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  • Let’s Dye More Eggs! | By Desiree Kuemmerle

    Let’s Dye More Eggs! | By Desiree Kuemmerle

    Hello Everyone and Welcome Back!

    I know Easter has past! However I never get bored dyeing eggs! So, let’s have some fun with the Petal Egg Layering Die set and some dye ink sprays!

    For our die cutting you want to use a card stock that can handle a lot of water, so the best choice is either a heavy weight watercolor or Bristol cardstock! I die cut three eggs and used my liquid adhesive to put all my layers together! Set them aside to dry for a while! Before we move on to the next step you want to make sure your layers are perfectly dry!

    Grab your spray box and let’s start spraying! I used bright colors and stuck to the primaries, just in case they mixed, we don’t want too much brown on our eggs, right? You can also add a little water from a spra bottle to get those colors moving around.

    Once you are done adding your color set these aside to dry, this will take a while…

    While they were drying I grab my background panel and used my oxides to create a blended background using a blue and green to give the sense they are outside, ready to be found!

    I also got my sentiment ready. I stamped the word Easter and die cut the word hugs.

    It’s time to put our card together! I used a 6 in x 6 in card base and arranged my eggs in the center and then added my sentiment on top! To add a little sparkle I used my glitter pen for the hugs sentiment and added drops to the eggs!

    Hope you enjoyed today’s project!

    Make sure you stay tuned for more wonderful projects coming soon!


    Supplies


  • Blooming Peony Thank You Card | By April Antonio

    Blooming Peony Thank You Card | By April Antonio

    Hola and happy Saturday! April over here on the blog sharing a thank you card featuring the Adornment Peony die set. This set is beautiful and contains four dies: Two peony dies – one detailed, one outline; two leaf dies – one detailed, one outline.

    I started this card by deciding that I really wanted to use the Memory Box black glossy cardstock in a way that was celebrated our current Springtime season.

    1. I cut the Adornment Peony outline die out from heavy weight white cardstock so that I would have two solid peony pieces.

    2. I took a piece of the glossy black cardstock and put a piece of a double sided adhesive sheet (like Stick It) on the back.

    3. I then cut the detailed peony die from this piece of glossy cardstock. Adding the adhesive to the back before cutting made it a lot easier to adhere the delicate pieces later.

    4. I peeled the adhesive backing off from the outline piece of the peony, and put it onto the solid peony piece I cut in step #1. I decided to save the other peony pieces to do a diecut inlay on a future card.

    5. For the leaves, I used the solid leaf die, and cut it from green cardstock I pulled from the Lush Green 6×6 paper pad. I added a little ink blending to the edges of the leaves with some green ink.

    6. One of my favorite paper pads is the Rainbow Reflections Mirror Pad and I used it here to create part of my card background by taking a piece of the red foil paper and cutting about 1.5″ x 5.5″. I glued this to the right edge of the card front.

    7. I added the peony and leaves on the front, popped up with some thin foam tape.

    8. For the sentiment, I wanted it to match the flower, so I used the same glossy black cardstock with the Thanks Honey Script die set. I cut the background from the glossy cardstock, and the actual sentiment from white cardstock and glued them together, then adhered it to the card with the same thin, foam tape.

    9. For final touches I added a few red crystals from the Christmas Fairy Crystals pack. Also, I used my Nuvo shimmer pen to ‘color’ in the white space of the peony.

    I really like how the glossy, black cardstock adds just a little extra shine and interest to the card. Also, I encourage everyone to play around with textures and mix glitter, foil, glossy, and any other types together on a card to see how they look.

    Thank you for joining me today! I hope you enjoyed the tutorial and will have fun in all your crafting adventures.

    -April

    Supplies

  • Butterfly Hugs | By Dilay Nacar

    Butterfly Hugs | By Dilay Nacar

    Happy Friday, crafty friends! Dee here today sharing a fun and vibrant card featuring the brand new Simple Butterfly Contour Layers dies! 

    I began with a piece of watercolor paper and applied a few of my favorite colors using watercolor brush markers. Once dry, I die cut each of the butterflies multiple times (and the antennas in gold) and adhered them together. 

    Next, I die cut layer B of the Flora Plate Layer Set and adhered it onto an A2-sized white card base, then adhered each of the butterflies onto the card panel.

    I cut the Big Sugar Script Hugs die in gold and the shadow in white and adhered it to the bottom corner. I used a sub-sentiment from my stash and adhered it above the ‘hugs’, and since I had one little butterfly left, I decided to add that on top! 

    Thank you much for stopping by!


    Supplies


  • Rainbow Star Flowers | by Crystal Komara

    Rainbow Star Flowers | by Crystal Komara

    Hello crafty readers! Thanks for taking the time to be here as the Design Team shares inspiration ideas, tips and tricks for creating beautiful cards using Birch Press Design products. This is Crystal Komara here with you today sharing an amazingly detailed slimline rainbow card using the Star Flowers, part of the all-NEW Contour Layering dies. Last week I shared another rainbow themed card using the Wispy Blooms Contour Layering dies, so if you missed that post, please click here to be WOW’d!

    Card details:

    This slimline card measures 8 1/2″ x 3 1/2″. Slimline cards are designed to fit inside a regular #10 business sized envelope and require no additional postage. I always use 80 lb. Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock for my bases. Then I used the Star Flower Contour dies and cut it in every color cardstock (see supply list at the bottom of this page). I cut the flowers in two shades of red, orange, yellow, green blue and purple. I adhered the two layers of flowers together and added the round center piece to each flower.

    I adhered the star flowers in a ROYGBIV pattern up the length of the card. I also die cut a couple green stems from the Fuddled Leaf Branches Contour Layering Dies and green cardstock. I stamped the sentiment “hello” using the Contempo Greetings stamp set. I stamped the sentiment in Versamark ink on black cardstock. I heat embossed the sentiment with white embossing powder and then I used the coordinating Contempo Greetings die to cut the sentiment out. I adhered the sentiment to the card using 3M foam adhesive for added dimension.

    Wow! Yes, that was a LOT of die cutting and piecing together flowers but the end result was totally worth it. This card came out beautiful, if I do say so myself! Thank you for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day!

    Supplies

    Supplies

  • Watercolored Blossoms | by Toni M Maddox

    Watercolored Blossoms | by Toni M Maddox

    Hello, Birch Press fans! Toni here with you today sharing a watercolor floral card featuring a mix of the new and the old.

    I watercolored the base layer of the Eucalyptus Stem and Berries Contour Layers dies using Zig Real Brush Markers.

    I also watercolored the smaller of the Simple Butterfly Contour Layers dies, keeping them separate so I’d have two butterflies.

    On the card base, I applied Memory Box Sunset Blush Wide Washi Tape, smoothing out air bubbles as I went along. It’s a lot like working with wall paper but stickier–LOL!

    I next cut out the Honeycomb Bevel Plate Layer Set with the lower layer in Vintage Pastel Mirror Pad 6×6 paper and the upper in white.

    I adhered the honeycomb layers to the card front and added the Kind Hearts sentiment which I had stamped onto white cardstock sponged with a touch of Distress Oxide Mustard Seed.

    I tucked the blossom in place behind the sentiment and added the butterflies for a lovely spring/summer scene.

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

     

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  • Bright, Star Flowers – Zero Sentiment Card | By April

    Bright, Star Flowers – Zero Sentiment Card | By April

    Hello and welcome back to the Birch Press Design blog! Today I am sharing a quick to create card, centered around the concept that sometimes the best sentiment, is no sentiment at all.

    I had a busy week and wanted to create a quick, colorful card. One thing I love about the Birch Press layering plate dies is that the layers work on their own. For this card I used only Layer C from the Kinsley Heart Plate Layering set and cut it from heavy weight white cardstock.

    One thing I love to do when making a quick card is to pair complementary colors. In this case I used a bright yellow and blue. I placed a bright blue from the Memory Box Ocean Blue Collection behind the layer I cut and made sure to pop up the layer with thin strips of foam tape.

    PRO TIP: Have thicker foam tape? Cut it in half to make DIY thin strips.

    Next, I used some leftover flowers I had from the Star Flowers Contour layers set to cut the flowers from yellow and the contour and stamen from white. I glued these onto the card front using liquid glue, and glued only the center of the flowers so I could gently lift the petals and add a lot of extra dimension to the card.

    Lastly, I can hardly get away from finishing off a card without adding some bling! I love the Open Studio gems and I used some from the Treasure Chest Fairy Gemstones set. As featured, this card has no sentiment. I love the look of the flowers on the front, and being in a time crunch, I opted to keep the delicate flowers and not add any words on the front or inside.

    That is it! I promised a quick card and this card took my about 10 minutes to pull together. (15 if I count the times I stopped to watch TV!)

    I hope, as always, this short tutorial and card have inspired you to keep on crafting. Have an amazing day!

    -April

    Supplies

  • NOT a Card – A Bookmarker! | By Desiree Kuemmerle

    NOT a Card – A Bookmarker! | By Desiree Kuemmerle

    Hello Everyone and Welcome Back!

    Little surprise for today! We are NOT going to create a card, LOL! Our stash can be so much more… So, today we are going to make a couple bookmarkers in no time featuring the Pimpernel Contour Layering Die Set along with the Pinpoint Radial Cover Plate!

    Start by getting your elements all die cut and get them arranged in front of you!

    Start by taking the panel you die cut with the Pinpoint Radial and cut it along the 4 1/4in side at 2 1/8 inches. You will then cut two panels at 2 ½ in x 6in from a piece of solid card stock. I chose the Black from the Memory Box 6×6 card stock pad from the Neutrals set.

    Next, on the back of the solid card stock panel we want to emboss our sentiment. I pulled a sentiment from the Kind Hearts Stamp Set and heat embossed it in white.

    We can now get our floral layers prepared for placement on our panels. What I find absolutely wonderful with these die sets is you do not always have to layer them, they can stand alone!

    Placed my florals and leaves usin liquid adhesive and then placed the layered panel on top of my solid card stock panel.

    Punched a hole in the top section and added some scrap twine for a tassel, and there we have it! A perfect gift for the someone who still loves to hold a book!

    Hope you enjoyed today’s project!

    Make sure you stay tuned for more wonderful projects coming soon!


    Supplies


  • Floral Balloon Birthday Wishes | By Natasha Vacca

    Hi crafty friends! I am excited to be back up on the blog today! Today I am sharing a bright and colorful birthday wishes card using the Floral Balloon layering dies! I adore these beautiful balloon dies and there is so much you can do with this set! I had fun creating a bright and colorful card using this set! So let’s get started!

    I started by die cutting each layer of the Floral Balloon set. I started by die cutting layer C (solid balloon) on white card stock. I then cut layer B using the Memory Box Rainbow Reflections Mirror Pad using a black piece of card stock from this pad. I love the subtle shine on this paper. I then cut layer A using white card stock. I repeated this process 2 times for each ballon.

    Next I adhered both layer B and C together on the balloons using a liquid adhesive. I then wanted to add a bit more color to layer A on the balloon. I used a combination of acrylic sprays and set them aside to dry. Once they were dry, I adhered layer A on top and my balloons were complete!

    Next I chose a background for my colorful balloons! I chose a gelli print from my stash! I love the added pop of color behind my balloons with a bit of texture! I trimmed my background and then adhered this to an A2 card base.

    Next it was time to create my sentiment. I am using the beautiful Sugar Script Make a Wish set. I love the font on this set and it adds a whimsical touch to my card. I die cut the base layer in white card stock. Then I die cut the script inner layer 3 times using a white card stock. I then adhered the inner word layers together using liquid glue. Next I heat embossed the sentiment to add more texture to my card. Finally I glued this to the shadow layer.

    To complete my card I added twine to my balloons by adhering the twine to the back of each balloon with a piece of tape. Once I determined the placement for the balloons I trimmed the excess of the yellow and green balloon with my paper trimmer. I then adhered the balloons to the card front using both liquid glue and foam tape. I added the sentiment to the bottom of the card front using foam tape carefully placing the twine behind the letters!

    I had so much fun with these balloons! They are such an adorable set and create such fun birthday cards for family and friends! Thank you so much for stopping by today! I will be back soon!

  • Pastel Watercolors & Easter Egg Greeting Card | By April Antonio

    Pastel Watercolors & Easter Egg Greeting Card | By April Antonio

    Happy Thursday and welcome back to the Birch Press Design blog! I am excited to be sharing another Easter themed card this week using the Petal Egg Layering die set.

    I wanted to change up how I used the layering dies, so I have a couple of ideas on how to stretch your supplies. Read on to find out how and to see how I pulled this card together!

    To create this card, let’s start with the background. One way I have found to stretch my layering dies is to use them as stencils. I die cut Layer Plate B from the Flora Player Layering set from heavyweight cardstock.

    I cut it from a 5″x7″ piece of cardstock by die cutting then lining up the die and die cutting a 2nd time. I used this piece of cardstock as a stencil to create this stenciled background with Squeezed Lemonade Distress Oxide ink.

    I made sure to tape off the edge of the card with a low tack tape so I wouldn’t accidentally stencil the back of the card as well.

    To create the Easter egg, I first die cut each layer of the Petal Egg Layer set from Open Studio #140 watercolor paper. I made sure to die cut first, then watercolor. Doing this the other way around would mean the paper might still be kind of soft and wet when I’m trying to die cut.

    Next I used a large paintbrush to watercolor each layer using some watercolors that I had on hand. I used a heat tool to dry each layer some, then applied a 2nd layer of watercolor to really get a more vibrant look.

    I dried each layer fully using a heat tool, then glued them together using liquid adhesive. Next, I put thin pieces of foam tape on the back of the egg and adhered it to the stenciled card front.

    To create my sentiment, I put together two of the sentiments found on the Blooming Spring Stamp Set which is my new favorite! I cut the cardstock down to a strip, and then cut the right edge at a diagonal to add some interest.

    My final touches were to add pink jewels to the center of the flowers on the stenciled background. I love that this card didn’t take a long time, and allowed me to use some different crafting techniques when it came to layering cards. I hope you found some inspiration today and will keep on crafting!

    -April

    Supplies

  • Easter Greetings | by April Antonio

    Easter Greetings | by April Antonio

    Happy April! This month is not only my namesake, but my birthday month and I always get really excited! Also this month, many will be celebrating the Easter holiday. Whether you’ll be celebrating Easter or Spring break, the card I’m sharing today is festive enough for the entire month.

    To start this card, I wanted a subtle yet interesting background. I took Layer B from the Kinsley Heart Plate Layering set and cut it from heavyweight white cardstock. I took this layer and glued it down to an A2 card panel.

    Next, I grabbed the Memory Box vintage Pastel Mirror pad. I have been LOVING this pad that has a mix of foil cardstocks and have used up so many of the colors. I chose blue, light pink and peach colors from the set. I cut layers A, B and C from the Petal Egg Layer set — one layer from each color.

    PRO TIP: Want to add some dimension to your layering cardstock pieces? Add some foam dots behind one of the layers.

    To add dimension to my card I glued layer A directly to layer B for the egg. Then I added foam dots to the back of layer B and adhered it to layer C. This helped pop up the top two layers. This technique would also work well for creating a shaker element on a card.

    I finished off the front of the card by adding jewels from the Memory Box pastel jewel pack, to every section of the egg that had a small dot cut out. I then added a few jewels to the background of the card front as well.

    Lastly, I thought the front looked great as is, so I added the sentiment on the inside. I used two sentiments ‘Easter’ and ‘celebrate the miracle of’ from the Blooming Spring Stamp set.

    That is the card for today! If you are in a rush, you can definitely skip adding the jewels and just put the layers of the egg together for a look that is still very elegant.

    I hope the rest of your Saturday goes well!

    April

    Supplies