Category: Christmas

  • Piped Icing Star Cookies

    Piped Icing Star Cookies

    Hello, Birch Press Friends! Have you seen the amazing new, festive release? There are so many new dies, including snowflakes, ornaments, Santas, and more! And, there are new hot foil plates. I had to play with this fun Piped Icing Star die set because I love making cookies just like this for the holidays.

    I first created a 5″x7″ card base out of red card stock. I then cut all of my stars from beige card stock. I inked up the edges of the stars with Vintage Photo Distress Ink to mimic the browning that cookies get when they’re ready to pull out of the oven.

    I used the detail snowflake die to cut several pieces of white card stock. I placed each of these on a piece of copy paper and pressed VersaMark ink onto them. I then transferred them to a container of white embossing powder, made sure they were coated, and then embossed them with my heat gun. I repeated this process three times, which results in a thicker and more rounded look to the embossing powder. I then glued these to the center of the stars. It is so shiny and smooth just like real icing!

    For the sentiment, I used a retired Birch Press Design stamp set called “You Are Awesome.” I just couldn’t pass up this perfect sentiment. I heat embossed the sentiment with white and red embossing powders, cut it out with a circle die, and inked up the edges with the Vintage Photo ink to make it look like another cookie.

    After arranging all of my elements on the card, I cut off the edges where necessary and then popped them up on craft foam for dimension. I finished with some white enamel dots.

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

    Wishing you a crafty day,
    Allison


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  • Winter Berries | By Allison Frazier

    Winter Berries | By Allison Frazier

    Hello, Friends! It was a snowy weekend here in Colorado, so I decided to make a wintery card. I love how versatile the new floral contour die sets are – they work for every season and every occasion.

    I started by die cutting the berries from the Eucalyptus Stem and Berries die set from a dark red card stock. I glued those onto the little matching branches that I had cut from brown card stock. I then swiped a bit of white pigment ink over the berries to lighten them up. I cut a second set of berries from the same red card stock and then glued those on top. The lighter color underneath gives a nice highlight. For the leaves, I used the smaller set of leaves from the Dainty Rose and Leaves die set and cut those from mint green card stock. I ink blended the top layers of those leaves with Evergreen Bough Distress Ink to give them more dimension.

    My card base started as a chocolate brown A2 card base. I tried to ink blend some dark brown ink around the edges to create a bit of highlight in the middle, but I ended up having to go a bit darker and used some Black Soot Distress Oxide. The effect is pretty subtle and much more obvious in person. After glueing the berries and leaves directly to the card base, I then splattered the whole thing with some white acrylic paint. I finished the card with one of my favorite word dies – the Big Joy Sugar Script die.

    Thank you so much for joining us today. I really love how this card turned out, especially the paint splatter. I hope it brought a smile to your face.

    Wishing you a crafty day,
    Allison


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  • Peace on Earth | By Dilay Nacar

    Peace on Earth | By Dilay Nacar

    Hello, friends! Dee here today sharing this clean and simple design that’s perfect for those last-minute holiday cards! 

    To begin, I die cut the Pinpoint Radial background plate in white cardstock then die cut the Flicker Ornament layer dies in shades of solid green and green glitter cardstock. Once complete, I adhered the layers together then onto the center of the background. 

    For the sentiment, ornament topper, and leaves, I used the Christmas Ornament and Labels stamp set and coordinating dies. I gold embossed the sentiment and adhered it to the background with foam adhesive, then cut a few stems to tuck in behind the sentiment. To finish, I die cut the topper in gold, adhered it to the top of the ornament, and added a metallic thread bow! 

    Thank you so much for stopping by today! I hope that everyone has a happy and healthy holiday! 

  • Christmas Mandala Trees | by Crystal Komara

    Christmas Mandala Trees | by Crystal Komara

    Hello! This is Design Team member Crystal Komara here with you today sharing my last holiday themed cards for 2021! I know there are only four days left until Christmas, so by now it’s more than likely too late to send those cards out, so think of it as a head start on next year’s cards!

    I just love this new Christmas Mandala Tree stamp and coordinating dies, though for these cards, I only used the two tree dies!

    Card details:

    *Please note – both cards were made the exact way I just used alternate color combinations for each card to show variety.

    These slimline cards measure 8 1/2″ x 3 1/2″ inches. Slimline cards are designed to fit inside a regular #10 business mailing envelope and require no additional postage. For one card I used a lilac purple cardstock base and the other I used a garden green cardstock base. I lined each cardstock base with an 8 1/4″ x 3 1/4″ piece of 80 lb. Neenah Solar White smooth cardstock. I then started die cutting trees for each card. For the purple trees, I used some of the glitter cardstock from the 6″ x 6″ Graceful Garden Glitter pad and some extra purple plaid paper I pulled from my scrap bin. For the green trees, I used glitter cardstock from the 6″ x 6″ Frosted Glitter pad.

    I adhered the first five trees directly to the card base. I adhered the “top” tree (with the mosaic cutouts) to the center of the card using 3M foam adhesive for added dimension. On thin white strips of cardstock, I stamped the sentiment “wishing you peace” in either green or purple ink. This sentiment is also included in the Christmas Mandala stamp set.

    Thank you for visiting! I wish you all a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Feliz Navidad & Happy Kwanzaa! Whatever you celebrate, may your festivities be filled with peace, love and joy. I’ll see you in the New Year!

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  • Ornament Layer Experiment | by Toni M Maddox

    Ornament Layer Experiment | by Toni M Maddox

    Hello, Birch Press fans! Toni here with another set of ornament cards. I just can’t seem to get enough of these ornament dies!

    I’ve used the Belle Ornament Layering Dies on both cards but the layers are in different order on each. I’ve also embossed both card fronts with the Memory Box Gracious Leaves 3D embossing folder.

    The first card uses the layers in A-B-C order. The design pulls the eye toward the center of the ornament (perfect opportunity to emboss the center and really make it shine!).

    I paired the Sugar Cuts Peace dies cut from Memory Box Delicate Pastel Glitter 6×6 paper with it.

    The second card uses the layers in A-C-B order, which really changes the visual effect. Yes, the eye is drawn to the center but there is competition, in a good way, from around it.

    You may have noticed the foil layer peeking out behind the Belle Ornament layers. The Christmas Ornament and Labels set include an ornament outline die that works with a number of the other ornament layering sets, including the Belle.

    Ah! Before I forget to mention it, I used a white pigment pen to add dots in the tiny openings. Wouldn’t it be cool to expand on that?!

    I hope you’ve been inspired today. Thank for visiting!

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  • Be Merry | by Crystal Komara

    Be Merry | by Crystal Komara

    Hello readers! I can’t believe we are only 11 days away from Christmas! I am proud of myself for getting all 121 of my handmade Christmas cards out (and on time) this year! Although, my friends in Austria and Germany may see their cards around Valentine’s Day. . . I tried. Today I am sharing two cards made using the Frosty Snowflake Layering dies and while the sentiment on these cards says, “be merry,” they could easily be made into winter birthday cards or holiday thank you cards by simply changing out the stamped sentiment.

    Card details:

    *Note – both of these cards were made the same way, I just changed out the color combinations.

    The base of this A2 sized card was made from 80 lb. Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock. Using the Pinpoint Radial Plate die, I cut the background from the same white cardstock. Using Layer A and Layer B of the Frosty Flakes Layering Dies I cut the snowflakes from the 6″ x 6″ Twinkling Jewel Glitter pad. I adhered the snowflakes directly to the background. Using the Contempo Christmas Greetings stamp set and coordinating die, I stamped the sentiment “be merry” in either blue ink or purple ink and then I used the coordinating circle die to cut the sentiment out. I adhered the sentiment to the center of each card using 3M foam adhesive for added dimension.

    Here is the same card made in an alternate color combination:

    I hope you have enjoyed these beautiful cards. Thank you for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day!

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  • Jolly | by Crystal Komara

    Jolly | by Crystal Komara

    Hello Birch Press Design friends! This is DT member Crystal Komara here with you and it’s a mad dash to the finish line to create those holiday cards and get them out in time! Today I’m sharing a fun and festive way to use a simple holiday shadow word die as the focal point of your card.

    Card details:

    The base of this A2 sized card is made from 80 lb. Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock. I cut a 5″ x 3 3/4″ piece of white cardstock for the first layer and matted that with a 5 1/4″ x 4″ piece of red cardstock. Using Layer B of the Frosty Flake Layering Set, I cut four snowflakes from white cardstock. I adhered these four snowflakes onto the white cardstock to create my background. It’s a very subtle look to allow the colorful words to POP! I die cut the word “Jolly” three times using the Jolly Honey Script Word Die. I die cut one word from gold glitter cardstock, one from red glitter cardstock and one from green glitter cardstock. All of the glitter cardstock was from the 6″ x 6″ Frosted Glitter pad. I cut the thinner shadow portion of the “jolly” from white cardstock. I layered the two “jolly” layers together with a fine-tip liquid adhesive. I then placed the three “jolly” sentiments going down the middle of the card using 3M foam adhesive for added dimension.

    I hope you have joined this fun way to use your shadow word dies to create holiday cards, no stamping required! Thanks for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day!

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  • Linear Triangle Christmas | By Dilay Nacar

    Linear Triangle Christmas | By Dilay Nacar

    Hi, friends! Dee here today sharing a fun, clean, and simple Christmas card created with the Linear Triangle die!

    I began by cutting the Linear Triangle die twice in white then multiple times in a few of my favorite colors. I adhered the white pieces to an A2-sized card base, then filled in the spaces by inlaying the strips of the other colors.

    Next, I die cut the two white tree dies from the Christmas Mandala stamp and die set (without stamping them), stacked them and adhered them to the center of the card. For the sentiment, I used the Christmas Ornament and Labels stamp set and die cut it with the coordinating banner die.

    I hope you that enjoyed this easy-to-recreate card! Thank you so much for joining me today!

  • Joy | by Crystal Komara

    Joy | by Crystal Komara

    Hello crafty readers! This is Design Team member Crystal Komara here with you today. Hopefully by now you have started making your Christmas cards or maybe even some of you are already done. And then the real overachievers have them all stamped and addressed ready to be shipped! Well. . . I’m not! I’m always late to the game. But, I’ve still got a little time to inspire you with some Birch Press Design products and this festive modern shaker card.

    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 red cardstock and used it as the first card layer. Using the Radial Pinpoint Cover Die, I cut the next layer from white cardstock. I cut Layers A and C of the Tranquility Layering Die from pool party cardstock and I cut Layer B of the Tranquility Layering Die from red glitter cardstock found in the Frosted 6″ x 6″ Paper Pack. *Note – I did not use the center pieces from the Tranquility Layering Dies because I used the vacant space to create a shaker card.

    I lined the circle on the back of the Tranquility Layering Die with a piece of acetate. I put about 1 tablespoon of iridescent sequins on the card before adhering the die in place over the sequins. I adhered this entire piece to the center of the card using 3M foam adhesive for added dimension.

    I stamped the “joy” from the new Contempo Christmas Greetings stamp set in red ink on white cardstock. I used the coordinating Contempo Christmas Greetings die to cut out the circle. I adhered the sentiment to the lower right side of the shaker card also using 3M adhesive for added dimension. Lastly, I added a few red rhinestone embellishments for added sparkle.

    I hope you have enjoyed this modern holiday card. Thanks for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day!

  • Framed Ornaments | by Toni M Maddox

    Framed Ornaments | by Toni M Maddox

    Hello, BPD fans!  Toni here with you today sharing a couple of cards with glitter and more glitter!

    Both of the cards use the Marisol Frames and Ornament Layering Dies. I think it’s brilliant to be able to frame these gorgeous ornaments.

    I cut both in white and the red from the Memory Box Glitzy 6×6 Glitter Pad. The card base is from the Memory Box Ocean Blue 6×6 Pad. I love this color combo so much!

    As you saw above I created a belly band for the card, embossing the Christmas Mandala sentiment with Gina K Red Hot.

    I did wonder about the having space to write a personal message but there’s plenty of room.

    For my second card I wanted to use the Marisol Frame adhered to the card front without the interactive element.

    I used the Marisol Ornament as a mask and used my Copic Airbrush with BG07 for the center. So so pretty. And easy cleanup: I just threw some 70% isopropyl alcohol onto the die to clean off the Copic and dried it.

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

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