Category: Mixed Media

  • Mixed Media with Dies and Pattern Paper | Natasha Vacca

    Mixed Media with Dies and Pattern Paper | Natasha Vacca

    Hello Crafty friends, it is Natasha here and I am excited to be back today! Today I am sharing a gorgeous new die in the Birch Press Collection – Wiegela Leaf Contour Layers! I paired this with a few other favorites for a fun mixed media style card! So let’s get started!

    I started with the Wiegela Leaf Contour Layers die set. I die cut 2 leaves using the new Greenery Solid Core Cardstock pack! I love these new pads! Once the leaf was die cut, I added Distress Oxide Inks to each layer of the leaf for added texture and color! I used: Pine Needles, Chipped Sapphire, Twisted Citron, & Ground Espresso. Once the inking was completed I added water droplets and picked up the color with a paper towel. Next I added Foundry Wax to sections of the leaf in the color Statue. I also darkened the edges of the leaves with a dye ink in brown. I then adhered these together with liquid glue and set them aside to dry.

    Next I die cut the butterflies using a leftover background I recently made using inks. I die cut 3 butterflies using Simple Butterfly Contour Layers. I added Foundry wax to the antennae as well for added texture. I also inked up the edges of the butterfly and adhered the layers together with liquid glue. I set these aside to work on my background.

    For the background I chose a few pieces of pattern paper from the Anemone Grove paper pad. I trimmed one panel to a bit smaller than an A2 card base. I then used my deckle trimmer on the edges for a worn look. I then tore a couple other pieces and adhered them to the left side of the panel. Next I applied White gesso to the panel in sections using a small paint brush and then a brayer. I apply the gesso in several directions for added texture. Next I added a few pieces of text washi tape on the panel. I then added ink blending to sections using Distress Oxide in Seedless Preserves.

    Next I added splatter to my pattern paper background. I used a combination of black, white, and gold splatters. Once the panel was dry I adhered the pattern paper background to my A2 top folding card base. I then adhered the leaves and butterflies to my card front. I chose a birthday sentiment from the new Greeting Tabs from Memory Box – I love these so much!!!!! I love the black with foil lettering, there are several to choose from!

    Thanks so much for stopping by today! I will be back soon with more crafty inspiration!


    Supplies


    57515 Wiegela Leaf Contour Layers
    57490 Simple Butterfly Contour Layers

    Supplies


    sp1011 Leafy 6×6 pack
    pp1026 Anemone Grove 6×6 pack
    st007 Happy Birthday Foil Greetings Black Tabs
  • Mixed Media Tag | by Rosemary Dennis

    Mixed Media Tag | by Rosemary Dennis

    Hello everyone! Rosemary here on the blog today. Hope everyone had a lovely Valentine’s day. I did as I got several things that I love! Today I’m sharing a tag that I created using several different techinques. I used the new Early Blossom Contour Layers dies, as well as the Simple Dragonfly Contour Layers dies and the layer A of the Herbarium layering die set. I had a lot of fun creating this tag!

    I started off by spraying my premade cream colored tag with the spray stains that you see in the photo: Speckled Egg, Antique Linen and Lost Shadow. I sprayed on each stain individually and then spritzed the tag with a little bit of water. I didn’t want too much movement of the colors. I did dry the tag a bit with my heat tool in between each layer of color. Once I had the background to my liking I set it aside to fully dry.

    As the tag dried I got to work on my flowers and dragonflies. I die cut them from white cardstock and used a grip mat to hold all the pieces in place while I blended on the inks in a color family that moves from the light pink to a more reddish color for the flowers and dragonflies. The leaves were inked in two shades of green. I used liquid glue to adhere all the pieces together. While they were drying I moved onto the next layer for the tag.

    I have a small jar of Solar Paste in the color Golden Hour and I thought it would look perfect with the background on the tag. I used the A plate from the Herbarium set to create a stencil and then added the embossing paste. I was right that the embossing paste would look nice with the background. I just love how it turned out. As the tag was drying I decided to custom color some chunky white twine I had using two of the spray stains. I used Speckled Egg and Antique Linen for the twine.

    Once the paste was dry I began adding all my elements to the tag. I must admit that I was a little worried that the pinks in the flowers wouldn’t play well with the background colors. But as I added the flowers to the tag I realized that the colors worked perfectly! I finished off the tag with the sentiment the Sugar Script Sentiments 1 set and the twine. I had previously hot foiled it on cream woodgrain cardstock and so it worked perfectly with the tag. The tag is large enough that in the future I can turn it into a card!

    I hope you enjoyed learning how I made my mixed media tag. Thank you for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

    Supplies

    57520 Early Blossom Contour Layers

    BPF503 Sugar Script Sentiments 1 Hot Foil Plate and Die Sets

    57487 Simple Dragonfly Contour Layers

    57458 Herbarium Plate Layer Set

  • Early Blossom | By Natasha Vacca

    Early Blossom | By Natasha Vacca

    Hello Crafty Friends! I hope you had a great weekend! I am excited to be up on the blog today sharing a new release from Birch Press Designs with you – the beautiful Early Blossom Contour Layers die set! I love florals and these dies make it so easy to create with! So let’s get started!

    I started by die cutting the florals using Hammermill white card stock. I then ink blended each of the layers using a combination of dye inks. Once all the inking was complete, I adhered each of the layers together using liquid glue.

    Next I started to work on the background tag for my floral die cuts. I started with a pre-made tag then added papers and collage paper to the tag. I used the Anemone Grove Paper pad, as well as collage paper from my stash. I ripped pieces of paper for a distress look, then adhered them with collage medium. I allowed this to dry, then inked up the background using Distress Oxide Inks. I used: Antique Linen, Pumice Stone, Peacocks Feathers, Vintage Photo, Walnut Stain, and Mustard Seed. I layered these on, as well as splattered with water droplets for added texture.

    Next I added Translucent Crackle Paint to sections of the tag, allowed this to dry, then applied Distress Crayons over the top of the crackle paint. I also added some paper glaze to sections for added texture. I then added splatters to the tag using black and gold. I then adhered all the layers together using liquid glue and foam tape. The wood grain paper paper in the center of the tag is from Memory Box and it is in the color cream. I applied ink and sponging to the paper for added texture.

    I chose a pre-made sentiment from my stash and adhered this to my tag as well. I darkened the edges of the tag using Distress Ink in Ground Espresso using a blending tool, as well as additional texture using a sea sponge. The tag was completed with twine for the top, as well as lace and a button.

    I had a lot of fun putting this together! I encourage you to use your pattern paper in new ways to add texture to your card bases and backgrounds too! Thanks so much for stopping by today! I will be back soon!


    Supplies


    57520 Early Blossom Contour Layers

    Supplies


    pp1026 Anemone Grove 6×6 pack
    SH44002 Cream Woodgrain Paper Pack
  • Sending Love | By Natasha Vacca

    Sending Love | By Natasha Vacca

    Hello Birch Press friends, I am excited to be back up on the blog today sharing a fun and easy card using the Banner Heart Layering die set! So let’s get started!

    For today’s card I started with the Banner Heart Layering die set. I die cut layer A and C using white card stock. I then die cut layer B using the Festive Glitter paper pad. For the glitter layer I chose a dark blue shade from the paper pad. I then ink blended layer A and C using Distress Oxides. I used a combination of Distress Oxides: Saltwater Taffy, Picked Raspberry, Seedless Preserves, Shaded Lilac, and Villainous Potion. Once the layers were ink blended I set these aside to dry.

    Next on layer B, I wanted to add a bit more texture to the glitter paper pad. I used a combination of paper glaze, as well as embossing powder! I love the texture this provides. Once the other heart layers were completely dry, I added Gilded Foundry wax to sections of the heart. I then adhered all the heart layers together using liquid glue.

    Next I chose a gelli print from my background stash and dry embossed the background using the Ringadings embossing folder from Memory Box. I then applied white pigment ink to sections of the folder and ran it through one more time. I like this effect and the random texture this provides the dry embossed background. I allowed the ink to dry, then trimmed the panel using my paper trimmer for my card base.

    I completed my card by stamping a sentiment from the Contempo Greetings stamp and die set. I stamped the sentiment in purple, trimmed using the coordinating die, then applied foundry wax and ink on the edges as well. I then adhered the card panel, heart, and sentiment to my card base.

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


    Supplies


    57510 Banner Heart Layer Set
    CL8160 Contempo Greetings clear stamp set

    Supplies


    GP1006 Festive Glitter Pad
    EF1015 Ringadings 3D Embossing Folder
  • Eloquent Butterfly Layered tag | By Natasha Vacca

    Eloquent Butterfly Layered tag | By Natasha Vacca

    Hello crafty friends, It is Natasha and I am excited to be up on the blog with you today! Today’s project combines the beautiful Eloquent Butterfly layered set, paired with beautiful papers from Memory Box! So let’s get started!

    I started by die cutting each layer (A and C) from the Eloquent Butterfly onto white cardstock. Once it was die cut, I added Distress Oxide Ink (Brushed Corduroy and Walnut Stain) to layer A and C. For layer B I die cut the butterfly using the Memory Box Glitzy Glitter pad using a piece of blue glitter paper. Then on layer B I added a couple colors of embossing powder. I do one color at a time, adding layers and not fully covering the butterfly with one color of powder. I also added a bit of embossing powder to layer A to add more interest and texture. I then adhered the butterfly together using liquid glue and set it aside.

    Next I started to work on my tag background using a pre-made tag from my stash. I then chose a few pieces of beautiful pattern paper from the Memory Box Magnolia Grove paper pad. I love these papers, they are so beautiful! I adhered the layers onto my tag, then dry embossed one of the papers using the Memory Box Ringadings embossing folder. Once this was dry embossed I tore the pattern paper to give a distressed look. I then added the same distress oxide inks to the paper. I added a bit more texture by applying an iridescent embossing powder to sections of the dry embossed paper. I then adhred the layer onto my tag,

    Next I added splatters to the tag panel using a brown spray from my stash. I allowed the panel to dry, then distressed the edges using my distress ink pad. I chose a sentiment from my stash and adhered this with foam tape, then adhered the butterfly to the tag using liquid glue.

    I completed the project with a twine at the top of the tag and a few gems from the Christmas Fairy Drops collection!

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


    Supplies


    57426 Eloquent Butterfly Layer Set

    Supplies


    pp1022 Magnolia Grove 6×6 pack
    gp1007 Glitzy Glitter Pad
    DDP101 Christmas Fairy Dewdrops
  • 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

  • Simple Ornaments | by Rosemary Dennis

    Simple Ornaments | by Rosemary Dennis

    Hello everyone! Rosemary here on the blog today. With Christmas right around the corner I thought it would be fun to make a couple of simple ornaments using the Pinpoint Snowflake die set. Let’s take a look at what I created.

    The first ornament I created is a 3d one. I started by covering some heavy weight white cardstock with a distress spray stain and several different distress mica sprays in icy blues and grays.

    When the panels were dry I die cut them with the Pinpoint Snowflake die, scored them down the middle of each snowflake (which was really pretty easy) and then folded them in half.

    Then I glued them together using liquid adhesive. I did each side one at a time and after adhering each side together placed an acrylic block on the finished side to allow the glue to set. Before adhering the final snowflake I cut a length of silver thread, knotted it at one end and then laid it down the center of the snowflake. The final snowflake was adhered securing the hanger inside the snowflake.

    I finished off the ornament with lots of fairy jewels in an icy blue and milky white. There you have it a three-sided dimensional snowflake to hang on your tree! The second ornament was even easier to create and can be used as a tag for a gift before hanging it on the tree.

    For this one I pulled out some plaid papers from the Memory Box Christmas Jolly 6×6 pad to die cut the snowflake. I had some thin chipboard that I used to die cut the snowflake from and that was sandwiched between the patterned paper snowflakes. When I die cut the patterned paper snowflakes I made sure to position the die in approximately the same spot on the paper to that the back and front would match fairly well.

    After adhering all the pieces together I used a pointed tool I have to help place gems, etc on my projects to pierce a hole through the top of the snowflake. Then I stamped a sentiment from the Contempo Christmas Greetings stamp and die set on white cardstock with dark red ink. I die cut with the matching die and pierced a whole through it. Gold thread was used as a hanger for this ornament and was threaded through the ornament and little tag, then tied in a knot.

    I finished off both the front and the back of the ornament with two little gold snowflakes in the center and red fairy gems on the points of the snowflake. The dies I used for the little snowflakes are the Felicity Snowflakes.

    I hope I inspired you to think outside the box and create an ornament or two with your snowflake dies! Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

    Supplies

    57453 Felicity Snowflakes

    57385 Pinpoint Snowflake

    cl8162 Contempo Christmas Greetings clear stamp set

  • 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

  • Fall Leaves | by Rosemary Dennis

    Fall Leaves | by Rosemary Dennis

    Hello! Rosemary here on the blog today. Hard to believe that there are just a fews days left in October. Where has this year gone?! Today I’m sharing a fall inspired sympathy card although that was not my original idea. Originally I had started working on something that would be a small mixed media decor piece. Unfortunately, I went a little overboard and did not like what I had created. Thankfully, I was able to used all of these pretty leaves I had created with mica sprays on today’s card.

    As indicated above I used lots of distress mica sprays to achieve the colors you see in the various leaves. I used the Forest Leaf and Berries Contour Layers and Oval Leaf Branches Contour Layers dies to cut the leaves. I used one of the dies from the Memory Box Curved Cap Pinpoint Layers die set to die cut the arch from kraft cardstock and then stamp it with the sentiment from the Kind Hearts stamp set using VersaFine CLAIR Acorn ink. I inked around the edges of the die cut panel with Aged Mahogany distress ink. I die cut another panel of kraft cardstock with a rectangle die from the Memory Box A2 Rectangle Frames die set and adhered it to an off white cardstock base with double sided adhesive.

    I layered the arched panel on to the card front using foam tape and then built up my swag with the various different leaves. When I originally laid out the pieces for the swag it included the two smaller leaves in the lower corner. However when I started to put everything together they didn’t quite fit and so I added them to the corner instead. I used liquid adhesive to secure all the pieces in place.

    I finished off the card with some autumn fairy jewels on each cluster of leaves. I think they added the perfect little something the card needed.

    I hope you enjoyed today’s card and it inspires you to create something for fall. Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

    Supplies

    cl8163 Kind Hearts clear stamp set

    57514 Forest Leaf and Berries Contour Layers

    57525 Oval Leaf Branches Contour Layers