Category: Friendship

  • A Fall Thank You | By Natasha Vacca

    A Fall Thank You | By Natasha Vacca

    Hello Birch Press friends, it is Natasha here and I am excited to be back with you today! Today I created a fall thank you card using the new Oak Leaf die set. I am a summer girl at heart, however I do love the colors of Fall! So let’s get started!

    I started by creating 2 panels using mixed media paper and my Distress Mica Stains. I chose 3 colors to use today to create the panels. The panels will be used to die cut my leaves. I spritzed the colors onto my paper one at a time, heat set them with my heat tool, added water droplets, and picked up the color with a paper towel. I continued this process until I had the colors and texture I was looking for. I set the panels aside to completely dry as I worked on my background.

    Next I chose a piece of kraft paper from my stash and dry embossed the panel using the Memory Box Geometric Crystals embossing folder. I then used a sanding tool to distress the dry embossed panel in various sections. To add a bit more texture and dimension to the panel I applied Distress Oxide inks to the panel in 3 of the corners.

    Next I trimmed the panel using my Deckle Trimmer and distressed the edges using Distress Ink. I added splatters to the panel using black and gold splatter. I set the panel aside to completely dry.

    Next I took my 2 panels I created using the Distress Mica Stains and die cut 2 leaves using the new Oak Leaf Die set. I also die cut the top layer using white card stock. I then ink blended the top layer of the leaves using oxides and once dry added Foundry Wax for added shine. I then adhered both layers of the leaves together using liquid adhesive.

    To complete my card, I adhered the dry embossed panel onto an A2 card base using liquid adhesive. I adhered the leaves with foam tape. I chose the sentiment from Handwritten Thanks and Outline die set. I die cut the script Thanks 3 times, using black card stock, as well as from the Rainbow Reflections Mirror Pad. I adhered the layers together using liquid glue and added this to my card front. I chose a sub sentiment from my stash and completed the card with a few gems from Autumn Fairy Jewels. Thanks so much for stopping by today! I will be back soon!


    Supplies


    57484 Adornment Oak Leaf
    57420 Handwritten Thanks and Outline

    Supplies


    FP1003 Rainbow Reflections Mirror Pad
    EF1016 Geometric Crystals 3D Embossing Folder
    jwl004 Autumn Fairy Jewels
  • hugs | by Rosemary Dennis

    hugs | by Rosemary Dennis

    Hello everyone! Rosemary here today sharing a card made with the pretty new Adornment Wreath die from the latest release.

    As I thought about what I wanted to make with products from the new release I started to wonder if I could use cardstock from the Vintage Pastel Mirror with alcohol inks. The cardstock does have a slick finish just like glossy cardstock or Yupo paper. So I decided to give it a try and it worked! I used a bluish-green piece of cardstock from the pad along with several green and one blue alcohol ink. I used my Tim Holtz puffer tool (I don’t know if that it what it is called, lol, but it works for me) to move the ink around until I had it to my liking. Once dry I die cut the solid wreath from that panel.

    As you can see I still have some left over to die cut smaller pieces from or maybe add more alcohol ink. There are two sheets of each color in the pad so I decided to use the second one to die cut the top layer from and adhered that with liquid adhesive.

    For the sentiment I used one of the circle sentiments from the Contempo Greetings stamp and die set. I stamped the sentiment on a corner of the panel I die cut the adornment layer from using watermark ink and then heat embossed in white. I used the circle die from the set to die cut the sentiment. As I have said before the Memory Box woodgrain cardstock is great for adding just a little bit of interest and texture to your background. I think the wreath looks lovely layered on top!

    One of the alcohol inks I used is a pearlescent one. I tried to capture some of the shine it creates with the above photo. Not sure if it worked or not! I used thin foam squares to pop up the wreath and then thicker foam squares doubled up on the circular sentiment. I added the panel to a white cardstock base and then finished with tiny clear Memory Box fairy drops.

    I hope you enjoyed today’s card. If you have some Memory Box mirror cardstock try out your alcohol inks on it. You just might like how things turn out! Thanks for stopping by and have a lovely day!

    Supplies

    CL8160 Contempo Greetings clear stamp set

    57485 Adornment Wreath

    FP1002 Vintage Pastel Mirror Pad

    SH44001 White Woodgrain Paper Pack

    CLD101 Clear Fairy Drops

  • Just for You Mixed Media Tag | By Natasha Vacca

    Just for You Mixed Media Tag | By Natasha Vacca

    Hello Birch Press Friends, I am excited to be back on the blog today sharing a mixed media tag using 2 new dies from the latest collection: Oval Leaf Branches Contour Layers and Budding Twigs Contour Layers. So let’s get started!

    I started by die cutting the branches and twigs from the Oval Leaf Branches Contour Layers and Budding Twigs Contour Layers die sets. I die cut them from 2 shades of cardstock from the Stormy Blue and Fresh Aqua collection from the Memory Box paper pads. Once all the layers were die cut I added a bit of color to each layer using distress oxides. I then spritzed them with water and used a paper towel to pick up some of the color.

    Next I added embossing powder to all the die cuts. I applied embossing ink, then powder, and heat set them with my heat tool. I did wipe off some of the powder before heat setting them for a distressed look. I set the die cuts aside to work on my background.

    For the background I chose a gelli print from my stash and trimmed it into a tag. Next I ran the tag through my die cutting machine with the Ringadings 3D embossing folder. I then applied dye ink to one side of the folder and ran it through the machine again. Next I added embossing ink to the folder and ran it through one more time. I then added a gold embossing powder to some sections of the background and heat set it with my heat tool.

    Next I inked up the edges of the tag as well as some areas on the top of the tag with distress ink. I then determined the placement for the branches and the twigs. I adhered them with liquid glue and foam tape.

    Next I stamped the sentiment from the Gracious Floral stamp and die set. I completed the tag with a bit of cheesecloth and twine at the top of the tag. I adhered the sentiment with foam tape to complete the tag.

    Thank you so much for stopping by today! I will be back soon!


    Supplies


    57525 Oval Leaf Branches Contour Layers
    57529 Budding Twigs Contour Layers

    Supplies


    cl5280d Gracious Floral Clear Stamp and Die Set
    ef1015 Ringadings 3D Embossing Folder
    sp1004 Fresh Aqua
    sp1006 Stormy Blue
  • just for you | by Rosemary Dennis

    just for you | by Rosemary Dennis

    Hello everyone! Rosemary here on the blog today and I’m sharing another mixed media type card that I created using the new Forest Canopy Layer die set along with a sentiment from the Memory Box Open Studio Gracious Florals stamp and die bundle.

    The new Forest Canopy Layers die set is just gorgeous and there are so many ways that it can be used. I guess I went with a little more of a fallish feel for my card. I used lots and lots of distress sprays and mica sprays for the different layers. You can see all the sprays I used in the next photo.

    After I created all my panels with the different sprays I let them dry. Once dry there were die cut with the different layering dies. I also created the blue background panel and then die cut that with a rectangle die that fits exactly behind the Forest Canopy layers!

    There are dies in the Forest Canopy Layers set that die cut all the little berries and layering leaf pieces. I used liquid adhesive to adhere those to the layer “A” die cut that I had cut from a panel that was sprayed with a walnut stain and Burning Embers distress mica spray to give the look of the branches. Adhering all the layers together can be a bit tricky, but I have a tip to share that will make it much easier. I use my scoring tool to help with alignment.

    I placed the blue background panel in the corner of my scoring tool, apply liquid adhesive to the back of each layer and then carefully place each layer on top. Using liquid adhesive is also helpful in these instances as it gives you a little bit of time to make sure that you have everything lined up. Once I had all my layers adhered I used the scoring tool to add the piece to my card base, as well.

    I finished off the card with a sentiment from the Gracious Floral stamp set that I heat embossed using good embossing powder on vellum cardstock. I wanted the sentiment to stand out against all the layers of berries and leaves, but also not take away from the layers! I thought using vellum cardstock worked perfectly!

    I hope you enjoyed today’s project. Thanks for stopping by and have a lovely day!

    Supplies

    57534 Forest Canopy Layer Set

    Supplies

    CL5280D Gracious Floral Clear Stamp and Die Set

  • just a note | by Rosemary Dennis

    just a note | by Rosemary Dennis

    Hello! Rosemary here on the blog today sharing a mixed media type card that I created using the gorgeous new Large Cosmos Contour Layer die set, along with Fuddled Leaf Branches Contour Layer die set and a sentiment from the Sugar Script Sentiments 1 set. Let’s have a look.

    My teammate, Natasha, creates the most amazing mixed media projects using her Birch Press products. I was inspired by her to create my card combining by clean and simple with mixed media. I used Tim Holtz distress mica sprays and distress sprays and watercolor cardstock to create my panels.

    I die cut all the pieces and them assembled them using liquid adhesive. After the pieces were dry I added Gilded Distress Foundry Wax to the edges of the petals and the leaves. I used only smallest leaf cluster from the Fuddled Leaf Branches for my card. You have to work quickly when applying the foundry wax since it dries fast. I used my ring finger to apply the wax and then heat set it with my heat tool. Heat setting serves two purposes, it gives the wax the gilded look and it permanently sets it on your project. If you don’t heat set the was, it will simply chip off.

    Once I had the gilding done, I created my background panel. I die cut cream Memory Box woodgrain cardstock and then splattered it with distress mica spray in Tart Cranberry. I had previously foiled the sentiment, so I simply had to die cut a few more blanks and then adhere them to the sentiment. I arranged the flower, leaves and sentiment to the panel with liquid adhesive. I then added my panel to an off-white cardstock base.

    Here is a close up of the flower and leaves showing all that pretty gilding and some of the mica that provides alot of shine in real life.

    I hope my card inspires you to try mixed media in a more clean and simple way. Thanks for stopping by and have a lovely day!

    Supplies

    57500 Fuddled Leaf Branches Contour Layers

    BPF503 Sugar Script Sentiments 1 Hot Foil Plate and Die Sets

    57528 Large Cosmos Contour Layers

  • Simple Friendship Card | by Rosemary Dennis

    Simple Friendship Card | by Rosemary Dennis

    Birch Press has a new release out and today I’m sharing a simple friendship card that I made using the new Curved Leaf Branch Contour Layers die and some Memory Box patterned paper.

    Supplies

    sh44002 Cream Woodgrain Paper Pack

    pp1019 Christmas Jolly 6×6 pack

    Like alot of us I have many different pads of patterned paper, but I often forget to use them. I have a lovely pad of papers from Memory Box called Jolly Christmas. I thought it would be fun to look through the pad to see if there were any that would work for diecutting the Curved Leaf Branch and I found one that would. One side is a dark hunter green plaid and the other is a lighter more aqua green. I thought the extreme contrast between the two would create a fun look and I love how it turned out!

    After die cutting the main leaf from the dark hunter green paper and the layering pieces from the contrasting paper, I die cut the leaf, again, from black cardstock three times then adhered everything together using liquid adhesive. I once, again, turned to the Memory Box woodgrain cardstock to help me create a simple background for my leave. This time I used the cream woodgrain cardstock. I die cut a rectangle of the cardstock and then adhered my leaf with liquid adhesive.

    Now it was time to decide on a sentiment. I was going to stamp one, but then decided to do some hot foiling. So I pulled out the Sugar Script Sentiments 1 set and some matte gold foil. The backside of the woodgrain cardstock is actually rather smooth and since it obviously matched the color of the background perfectly I decided to try foiling on it. And it worked. Not perfectly, but I love the little bit of distressing that resulted. You can see it in the close up photo above. I die cut the sentiment and several “blanks” to adhere behind it so that the sentiment was a little more substantial. I adhered that to the card front with liquid adhesive, as well.

    To finish off the card I tied a simple bow using some gold twine from my stash and adhered it to the leaf with a dot of glue. I also used a dot of glue to adhere down tails of the bow.

    I hope you enjoyed my project today and that you will give hot foiling on the wrong side of woodgrain cardstock a try! Might just like it! Thanks for stopping by and have a lovely day!

    Supplies

    BPF503 Sugar Script Sentiments 1 Hot Foil Plate and Die Sets

    57513 Curved Leaf Branch Contour Layers

  • A Colorful Celebration | By Natasha Vacca

    Hello Birch Press friends, it is Natasha here today and I am sharing a colorful celebration card using the beautiful Eloquent Butterfly layer dies! I had a lot of fun creating today’s card, so let’s get started!

    I started by cutting out each layer of the Eloquent Butterfly die set. I started with layer C using a piece of card stock from my scrap bin. Once the layer was die cut, I added a pink spray to the butterflies for added texture. Then I die cut layer B using the Memory Box Fresh Aqua paper pad. I chose an aqua shade of card stock from the pack. I added a blue and pink dye ink to each butterfly, spritzed with water, then added gold metallic watercolor splatters. I then die cut layer A using white card stock. I then added distress oxide ink, embossing powder, glaze, and foil to the top layer for added texture and interest.

    I then adhered each layer together using liquid glue. I then die cut the antennae for the butterfly using the Butterfly Basics die set. I die cut 2 antennae using the Memory Box Vintage Pastel Mirror pad. I then adhered these using liquid glue. I set my butterflies aside to create my background.

    For the background I chose a colorful gelli print from my background stash. I then ran this through my die cutting machine with the Memory Box Ringadings embossing folder. I added some gray dye ink to the folder as well to add texture to the dry embossed background. Next I trimmed the panel with my deckle edge trimmer, distressed the edges of the panel, and then added distress ink around the edges for more interest. I then adhered this panel to an A2 card base.

    To complete my card I adhered the butterflies to the card front, then chose a sentiment strip from my stash to complete my card. I had a lot of fun creating this colorful celebration! I hope you enjoyed it too! I will be back soon with more crafty inspiration!


    Supplies


    57426 Eloquent Butterfly Layer Set
    57403 Butterfly Basics

    Supplies


    EF1015 Ringadings 3D Embossing Folder
    sp1004 Fresh Aqua
    fp1002

  • Sparkly Butterfly Greetings | By Natasha Vacca

    Hello Birch Press friends, it is Natasha here today to share a card with you using lots of color and sparkle! For today’s card I am using the Butterfly Basics die set! Let’s get started!

    I started by creating 2 colorful background panels using Distress Mica Stain. I used 3 different colors to create my backgrounds. I spritzed each panel, allowed them to dry, then picked up some color with water. I repeated this process until I was happy with each panel.

    Once each panel was dry, I die cut 2 butterflies using the Butterfly Basics die set. I love these large butterflies! I then die cut the antennae for each butterfly using the Memory Box Vintage Pastel Mirror Pad. I then adhered the antennae to the butterfly using liquid glue. I set these aside to work on my background.

    Next I ran a piece of white card stock through my die cutting machine with the Memory Box Geometric Crystals embossing folder. I then tore a section of the panel off for a distressed look. I trimmed the panel down and then chose a piece of coordinating pattern paper. I then adhered these to an A2 card base.

    To complete my card I added foam tape to the back of each butterfly then adhered them to my card front. I chose a sentiment from my stash and added a piece of pattern paper to compliment my design.

    I had so much fun creating today’s card! I will be back soon with more crafty inspiration!


    Supplies


    57403 Butterfly Basics

    Supplies


    fp1002 Vintage Pastel Mirror Pad
    ef1016 Geometric Crystals 3D Embossing Folder
  • Focal Point Buds | by Toni M Maddox

    Focal Point Buds | by Toni M Maddox

    Hello, Birch Press fans! Toni here with you today sharing a spring-theme card using the Delicate Floral Buds Contour Layers.

    I found a piece of my cardstock in my stash with a circle cut out of it (why did I cut it from the middle?!) and thought it would make a great focal background for the buds.

    I layered it on top of a scrap piece of aqua cardstock then added the Herbarium Plate Layer A in white on top of that.

    I cut the Delicate Floral Buds Contour Layers from white cardstock which I colored up with Copics R01 and R14. The leaves are cut from Lush Green 6×6 Cardstock.

    For the sentiment I used the Sugar Script Sentiments 1 Hot Foil Plate along with Therm O Web Gold Hot Foil and the Pinkfresh Studio Solid Hot Foil Plate. The latter allows you to use your hot foil leftovers, creating a solid version of the design.

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

    Supplies

    57492 Delicate Floral Buds Contour Layers

    BPF503 Sugar Script Sentiments 1 Hot Foil Plate and Die Sets

    57458 Herbarium Plate Layer Set

    SP1003 Lush Green 6×6 pack

  • Colorful Blooms, Thank you Tag | By Natasha Vacca

    Hello Birch Press Designs crafty friends! I am excited to be back on the blog today! Today’s project features a colorful tag with beautiful blooms, lots of color, and texture too! I am using a few beautiful die sets, a pre-made tag base from my collection, an embossing folder, and a gelli print! So let’s get started!

    I was on the blog last week and shared how I created these flowers, leaves, and stems! When I was working on last week’s post, I made extra flowers and leaves! I love doing this as it saves time and allows you to have more die cuts for another project. I started with 4 die collections and 2 pads of colored card stock from Memory Box. I am using the Phlox Blooms and Leaves Contour Layers, Mixed Berry Contour Layers, Delicate Floral Buds Contour Layers, and the Sylvan Berries and Leaves Contour Layers. I used 2 pads from Memory Box: Berry Red and Lush Green. I love these pads of paper! The colors are amazing and they die cut beautifully and they are super easy to add ink blending on top as well! From each of the die sets listed above I die cut the leaves and stems using 2 shades of green paper from the Lush Green pad. Then for the floral dies (shared above) I used 2 shades of pink from the Berry Red paper pad.

    After my leaves and florals were all die cut I laid them out on my ink blending mat. For the green die cuts I used a combination of a light and green dye ink. On the pink layers I used a combination of dark pink and a purple dye ink. Once all the inking was completed I added water droplets to add a bit more texture to each piece. I added the water droplets, then picked up the color with a paper towel. I set each piece aside and allowed them to dry. Once dry I adhered the leaves and floral layers together with liquid glue.

    Next I used a pre-made tag for my base of my project. I then adhered a piece of a gelli print to my tag base. I adhered this with liquid glue. I did rough up the edges using my distress tool. Next I used the 3D Embossing Folder – Geometric Crystals from Memory Box. I ran this through my die cutting machine. I then ripped a piece of the dry embossed background and adhered this to the right side of my tag. I then added a couple more pieces of gelli print to the base layer. I did rip each of these layers as I wanted a worn look to the background. I added 2 strips of washi tape to the bottom of the tag to complete the base of the tag. Once everything was adhered I added distress ink to the edge of the tag and a few metallic gold splatters.

    Next I worked on the placement of my flowers and leaves on my tag base. Once I was happy with the placement, I adhered everything down with liquid glue and foam tape. I completed the tag with a sentiment from my stash and a piece of twine on the top! I also added a few fairy drops for added interest and texture.

    I hope today’s project inspires you to use your die cuts in another way! They are so much fun and the possibilities and endless!

    Thank you for stopping by today, I will be back soon!


    Supplies


    57492 Delicate Floral Buds Contour Layers
    57507 Phlox Blooms and Leaves Contour Layers
    57503 Sylvan Berries and Leaves Contour Layers
    57527 Mixed Berry Contour Layers
    sp1003 Lush Green 6×6 pack
    sp1001 Berry Red 6×6 pack

    Supplies


    ef1016 Geometric Crystals 3D Embossing Folder
    cld101 Clear Fairy Drops