Birch Press Design

Category: Flowers

  • Colorful Eucalyptus Stem & Berries | By Natasha Vacca

    Hello Birch Press friends – it is Natasha here and I am excited to be up on the blog today! Today I am using the beautiful Eucalyptus Stem and Berries Contour Layers die set! I love this set and had so much fun creating colorful leaves and berries on today’s card! So let’s get started!

    I started by creating colorful backgrounds using dye based pigment powders. You can create a similar look by using powders, inks, watercolors, whatever you have in your stash! I always work in layers to create texture within my backgrounds! Once I had my backgrounds created, it was time to do the die cutting! I love the Eucalyptus Stem and Berries set and this set was perfect to create some colorful leaves/berries! I die cut 4 leaf stems and 3 berry stems! On the berries I also die cut the “add on” berry layer. I love the added texture this provided! I adhered these to my berry stems using liquid adhesive! I set my leaves and berries aside to work on the background panel of my card!

    Next I looked through my gel print stash! I found a light colored gel print, as well as a page from a book. I used both of these to create a background. I tore the section of the book panel gel print and adhered this to the other gel print. Next I die cut a piece of white card stock using the Viola Plate die set. I chose to use Layer A. I love these layered sets, as you can use all 3, as well as choose only 1 layer for a beautiful look as well! They are truly versatile!

    I glued Layer A of the Viola Plate (White card stock) on top of my gel print backgrounds! I love the subtle touch of texture this provides, as well as the softness of the beautiful die cut!

    Next I adhered the background panel onto an A2 card base. I then decided on the placement of the leaves and berries. Then I adhered them to the card front using both liquid glue and foam tape. I love the added dimension on the leaves and berries!

    To complete my card I chose the Hugs Sugar Script Hot Foil Plate and die set. I foiled the hugs sentiment using a pink foil from my stash and then die cut the sentiment using the included die in the set! I added a few Fairy Drops to complete my card!

    Thanks so much for stopping by today! I had a lot of fun! I hope today’s card inspires you to create! I will be back soon!


    Supplies


    56128 Viola Plate Layer Set
    BPF513 Hugs Sugar Script Hot Foil Plate and Die Set
    57496 Eucalyptus Stem and Berries Contour Layers
  • Watercolor Meets Hot Foil | by Crystal Komara

    Watercolor Meets Hot Foil | by Crystal Komara

    Hello crafty readers! This is Design Team member Crystal Komara here with you today. I’m excited to be sharing the first two cards I created using the new String Art Frame Hot Foil plate. Now, if I’m being completely honest, these are actually the first two cards I have ever made using hot foil!! Heat foiling is very on-trend right now in the craft industry, so I succumbed to the peer pressure and bought the Gemini Foil Press (because it works with my Gemini, Jr. die cutting machine). Heat foiling is a magical process where heat and pressure are applied to a special foil to imprint on paper. Unlike heat embossing where the image is raised when Versamark ink and embossing powder are heated with an embossing gun, in heat foiling, the image is imprinted or pressed into the paper when heat and pressure are applied.

    I created two cards that are nearly identical, I simply swapped out the color combination and sentiment to achieve two unique looks. Keep reading for all the details:

    Card details:

    The base of this A2 sized card was made from 80 lb. Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock. I cut a 5 1/4″ x 4″ piece of purple cardstock from the 6″ x 6″ Twilight cardstock pack. On a 5″ x 3 3/4″ sheet of white cardstock, I heat foiled the String Art Frame hot foil plate on my Gemini Foilpress machine with purple Foilpress foil.

    On a separate sheet of watercolor cardstock, I stamped the large floral image from the Memory Box (a sister company to BPD) All the Happiness stamp set in Versamark ink and heat embossed it with gold embossing powder. I colored the image using Zig Real Color Watercolor Brush markers. Once the image dried, I used the coordinating All the Happiness dies to cut the image out. I adhered the flowers to the card using 3M foam adhesive for added dimension. I stamped the sentiment in Versamark ink and heat embossed it with gold embossing powder. This sentiment is from the Kind Hearts clear stamp set. I adhered the sentiment to the card also using 3M foam adhesive tape. Lastly, I added a light coat of clear Wink of Stella to the flowers for added sparkle. *Be careful with Wink of Stella on watercolor though, because it will bleed as it is water-on-water based.

    For this second card, I used identical products as the first card, I simply swapped out the purple foil for a teal foil and I colored the flowers with teal or turquoise hued Zig Real Color Brush markers.

    Alright, so since I admitted this was my first go-round with hot foiling, I’ll also admit that I did my initial foiling wrong and ended up heat foiling the plate itself and not the paper. Note to self, read the instructions first! They do exist for a reason!! : ) But, all-in-all I was quite pleased with how my first heat foiled cards turned out and I look forward to experimenting more!

    Thanks for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day!

    Supplies

    BPF510 String Art Frame Hot Foil Plate and Die Set

    SP1008 Twilight Purple 6×6 pack

    SP1005 Ocean Blue 6×6 pack

    CL5265-D All the Happiness clear stamp and die set

  • Summer Florals | by April Antonio

    Summer Florals | by April Antonio

    Hello and happy Saturday! Welcome back to the Birch Press Design blog. April here sharing a new card project. I am really excited about today’s post because I have been struggling with incorporating more color when I use the layering dies and finally made a card that I feel matches what I saw in my head.

    Today’s card started with some inspiration from a color palette I found online that I really liked. I like to save color palettes I like to a folder on my phone, and then look them up when I need some crafting inspiration.

    The photo above is the color palette that I found. I just love the teal and pinks. Now, it’s not an exact match, but close enough for me.

    I started by pulling the Flora Plate Layer die set, and choosing three of the above colors that I thought would layer well together.

    From what I know about color (which isn’t much!) I thought the lighter colors would be best on top, and the darker colors on the bottom.

    So I purposely cut the top layer from the light blue, the bottom layer from the darker teal, and added the fuschia color in the middle of the sandwich to break up the blue colors.

    Next, I grabbed that same teal color from the bottom layer and decided I wanted to highlight it on top by using it with the Big Thanks Sugar Script. I cut the ‘thanks’ in the teal and the shadow from white in order to anchor the thanks better to the page.

    Lastly, I grabbed my Christmas Fairy Jewels pack and placed some of the teal jewels across the top and bottom rows of the card.

    That is the finished card! I really love the pierced details on this top layer, and how dynamic the fuchsia color looks as it peeks from behind the layers.

    Supplies

    57437 Flora Plate Layer Set

    57142 Big Thanks Sugar Script

    Supplies

    jwl005 Christmas Fairy Jewels

  • Summer Roseby Jeanne Jachna

    Summer Rose
    by Jeanne Jachna

    I hope your summer is off to a good start! I’m loving all the color I see everywhere as bold blooms capture all my attention!

    Living in the Midwest, Summer is usually decked out in shades of red, white and blue – American Flags line Main Street, and are the inspiration for the color scheme of this card. I started with the Winsome Rose in shades of red.

    I cut the leaves from shades of blue and tucked in some Eucalyptus berries. To fill out the background some Tiny Tuft Flowers in red. The foliage is adhered flat to the card base and all the florals are lifted with adhesive foam tape.

    I didn’t want the background to compete with the florals so I added Tumbled Glass Distress Ink to a Pinpoint Radial Plate. I splattered it with water, and some watered down Salty Ocean and Blueprint Sketch.

    A simple Handwritten Hello sentiment cut from gold keeps the focus on the florals.
    I hope this inspires you to experiment with your color schemes. I wasn’t sure how well the blue foliage would work, but I’m really delighted with the unexpected color.

    Finished Size 4.25 x 5.5″

    Supplies

     

     

    57501 Tiny Tuft Flowers and Leaves Contour Layers

     

     

    57497 Winsome Rose and Leaves Contour Layers

     

     

    57333 Handwritten Hello and Outline

     

     

    57384 Pinpoint Radial Plate

     

     

    57496 Eucalyptus Stem and Berries Contour Layers

     

     

    GEM102 Winter Fantasy Fairy Gemstones

     

     

    SP1001 Berry Red 6×6 pack

     

     

    SP1005 Ocean Blue 6×6 pack

     

     

    FP1001 Polished Foil Pad pack

     

  • Tropical Hibiscus Friends

    Tropical Hibiscus Friends

    Hello, Birch Press Friends! Allison here, and today I’m sharing a card featuring the new Tropical Hibiscus Contour Layers die set.

    I started by cutting all of the pieces of the flowers from white card stock. I then blended Distress Ink onto the pieces, but in a very subtle way. The most intense color is on the edges of the bottom piece, the outside edges of the top detail layer, and the center. My initial inspiration for this came from images of white hibiscus that I found online.

    To add dimension, I created duplicate layers of the bottom piece and the top detail pieces, before adhering all of the layers together with liquid glue. In order to determine the layout of my design, I first selected my sentiment and, before stamping it, arranged the flowers around it. Once I was happy with the layout, I removed the flowers and stamped the sentiment with VersaMark Ink. I heat embossed it with a platinum embossing powder and then repeated the process, which really gives the sentiment more of a rounded, smooth finish.

    I adhered the flowers to the stamped card panel with liquid glue, adding foam tape to the back of the pink and blue flowers. I then mounted that onto a warm gray A2 card base. As a finishing touch, I added matching Fairy Jewels to the centers of each flower. Even though these flowers don’t have a lot of color, the texture of all the layers really packs a punch.

    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


    Supplies


    57486 Tropical Hibiscus Contour Layers
    CL509 Colorful Life clear stamp set
    JWL002 Pastel Jewels
    JWL003 Bright Jewels
  • Hope You’re Feeling Better Eucalyptus | by Crystal Komara

    Hope You’re Feeling Better Eucalyptus | by Crystal Komara

    Hello Birch Press Design readers! This is Design Team member Crystal Komara sharing a CAS (Clean and Simple) card with you today featuring the new Eucalyptus Stem and Berries Contour Layering dies. Because I intended for this card to be very simple, I wanted to create a card without using the layering part of the dies, so here is what the dies look like quite simply on their own when cut from a rainbow array of cardstock. Add a gold heat embossed sentiment (any message will do!) and you have an elegant and easy card in no time flat!

    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 this same cardstock as the first layer. On that layer I stamped the sentiment “hope you’re feeling better” in Versamark ink and heat embossed it with gold embossing powder. This sentiment is from the Classic Sentimental Wreath stamp set.

    Using the Eucalyptus stems, I cut multiple stems from colored cardstock. I used the following 6″ paper packs:

    -Lush Green

    -Sunny Orange

    -Berry Red

    -Ocean Blue

    I adhered the stems directly to the center of the card and then I added a small white ribbon at the base of the stems for added texture.

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

    Supplies

    CL8157 Classic Sentimental Wreath stamp set

    57496 Eucalyptus Stem and Berries Contour Layers

    SP1003 Lush Green 6×6 pack

    SP1002 Sunny Orange 6×6 pack

    SP1001 Berry Red 6×6 pack

    SP1005 Ocean Blue 6×6 pack

  • Tropical Hibiscus Hello by Jeanne Jachna

    Tropical Hibiscus Hello
    by Jeanne Jachna

    Hi and thanks for stopping by! Today I’m sharing a colorful card that just screams SUMMER. Living in the Midwest the only time I see beautiful hibiscus in shades of red, pink and apricot is when they arrive at the garden center this time of year.

    These pretties were really easy to assemble. The flower base is just three layers and an embossed line shows you exactly where to place each die cut piece.

    To save time on future projects I cut all the flower layers from each of the shades of cardstock and alternated the layers when I assembled them. So some have the darkest color shade on the bottom, while others have the lightest color shade on bottom. No matter what order you arrange the colors the flowers look beautiful and I have lots of flowers for other projects.

    Did you notice the pretty foil background? It was made using the new String Art Foil die along with the Glimmer Hot Foil Machine and a Matt Gold Foil. Foil dies are also fantastic for embossing backgrounds.

    Making with these florals was a sweet escape to a tropical paradise! I hope you find some time to make too!

    Finished Size 4.25 x 5.5″

    Supplies

     

     

    57486 Tropical Hibiscus Contour Layers

     

     

    Hello Sugar Script

     

     

    BPF510 String Art Frame Hot Foil Plate and Die Set

     

     

    GEM102 Winter Fantasy Fairy Gemstones

     

     

    SP1001 Berry Red 6×6 pack

     

     

    SP1002 Sunny Orange 6×6 pack

     

     

    SP1003 Lush Green 6×6 pack

     

     

    SP1004 Fresh Aqua 6×6 pack

     

  • Heart to Heart Thanks | by April Antonio

    Heart to Heart Thanks | by April Antonio

    Happy Friday! April here sharing an elegant, easy to pull together thank you card.

    To start this card I grabbed on of my favorites, the Kinsley Heart Plate Layering set. I cut out all three layers with Layer A and C cut from white cardstock, and Layer I glued all three layers together using liquid glue.

    I created an A2 card base from a piece of red cardstock, and glued the Kinsley Heart layer onto the card front. This is why the inside of the heart is red — the base is shining through.

    Next, I took the Pimpernel Contour layering set to cut the flowers from red, foil cardstock and the leaves from green, glitter cardstock. I adhered them to the lower right of the card front, ensuring I glued the center of the flowers only, to leave the petals free to bend up a little bit.

    For the sentiment, I used the Kind Hearts Clear Stamp set to heat emboss ‘thank you’ with black pigment ink and clear embossing powder. I cut this out and glued it to the center of the card front.

    Lastly, I added a couple of clear dots from the Christmas Fairy Crystals set to the center of the flowers

    That is it! The layering sets make it super easy and fun to pull together cards. I hope this inspires you to go create and have fun

    Supplies

    57402 Kinsley Heart Plate Layer Set

    CL8163 Kind Hearts clear stamp set

    57488 Pimpernel Contour Layers

    SP1009 Earth Neutral 6×6 pack

    GP1003 Twinkling Jewel Glitter Pad

    CRY102 Christmas Fairy Crystals

    FP1003 Rainbow Reflections Mirror Pad 6×6 pack

  • Tropical Hibiscus | by Crystal Komara

    Tropical Hibiscus | by Crystal Komara

    Hello crafty readers! This is Design Team member Crystal Komara here with you today and I’m so excited to be sharing my first card(s) created with the beautiful new Tropical Hibiscus Contour Layering Dies! I am so in love with this spring’s new release of the contour layering dies, they are just g-o-r-g-e-o-u-s! If you missed some of my previous posts using similar dies, check out this post where I used the Star Flower Contour Layering Dies, or, this one where I used the Wispy Blooms Contour Layering Dies. The options are truly endless when it comes to adding colored (and foil or glitter) cardstock with these dies.

    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 e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g from card bases, die cutting, ink blending, Copic coloring, digital stamps and so much more. It is the only white cardstock (aside from watercolor paper) that I used. For the first layer, I cut a 5 1/4″ x 4″ piece of white cardstock and used the Blooming 3D Embossing Folder from Birch Press Designs’ sister company, Memory Box. To create the flowers, I die cut the Tropical Hibiscus Contour Layering dies from various shades of pink cardstock found in the Berry Red 6″ paper pack.

    I die cut the pistils or stigma of the flowers from yellow cardstock in the Sunny Orange 6″ paper pack. Lastly, I cut the leaves (also from the Tropical Hibiscus Contour Layering dies) from two different colored green cardstock found in the Lush Green 6″ paper pack. I assembled the layers of each flower and leaf together using a fine-tip glue. Then I adhered all of the flowers to the card using 3M foam adhesive for added dimension. I stamped the sentiment “sending birthday hugs” in pink ink. This sentiment is from the Classic Sentimental Wreath stamp set. I used a 2″ circle punch to punch out the circle before adhering to the card.

    Because I had die cut so many flowers and leaves, I created a second card, only this time I used black cardstock as the base for the flowers (in lieu of white). I love a black background with floral cards, it really allows the colors to pop! I also swapped out the sentiment and used “celebrate today” from the same Classic Sentimental Wreath stamp set.

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

    Supplies

    EF1014 Blooming 3D Embossing Folder

    SP1001 Berry Red 6×6 pack

    57486 Tropical Hibiscus Contour Layers

    SP1002 Sunny Orange 6×6 pack

    SP1003 Lush Green 6×6 pack

    CL8157 Classic Sentimental Wreath stamp set

  • Celebrating You – Adornment Peony | By Natasha Vacca

    Hi Crafty friends – it is Natasha here and I am excited to be back on the blog today! I had so much fun using the beautiful Adornment Peony die set, paired with the new You Sugar Script Hot Foil Plate and die set! I love all the sugar script dies and the new foil dies are just AMAZING! So let’s get started!

    To begin I started by creating a colorful watercolor background using powders. The powders I used today have lots of sparkle and shine! I added these to watercolor card stock and then allowed them to dry. Then I die cut the shadow peony outline layer 2 times (pink and purple) and then die cut the leaves using the outline dies. Next I splattered the peony and the leaves using a combination of white and metallic watercolors. I set these aside to dry.

    Next I die cut the detailed layer from the Adornment Peony die set using white card stock. I die cut 2 peony layers and 2 sets of leaves using the white card stock. I then ink blended each peony layer and leaf layer using oxide inks. I did quick ink blending to give the layer a textured look. Once they were dry I adhered these to each of the outline die cuts using liquid glue.

    Next I started to work on my background for my blooms. I used several shades of yellow water color and ink smooshed the watercolor onto my panel. Once I was happy with the colors and texture, I added a few splatters to the background. I then trimmed down my panel to fit onto my A2 card base. I adhered my ink smooshed background onto my card base using liquid glue.

    Next I foiled the You Sugar Script hot foil plate using a gold foil. I then die cut the (You) using the coordinating die included in the set. To complete my card I arranged my flowers and leaves, then adhered them with liquid glue and foam tape. I also adhered my sentiment using foam tape. I also added a sub sentiment from my stash to complete my greeting.

    I added a few Fairy Jewels from the Pastel Jewels collection to complete my card and add a little more sparkle!

    Thank you for stopping by today! I had a lot of fun and I am super excited about the new foil die sets! See you soon!

    57480 Adornment Peony
    BPF517 You Sugar Script Hot Foil Plate and Die Set and Die
    JWL002 Pastel Jewels