Tag: birch press designs

  • Warm Wishes | By Sandhya Iyer

    Warm Wishes | By Sandhya Iyer

    Hello, BP friends! Happy New Year and warm wishes from me, Sandhya. I decided to switch things up a little and made a slim long tag. The Cielo Snowflake Layer Set is my focal point. I used the Warm Wishes Vintage Sentiment die set as a sentiment.

    First, I die-cut 2 snowflakes out of white glitter cardstock using just Layer B of the Cielo Snowflake Layer Set. Next, I die cut the warm whishes sentiment out of left overs from the same white glitter cardstock.

    Then, I trimmed a slim long rectangle out of dark blue cardstock from my stash. I used a corner chomper to create rounded edges on one set of diagonal corners. Next, I added a generous splatter of white gouache. I punched a hole towards the top, added a white brad and added some shimmery white laces through it.

    Finally, I added my snowflakes and sentiment to complete my tag. This brings us to the end of today’s post. Thank you so much for stopping by and I hope you have fun crafting today!

    Supplies:

  • Merry Christmas Poinsettia | By Sandhya Iyer

    Merry Christmas Poinsettia | By Sandhya Iyer

    Hello, BP friends! Sandhya here and today I am sharing my Christmas Poinsettia card. I used the Splendid Poinsettia Contour Layers die set for my focal point. I used a sentiment from the Glad Tidings stamp set for my sentiment. So let’s get started!

    I started by spraying a few pieces of watercolor paper with Distress Spray Stain and Distress Mica Sprays in shades of red and green. To keep the layers distinct, I tried to keep one sheet a few shades darker than the other. Then, I die-cut the base layer out of the darker piece and the detailed layer out of the lighter piece.

    Next, I assembled the layers and built my layered poinsettia. I used all the layers interchangeably to get a more dense layered look. For the center, I added iridescent flatback drops in a tiny cluster. Next, I added gold details using gold foundry wax.

    Finally, I trimmed some textured watercolor cardstock with a deckled trimmer to create my panel. I stamped my sentiment in black and adhered the layered poinsettia to it. Then, I inked around a kraft card base and adhered the panel down to it in a slanting manner.

    This brings us to the end of today’s post. Thank you so much for stopping by and I will be back soon with one more card before we end the year!

    Supplies:

  • Autumn Hugs | by Sandhya Iyer

    Autumn Hugs | by Sandhya Iyer

    Hello Birch Press friends! This is Sandhya and I am back with a fall card featuring the Adornment Oak Leaf die set. It was a fun card with just die-cutting all the way and no stamping at all!

    I started by die-cutting the detailed layer of the oak leaf out of gold cardstock from the Memory Box Rainbow Reflection Mirror pad. Then, I used the Big Hugs Sugar Script die to cut out my sentiment from the same gold cardstock and set it aside. Next, I cut out the shadow layer of the leaf as well as the sentiment out of white cardstock.

    I used Distress inks in yellow and orange to ink blend an ombre effect on the solid layer of the leaf. Then, I adhered down the gold leaf over the ink-blended layer. Next, I trimmed a panel out of white cardstock to measure 3″x 5.25″ and die-cut it using the Pinpoint Radial Plate. For the card base, I chose a deep orange cardstock from my stash.

    Finally, I assembled the card using liquid adhesive and foam tape to pop up the sentiment die-cut. I also added a few flatback gold embellishments to tie it all together. This brings us to the end of today’s post. Thank you so much for stopping by and I hope to be back soon with more new card ideas.

    Supplies:

  • 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

    Supplies

  • 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

  • Elegant Wedding Card Made Easy | by April Antonio

    Elegant Wedding Card Made Easy | by April Antonio

    Happy Wednesday my crafty friends! April here sharing an easy wedding card I created using the Kinsley Heart layering plate dies and a sentiment from the newest Kind Hearts stamp set.

    A friend recently requested a wedding card and I settled on using the a love theme — of course– and grabbed the Kinsley Heart layering plate set. I love this set because it basically does the work for you. It is already so elegant, and I find it easy to pick three colors, cut them out and adhere them together.

    I grabbed a red and pink cardstock sheet from the Berry Red Memory Box paper pack and a beautiful pearl colored sheet from the Vintage Pastel Mirror pad. I used these colors to cut Layers A, B, and C of the Kinsley Heart layering set.

    PRO TIP: Adding liquid glue to the edges of the layering dies and just a few drops to the center helps you to line up each layer and will stick just as well as trying to add glue all over the center. I save so much time now that I add most of my glue on only the edges.

    I then grabbed the ‘Best wishes on your journey together’ sentiment from Birch Press’ newest stamp set Kind Hearts and heat embossed it on a piece of thick vellum.

    This stamp set has a beautiful mix of fonts and wonderful sentiments that I can’t wait to use such as ‘Hoping today is as wonderful as you are’ and ‘The world is full of amazing things’. It also has simple saying such as ‘thank you’ in a very elegant font.

    I adhered the vellum across the all three heart layers and secure it on the back of the panel with double sided tape, which is one of my favorite ways to adhere vellum without showing any glue on the front.

    The side of the card looked a little empty to me so I also cut two flowers from the Star Flowers Contour Layers set using the same pearl cardstock and a pearly-pink cardstock from the 6×6 Mirror Pad. The center of the flower was cut using a gold cardstock from the same cardstockp pad.

    PRO TIP: If you would like to give your flowers a 3D look, only adhered the center to the card and once dry, use your fingers or tweezers to gently lift the petals off the page. They will flatten if you are mailing the card, but will not be fully stuck to the page so that whoever receives the card will still see the 3D effect up close.

    I finished off the card by putting the entire panel onto a 4.25″ x 5.5″ folded card. Also, I could not resist adding some crystals to the center of some of the hearts.

    That is all for today! Thank you so much for stopping by and I hope you were inspired to break out your plate layering sets and create something beautiful.

    Supplies

  • Sculpted Greeting Cards

    Sculpted Greeting Cards

    circa3

    We’ve been creating innovative craft supplies for over 20 years, so when we decided to create some new craft dies at Birch Press Design, we set out to do something a little different than what is on the market. We created a very intricate look at Memory Box, easily identified in our detailed birds and floral shapes – but at Birch Press we thought we would focus on creating some texture on greeting cards by using layers of shapes.

    circa4

    The result is a large collection of dies that coordinate – circles in graduated sizes, squares that layer beautifully and other shapes that play off of geometric simplicity. We designed these shapes to be used on their own – but also to be stacked.

    circa5

    For a paper artist, the possibilities are endless! You can layer several colored layers together for a colorful look – or if you plan on adding more to the card, you can keep the layers monochromatic, like we did here with some simple, crisp white layers. The design we used was the Circa Set – Layer A, Layer B, and Layer C.

    circa6

    For the Circa set, we designed the circles to “telescope” into the center, slightly offsetting each circle so that when they are layered together, the shapes seem to converge to the center. Sweet!

    circa7

    Adding a simple shape on top completes this pretty look – here we used the Poppystamps Delicate Dogwoods die (#1444) (cut the die out in green, red and yellow cardstock, then layer together and adhere to the front of the card). The look is beautiful – and you can make a dozen of these cards in no time!

    Don’t be surprised if you want to run your fingers over the card once assembled – the little reservoirs that are created in the card create touchable texture and the way each contour catches the light is breathtaking.

    Who knew you could create such lovely texture with layers of simple white paper? Just add these layers to the front of a white notecard (or any of our colored notecards!).

    circa8

    Wondering if you can still get an interesting look with a single layer! Absolutely!

    This is the Circa Layer A by itself – adding some subtle background texture to the Poppystamps butterfly dies (1378 Devyn Butterfly Trio and 1389 Emelia Butterfly Trio). The result is subtle – but still fun and it creates a nice and simple backdrop to the colorful butterflies.

    You can purchase the poppystamps dies at a craft store near you or by visiting poppystamps.com – and if you are ever in the Seattle area, we suggest you try one of the cupcakes shown in the pictures from Trophy Cupcakes! You can not go wrong with Salted Caramel or Strawberry Lemonade – yummm!

     

     

  • The Serious Cup

    The Serious Cup

    Have you ever been preparing for an important meeting in the morning and you’re in the zone until, you notice the only mugs you have are ones with dogs, cats, and snowmen on them! The level of professionalism just drops dramatically.

    Everyone needs those mugs for on those important days, that make you feel at the top of your game! Why not try our dot espresso cups– these cups have a very classic look with a pop of color at the bottom of the glass so that you can show a hint of your style with a business-ready feel! 

    FullSizeRender (33)

    Our espresso cups come in the colors dove grey, ruby red, peacock blue, and meadow green. Don’t let those silly mugs throw you off of your business agenda ever again! Instead, add some cups that you can drink with style.

    FullSizeRender (35)

  • Dish Up With Safety

    Dish Up With Safety

    How many times a day do you take a platter out of the microwave or pick it up off the table and at least one piece of food falls to the ground?

    I’d say, being the clumsy person I am, my number is at least two times a day! However, this number has gone down dramatically.

    No, no, I didn’t gain some balance!

    Instead, I have started to use the lunch plates we offer here at Birch Press. These plates actually protect my food from falling with a one inch tall rim. Thus, the only way that my food can disappear, is by me gobbling it up, especially my favorite meals!

    FullSizeRender (27)

    Don’t let your habits of spilling make you miss another bite again! Instead, invest in some lunch plates and you’ll thank yourself later! Trust me!FullSizeRender (28)

  • Welcoming in the New Season!

    Welcoming in the New Season!

    image

    With the cooler weather coming up, I’m thinking dinner party.

    Huge dinner party!

    Why not welcome the new season with friends, family, and some delicious food?!

    I’m thinking of starting off with french onion soup then following up with a new recipe I’ve been eager to try out: pan-roasted chicken.

    And what says ‘autumn is here’ better than a chocolate pumpkin pie?! I know I can’t think of anything!

    I don’t know about you, but if my placemats, table runners, napkins and such are perfect then I feel more confident about having people over. Presentation is everything!

    image

    My old dining napkins were getting a little worn out and I was getting a little worried. However, Birch Press recently got in new linens! Not only did we get in napkins, but table runners too!

    I could not be happier! All of the linens are machine washable and iron friendly, which if you are anything like me, you are looking for something to last a while.

    These deeper, warmer shades are going to be perfect for the fall and winter months. Even better, the timeless style and colors are going last me a lifetime!