Author: birch press

  • Butterfly Birthday | by Angel Rivera

    Butterfly Birthday | by Angel Rivera

    Hello!  I hope you’re all starting to enjoy some warmer weather!  I wanted to share this card with you that I made using the Close to the Heart stamp set and matching dies.

    I stamped one of the butterflies and colored it with my Copic markers then cut it out with the matching die.  To create the background, I stamped the same butterfly repeatedly, eye-balling it to get it lined up as best as I could.  Perfection can be a bit overrated at times, right?  🙂   To add a little interest to the background butterflies, I used my W1 Copic to create a shadow around the edges of each, then used my W3 Copic to color just a little bit inside of the center of the butterfly.  The sentiment was embossed with white embossing powder onto black card stock.  The body of the die cut butterfly, which is a separate die, was cut out with black card stock.  Everything is layered with foam adhesive over a white card base.

      

    Thank you for stopping by!

    Angel

  • March Blog Blitz Winners Announced

    Thanks so much for joining us during our March release blog blitz!  We are so excited to share the new craft dies with you.  I can’t tell you how much we appreciate your kind comments … you really do make our day!  We hope you’ll stop by every Tuesday when we feature products from the craft section of the store.

    Congratulations to the winners who have all been contacted by email!

    3/14/17 Jeanne’s Post Paradiso Butterfly KIMBERLY A WIENER
    3/15/17 Laurie’s Post Flutter Plate Your Choice! Elise S.
    3/16/17 Tracey’s Post CL8118 Close To The Heart Stamp Set Amy Kolling
  • Paridiso Butterflies | by Tracey McNeely

    Paridiso Butterflies | by Tracey McNeely


    Happy Tuesday, and I hope that spring has found you where you are. The Birch Press Design original Paradiso Butterfly Layer Set craft dies are perfect for making gorgeous layered butterflies in any colour combination you choose.

    For my card today I started by blending Distress Inks on to a Bristol cardstock panel. Water was splattered on to the panel and I waited a few second and then use paper towel to pull some of the water off. Once dry I smooshed some more Distress Ink onto an acrylic block and spritzed some water on it. Then I used a paintbrush to flick some on to the panel. Once again I pull off the excess colour with a paper towel and I set it aside to dry.

    A sentiment from the new Close to the Heart clear stamp set was placed on the panel, then I cut the three layers of the butterflies. Paradiso Butterfly Layer A in vellum, Paradiso Butterfly Layer B in Turquoise blue, Paradiso Butterfly Layer C in soft blue and the antennae from Layer C with vellum.

    Then I adhered layers A and B only at the centre so that the wings appear to be fluttering. Layer C was attached directly to the card base and the butterfly was adhered on top again only at the centre. The body was adhered last.

    Thank you for joining us again for crafting on Tuesday. I hope I inspired you to get messy with the beautiful Paradiso Butterfly Layered dies.

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  • Blog Blitz – Day Three – Close to the Heart Clear Stamps | by Tracey McNeely

    Blog Blitz – Day Three – Close to the Heart Clear Stamps | by Tracey McNeely


    Welcome back to the final day of the Birch Press Design Blog Blitz! We are showcasing our new butterfly exclusive craft dies and new clear stamp set. What’s a blog blitz?  We’ll it’s a chance for us to show you some designs made with the new products and give you a chance to win.
    Today I am showcasing the new Close to the Heart stamp set and matching craft dies.

    I am very excited to show you what you can do with these beautiful butterfly images. Here is a look at the stamp set and the matching dies which are sold separately.

    To make the projects I am sharing today the butterfly images were heat embossed on white Bristol cardstock with clear embossing powder! To do this you first prep your cardstock with an anti-static tool, embossing buddy or even a dryer sheet. Then you apply Versamark ink to the butterfly image(s) and then apply black archival ink. Stamp on to your cardstock and then sprinkle your clear embossing powder to the image(s). Heat set so that you get a smooth and shiny black embossed image. Once cooled use the craft dies to cut out the images.

    I coloured the images using watercolour markers using a waterbrush to blend the colours. For my background I used the previously released Sevilla background dies cut in soft grey and white. The sentiment is from the Close to the Heart clear stamp set embossed in white on black cardstock.

    For my second project I created a tag using the smaller butterfly from the set. For the background I used the Sevilla C craft die to create a stencil and applied embossing paste. A couple pieces of greenery from the Brushed Christmas Greetings stamps and craft dies set were stamped in green and tucked in between the tag base and the butterfly.

    Another look at the card.

    Want a chance to win the Close to the Heart clear stamp set?  Just leave me a comment!

    Here’s the details for the rest of the blog blitz…..

    The blog blitz runs from March 15 – March 17, 2017. We’ll be giving away a prize on every post during this time.  To enter to win you need to leave a comment on EACH of the posts that you wish to enter.   To enter ALL the posts during the blog blitz you need to leave a comment on EACH ONE.   One person will be chosen at random from each of the posts during the blog blitz. Only one prize per person per blog blitz. We use random number generator to select winners from comments. You have until midnight US EST March 21 to leave a comment on each and every post that you want to enter. Winners will announced on this blog on March 25. Good Luck!

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  • Blog Blitz Day Two – New Flutter Plates | by Laurie Schmidlin

    Blog Blitz Day Two – New Flutter Plates | by Laurie Schmidlin


    Welcome back!  It’s day two of the spring Blog Blitz!  We are celebrating the latest release of several new craft dies and a brand new clear stamp set!  What’s a blog blitz?  We’ll it’s a chance for us to show you some designs made with the new products and give you a chance to win.

    There are not enough words to describe how much I love these new Flutter Plate dies!  Butterflies are always in style so these dies can be used year round!  The beautiful details truly make these special!

    I started by splattering black paint on a white cardstock card base.  While that was drying I die cut Flutter Plate C (on the far left) out of yellow cardstock, the Flutter Plate B (in the middle) also out of yellow cardstock, and the Flutter Plate A (on the right) out of black cardstock.  You can see that all three of these work together so well, but they would also look amazing on their own!

    After my layers were adhered together, I added a sentiment strip across the card.  To do this, I cut a small strip of black cardstock and heat embossed one of the sentiments from the new Close to the Heart stamp set using white embossing powder.  I kept the embellishments very simple, adding only a few enamel hearts and black twine bow.

     

    Would you like a chance to win the Flutter Plate C?  Leave a comment here on this post to be entered!

    Here’s the details for the rest of the blog blitz…..

    The blog blitz runs from March 15 – March 17, 2017. We’ll be giving away a prize on every post during this time.  To enter to win you need to leave a comment on EACH of the posts that you wish to enter.   To enter ALL the posts during the blog blitz you need to leave a comment on EACH ONE.   One person will be chosen at random from each of the posts during the blog blitz. Only one prize per person per blog blitz. We use random number generator to select winners from comments. You have until midnight US EST March 21 to leave a comment on each and every post that you want to enter. Winners will announced on this blog on March 25. Good Luck!

     

     

     

  • Blog Blitz Day One – Paradiso Butterfly | by Jeanne Jachna

    Blog Blitz Day One – Paradiso Butterfly | by Jeanne Jachna


    Oh happy day!  We have a brand new craft release to introduce to you!  If you love butteries, this is going to make your heart flutter!! LOL!!   To celebrate we’re having a blog blitz!  What’s a blog blitz?  We’ll it’s a chance for us to show you some designs made with the new products and give you a chance to win.


    I’m excited to share the new Paradiso Butterflies!  These dies are sold separately or as a set.  Here’s what they look like..

    Starting with the yellow at the top – that is Paradiso Butterfly Layer C.  The middle one, the orange die cut, is Paradiso Butterfly Layer B, and the very last die cut in red – the most intricate – is Paradiso Butterfly Layer A.   These dies are beautiful each on it’s own – but they’re even more amazing when you start stacking them!

    The three layers really bring the butterfly to life!

    I started with a background of flowers!  The Sevilla background dies make a beautiful background.  I chose contrasting colors (complimentary or opposites on the color wheel to make the bold colors pop!   I added accents in yellow (enamel dots, and sentiment flag) to coordinate with the yellow in the butterflies.   The sentiment “dream  big” is from the new Close to the Heart clear cling stamp set.

    Want a chance to win one of these pretty Paradiso Butterflies?  You’re choice of whatever layer you would like!   Just leave me a comment!

    Here’s the details for the rest of the blog blitz…..

    The blog blitz runs from March 15 – March 17, 2017. We’ll be giving away a prize on every post during this time.  To enter to win you need to leave a comment on EACH of the posts that you wish to enter.   To enter ALL the posts during the blog blitz you need to leave a comment on EACH ONE.   One person will be chosen at random from each of the posts during the blog blitz. Only one prize per person per blog blitz. We use random number generator to select winners from comments. You have until midnight US EST March 21 to leave a comment on each and every post that you want to enter. Winners will announced on this blog on March 25. Good Luck!

  • Caprice Heart Shaker | by Tracey McNeely

    Caprice Heart Shaker | by Tracey McNeely


    Hearts are not only for Valentine’s, they can be used for so many different types of cards–birthdays, friendship, sympathy and weddings to name a few. With summer coming it seems likely that you will be looking for cards for weddings and anniversaries. So why not make a shaker?

    I used the beautiful and dimensional Caprice Heart dies for my shaker. I started out by cutting all three dies one of silver glitter, one a soft aqua blue and one white.

    I prepared a top panel for my card that was 5 1/4″  x 4″ and my sentiment was added to t he bottom right side of the panel. To make the shaker I used the largest die from the Perfect Heart dies set and die cut through the top panel Next I cut a piece of acetate slightly larger than the opening using the reverse cut as a guide as I cut.

    Then I adhered the acetate securely on the back of the panel over the heart shaped opening. Pieces of foam tape were added all around the opening making sure the pieces touched and that there were no gaps for shaker elements to escape.

    Shaker elements were added to the centre of the heart over the acetate and the foam backing was removed so that a 3 1/2″ x 3 1/2″ piece of cardstock could be placed over the heart and on top of the foams pieces to seal the shaker contents inside. A few additional pieces of foam tape were added to the lower portion of the panel.

    On the front of the panel I adhered the layers of the Caprice Heart. I started with Layer C which was inlayed into the heart shape using Multi Matt Medium so that any stray glue would dry clear. Layer B was added next and finally Layer A.

    Then Layer B next:

    Then finish off with Layer C

    Using the basic shape dies along with the Layered dies makes creating shaker cards easy and oh so pretty.


  • Watercolor Wildflowers | By Laurie Schmidlin

    Watercolor Wildflowers | By Laurie Schmidlin


    Hi there!  I’m not sure what the weather is like where you live, but here in Montana it is still a snow covered, frozen tundra!  Ha!  Spring can not come fast enough for me.  While I wait, I thought I would bring some Spring like cheer indoors with some pretty stamped wildflowers!  I enjoyed creating so much that I made two cards to share with you!

    My first card features some pretty pinks, bright yellows, and some fresh blue colors.  I just love how how effortless it is to create faux watercolor looks with the Watercolor Wildflowers set!

    I stamped a sentiment from the Poppystamps Grateful Hearts stamp set and then splattered on some black paint.  For embellishment, I tied a twine bow across the bottom.  I mounted the top stamped layer onto a Chipboard Notecard using foam dimensional tape.  When using any kind of watercolor (or water in this case), I like to use a heavier card base like this one because lighter ones tend to warp.


    To create the faux watercolor look, I started by stamping my flowers and stems using the Watercolor Wildflowers stamp set.  I used Distress Oxide stamp pads, but you could use any water based ink.  The important part is that the ink should react, or “run” when sprayed with water.  After my imaged were stamped, I taped the paper down on a piece of chipboard (for stability) using some painter’s tape.  This prevents the paper from warping too badly and causing the ink to pool.

    This next step is where the magic happens!  I just lightly spritzed the paper with water.  I chose not to use watercolor paper so I was careful not to add too much water.  I didn’t want the images to continue to muddy so I immediately used my heat tool to dry the paper.

    I noticed that there were a few places that images were still solid, so I took a waterbrush and pulled some of the color out.  You can tell the places that I did this as it has smoother lines than from the spritzing but I was still pleased with the result.


    After all the water was dry, I again splattered the background with black paint.

    I embossed a sentiment from the Poppystamps Grateful Hearts stamp set onto a strip of black cardstock using white embossing powder.  I adhered it along the bottom.  For embellishment, I sprinkled on some clear sequins.


    I hope I have inspired you to give this very easy, but beautiful technique a try!

    Thanks so much for joining me here today!

     

     

  • Oh Happy Day | By Jeanne Jachna

    Oh Happy Day | By Jeanne Jachna


    I hope you’re checking out all the pretty heart dies in the store!   They’re really a shape that every crafter should have in their stash – they’re good for so many different types of projects.  What a great way to spread a little love!  I think that’s the reason so many of us like to give home made gifts and cards – just to show how much we care!

    I made this elegant card that would make a beautiful wedding or engagement congratulations.  Or.. how about a pretty Anniversary card?   It’s very clean and simple and the touch of gold makes it look rich and expensive!

    I cut the Nadia Heart on a panel of white card stock trimmed to fit an A2 (4.25 x 5.5″) card.  Next I cut the Dainty Stitched Heart Border along the bottom edge.    I cut a second Nadia Heart and  Dainty Stitched Heart Border from Gold Glitter Paper.

    Trim a panel of colored card stock slightly smaller than the card base, stamp a sentiment on this panel if you like.  I used one from the Poppystamps Grateful Hearts Clear Cling Set. Attach the panel of colored card stock to your card base. You can coordinate the colors with wedding invitation or the color of the bridesmaid dresses!    I chose “something blue” for mine!

    Next I attached the gold die cut Dainty Stitched Heart Border to the white die cut panel before adhering it to the card base.  I adhered the gold cut die cut Nadia Heart inside the opening on the white die cut panel and embellished it with a gem.

    Just two dies made this beautiful card!   What will you make today?

  • Angel Rivera | Love you always

    Angel Rivera | Love you always

    Hi all!  Happy Valentine’s Day!  My card today features the gorgeous trio of the Amour layer dies.  I went for a bold look of black, white, hot pink and gold foil.  These dies sure do make a statement, regardless of the colors used!  The white heat-embossed sentiment and small gold heat-embossed heart are from the Poppystamps Grateful Heart Clear stamp set.  Between the bold colors and all those layers, I felt the card didn’t need anything else – besides a sweet sentiment, of course!

    Thank you for stopping by!

    I hope you have a *sweet* day!

    Angel