Category: Crystal Komara

  • Rose Bunch in Blue | by Crystal Komara

    Rose Bunch in Blue | by Crystal Komara

    Hello! Happy Friday friends! I hope you have great things planned for the weekend ahead. This is Design Team member Crystal Komara and I’m very excited to share today’s card with you in my favorite color – blue! This card uses lots of beautiful products from Birch Press Design including the Rose Bunch Contour Layering Dies, Mixed Berry Contour dies, Just a Note Noted Script Hot Foil plate and Rose Leaves Contour Layers! Continue reading to learn how I created this very detailed card:

    I’m not going to lie, putting the Rose Bunch Contour Layers together is the most cumbersome part of this card and it truly irritated me a little, but the end result – is SO worth it!

    Card details:

    The base of this A2 sized card is made from 80 lb. Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock. I then adhered a 5 1/4″ x 4″ piece of bold blue cardstock directly to the card base. I then began cutting two sets of the Rose Bunch Contour Layers from three different colored blues cardstocks. (Please see the end of this post where I have pictures of how I die cut these pieces and assembled them). Once the flowers were assembled, I then assembled the leaves using a light green cardstock and a green glitter cardstock. (Again, there are additional photos at the end of this post. )

    I assembled the Mixed Berry Contour dies using gold glitter stems and two different colors of blue cardstock for the berries. This was just a lot of gluing of little tiny pieces!

    I adhered the leaves to the card first and then layered the roses on top. Once everything was situated where I wanted it, I peeled off the backing of the tape and pressed it all firmly into place. I splattered the entire card with a little gold paint. Lastly I heat embossed the sentiment using the Just a Note Noted Script hot foil plate. I used gold foil on white cardstock. I adhered the sentiment to the lower right side of the card using 3M foam adhesive for added dimension.

    Here are the closeup photos of how I die cut the roses and then assembled them:

    Step 1: Cut base from bold blue cardstock
    Step 2: Cut contour layers from another color blue
    Step 3: Begin to adhered the contour layers together
    Step 4: Assemble the Rose Leaf Contour Layers

    When it all comes together, this card is just simply beautiful and worth all the piece work of those contour layering dies! Thanks for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day!

    Supplies

    57495 Rose Bunch Contour Layers

    57522 Rose Leaves Contour Layers

    BPF514 Just A Note Noted Script Hot Foil Plate and Die Set

    GP1006 Festive Glitter Pad

    SP1005 Ocean Blue 6×6 pack

    SP1003 Lush Green 6×6 pack

  • Banner Heart Love | by Crystal Komara

    Banner Heart Love | by Crystal Komara

    Hello readers and happy Monday! This is Birch Press Design Team member Crystal Komara here today continuing all with all the love-themed cards I seemed to have made in January. And, yes we’re still two weeks away from Valentine’s Day! Today’s card might be one of my favorites because of the ink splattered black background. A black background really allows for the colors to pop!

    Card details:

    The base of this A2 sized card is made from 80 lb. Neenah Solar White smooth cardstock. I cut a piece of black cardstock measuring 5″ x 3 3/4″ for the first base layer. I splattered this sheet of cardstock with white acrylic paint to add some dimension.

    Next, I created the two hearts that became the focal piece of this card. Using the Banner Heart Layering dies, I die cut Layer A from white cardstock, Layer B from baby pink cardstock and Layer C from a bolder magenta pink cardstock. I layered all three layers of each heart together with a fine-tip liquid glue.

    Lastly, I stamped the sentiment in Versamark ink on a thin strip of magenta cardstock. I heat embossed the sentiment with white embossing powder. I notched the left edge of the sentiment strip and adhered it to the card using 3M foam adhesive for added dimension.

    With a black background you could make those hearts in ANY color combination and I think it would still make for a beautiful Valentine’s Day (or love) themed card.

    Thanks for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day!

    Supplies

    57510 Banner Heart Layer Set

    56128 Viola Plate Layer Set

    8143 Lingo Thanks clear stamp set and die set

  • You’re in My Heart | by Crystal Komara

    You’re in My Heart | by Crystal Komara

    Hello crafty readers! This is Design Team member Crystal Komara here today and I’m excited to start making some Valentine’s Day cards. It seemed like this holiday season I had started Christmas cards back in October, so I’m really for a change! And who doesn’t love love themed cards?

    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 magenta cardstock to use as the base layer, adhering it directly to the white card base. Using the Viola Layering Plates, I die cut Layer B from white cardstock. I layered this over the magenta pink cardstock, so the pink shows through the die cut layer.

    Next using the Banner Heart Layering dies, I die cut three hearts from dark pink, light pink and white cardstock. I only die cut Layer A from the Banner Heart dies and layered it onto a solid piece of the corresponding cardstock. I adhered the three hearts to the card using foam adhesive for added dimension.

    Lastly, I stamped the sentiment “you’re in my heart” in pink ink on a thin strip of white cardstock. I notched the left side of this sentiment strip before adhering it to the top right of the card using 3M foam adhesive. This sentiment is from the Lingo Thanks stamp set.

    I wish you all a season filled with love and happiness! Thanks for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day!

    Supplies

    57510 Banner Heart Layer Set

    56128 Viola Plate Layer Set

    8143 Lingo Thanks clear stamp set and die set

  • Shaving Cream Banner Heart | by Crystal Komara

    Shaving Cream Banner Heart | by Crystal Komara

    Hello Birch Press Design fans and happy New Year! This is design team member Crystal Komara here today and I tried out a messy new technique over the holiday season! Shaving cream! Now, I’m not typically a “messy” technique kind of person, so this one scared me a bit, but in reality, it was not nearly as messy as I envisioned. My only tip would be to use unscented shaving cream, my card does have a bit of a medicinal smell!

    I found a whole variety of YouTube tutorials on how to make shaving cream backgrounds, but essentially I spread a 2″ layer of shaving cream into a 12″ x9″ jelly roll pan and dropped ink colors randomly over it and then used a toothpick to swirl or spread the ink around. Then I simply placed sheets of 5 1/4″ x 4″ Mixed Media paper into the shaving cream and let dry a little before wiping off the excess with a paper towel. I made about 30 backgrounds in under 30 minutes and each one has it’s own unique marbled look.

    Card details:

    The base of this A2 sized card is made from 80 lb. Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock. This is my go-to cardstock for everything – die cutting, card bases, card inserts, Copic coloring, etc. It’s much easier to just keep one style of paper in my craft room than trying to figure out what paper works best for what.

    I cut the shaving cream background into a 5″ x 3 3/4″ rectangle and die cut the heart out of the center of the card using the Banner Heart Layer set. I placed a piece of acetate behind the shaving cream background to create a shaker card. Next I die cut Layer A of the same Banner Heart Layering dies from a magenta pink cardstock and adhered it to the front of the acetate. Using foam adhesive I lined the back of the shaving cream background end-to-end (so no sequins will fall out) and placed about a tablespoon of sequins on before sealing the ends.

    Lastly, I stamped the sentiment “love and hugs” in black ink on a thin white strip of cardstock and adhered the sentiment strip using 3M foam adhesive for added dimension. This sentiment came from the Lingo Thanks stamp set.

    I hope you’ll give this fun (and only slightly messy) technique a try! Shaving cream is usually something everyone has on hand quite readily at home. Thanks for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day!

    Supplies

    8143 Lingo Thanks clear stamp set and die set

    57510 Banner Heart Layer Set

  • Merry Patina(mas) } by Crystal Komara

    Merry Patina(mas) } by Crystal Komara

    Hello Birch Press Design fans and followers! This is design team member Crystal Komara here today with some non-traditional and rustic holiday inspiration using the Twinkle Ornament Layer Set.

    Now before we get to the card details, I know you’re going to first inquire about that background! So, in full disclosure, I recently attended a gelli plate class and this was one of the backgrounds I created from that class. I’m no expert and I couldn’t tell you all the professional gelli plate terms, but I’ll describe what we did as best I can.

    On the gelli plate we dropped acrylic inks in gold and amber and swirled it around the plate with a brayer. When it was almost dry, we took a patina blue paint and dotted it onto bubble wrap. Then we dipped the bubble wrap into the ink. Lastly, I took a 5 1/2″ x 4 1/4″ sheet of mixed media cardstock and smooshed it into the gelli plate. Easy peasy, right? Just kidding. And you know with gelli plates even if I tried to recreate this background, it would never look exactly the same!

    Card details:

    The base of this A2 sized card is made from 80 lb. kraft cardstock. I added the dried gelli plate background directly to the card base.

    Using the Twinkle Ornament Layer Set, I die cut Layer C (the bottom layer) from a teal cardstock. Layer B from a gold glitter cardstock and Layer A (the top layer) from the same teal cardstock. I layered the three together using a fine tip liquid glue. Then I adhered the ornament to the card using 3M foam adhesive for added dimension.

    I die cut the ornament topper from gold glitter cardstock. I die cut the “merry” sentiment from the Handwritten Merry Christmas and Outline die. I die cut the top thinner layer from the same teal cardstock and the bottom outline layer from gold glitter cardstock. I decided to cut off the “Christmas” portion of the die, so it just reads “merry.” I adhered the sentiment to the card using foam adhesive.

    This card is SOooo far outside of my comfort zone, but I guess that’s why I like it. Sometimes taking a creative risk is worth it! Try it for yourself and you just might be surprised! Thanks for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day.


    Supplies

    56116 Twinkle Ornament Layer Set

    57538 Merry Christmas Vintage Sentiment

    SP1003 Lush Green 6×6 pack

    SP1006 Stormy Blue 6×6 pack

    GP1006 Festive Glitter Pad

  • Purple Poinsettias | by Crystal Komara

    Purple Poinsettias | by Crystal Komara

    Hello friends! This is design team member Crystal Komara here with you today and I’m very happy to be sharing this card I created using the Splendid Poinsettia Contour Layer Dies.

    I love creating a holiday card in what can only be described as more “non-traditional” colors. I think dark jewel toned colors make for very elegant and yet still festive cards. I hope you will agree after seeing my card:

    Card details:

    The base of this A2 sized card uses an eggplant colored cardstock. I cut a 5 1/4 x 4″ piece of white cardstock and then used a distress tool to “rough up the edges a bit.” Then I splattered this white cardstock with an eggplant ink. Using the Splendid Poinsettia Contour Layer Dies, I die cut the layers from three different colored purple cardstock and then spent a while assembling the different layers on top of each other using a fine tip liquid adhesive.

    Once I had the poinsettia’s assembled, I splatted the beautiful flowers with white acrylic paint (to resemble snow). Using the Contempo Christmas Greetings stamp set, I stamped the sentiment in a magenta pink ink and used the coordinating dies to cut the sentiment out. I adhered the sentiment to the card also using 3M foam adhesive.

    I hope you have enjoyed today’s card as much as I do! Thank you for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day.

    Supplies

    57517 Splendid Poinsettia Contour Layers

    8162 Contempo Christmas Greetings clear stamp and die set

    SP1008 Twilight Purple 6×6 pack

  • Just Add Sparkle | by Crystal Komara

    Just Add Sparkle | by Crystal Komara

    Hello friends and happy Monday! I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday filled with family, great friends and good food. This is design team member Crystal Komara here today. Now, I kind of a have a personal “No Christmas” policy until December 1 (I know, I know, feel free to snark!) so I have a snow themed card to share with you instead.

    Background details:

    Now, I’ll be completely honest, I took a gelli plate class recently and I created this background at the gelli plate class, so I can only describe how it was made in non-technical terms since I am no expert on gelli plates. In fact, I’m still terrified of them!

    Essentially I spread a magenta paint on the gelli plate and then took a skewer (or toothpick) and dragged it through (creating various lines) and created a bunch of scribble lines. I peeled it off the gelli plate and let it dry. That one was a simple one!

    Using the Frosty Flake snowflake dies, I die cut all three layers (A, B and C) from white cardstock. I adhered all three layers together with a fine tip liquid glue. Then I adhered the snowflake directly to the dried gelli plate background.

    Once the snowflake was adhered to the card I added clear rhinestones to point of the snowflakes for added sparkle. Next, I stamped the sentiment “just add sparkle” from the Contempo Christmas Greetings stamp set in Versamark ink on black cardstock. I heat embossed the sentiment with white embossing powder and then I used the coordinating die to die cut the sentiment out. I adhered the sentiment to the card using 3M foam adhesive for added dimension.

    Thanks for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day!

    Supplies

    57388 Frosty Flake Layer Set

    8162 Contempo Christmas Greetings clear stamp and die set

  • Elegant Pumpkin | by Crystal Komara

    Elegant Pumpkin | by Crystal Komara

    Hello Birch Press Design readers! This is DT member Crystal Komara here with you today and I can’t believe it’s November already! I have been loving the new Adornment Pumpkin dies and since I love creating with alcohol ink backgrounds so much, I decided to put the two together for this elegant card:

    Card details:

    The base of this A2 sized card was made from 80 lb. Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock. To create the background, I die cut all three layers of the Viola Layering Plates from the same Neenah white cardstock and adhered them together with a fine-tip liquid glue.

    Using the Adornment Pumpkin 2-piece die set, I die cut the pumpkin shadow from white cardstock and I die cut the intricate layer pieces from an orange pre-made alcohol ink background. I simply used Valencia orange alcohol ink on Yupo paper to create the alcohol ink piece. Just one color! I adhered the pumpkin together and die cut the stem from brown cardstock and the leaves from olive green cardstock. I adhered the assembled pumpkin to the center of the card using 3M foam adhesive for dimension.

    On a thin white strip of cardstock, I stamped the sentiment “forever grateful” from the Brush Sentiments stamp set. I notched the left end of the sentiment strip before adhering it to the card.

    Thanks for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day!

    Supplies

    57481 Adornment Pumpkin

    SP1003 Lush Green 6×6 pack

    SP1002 Sunny Orange 6×6 pack

    56128 Viola Plate Layer Set

    CL8158 Brush Sentiments clear stamp set

  • 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.

    Supplies

    57481 Adornment Pumpkin

    SP1003 Lush Green 6×6 pack

    SP1002 Sunny Orange 6×6 pack

  • Thanks Oval Leaves | by Crystal Komara

    Thanks Oval Leaves | by Crystal Komara

    Hello friends! This is DT member Crystal Komara here with you today with what just might be my new favorite card ever that I’ve designed for Birch Press Design. Now, I’ll admit, I was initially hesitant to use the contour dies, becuase oh-so-much die cutting, but I promise, the end result is always SOOooo worth the work!!

    Card details:

    The base of this A2 sized card is made from 80 lb. Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock. I cu ta 5 1/4″ x 4″ piece of black cardstock and dry embossed it using the Blooming 3D Embossing Folder from Memory Box Co, a sister company of Birch Press Design. This is my go-to floral embossing folder, it’s so elegant.

    Then I just began die cutting lots and lots of the Oval Leaves contour dies in yellow, orange and gold cardstock. I mismatched up the layers, so that I layered yellow with orange and rust with gold. There was no method to this matching up madness.

    Lastly, I flicked some gold acrylic paint onto the entire image and I love how this effect came out! It added a bit of grunge, but also a bit of sparkle!

    I love this card so much that I want to try re-creating it in other color palettes too, so be sure to check back in regularly to see what myself and the rest of the Design Team are creating to inspire you!

    Supplies

    57525 Oval Leaf Branches Contour Layers

    57148 Thanks Sugar Script

    SP1002 Sunny Orange 6×6 pack

    GP1007 Glitzy Glitter Pad