Saying “Hello” with Birds and Blossoms by Jean Okimoto

The Birds and Blossoms set is quickly becoming a new favorite - it's perfect for anyone, young or aged to perfection.  Diecut it, ink it and add a quick greeting from the Big and Little Words Clear Stamps Set.  The sweet little felt bird diecuts contrast the glossy embossed flowers and leaves.

Hi, Jean Okimoto here with another design from our Garden Bouquet Collection.  It's easy to see why everyone loves this die set.  It's great for spring and summer cards - and would brighten anyone's day.

Cut Birds and Blossoms from Twig cardstock - keep the diecut and the offcut togeter - it's easier to ink it that way.  Use a cotton swab to ink the leaves with Lime VersaColor.  Ink the flowers with Electric Coral Radiant Neons.  Heat-emboss the inked areas.  

Stamp the greeting from the Big and Little Words Clear Stamps Set on white cardstock with Pinecone VersaFine Clair.  Stamp the frame too.  Heat-set the inks.   Trim the frame  and round the corners - I used the 4mm corner rounder section from a WeRMemoryKeepers punch.

Attach adhesive label paper - or a sticker sheet - to turquoise felt.  The paper backing stabilizes the felt and keeps liquid adhesives from saturating the felt.  Cut three birds.  

Attach everything to a side-folded A-2 card - use foam dots for the right side of the greeting.  Add turquoise gem stickers.

These little felt birds are cute and sweet right now...but they'll be perfectly spooky in black felt with fall colors for Halloween.

If you're looking for something creative this weekend - join us for the SEATTLE STYLE class at Impress on Monday, May 27th.  Our cards will feature our favorite made-in-the-USA stamps and dies from our favorite Seattle companies.  We're making a sweet (and simple!) little origami sailboat too.

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

Supplies

 

94243 Birds and Blossoms craft die

CL5242 Big and Little Words lear stamp set

Light and Layered Sketch Flower Spray by Jean Okimoto

The new Sketch Flower Spray is light, airy and great for any occasion.  Hi, Jean Okimoto here with a simple design that works for grads, birthdays, weddings, new jobs, a promotion.  Add a greeting - this is from the Rose Bouquet Clear Stamp Set - and you're all set!

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Use a soft rubber brayer to ink a quick background by repeatedly rolling  it over a Melon Melody Kaleidacolor inkpad. Spritz it lightly with water, then roll the inks onto watercolor paper.  Air-dry the inks for a few minutes, then spritz it lightly with water to add  some splotchy interest to the background.  Cut it with the 2" x 3-¼"Rectangle Basics die.

Cut Sketch Flower Spray from Lime Crush Cardstock.  Cut three sets of the flowers from white cardstock.  Ink the center of one flower set with Cheerful VersaFine Clair.  Cotton swabs are great for little jobs like this!

Attach two uninked flowers behind the inked flower - slightly offset.   Attach the diecuts to an A-6 (4-½" x 6") white card.  Add yellow gem stickers.

Stamp the greeting - from the Rose Bouquet Clear Stamps Set - on white cardstock with Shady Lane VersaFine Clair.  Dry the ink, then trim it with the smallest Rectangle Basics die.  Attach it with foam dots.

Thanks for visiting - hope you love flowers too!

 

 

 

Supplies

 

94248 Sketch Flower Spray craft die

30086 Rectangle Basics Set

CL5241 Rose Bouquet clear stamp set

Combine Picture Perfect Flower and the Butterfly Meadow by Jean Okimoto

 

Create a dimensional card with the new Picture Perfect Flower peeking through Butterfly Meadow grasses.  Brighten it with glittery butterflies, then add a thoughtful greeting.  Hi - happy weekend - Jean Okimoto here with another design featuring something "old" with something new.  The quick pace of the papercrafts industry makes it feel as though a product introduced a few months ago is already old - but it's perfect for the Garden Bouquet Collection.  

Diecut a top-folded Limeade A-2 card with the 3" Circle Basics die.  Cut Picture Perfect Flower and Butterfly Meadow from green cardstock.  Save the Picture Perfect Flower offcut and tape it back into the delicate blossom outline.

Cut peach cardstock with the blossom portion and the extra blossom from the Picture Perfect Flower.  Layer them - slightly offset for dimension - over the green blossom and outline. 

Cut the flower center from black cardstock.

Attach Butterfly Meadow to the card front.  Align and attach Picture Perfect Flower inside the card.

Cut white glitter cardstock butterflies with the die included in the Butterfly Meadow set.  

Stamp the greeting - from the new Big and Little Words Clear Stamp Set - on the smooth side of limeade cardstock with Green Oasis VersaFine Clair.

Attach the butterflies.  "Sandwich" a few strands of the meadow grass between two butterflies to add dimension and cover the adhesive behind the butterfly.

Hope you're enjoying our new collection as much as we love sharing our ideas with you!  The botanical designs are great for summer cards - and they'll continue to be favorites throughout the year.  Flowers and greenery are classic design elements -  think of all the ways you can combine them with items from your stash!

Thanks for visiting...enjoy your weekend!

Supplies

 

94254 Picture Perfect Flower craft die

94238 Butterfly Meadow craft die

30087 Circle Basics Set

CL5242 Big and Little Words lear stamp set

Add a Scribble Rose Accent to the Rose Bouquet by Jean Okimoto

Congratulations to all of the Garden Bouquet Blog Blitz prizewinners - and thank you for your comments!  Hi, Jean Okimoto here with another design featuring the Scribble Rose Outline and Background - and the new Rose Bouquet Clear Stamp Set too.  Loving the cool,  contemporary Scribble designs!

Stamp the bouquet on the smoother side of watercolor paper with Nocturne VersaFine Clair and quickly emboss it with detail clear powder.  Brush loose, outside-the-lines layers of diluted Kaleidacolor Dye Ink Refills onto the image.  Skip the large rose in the center - it'll be covered  by Scribble Rose diecuts.  Dry the inks.

Trim it with the 2" x 3-¼" Rectangle Basics die.  

Stamp the greeting - also from the Rose Bouquet set - onto the smoother side of Snapdragon cardstock with Nocturne. 

Cut the large Scribble Rose Background from periwinkle cardstock.  Cut the large Scribble Rose Outline from black cardstock.

Several of the new flower dies from the Garden Bouquet Collection have tiny arrows (which remain on the offcut after cutting) to help align the coordinating dies.  

Cut a 4-¾" x ¾" strip of Sour Apple cardstock.

Assemble the card and add pale aqua gemstickers.

Christmas will arrive sooner than you think...why not get the Scribble Roses Background set now and be ready to diecut a wonky snowman in a few months!  Use the background dies with the Scribble Roses Outline for floral and garden cards this summer - then build a snowman for the holidays.

Big thanks to everyone from last weekend's ASIA NOW class at Impress!  We keep discovering that so many products from Memory Box, Poppystamps and Birch Press Designs are perfect for Asian-themed cards.  Thanks too - Shari and LaVonne - for helping everyone shop and fill those baskets!  And thank you for the beautiful spring  flowers Elaine!

No classes for me this weekend - I'm prepping for the SEATTLE STYLE class on Monday, May 27th.  Join us if you have a holiday that day!

Thanks for visiting...

 

Supplies

 

94270 Scribble Roses Outline craft die

94271 Scribble Roses Background craft die

CL5241 Rose Bouquet clear stamp set

30086 Rectangle Basics 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

Blog Blitz…Introducing the New Antique Leaf Label and Scribble Roses Outline and Background by Jean Okimoto

Welcome to our Garden Bouquet Collection Blog Blitz!  Here's a trio of  beautiful new botanical dies perfect for garden greetings - Antique Leaf Label, Scribble Roses Background and Scribble Roses Outline.  The greeting is from our new Open Studio Rose Bouquet Clear Stamps Set.  

Hello, Jean Okimoto here with a simple watercolored design ready for any occasion.  I love artsy, round flowers - and the "dark floral" look that seems to reappear each spring.  Overlapping layers of Peerless Watercolors fall into place between the delicate details of the Scribble Roses Outline dies.

Cut Scribble Roses Background from watercolor paper - leave the diecuts in the offcut and tape them lightly on the reverse side  so they're easier to handle.  Paint them with loose, overlapping layers of pink, peach and yellow watercolors.  Heat-set them, then define the different shades with a wet paintbrush.    Paint a scrap of watercolor paper for a greetings background. Dry the watercolors

Cut the Scribble Roses Outline and Antique Leaf Label from white cardstock.  Save the leaves - we'lll need 5 for the card.

Stamp the greeting - from the Rose Bouquet Clear Stamp Set - with Morning Mist VersaFine Clair.  Dry the ink, then diecut the label.

Assemble the roses, then attach the diecuts to a top-folded card of Rock Candy cardstock.  Add clear gem stickers and a few of the diecut leaves. 

Here's a great new feature Dave's added to several of the new dies - little arrows on the offcuts indicating the tops of some of the floral dies.  Just draw a pencilmark on the back of the diecut at the arrow and the guessing is over!

It was hard to pick a die for our blitz giveaway because there are so many great designs to chose from!  I decided to pick the Antique Leaf Label because it's so versatile and easy to use - and I'll be using it often here on the blog. Would you like a chance to win your own Antique Leaf Label die? 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!

Big thanks to everyone from last weekend's STASH CARDS - BIRTHDAYS HAPPEN class at Impress!  Hope you like the cards and techniques!  Enjoy making more class cards at home with the packet of extras from my stash.  Thanks Erin and Lynne for helping us fill those shopping baskets!

Looking for something to do on Mother's Day?  Join us for another ASIA NOW class at Impress - we're making 6 contemporary Asian cards - and using a lot of Memory Box and Poppystamps designs.  

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 that great deal and buy one of the Memory Box dies you've been eyeing.

Thanks very much for stopping by - be sure to comment on all of the Design Team's blog blitz posts for a chance to win great prizes from our latest collection!

 

Supplies

 

94258 Antique Leaf Label craft die

94271 Scribble Roses Background craft die

94270 Scribble Roses Outline craft die

CL5241 Rose Bouquet clear stamp set

Small Fringed Peony from the new Garden Bouquet Collection by Jean Okimoto

The new Small Fringed Peony - beautifully detailed and dimensional - is perfect for embossing and diecutting.  A matte watercolored background seems to recede as the pearlescent peony becomes the star.  Hello, Jean Okimoto here with a May Challenge inspiration card featuring another great new design from the April 2019 Garden Bouquet Collection.  

Diecut a piece of watercolored paper - like this one from my stash - with the 2-¼" x 3-1-/2" Rectangle Basics die.  Pressure emboss the Small Fringed Peony near the left edge.  Use the embossing mat and plates recommended by the manufacturer of your machine.  

Diecut the peony  from a Post-It-Note - to be used as a stencil - and from white cardstock for an overlay.

Sponge Pearlescent Lavender Brilliance through the stencil onto the embossed peony.  Daub Sunflower Yellow Brilliance in the center of the flower.  Set it aside to dry.

Attach the peony diecut to the embossed image. Cut a ¾" x 3-⅞" strip of purple cardstock and a 3" x ⅞" strip of pale green cardstock.  

Stamp the greeting - from the new Big and Little Words Clear Stamp Set - on white cardstock with Purple Delight VersaFine Clair.  Dry the ink, then trim the cardstock.

Assemble the card and add green gem stickers.

I love the dimensional, curled edges of the peony's lower petals.  They create a bold accent and balance the delicate detailed petals.  The Small Fringed Peony is just one of many beautiful flower dies in our latest release.  There's a Large Fringed Peony too! 

Special thanks to everyone who drove, flew or ferried to Impress for last weekend's ASIA NOW class!  The April Garden Bouquet Collection arrived just in time for class  - the "almost-Asian" designs were perfect for simple, contemporary cards.  Thanks too - Ann, Shari and Erin - for helping everyone fill their shopping baskets with the latest, greatest designs!

If you're in the Seattle area, join us for another stash cards class - BIRTHDAYS HAPPEN.  Everyone receives a packet of "extras" from my stash so they can make a few more class cards at home.  It's not really an Asian-themed class - but we're making a simple origami sailboat - and a folded flower.  

Thanks for stopping by - be sure to enter May's Embossing Extravagance challenge...good luck!

 

Supplies

94276 Small Fringed Peony craft die

30086 Rectangle Basics Set

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

Memory Box Bunnies, Half a Dozen Eggs and Springtime Typewriter Sentiments by Jean Okimoto

Create sweet treats for Easter baskets or brunch with Memory Box bunnies, Simple Chicks and Half a Dozen Eggs.  Glossy embossed greetings from the Springtime Typewriter Sentiments set add the perfect finishing touch.  Hi there, Jean Okimoto here with my last Easter project - and a great excuse to buy a few more packages of Easter candy.  

Cut 8" x 3" strips of Bubblegum, Key Lime, Pool and Squash Dots and Gingham.  Score them at 3-⅞", 4" and 4-⅛".  Fold it on the 4" scoreline.  Place the largest die from the Half a Dozen Eggs set about ⅛" beyond the fold and cut through both layers to create treat wrappers.

Unfold it and refold it on the 3-⅞" and 4-⅛" scorelines.  Punch holes at the top.  

Cut Bunny Face, Sweet Bunny and Gentle Bunny from watercolor paper.  Cut Simple Chicks from bright yellow cardstock.  Attach scraps of pink, orange and black cardstock for the facial features and a colorful tail for the Gentle Bunny.  

Stamp the greetings from the Springtime Typewriter Greetings set on the smoother side of watercolor paper with Turquoise Gem VersaColor, Verdant VersaFine Clair, Summertime VersaFine Clair and Charming Pink VersaFine Clair.  Emboss the words with detail clear powder.

Attach the candy with doublestick tape and tie the wrappers with twine.  I've used a Ghiradelli Square - two Ghiradelli Minis would also be great.

Join us for the Charming Prints class at Impress if you're in the Seattle area on Saturday April 20th.  We're using an assortment of printed, silkscreened and embossed papers to create artsy, layered cards.  We'll fold a simple origami peacock and a very dimensional flower too!

Thanks for stopping by - have a Happy Easter if you're celebrating this weekend!  

Supplies

 

94237 Gentle Bunny craft die

99934 Simple Chicks craft die

99905 Sweet Bunny craft die

99904 Bunny Face craft die

30072 Half a Dozen Eggs

CL5239 Springtime Typewriter Sentiments clear stamp set

Pool Dots

Squash Dots

Key Lime Dots

Pool Gingham

Squash Gingham

Bublegum Gingham

Key Lime Gingham

Bubblegum Dots

Wildflower Circle, Gentle Bunny and Forget Me Not Blooms by Jean Okimoto

A Wildflower Circle window card sets the scene for the Gentle Bunny on a sparkly Easter card today.  Glittery pink, violet and purple blossoms from the Forget Me Not Blooms create a bright background.   The sweet bunny is cut from textured gold paper to resemble a foil-wrapped chocolate treat...I hope!

Happy weekend everyone - Jean Okimoto here with a just-in-time Easter card.  It's amazing how fast the year is flying by.  Thank goodness we  have so many great Memory Box dies and stamps to keep up with the holidays.

Cut a circle on a side-folded A-2 card of textured white cardstock with the 3" Circle Basics die.  Cut Wildflower Circle  from pale green cardstock.  

Cut pink, violet and purple glittered cardstock with the blossoms from the Forget Me Not Blooms set.  Punch ¼" circles  of yellow cardstock for the flower centers.

Trim the tips of the wildflowers that will be covered with the glittered flowers.  Attach just the circle portion of the Wildflower Circle inside the card.  The adhesive from the glittered flowers will secure the ends of the wildflowers.  Adhere the yellow dots to the background where you'll place the flowers - including the three little flowers.  Add the glittered flowers.

Attach gold textured paper or foil to an adhesive label (or sticker sheet) and diecut Gentle Bunny.  I've used some gold Shizen Design paper from Impress.  Cut two more bunnies from cardboard and layer them for dimension.  

Wondering where the bunny's glittered green bow came from?  It's cut with the fourth wildflower from the left (where the purple flower appears on the finished card).  Trim the stem, then attach it to the bunny...and he's ready for Easter!

Stamp the greeting - from the Springtime Typewriter Sentiments Clear Stamp Set - on smooth white cardstock with Lilac Posies Memento Luxe.  Emboss it with detail clear powder.  Cut it with the smallest Rectangle Basics die.

Attach the greeting and bunny to the card.  Add pale green gem stickers.

The wildflowers probably weren't designed to multi-task as bunny bows - but if it works, use it!  Look at your Memory Box designs and think of new ways to use them.  You'll be surprised at how versatile they are!

Thanks for visiting - see you next week...

Supplies

 

94237 Gentle Bunny craft die

99997 Forget Me Not Blooms craft die

94240 Wildflower Circle craft die

30087 Circle Basics Set

30086 Rectangle Basics Set

CL5239 Springtime Typewriter Sentiments clear stamp set