Author: birch press

I love to craft and have been doing it for as long as I can remember. Even as a child I was delighted with a brand new box of crayons and a pad of paper.

That’s evolved into making scrapbook layouts to commemorate special events and card making for every day. I started my blog so I could play along with challenges. They’re a great way to find friends in who enjoy making (just like me) and lots of times there are prizes up for grabs!

Birch Press Design is Sponsoring the Time Out Challenges theme challenge this week! That means if you play along that you’re automatically entered to win a $20 gift certificate from the store! The theme this time is Embellishments. You’re asked to play along using two or more, and if you’re feeling clever there is an optional twist … keep it a one layer card.

I made two shaker cards with two embellishments.. the sequins on the inside, and the metallic button in the center of the Dahlia Mini Frame. There’s lots of ways to make a shaker, here’s how I made mine.

I selected four shades of coordinating card stock colors. I cut the darkest shade with the Dahlia Mini Frame Layer C, and the lightest with the Memory Box Open Studio Wrapped Stitch Frame.

I taped the Dahlia Mini Frame Layer C to the Wrapped Stitch Frame on the reverse side, topped it with a piece of acetate clear plastic, and then added strips of adhesive foam along the edges. It took me a long time to figure out that I could make my own double sided adhesive foam strips. All you need to do is add double sided adhesive to sheets of craft foam. Then just cut the foam into strips with a paper trimmer. This is so much easier than trying to trim down rolls of sticky adhesive foam tape.

I pulled off the strips protecting the adhesive around the frame, filled the center with sequins and then topped it with a piece of card stock, to seal the shaker, before adhering it to the card base.

I added the Dahlia Mini Frame Layers B and A to the front of the card, and added a Hugs Sugar Script die cut sentiment to the front of the card.

I loved how this card turned out so I made one in blue too!

I hope you have a great day and find time time to play along at Time Out Challenges! I can’t wait to see what you make!

Finished Size 4 6/8 x 3 1/2″

Supplies

Hello Everyone!

I am here today featuring the Prismatic Triangle Layering Dies! These are perfect for those tough masculine cards we always struggle to make!

We can always add interest to any of our cards by dogging into our stash and all those backgrounds we made at one point with our inks!

I found a panel for each of my dies and started die cutting!

Once my panels were die cut and I layered my pieces together I wanted to fill in with some bold and metallic card stock!

I decided on a copper and black. I thought these were perfect for those open centers within each of my triangles.

But then a dilemma came in, I had extra prismatic triangles cut and I could not let go to waste!

So, I cut one more using only one of the layers. We will make another card using these die cuts as well! But let’s get back to our original card, we will circle back, LOL!

I layered my die cuts together using my liquid adhesive and it created a great marble stone effect. Once it was secured onto my standard A2 size card base I started inserting my copper and black card stock into the open areas like a puzzle!

I stamped my sentiment from the Just Because Clear Stamp Set into a shimmer piece of card stock and set in place across the front of triangles!

Now back to our happy addition!

I layered all those extra die cuts but offset set them on an angle from each other and adhered them the same as out first card right onto our standard A2 size card base.

I also cut a strip as wide as my die cut, and used that same die to cut into the strip. After I placed my triangles in place, I then placed my strips on either side to create the illusion that the triangles are coming out of the panel.

I die cut the Big Shine Sugar Script out three times to give my sentiment some dimension and adhered it to the center of my triangles and added some shimmer and shine using my shimmer pen and glaze.

As always, I hope you enjoyed today’s project… and if you want to see more details just click on the video below and see how these projects come together step by step!

Make sure you stay tuned for more wonderful projects coming soon! Have a great day and always remember… Be Creative!

Supplies

Hi there it’s Tracey here today with some more inspiration for using beautiful Birch Press Design products. I have a card and a video for you to show you how I made this pretty background. My card features the Shining Mandala stamp set that will be heat embossed with white embossing powder. Then I will show you how to add colour to this design using alcohol inks. Here are the supplies that I will be using…

To start off with we will stamp the Shining Mandala stamp set in Versamark ink and then heat emboss it with white embossing powder onto a 5″ x 7″ piece of Yupo paper. Yupo paper is a synthetic paper that is waterproof and commonly used with alcohol inks.

Below is a video of my process so that you can see how I worked with the ink.

You need to be careful as you will see the Yupo paper warps very easily. I was not too worried because I would be trimming my paper down to 5 1/4″ x 4″. Once the mandala was heat set and trimmed down I added colour to it with Alcohol Inks using the dip method. I started off by filling a plastic container with about 1″ of water. I randomly added a few drops of Wild Plum and Purple Twilight alcohol ink. Then I added a drop of the Silver Mixative to the water. With a plastic straw I moved the mixative around a bit so it wasn’t all sitting in one corner. I took the trimmed down mandala panel and I swept in through the water once and the alcohol ink grabbed on to the paper. The result was a panel that was swirled with pink, purple and silver that was set down onto paper towel to dry completely.

Don’t be afraid of alcohol inks! They are fun, addictive and very forgiving. The dip method of applying the alcohol ink is very easy and a great way to get started with using these inks. If you are not happy with your results you can use regular rubbing alcohol along with a paper towel to remove the colour and then you can start again. No two results are ever the same, just work with colours you like and you never know, you might end up finding colour combinations that look amazing together.

I used the Big Sending Sugar Script die set, cutting the word in a darker purple and the shadow in white. The second line of the sentiment ‘handmade hugs’ was stamped and embossed in white. The sentiment if from the Sending Love stamp set. Both of the sentiments were adhered to the mandala centre.
The results are just beautiful.

Thank you so much for stopping in today to create this card with my and I hope that you give this method of adding colour a chance. You can add to embossed panels or you can create you own panels and cut out your own designs using any of the gorgeous Birch Press Design craft dies! Be sure to stop back in on Friday for more creative inspiration here on the blog. Have a wonderful day!

Supplies

Hello Everyone!

I am so thrilled to be back with another project today! We are going to work with the Calen Layering Die Set and add a sentiment using the Believe Sugar Script die.

The best place to start always is let’s get out pieces die cut all at once. So, we will have a die cut from each layer of Calen and I decided to cut 6 from ivory card stock for my sentiment.

Once we have every die cut, we can now start gluing it all together!

I started with my sentiment, by cutting 6 this will create a heavy chip board piece across our focal point. Now we can glue together the three layers of Calen. I chose a brown, Ivory and Pool color for each of my layers.

I grabbed a piece of Navy-blue card stock for my back drop and set my focal point slightly above center. I cut a strip ¾ inches wide to stretch across the card front, but it will also separate the center of the Calen die cut from the outer ring!

I then set the sentiment over the center circle and adhered my design panel onto my standard A2 size card base using my liquid adhesive and added a few ivory gems to add a bit of sparkle to our card!

If you want to see more details just click on the video below and see our project come together step by step!

As always, I hope you enjoyed today’s project… Make sure you stay tuned for more wonderful projects coming soon! Have a great day and always remember… Be Creative!

Supplies