Author: birch press

  • warm wishes | by Rosemary Dennis

    warm wishes | by Rosemary Dennis

    Hello everyone, Rosemary here today on the blog. Fall is almost here and that has my thoughts turning to pumpkins! I love pumpkins and when I saw the Adornment Pumpkin die set in the new release I was over the moon excited. I couldn’t wait to create something with this beautiful die set. I actually created a different pumpkin using the die set, mirror cardstock and alcohol inks, but decided that I wanted something a little more elegant. Like Cinderella’s pumpkin coach. So I pulled out some pretty gold glitter cardstock from the Memory Box Majestic Hues 6×6 pad, white cardstock and got to work.

    Once I had my pumpkin completed I moved on to creating a background and for this I used the Viola Plate C to emboss white cardstock that I then spritzed with two of the new Tim Holtz distress mica sprays, Fallen Acorn and Unravelled. The Unravelled mica spray has a lovely light gold look to it and the Fallen Acorn has a beautiful bronze look to it. Both were perfect with the gold glitter pumpkin.

    I used scraps leftover from completing the background to die cut the bare branches from the Hillside Branch and Bramble Contour Layers die set. I die cut the new Warm Wishes Vintage word die set from white cardstock and as you can see in the photo, the gold glitter cardstock. When I started editing my photos, I realized that there was just too much glitter too close together, so I die cut the words layer from white cardstock, adhered it on top of the glitter and retook my photos!

    I adhered the pumpkin to my background using strong double sided tape and then used liquid adhesive to glue all the branches into place. I struggled a bit with where to put the sentiment and finally decided to place it at the bottom of the pumpkin. I was going to spritz the white sentiment with more mica spray, but decided that because I used white cardstock that I did not spritz with mica spray to create my solid layer for the glitter pieces of the pumpkin the sentiment would be the same to provide additional contrast between the spritzed and non-spritzed elements.

    I hope you enjoyed today’s project. Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

    Supplies

    57539 Warm Wishes Vintage Sentiment

    57481 Adornment Pumpkin

    57524 Hillside Branch and Bramble Contour Layers

    56128 Viola Plate Layer Set

    gp1008 Majestic Hues Glitter Pad

  • Blue Holly | by Allison Frazier

    Blue Holly | by Allison Frazier

    Hello, Birch Press friends! Today, I am sharing a holiday card using some non-traditional colors for the foliage. In my world, leaves are blue! This card features the Jolly Holly Contour Layers set, as well as the Forest Canopy Layer Set.

    I started by cutting the Forest Canopy Layer B from some light brown card stock. I snipped the two main branches away from the frame and then snipped all of the brown flowers off the branches.

    Using the Jolly Holly Contour set, I cut the bottom and top layers out of two shades of blue card stock. I adhered the layers together with liquid glue. I cut the berries and their shadows from the Forest Canopy Layer A and glued those together, as well.

    I cut a panel of Woodgrain card stock to fit an A2 card base and then I ink blended the edges with Stormy Sky and Faded Jeans Distress Ink. I glued the brown branches to the card panel, followed by the blue holly leaves. Some of the berry branches were still intact from when I cut the Forest Canopy Layer B, but I did cut a few more from the Layer A die with light brown card stock. I glued the berries to the panel and then I added in some of the brown leaves that I had initially snipped off at the beginning of the project. I splattered the panel with white paint.

    For my sentiment, I used the Find Joy and Outline die set. I cut the words from white card stock twice, glueing the two layers together. I then took Vintage Photo Distress Ink and inked up the edges of the letters. I cut the outline from vellum and popped the whole sentiment up on some thin foam tape.

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


    Supplies


    57512 Jolly Holly Contour Layers
    57534 Forest Canopy Layer Set
    57452 Find Joy and Outline
    sp1001 Berry Red 6×6 pack
    sp1005 Ocean Blue 6×6 pack
    sp1006 Stormy Blue 6×6 pack

    Supplies


    sh44002 Cream Woodgrain Paper
  • Colorful Adornment Pumpkin | by Colleen Balija

    Colorful Adornment Pumpkin | by Colleen Balija

    Hi friends! As we near the end of summer and welcome fall into (most of) our lives, I wanted to share a card using the NEW Adornment Pumpkin. But…I am adding a playful twist by experimenting with color! So today I will share my version of the ideal pumpkin using Adornment Pumpkin die set, Splendor Bevel Plates, Memory Box Ringadings embossing folder, and Warm Wishes sentiment die!

    The first step was to decide on the color of my pumpkin. Using my Hero Arts shimmer sprays as inspiration, I created a fuchsia and aqua pumpkin with shimmery green foliage! To achieve that fun pop of color, I die cut the pumpkin layers onto white watercolor paper, placed them in a box that I use solely for my sprays (keeps the mess down!), and sprayed the pumpkin layers with the fuchsia and aqua sprays. When they dried, I adhered the layers together. Also, to give the pumpkin more depth and support, I die cut the base layer 2 more times and adhered them all together. Here is a closer look at the shimmer and shine of that pumpkin!!!

    Isn’t she a beauty? Next, I created the sentiment using the new Warm Wishes layered die. The base layer of the sentiment is white, and the 2nd layer is done with the green spray. I used only the negative part of “Warm Wishes”. But you could also pop the in the positive portion as well and use a different color!

    Now I was ready to work on a complimentary background!

    The background needed to be neutral since the pumpkin was so bright that you need sunglasses to look at it, ha ha! I dry embossed a piece of white cardstock with Memory Box Ringadings embossing folder, trimmed the panel to 5.25×4, and placed it over a 5.5×4.25 white card base. Then I created a geometric frame over the embossed image using Splendor Bevel Plates on black and white cardstock. I love the geometric look and the texture that both the embossing folder and dies added!!!

    The last step was to place the pumpkin and sentiment over the background that I had just created. I offset the pumpkin to the right of the Splendor Bevel Plates just for interest, and added the green stem with foam tape so it was in alignment with the pumpkin. I placed the sentiment and the leaf together at the bottom left of the pumpkin and finished with Memory Box Treasury Chest Fairy Gemstones over the sentiment.

    Next time I make a card using this pumpkin, I may play with color once again! Who says a pumpkin has to be limited to orange, right? Thanks so much for stopping by today!

    Supplies

     

    EF1015 Ringadings 3D Embossing Folder

     

    gem101 Treasure Chest Fairy Gemstones

     

     

    57539 Warm Wishes Vintage Sentiment

     

    57481 Adornment Pumpkin

     

    56111 Splendor Bevel Plate Layer Set

     

  • Autumn Hugs | by Sandhya Iyer

    Autumn Hugs | by Sandhya Iyer

    Hello Birch Press friends! This is Sandhya and I am back with a fall card featuring the Adornment Oak Leaf die set. It was a fun card with just die-cutting all the way and no stamping at all!

    I started by die-cutting the detailed layer of the oak leaf out of gold cardstock from the Memory Box Rainbow Reflection Mirror pad. Then, I used the Big Hugs Sugar Script die to cut out my sentiment from the same gold cardstock and set it aside. Next, I cut out the shadow layer of the leaf as well as the sentiment out of white cardstock.

    I used Distress inks in yellow and orange to ink blend an ombre effect on the solid layer of the leaf. Then, I adhered down the gold leaf over the ink-blended layer. Next, I trimmed a panel out of white cardstock to measure 3″x 5.25″ and die-cut it using the Pinpoint Radial Plate. For the card base, I chose a deep orange cardstock from my stash.

    Finally, I assembled the card using liquid adhesive and foam tape to pop up the sentiment die-cut. I also added a few flatback gold embellishments to tie it all together. 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.

    Supplies:

    57484 Adornment Oak Leaf
    57138 Big Hugs Sugar Script
    57384 Pinpoint Radial Plate
    FP1003 Rainbow Reflections Mirror Pad
  • Autumnal Deer | by Toni M Maddox

    Autumnal Deer | by Toni M Maddox

    Hello, Birch Press fans! Toni here with you today sharing an autumnal card featuring a nature scene.

    I sponged the card front with Distress Oxide Salvaged Patina which I spattered with water, Copic Opaque White and a touch of Distress Oxide Salvaged Patina Spray. The base is a weird cement-type color which I let show through on the bottom of the card.

    Next I cut out Forest Canopy Layer C and Memory Box Deer Trio which I airbrushed with the above Copics. I used regular alcohol you might find in your medicine cabinet to create the mottled effect on the deer layer.

    I had originally planned to emboss the Kind Hearts sentiment on vellum but really wanted the scene to be seen, so to speak, so embossed directly on the card. Fortunately, it worked well, even the part on the leaves. Whew!

    I hope you enjoyed today’s card and have a great rest of your week!

    Supplies

    57534 Forest Canopy Layer Set

    CL8163 Kind Hearts clear stamp set

    98166 Deer Trio

  • Adornment Oak Leaf | by Crystal Komara

    Adornment Oak Leaf | by Crystal Komara

    Hello friends! Welcome back from the long weekend, I hope you all enjoyed your holiday weekend celebrating the official end to summer. I’m so ready for fall, my favorite season of the year here in New England. This is Design Team member Crystal Komara here today sharing a card that I made using the new Adornment Oak Leaf. This card also marks my first foray into the mixed media world and honestly, I’m still not sure what I think! I mean I like (kinda sorta) how this card came out, but I wouldn’t say I love the process of how I got there. One very messy step at a time and a lot of self doubt. So, I’ll preserve judgement until I play around a little bit more to see if mixed media will “be my thing.”

    Card details:

    The base of this A6 (6 1/4″ x 4 1/2″) is made from 80 lb. Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock. The background paper was leftover in my scrap bin, but it had the perfect fall colors I wanted, so I cut it to 6″ x 4 1/4″ and then splattered black ink and gold metallic spray all over the paper before adhering it directly to the card base.

    Using the Adornment Oak Leaf die, I die cut three different colored leaves in a rust colored cardstock, a yellow cardstock and a cherry red cardstock. I then cut the overlapping detail element from gold glitter paper. I adhered the gold glitter paper over each leaf and then splattered the leaves with black ink and gold metallic spray. I adhered the leaves to the card using 3M foam adhesive for added dimension.

    Using the Big Sugar Script Thanks Die, I die cut the shadow layer from white cardstock and the thinner layer from rust colored glitter cardstock. I adhered both layers together with a fine-tip liquid glue and then I adhered the entire sentiment to the card with 3M foam adhesive.

    I love the colors of this card, but will I try mixed media again? Yes, in small doses, when I am fully prepared to be splattered by my own ink flicking!

    Thanks for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day!

     

    Supplies

     

     

    57484 Adornment Oak Leaf

     

     

    SP1002 Sunny Orange 6×6 pack

     

     

    SP1001 Berry Red 6×6 pack

     

     

    GP1007 Glitzy Glitter Pad

     

     

    57148 Thanks Sugar Script

     

  • Sending a Caring Thoughts Card | by Colleen Balija

    Sending a Caring Thoughts Card | by Colleen Balija

    Hi friends!

    I don’t know about you, but I never seem to have enough sympathy or thinking of you cards for my friends who may be struggling in life, so I wanted to create one with you today! Colors play a huge role in the message you send in a card, and I’ll be sharing more about that in my post. I’ll be using Grace Contour Layering dies, Kind Hearts stamp, Forest Leaf & Berries Contour Layering die, Rose Bunch Contour Layering die, and Fairy Gemstones. All of these products will be linked at the end of my post.

    I knew right away that I wanted to use the bold and beautiful Sending Caring Thoughts sentiment from Kind Hearts stamp, so the next step would be to determine my color scheme to coordinate with that sentiment. As I mentioned earlier, color plays a huge role in the message you convey to the recipient of your card. You wouldn’t want to send a sympathy card in bright red or a congrats card in all black, right? What kind of message would that convey? So, color is important to coordinate with the sentiment of your choosing. Here, I’ve got yellow, teal, and black. The yellow conveys a happy and hopeful message, while teal and black are more subdued. I felt that the balance of yellow with the more subdued colors would convey a thoughtful message of caring and hope that coordinates with my sentiment. If this was a sympathy card, I would likely use flowers in shades of blue rather than yellow.

    Now that colors and sentiment have been chosen, it was time to create the background and stamp the sentiment. In the photo above, you can see all the detail in the black background with the white sentiment that seems to pop off the page! Using Grace Contour Layering dies, I die cut each layer in black and adhered them together over a black card base. I die cut just the circle outline from the set, stamped the sentiment using embossing ink, and then embossed it in bright white powder. The sentiment was added with foam tape.

    Next, I worked on the flowers and leaves. I wanted ones that would frame the sentiment, so I chose the Rose Bunch Contour Layering dies and the NEW Forest Leaf & Berries Contour Layering dies to tuck in behind the roses! These leafy dies will be PERFECT in your stash!!! I die cut everything and adhered the layers together. Then I used Hero Arts Metallic spray over the flowers and leaves to give a shimmery, bold effect! You can see how vibrant the colors are in the photo below, as well as the details in the BPD dies! Their dies are hands down the best!!!

    Once I completed the flowers and leaves, I staged them around the sentiment on the background panel and adhered everything once I was satisfied with placement. One of the flowers was put on foam tape to add a little dimension. I finished with Gemstones over each of the flowers!

    I love how much the flowers and leaves pop against that gorgeous black. And the details in the background stand out despite the fact that they are done in one color! I think this card will provide a hug to someone that needs it. Thanks so much for stopping by!

     

    Supplies

     

    56080 Grace Layer Set

     

    57514 Forest Leaf and Berries Contour Layers

     

    CL8163 Kind Hearts clear stamp set
     

    57495 Rose Bunch Contour Layers

     

    GEM101 Treasure Chest Fairy Gemstones

     

  • forever grateful | by Rosemary Dennis

    forever grateful | by Rosemary Dennis

    Hi everyone! Rosemary here on the blog today. August is almost gone and that means that fall is right around the corner! I love fall in the Pacific Northwest. We can have beautiful clear blue-sky days that are slightly crisp, soggy wet ones and things in-between! Today I’m sharing a card that invokes the beautiful fall colors of oak leaves that are so fun to walk through on a crisp fall morning. Take a look.

    If you don’t know yet, Birch Press has a new release in the shop and it is full of beautiful dies that will help you create lovely fall and Christmas inspired projects. Today I’m using the new Adornment Oak Leaf and Hillside Branch and Bramble Contour Layers dies from the release along with a sentiment from the Brushed Sentiments set. A few weeks ago I created a few mixed media type panels using Memory Box mirror cardstock and alcohol inks. One of the panels I created used a piece of orange mirror cardstock from the Rainbow Reflections 6×6 pad. The resulting panel had a very subtle look to it. I was able to die cut something else from it and then used what was left over to die cut the outline of the Adornment Oak Leaf.

    The solid oak leaf was die cut from a piece of watercolor cardstock I had sprayed with several different distress mica sprays in fall colors. I also die cut the bare branches from the Hillside Branch and Bramble Contour Layers die set from the same piece. I adhered the outline leaf to the solid leaf and then arranged and adhered the bare branches. The photo below shows some of the shine and layering of colors from the distress sprays and the alcohol inks.

    I used Memory Box woodgrain cardstock in kraft for the background and die cut it with the second largest die from the Memory Box Curved Cap Pinpoint layers die set. A piece of off white cardstock was die cut with a rectangle die, adhered to my card base and then I layered on the woodgrain panel. I adhered the oak leaf with thin foam squares and added the little twine bow.

    I stamped the sentiment from Brushed Sentiments using a brown ink on off white cardstock, die cut it with the smallest Curved Cap Pinpoint die and adhered it to the panel. I finished off the card with some fall colored fairy jewels from the Autumn pack. I placed three under the sentiment and then scattered a few on the bare branches.

    I hope my card inspired you to get out your fall themed Birch Press Design dies and get going on those fall themed cards! Thanks for stopping by and have a lovely day!

    Supplies

    57524 Hillside Branch and Bramble Contour Layers

    57484 Adornment Oak Leaf

    CL8158 Brush Sentiments clear stamp set

    FP1003 Rainbow Reflections Mirror Pad

    94646 Curved Cap Pinpoint Layers

    jwl004 Autumn Fairy Jewels

    sh44003 Kraft Woodgrain Paper Pack

  • Autumn Leaves Bouquet | by Toni M Maddox

    Autumn Leaves Bouquet | by Toni M Maddox

    Hello, Birch Press fans! Toni here with you today all geared up for fall, my favorite season when the nights are cool, the days warm and the leaves are changing.

    I cut out and impressed the new Adornment Oak Leaf from a sturdy white cardstock which I sponged with Distress Oxide Mustard Seed and Lumberjack Plaid. Check out the detail on those leaves–just amazing!

    I spattered the leaves with water and Distress Oxide Festive Berries, Vintage Photo and Carved Pumpkin sprays.

    I arranged the leaves on the Memory Box Cream Woodgrain card front, tucking in a few Hillside Branches. I used a bow leftover from last year’s holiday cards (look at me using up leftovers!).

    The sentiment is from the Memory Box Gracious Floral set stamped in Versafine Vintage Sepia.

    I hope you enjoyed today’s card and have a great rest of your week!

    Supplies

    57484 Adornment Oak Leaf

    57524 Hillside Branch and Bramble Contour Layers

    CL5280 Gracious Floral Clear Stamp Set

    SH44002 Cream Woodgrain Paper Pack

  • Forest Berry Note | By Seeka

    Forest Berry Note | By Seeka

    Hello and welcome! Seeka here and today’s card features the Forest Leaf and Berries Contour Layers die set.

    I doubled up on the berries, die cutting two sets, one out of red tones and one out of fuchsia tones. I also made two sets of leaves and two sets of stems. I glued the layers together and then arranged and adhered them, using foam tape, to a circle of white cardstock. I glued this to a slightly larger vellum circle to create a subtle frame.

    To finish, I used foam tape to adhere the berry piece to a white panel cut with the Pinpoint Contour Plate and then added a matte gold sentiment made with the Handwritten Just A Note And Outline die set.

    Thank you so much for visiting!


    Supplies


    57514 Forest Leaf and Berries Contour Layers
    57511 Pinpoint Contour Plate
    57334 Handwritten Just a Note and Outline