.

Stamp the greeting - from the new Bold Friendly Greetings Clear Stamp Set -  onto white cardstock with Brilliance Pearlescent Orchid.  Trim it with the 1" x 2-¼" Rectangle Basics die.  

Cut the blossom stem from green cardstock.  Attach pink felt to adhesive label paper (or a sticker sheet) and diecut just the flowers.  The adhesive backing stabilizes the felt and keeps adhesives from soaking through the fabicc.

Cut the small Simple Garden Pot from silver cardstock.

Attach all of the pieces to a side-folded 5-¼" square card - use foam dots for the greeting.

Very big thanks to everyone from Monday's SIMPLY ASIAN class at Impress!  I appreciate how so many of you drove and/or ferried to Tukwila  after days of snow, ice and slush.  Thanks also to everyone who helped shovel your driveway so you could get to Tukwila.  And thanks to Ann and Shari for helping everyone fill their shopping baskets with the new Spring Collection.   See you again at this Saturday's BIRCH PRESS GREETINGS Class at Impress!

Supplies

 

94242 Cottage Flower Circle Frame craft die

99999 Simple Garden Pots craft die

30086 Rectangle Basics Set

30087 Circle Basics Set

CL5236 Bold Friendly Greetings

New Stained Glass Rose Frame and Springtime Typewriter Sentiments by Jean Okimoto

Brighten a winter day with the new Stained Glass Rose Circle Frame and a little note.  The greeting is from the new Springtime Typewriter Sentiments Clear Stamp Set.   Hello and happy weekend - Jean Okimoto here with more designs from our 2019 Spring Collection of dies and stamps.

There are many ways to use this delicately-pretty new frame.  Circles are an easy way to add a bright background to each blossom.  The ¾" circles aren't a perfect fit - but I think they add a cool, quirky pop of color.  Hope you agree!

Sponge the smoother side of watercolor paper with Brilliance Pearlescent Orchid, Pearlescent Orange and Rocket Red Gold.  Cut ¾" circles with a Circle Basics die - cut a few extras so you can chose the perfect colors.

You could glue the circles behind each delicate rose...that would take more time and patience than I have.  Here's an easier way - pressure-emboss Stained Glass Rose Circle Frame directly onto a side-folded A-2 card of white textured cardstock. The embossing shows exactly where the roses are - and adds shadowy extra dimension.  

Glue the circles onto the embossed roses - then attach the white diecut frame over the circles.  Adhere the leaves and a few spots on the frame.  You won't need any glue behind the delicate rose diecuts.

Stamp the greeting - from the Springtime Typewriter Sentiments set - on a scrap of sponged watercolor paper with VersaFine Clair Pinecone.  Use a light touch when stamping - the pearlescent inks can be a little slippery.  Heat-set the ink and trim the greeting with the ½" x 1-¾" Rectangle Basics die.  Attach it with foam dots.

Add pale pink gem stickers.

Hope our Spring Collection has arrived at your favorite retailer.  It's in stock and waiting for you at Impress!  Spring will be here soon - I hope.

If you're in the Seattle area, join us for the SIMPLY ASIAN class at Impress on February 18th, Presidents Day.  Create cards with the latest release, favorites from the stash - and designs from Birch Press and Poppystamps too.  Please call the store at 206 901.9101 to reserve a seat if you can join us.  

Thanks for visiting...enjoy your weekend!

Supplies

 

94231 Stained Glass Rose Circle Frame craft die

CL5239 Springtime Typewriter Sentiments clear stamp set

30087 Circle Basics Set

30086 Rectangle Basics Set

Sending Hugs with the New Happy Octopus by Jean Okimoto

Let's celebrate Valentine's Day by meeting the new Happy Octopus die set - and matching him up with some favorites from our Valentine's Collection.  Hello, Jean Okimoto here with the first of many wonderful new dies from our Spring Collection.  I think he's perfect for the transition from one great release to the next.  

Cut the main section of the octopus from gray cardstock and attach a scrap of black cardstock behind the eyes.  Cut two more of the octopus from black cardstock and layer them for dimension.

Cut two sets of tentacles from gray cardstock.

Paint watercolor paper with turquoise and green dye inks.  Airdry it, then spritz it with Imagine Crafts Gold Sheer Shimmer Spritz.  Heat-set it.  Cut it with the ring and waves.  Cut another set from black cardstock.

Attach the octopus and two tentacles to the waves.  Slip the bottoms of the six tentacles in the foreground through the wave slots and tape the ends on the back.

Layer the black diecuts behind the watercolored pieces to add dimension and highlight the details on both pieces.

Cut four hearts of glittered red cardstock with Heart Board.

Cutting Sending Jotted Script from gray and white cardstock.  Leave the tiny dot over the "i" in the die until you're ready to attach it.

Prep gray cardstock with anti-static powder.  Stamps "hugs" - from the Best Life Typewriter Sentiments Clear Stamp Set - with VersaMark.  Emboss it with detail white powder.

Attach the pieces to a top-folded white A-2 card.

I think you'll love the new Spring Collection.  It's filled with butterflies, flowers, Easter icons and nautical designs - and three must-have greetings stamp sets.  We're looking forward to sharing our new designs and ideas with you!

Thanks for visiting...

 

Supplies

 

94104 Heart Board craft die

94073 Sending Jotted Script craft die

CL5237 Best Life Typewriter Sentiments

94227 Happy Octopus craft die