Author: birch press

  • Birthday Wishes | by Allison Frazier

    Birthday Wishes | by Allison Frazier

    Hello, Birch Press friends! Today, I am sharing a sweet birthday card featuring the new Oval Leaf Branches Contour Layers set. Maybe it’s because we got an early snow this past weekend, but I was in the mood for some spring colors!

    I started my card with the sentiment, since it was going to be my focal point. I used the Say It Big stamp set, stamped the sentiment with peach ink, and cut it out with the matching die. I put foam tape on the back of the sentiment and popped it up on a white panel. I had already glued this white panel onto an A2 sized yellow card base.

    I cut the leaves out of turquoise, yellow and peach card stock. I cut the bottom layers of the leaves from a darker shade of each color. I glued the lighter detail pieces onto these darker ones. I also cut some small leaves (the ones that don’t have a top layer) out of white, yellow and peach card stock.

    Although these leaves are connected to each other, I snipped them all apart so that I could arrange them and tuck them in under the sentiment. Because the sentiment is popped up on foam tape, there is room all the way around to tuck the leaves. Once I had glued all the leaves in place, I added a little butterfly on top of the sentiment. This butterfly comes from the Simple Butterfly Contour Layers set.

    I finished up the card by scattering some fairy jewels around the leaves. I hope this card puts a smile on your face and inspires you! Thank you so much for joining us today.


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  • Adornment Wreath | By Seeka

    Adornment Wreath | By Seeka

    Hello and welcome! Seeka here and today I’m sharing a card featuring the Adornment Wreath die set. This set comes with two wreath layers. The detail layer can be layered directly over the base layer, or they can be offset as I did for this card.

    I started by using the two layers to cut a piece of cardstock that I’d sprayed with different shades of green Dylusions Ink Sprays. I glued the two layers together, offsetting the detail layer to create a fuller wreath. Then, I glued small red berries around the wreath; the berries are die cut from two shades of red cardstock using a die from the Hillside Branch and Bramble Contour Layers die set.

    I also cut a circle of white cardstock that was the same size as the inner circle of the wreath. I glued the wreath to this circle so that the center of the wreath is solid white. In the finished card, I think this helps the wreath stand out as the focal point against the background.

    Next, I used the Herbarium Plate Layer A die to cut a piece of white cardstock. I glued the piece over a white card base and then used foam tape to adhere the wreath. I finished by adding a small sentiment from my stash.

    Thank you so much for visiting!


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  • Autumn Foliage Delight | by Colleen Balija

    Autumn Foliage Delight | by Colleen Balija

    Hi friends!

    I’m back this month with another fall card, because well….I just can’t get enough of fall! Next month will be holiday cards, but this month I just want to embrace the beauty that is fall! I live in the Midwest of the United States, and we get some breathtaking colors and scents of fall! So, here is my fall card using Forest Canopy Layering dies and Thanks Sugar Script and Memory Box Cream Woodgrain paper! I will list the links to products used on my card at the end of this post!

    This card may look detailed, but it was quite easy! I started by inking up 3 watercolor card panels in my favorite fall colors using reactive inks, and then die cut the 3 layers from Forest Canopy Layering die over each of the colors. I LOVE this die set because it is just so detailed with embossed images over each of the leaves! I adhered the layered leaves together and placed them over Memory Box’s Cream Woodgrain cardstock. Then I sprayed a bit of water over the leaves to get the ink to react. I love the result! You get this really cool, distressed look that adds another level of detail to your card! You can find reactive inks just about anywhere. My favorites are Catherine Pooler and Hero Arts! I added gold splatter over the entire panel. Look closely in the photo below to see all the detail in the leaves and how the ink reacts to water!

    I originally planned to add a pumpkin over the leaves, but after seeing how beautiful the leaves turned out, I decided not to cover it up! So, now I just needed a bold sentiment that would stand out from all that glorious detail, and Thanks Sugar die was up for the challenge! Below is a good photo of that sentiment! It’s large and bold and the PERFECT touch if all you want to add over your design is a sentiment!

    For the Thanks sentiment, I die cut the bottom layer in Cream Woodgrain paper and the top layer in Festive Glitter in gold, adhered them together, and placed it over the background with foam tape. The entire panel rests on a white 5.5×4.25 card base. I love how the gold from the sentiment makes the gold splatter pop a bit more!

    Birch Press dies are so detailed that you really don’t need to add much to have a beautifully detailed card! Just a little ink, splatter, and a large bold sentiment and you’re done! Keep in mind that the Forest Canopy Layering dies can also be used for your holiday colors – just change up the color scheme! Thanks for stopping by!

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  • Warmest Wishes | By Natasha Vacca

    Warmest Wishes | By Natasha Vacca

    Hello Crafty Friends, I am excited to be back up on the blog today to share a vintage feel holiday card with you! For today’s card I am using 2 of the latest dies: Jolly Holly Contour Layers and Revello Ornament. Let’s get started!

    I started by die cutting the Revello Ornament using white card stock. I die cut each layer (A, B, and C), then adhered them together with liquid glue. Next I die cut the Jolly Holly Contour Layers using the Memory Box paper pads: Lush Green and Berry Red.

    Once the leaves and the berries were die cut, I added distress oxide inks to each layer. I used several colors for each, then added water droplets to the leaves and picked up some color using a paper towel. Once all the layers were dry, I adhered them together with liquid glue and set them aside to dry. I also die cut the bow and ornament topper from the Christmas Ornament Pop Up Easel die set. I heat embossed the bow using a weathered gold embossing powder.

    Next I started to work on my background using a piece of Wood Grain Paper in the color Cream. I used distress oxides to create a vintage inspired background. Once I was done inking the background I used my deckle trimmer to cut down the panel. I then distressed the edges using my distress tool and distress ink.

    I completed the card by adhering the wood grain panel onto an A2 card base. I then adhered the leaves, berries, ornament, bow and topper using a combination of liquid glue and foam tape. I also added a piece of gold twine for the ornament. I completed the card using a sentiment from the Glad Tidings stamp set.

    I had a lot of fun creating today’s card and I hope you enjoyed it! I’ll be back soon!


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  • Fall Leaves | by Rosemary Dennis

    Fall Leaves | by Rosemary Dennis

    Hello! Rosemary here on the blog today. Hard to believe that there are just a fews days left in October. Where has this year gone?! Today I’m sharing a fall inspired sympathy card although that was not my original idea. Originally I had started working on something that would be a small mixed media decor piece. Unfortunately, I went a little overboard and did not like what I had created. Thankfully, I was able to used all of these pretty leaves I had created with mica sprays on today’s card.

    As indicated above I used lots of distress mica sprays to achieve the colors you see in the various leaves. I used the Forest Leaf and Berries Contour Layers and Oval Leaf Branches Contour Layers dies to cut the leaves. I used one of the dies from the Memory Box Curved Cap Pinpoint Layers die set to die cut the arch from kraft cardstock and then stamp it with the sentiment from the Kind Hearts stamp set using VersaFine CLAIR Acorn ink. I inked around the edges of the die cut panel with Aged Mahogany distress ink. I die cut another panel of kraft cardstock with a rectangle die from the Memory Box A2 Rectangle Frames die set and adhered it to an off white cardstock base with double sided adhesive.

    I layered the arched panel on to the card front using foam tape and then built up my swag with the various different leaves. When I originally laid out the pieces for the swag it included the two smaller leaves in the lower corner. However when I started to put everything together they didn’t quite fit and so I added them to the corner instead. I used liquid adhesive to secure all the pieces in place.

    I finished off the card with some autumn fairy jewels on each cluster of leaves. I think they added the perfect little something the card needed.

    I hope you enjoyed today’s card and it inspires you to create something for fall. Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

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  • Candy Corn Adornment Pumpkin | by Crystal Komara

    Candy Corn Adornment Pumpkin | by Crystal Komara

    Hello Birch Press Design readers, this is DT member Crystal Komara here to share a fun Halloween themed card with you. Hopefully it will remind you of candy corn, which are the colors that I was inspired to use on the pumpkin itself!

    Card details:

    The base of this A2 sized card is made from 80 lb. Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock. I cut a 5 1/4″ x 4″ piece of black cardstock that I ran through my Big Shot with the 3D Blooming Embossing folder from Memory Box Company (a sister company to BPD).

    Using the Adornment Pumpkin dies, I die cut both the outer shadow and inner intricate frame from white cardstock. Then I ink blended Squeezed Lemonade and Dried Marigold Distress Oxide ink onto the pumpkin. I splattered black acrylic paint all over the pumpkin to “grunge it up”.

    I die cut the pumpkin stem from brown cardstock and the two leaves from an olive green cardstock. I adhered the pumpkin to the card using 3M foam adhesive for added dimension. Lastly, I added the “boo” sentiment also with 3M foam adhesive.

    I love how this card turned out with a candy corn colored pumpkin! It’s fun for Halloween without being terrifyingly spooky! Thanks for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day.

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  • Autumn Arista Layers | By Seeka

    Autumn Arista Layers | By Seeka

    Hello and welcome! Seeka here and today I’m sharing a card featuring the Arista Layer die set in warm autumn colors.

    I started off by die cutting the three layers of the Arista medallion. The detail layer A is cut from a persimmon color, the middle layer B from white cardstock, and the layer C from a medium orange cardstock. I glued and layered the three pieces together and then cut a solid circle from an orange-y yellow cardstock and glued it to the back of the medallion. Some great color options are available in the Sunny Orange 6×6 paper pack.

    Next, I used the Pinpoint Radial Plate die to cut a panel of white cardstock. I glued the medallion to the panel and then added deep and light orange embellishments. To finish, I added a sentiment from my stash and glued the card front to a card base.

    Thank you so much for visiting!


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  • Embrace Nature with the Forest Canopy set | by April Antonio

    Embrace Nature with the Forest Canopy set | by April Antonio

    Happy Saturday, and welcome back to the Birch Press blog! Today I am excited to share a card using the Forest Canopy layering die set. Each layer of this beautiful set can be used one it’s own or layered together as you will see in the following card.

    To start this card I first took each layer and cut it twice from white cardstock. Once for the card, and a second time to either make a second card later or in case I made a mistake with one layer while crafting.

    I then used ink blending brushes to ink each layer with shades of brown and green for the branches and leaves. To help avoid mess I used a non-stick craft mat for my ink blending.

    TIP: for more realistic looking ink blending on foliage, use lighter colors towards the top and darker colors towards the bottom. Also, it helps to use 2 or 3 colors to add more realism and dimension.

    Next I decided to create a sort of shadow box effect, so used thin layers of foam to adhere each layer together.

    To give the entire card background a ‘sky’ look I used blue cardstock from the Memory Box Ocean Blue cardstock pack and cut it to A2 sized, and glued it to a white card front. I then glued all three layers that I had adhered together to the front of the card.

    The set comes with some berries, but I really wanted to have sprouting flowers, so used flower dies from the Tiny Tuft Flowers & Leaves die set. I cut the flowers in three different colors from the Vibrant Violet card stock set.

    I then glued the flowers all over the card front, making sure to add some to the back layers as well as the top layer.

    Lastly, I added some powder shine and also jewels from the Autumn Fairy Jewels set.

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  • Merry Christmas | By Sandhya Iyer

    Merry Christmas | By Sandhya Iyer

    Hello, my dear friends! Welcome back to another card post from me, Sandhya. For today’s card, I used the Aurora Snowflake Layering die set and the Merry Christmas Sugar Script die. I used some shimmery sprays to add to the magical appeal of my holiday card.

    I started by die-cutting all three layers of the Aurora Snowflake dies out of watercolor paper. Next, I picked out Bachelor Button Blue and Galactic Teal Starburst sprays from. Lindy’s Gang. I placed the Snowflake Layer B and a larger piece of watercolor cardstock on my craft mat and sprayed away. The trick to getting interesting layers is to alternate colors and dry the layers between spraying.

    I then trimmed the watercolor piece into a card panel measuring 3.75″x5″. Next, I die-cut the Merry Christmas work out of the remaining inked panel. For the outline, I used watercolor cardstock.

    Next, I adhered the 3 snowflake layers together and adhered it to the inked panel. I added the sentiment below that with some foam tape. I also added a few gems to the snowflake for more bling.

    Finally, I attached the completed panel to an A2 card base. I made the card base also with watercolor cardstock so it matches the white and texture on the sentiment outline. While it is hard to see the shimmer in the pictures, this card is a lot more shiny and attractive in real life.

    This brings us to the end of today’s post. Thank you so much for stopping by and I hope to be back soon with more new card ideas.

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  • Holiday Hugs | by Allison Frazier

    Holiday Hugs | by Allison Frazier

    Hello, Birch Press friends! Today, I am sharing this beautiful holiday card featuring the new Splendid Poinsettia Contour Layers Set. This set makes such a unique poinsettia, and I knew that I wanted to make a green one to make it even more unique.

    I started my card by embossing a light blue piece of card stock with the Gracious Floral 3D Embossing Folder. I then took a brayer and some blue ink and ran the brayer over the embossed, raised edges of the floral design. I took the same ink and blended around the edges of my panel. I finished the panel by inking up the corners in an even darker blue ink.

    There are two dies in the Splendid Poinsettia Contour Layers Set. I used one to cut some light green card stock, and the other one (which cuts the bottom pieces) to cut a darker shade of green card stock. I glued the lighter pieces on top of the darker pieces, and then I took a blending tool and inked up the edges with green ink. This just gives the edges a little bit of definition when layering. For the leaves, I only used the bottom pieces, and I ink blended those with a dark green ink. I glued the poinsettia layers onto my panel, right where the large flower is in the Gracious Floral design, making sure to only glue the center. I then tucked the leaves underneath. I also tucked some berries in the design – these come from Layer A of the Forest Canopy Layer Set.

    Before adding a sentiment, I splattered everything with some white acrylic paint. Once that was dry, I could add my sentiment and finish the card. I chose the new Holiday Hugs Vintage Sentiment. I cut the shadow from white card stock and the detail layer from red card stock. For a final touch, I scattered some clear Fairy Drops around the design.

    I hope this card puts a smile on your face and inspires you. Thank you so much for joining us today.


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