Author: birch press

  • Arista Floral by Jeanne Jachna

    Arista Floral
    by Jeanne Jachna

    I hope you’re having a good day! I love flowers! When it’s too cold outside to enjoy the garden, I’m happy to be making with them in my craft rooms so the new release makes me HAPPY!

    I like to cut lots of flowers in several different shades of cardstock all at the same time. When it comes time to making I have my choice of flowers to arrange. I lay them out on a clear piece of plastic the size of my card front before I commit and adhere them in place.

    Because the plastic is clear I can pick up the entire arrangement and layer it over different backgrounds. For this card I used Viola Plate Layer A. Using just one layer of the three layer background set allows more color and gives a lacy look to the background.

    To create a focal point I added an Arista Layer B die cut with a darker shade of pink adhered underneath. The foliage is adhered flat to the card base, and the florals are adhered with adhesive foam tape. This adds dimension.

    Remember when you’re making that there’s no right or wrong.. it’s all about what appeals to you. I hope you’ll mix and match your different sets and imagine your flowers in unexpected colors. I think you’ll be delighted with the results!

    Finished Size 4.25 x 5.5″

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  • Rainbow Berries | By Allison Frazier

    Rainbow Berries | By Allison Frazier

    Hello, Everyone! Today I’m sharing a colorful, cheerful card featuring the Eucalyptus Stem and Berries Contour Layers die set. As you can see, I only used one little part of that die set, but that’s sometimes all you need! I love using products in unexpected ways, and these berries end up looking like bubbles, don’t they?

    One of the best things about making this card is that I got to use a bunch of the little scraps of card stock that I refuse to throw away. Each of my berries/bubbles is a different color of card stock. I just cut really small pieces of each color and was able to cut about three different colored berries at a time with the die.

    I was going to use the other part of the berry die to cut solid white circles to go behind my berries. But, I already had a bunch of white circles that have been in my stash forever, and I was excited to finally get some use out of them! I glued the berries onto two layers of those circles. The white circles are slightly larger, and I love how they look. Before adhering them to my card base, I stamped the sentiment with black pigment ink. I think this cheery sentiment goes so well with all of the color.

    I adhered the berries/bubbles to the card with glue, trying to make the placement look random. I then added some clear drops around the circles, which I think adds to the bubble effect. I love how the card turned out. It’s very clean, yet playful.

    Thank you so much for joining us today. I hope this card brings a smile to your face.

    Wishing you a crafty day,
    Allison


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  • Rainbow Star Flowers | by Crystal Komara

    Rainbow Star Flowers | by Crystal Komara

    Hello crafty readers! Thanks for taking the time to be here as the Design Team shares inspiration ideas, tips and tricks for creating beautiful cards using Birch Press Design products. This is Crystal Komara here with you today sharing an amazingly detailed slimline rainbow card using the Star Flowers, part of the all-NEW Contour Layering dies. Last week I shared another rainbow themed card using the Wispy Blooms Contour Layering dies, so if you missed that post, please click here to be WOW’d!

    Card details:

    This slimline card measures 8 1/2″ x 3 1/2″. Slimline cards are designed to fit inside a regular #10 business sized envelope and require no additional postage. I always use 80 lb. Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock for my bases. Then I used the Star Flower Contour dies and cut it in every color cardstock (see supply list at the bottom of this page). I cut the flowers in two shades of red, orange, yellow, green blue and purple. I adhered the two layers of flowers together and added the round center piece to each flower.

    I adhered the star flowers in a ROYGBIV pattern up the length of the card. I also die cut a couple green stems from the Fuddled Leaf Branches Contour Layering Dies and green cardstock. I stamped the sentiment “hello” using the Contempo Greetings stamp set. I stamped the sentiment in Versamark ink on black cardstock. I heat embossed the sentiment with white embossing powder and then I used the coordinating Contempo Greetings die to cut the sentiment out. I adhered the sentiment to the card using 3M foam adhesive for added dimension.

    Wow! Yes, that was a LOT of die cutting and piecing together flowers but the end result was totally worth it. This card came out beautiful, if I do say so myself! Thank you for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day!

    Supplies

    Supplies

  • Foiled Viola Plate | By Seeka

    Foiled Viola Plate | By Seeka

    Hello and welcome! Seeka here and today and I’m sharing a foiled card that features a layer from the Viola Plate layer set. Foiling is a great way to get extra mileage out of your dies!

    To start, I created a background by using foam blending tools to blend Shaded Lilac, Wilter Violet, and Seedless Preserves Distress Oxide inks onto a 4.25″ x 5.5″ panel of Bristol Smooth cardstock.

    Next, I prepped my foiling machine. Holding the Viola Layer A die and the ink-blended panel in my hands, I centered the die over the panel and then flipped the two upside down, together, and placed it onto the heating platform. Taking care not to move the panel in relation to the die, I used a piece of Post-it Tape to tape the panel down at one end, creating a hinge. I swung the panel up and then placed a piece of gold foil over the die, shiny gold side down. I replaced the ink-blended panel and then followed the instructions for my foiling machine to foil the panel. Below is an example of the order and orientation of the die, foil, and ink-blended panel on the heating plate (when I went to actually foil, I aligned all these pieces, as described above).

    After peeling away the sheet foil to revealed the foiled panel, I adhered a sentiment that I made using the Big Hello Sugar Script die set, gold mirror card, and vellum.

    Thank you so much for visiting!


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  • Honeycomb Stacks | by Toni M Maddox

    Honeycomb Stacks | by Toni M Maddox

    Hello, Birch Press fans! Toni here with you today sharing another idea I had using the Honeycomb Bevel Plate Layers and Memory Box Sunset Blush Wide Washi I used on a card a couple of days ago.

    I applied the Sunset Blush Wide Washi to a white piece of cardstock then embossed a Kind Hearts sentiment in black in the corner.

    I then cut the piece using Honeycomb Bevel Plate B.

    I popped out some of the honeycomb cells and adhered what remained to the card front cut from a citrusy yellow-green from the Sunny Yellow 6×6 pad.

    I cut another set of honeycomb from a thick white cardstock and adhered layers of it beneath the floral pieces to create a cool height differential.

    I had leftover honeycomb from my inspiration card and used that to “scatter” honeycomb beyond the edges of the washi as well as to add a few sponged cells. I then spattered the lot with orange and white spray inks. Dreamy!

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

     

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  • Watercolored Blossoms | by Toni M Maddox

    Watercolored Blossoms | by Toni M Maddox

    Hello, Birch Press fans! Toni here with you today sharing a watercolor floral card featuring a mix of the new and the old.

    I watercolored the base layer of the Eucalyptus Stem and Berries Contour Layers dies using Zig Real Brush Markers.

    I also watercolored the smaller of the Simple Butterfly Contour Layers dies, keeping them separate so I’d have two butterflies.

    On the card base, I applied Memory Box Sunset Blush Wide Washi Tape, smoothing out air bubbles as I went along. It’s a lot like working with wall paper but stickier–LOL!

    I next cut out the Honeycomb Bevel Plate Layer Set with the lower layer in Vintage Pastel Mirror Pad 6×6 paper and the upper in white.

    I adhered the honeycomb layers to the card front and added the Kind Hearts sentiment which I had stamped onto white cardstock sponged with a touch of Distress Oxide Mustard Seed.

    I tucked the blossom in place behind the sentiment and added the butterflies for a lovely spring/summer scene.

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

     

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  • Floral Bouquet Helloby Jeanne Jachna

    Floral Bouquet Hello
    by Jeanne Jachna

    Hi and thanks for stopping by! Today I thought I’d make a floral bouquet to show you how well the new Birch Press Design floral release looks assembled together on one card!

    I’m smitten with these gorgeous florals and think I could make with them all day long. I’ve cut the flowers in lots of different colors so I have my pick of the garden.

    The background of my card is the Viola Layer B from the 3 die set. I love the pierced design and think it looks like lace!

    I arrange the florals on a piece of clear plastic the size of my card base to help me figure out the design. I started with the two larger Winsome Roses in the lower corner with two Eucalyptus Stems tucked underneath. Pimpernel leaves are tucked under the roses, and Tiny Tuft and Star Flowers are scattered through the foliage.

    The finishing touch are some dew drops – some Memory Box Fairy Drops! I really love making with these florals.. it’s rainy here and sometimes you have to make your own sunshine!

     

    Finished Size 4.25 x 5.5″

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  • I Miss Your Face | by Crystal Komara

    I Miss Your Face | by Crystal Komara

    Hello crafty readers! This is Design Team member Crystal Komara here with you today and I am SOooooo excited to share today’s card with you! This card features the Wispy Blooms dies, part of the all-NEW Contour Layering products from Birch Press Design.

    Now, I’m not gonna lie, you’re going to take one look at this AH-mazing garden of rainbow delight and be WOW’d! Then, you’re gonna take a second look and say “wait, did she really die cut ALL those flowers? Is she craaaaazyyyy?!” Yes and yes! : ) Do I have the patience of a saint? No. Not at all. In fact, I typically shy away from oodles of die cutting (that’s all you, Jennifer McGuire!) but once I started and saw where this card was going, it was SO worth it!

    Card details:

    Yeah, so the basic gist of it, just keep die cutting flowers in ALL the colors of the rainbow! Then, when you think you’re gonna go insane, start adhering all the layers together! But, wait. . . there’s more! You’ve still got stems to die cut and adhere!

    P.S. – I’ve linked all the paper pads I used in the supply list at the bottom of this post.

    Start by die cutting LOTS of flowers in all the colors of the rainbow!
    Adhere the flower layers together.
    Die cut the stems.
    Adhere the stems to the flowers.
    Completed flowers with stems.

    The base of this slimline card measures 8 1/2″ x 3 1/2″. I use 80 lb. Neenah Solar White Smooth for all my white cardstock. Slimline cards are designed to fit inside a regular #10 business envelope and require no additional postage. I cut an 8 1/4″ x 3 1/4″ piece of white cardstock and ran it through a basketweave embossing folder, then I began to adhere all the flowers to the card in a ROYGBIV pattern. Using the Contempo Greetings stamp set I stamped the sentiment in Versamark ink on black cardstock. I heat embossed the sentiment with white embossing powder and then I used the coordinating Contempo Greetings die to die cut it out. Lastly, I adhered the sentiment to the card using 3M foam adhesive for added dimension.

    So sure, this card a LOT of die cutting and piecework, but the end result is gorgeous and I would do it all over again! Thanks for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day!

    Supplies

  • Bright, Star Flowers – Zero Sentiment Card | By April

    Bright, Star Flowers – Zero Sentiment Card | By April

    Hello and welcome back to the Birch Press Design blog! Today I am sharing a quick to create card, centered around the concept that sometimes the best sentiment, is no sentiment at all.

    I had a busy week and wanted to create a quick, colorful card. One thing I love about the Birch Press layering plate dies is that the layers work on their own. For this card I used only Layer C from the Kinsley Heart Plate Layering set and cut it from heavy weight white cardstock.

    One thing I love to do when making a quick card is to pair complementary colors. In this case I used a bright yellow and blue. I placed a bright blue from the Memory Box Ocean Blue Collection behind the layer I cut and made sure to pop up the layer with thin strips of foam tape.

    PRO TIP: Have thicker foam tape? Cut it in half to make DIY thin strips.

    Next, I used some leftover flowers I had from the Star Flowers Contour layers set to cut the flowers from yellow and the contour and stamen from white. I glued these onto the card front using liquid glue, and glued only the center of the flowers so I could gently lift the petals and add a lot of extra dimension to the card.

    Lastly, I can hardly get away from finishing off a card without adding some bling! I love the Open Studio gems and I used some from the Treasure Chest Fairy Gemstones set. As featured, this card has no sentiment. I love the look of the flowers on the front, and being in a time crunch, I opted to keep the delicate flowers and not add any words on the front or inside.

    That is it! I promised a quick card and this card took my about 10 minutes to pull together. (15 if I count the times I stopped to watch TV!)

    I hope, as always, this short tutorial and card have inspired you to keep on crafting. Have an amazing day!

    -April

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  • NOT a Card – A Bookmarker! | By Desiree Kuemmerle

    NOT a Card – A Bookmarker! | By Desiree Kuemmerle

    Hello Everyone and Welcome Back!

    Little surprise for today! We are NOT going to create a card, LOL! Our stash can be so much more… So, today we are going to make a couple bookmarkers in no time featuring the Pimpernel Contour Layering Die Set along with the Pinpoint Radial Cover Plate!

    Start by getting your elements all die cut and get them arranged in front of you!

    Start by taking the panel you die cut with the Pinpoint Radial and cut it along the 4 1/4in side at 2 1/8 inches. You will then cut two panels at 2 ½ in x 6in from a piece of solid card stock. I chose the Black from the Memory Box 6×6 card stock pad from the Neutrals set.

    Next, on the back of the solid card stock panel we want to emboss our sentiment. I pulled a sentiment from the Kind Hearts Stamp Set and heat embossed it in white.

    We can now get our floral layers prepared for placement on our panels. What I find absolutely wonderful with these die sets is you do not always have to layer them, they can stand alone!

    Placed my florals and leaves usin liquid adhesive and then placed the layered panel on top of my solid card stock panel.

    Punched a hole in the top section and added some scrap twine for a tassel, and there we have it! A perfect gift for the someone who still loves to hold a book!

    Hope you enjoyed today’s project!

    Make sure you stay tuned for more wonderful projects coming soon!


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