Category: Birch Press Design - Crystal Komara

Adornment Oak Leaf Mixed Media

9/4/2023

Friends, you are witnessing a FIRST here on my website. My very first foray into the world of mixed media cards! It has long been an art I admire, but one that gives me serious anxiety, as it involved getting messy. Verrrryyyy messy! If I'm being honest, I'm still not sure what I think! I mean I like (kinda sorta) how this card came out, but I wouldn't say I love the process of how I got there. One very messy step at a time and a lot of self doubt. So, I'll preserve judgement until I play around a little bit more to see if mixed media will "be my thing."

Card details:

The base of this A6 (6 1/4" x 4 1/2") is made from 80 lb. Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock. The background paper was leftover in my scrap bin, but it had the perfect fall colors I wanted, so I cut it to 6" x 4 1/4" and then splattered black ink and gold metallic spray all over the paper before adhering it directly to the card base.

Using the Adornment Oak Leaf die, I die cut three different colored leaves in a rust colored cardstock, a yellow cardstock and a cherry red cardstock. I then cut the overlapping detail element from gold glitter paper. I adhered the gold glitter paper over each leaf and then splattered the leaves with black ink and gold metallic spray. I adhered the leaves to the card using 3M foam adhesive for added dimension.

Using the Big Sugar Script Thanks Die, I die cut the shadow layer from white cardstock and the thinner layer from rust colored glitter cardstock. I adhered both layers together with a fine-tip liquid glue and then I adhered the entire sentiment to the card with 3M foam adhesive.

I love the colors of this card, but will I try mixed media again? Yes, in small doses, when I am fully prepared to be splattered by my own ink flicking!

Thanks for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day!

XO, Crystal

Pink Adornment Pumpkin

8/25/2023

Hello friends and happy Friday! I hope you have fun things planned for the weekend ahead! Today I am on the Birch Press Design blog with this card using the new Adornment Pumpkin dies.

I looooooove how this card came out, if I do say so myself! While the pink alcohol ink pumpkin is a little more vibrant than I had initially intended, it works. That's the thing with alcohol ink, you never quite know what you're going to get and they can be a bit unpredictable in how they move and dry as you blow them around.

Card details:

*A full list of supplies is located at the end of this post.

The base of this A2 sized card was made from 80 lb. Neenah Solar White Smooth alcohol ink. Using Layer Plate A (the top layer) of the Herbarium Plate Layering Set, I die cut this from white cardstock and then mounted a sheet of magneta cardstock behind it before adhering it directly to the card base. I die cut the solid pumpkin from a scrap piece of an alcohol ink background I had in my craft bin and then die cut the frame using pink glitter cardstock from the 6" x 6" Glitzy Glitter paper pack. I adhered the two layers together with a fine tip liquid glue.

I created a pumpkin stem from espresso brown cardstock and leaves from both green cardstock and green glitter cardstock. There was a lot of piece work here using these smaller contour dies. Next, using the new Oval Leaf Branches Contour Layers, I die cut leaves from pink glitter cardstock, espresso brown carsdstock and the same green and green glitter cardstock used on the leaves. Then I pieces all the layers of the leaves together (again, a little bit time consuming here to do all these small details, but SO worth it in the end). Then it was just a matter of adhering all the small branches and leaves into a pattern that was pleasing to the eye.

I stamped the sentiment "forever grateful" in magenta ink on white cardstock and used oval punch to punch it over before adhering it to the pumpkin with 3M foam adhesive. This sentiment is from the Brush Sentiments clear stamp set.

I love using non-traditional colors to create holiday or seasonal cards. Pink is perfect in lieu of traditional orange pumpkins.
Thanks for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day!

XO, Crystal

Products used:

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Find Joy

8/23/2023

Hello friends and happy Wednesday! Today I am sharing a card that I designed using the Lumina Layering Set from Birch Press Design. Unfortunately, when I made this card, I did not realize these plates have retired, so you are no longer able to purchase this exact die, but perhaps my card might inspire you to try a similar layering die, or use a combination of these fiery colors. I can recommend the Enchantment Plate Layer set or the Viola Plate Layer set both by Birch Press Design in lieu of the layering plates I used.

Card details:

The base of this A2 sized card is made from 80 lb. Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock. I then covered the white card base with a 5 1/2" x 4 1/4" piece of Basic Black cardstock. I Cut Layer A (the top layer) of the Lumina Layer Plate with yellow cardstock. I cut Layer B (the middle layer) from orange cardstock and I cut Layer C (the bottom layer) from orange glitter cardstock.

I adhere the three layers of the die together with LineCo fine tip liquid adhesive. This is my go-to liquid adhesive for card making. It is actually a well-known book binding glue, so it works exclusively well on paper products with out warping or damaging paper.

I adhered all three layers of the Lumina plate to the black background. For the sentiment, I used the Find Joy Word and Outline die. I die cut the back shadow layer from orange cardstock and the top layer from white cardstock. I adhered the two layers together and then mounted the sentiment to the card using 3M foam adhesive for added dimension.

Initially when I created this card I thought it reminded me of the sun, or sunflowers, but I love how vibrant and bold the colors are against the black background.
I hope you have enjoyed today's card. Thank you for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day!

XO, Crystal

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Hello Peacock

8/15/2023

Hello readers! Today I am sharing one of my "oldie but goodie" favorite dies from Birch Press Design. (*Unfortunately this die is no longer available, sorry!) As much as I despise birds (shhhhh!), I do admire the peacock simply for the gorgeous plumage of its quills. I mean who wouldn't want to shake their booty and boom instant wow factor! : )

Just look at the detail in those feathers!

Card details:

The base of this A2 sized card was made from 80 lb. Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock. On a 5 1/4" x 4" piece of the same white cardstock, I heat foiled the Gilded Grace Hot Foil plate with gold foil. I only used the large background piece (and not the center cut outs) for this card. Then I created the layers of the peacock using a variety of teal and purple cardstock from the Ocean Blue 6 x 6" paper pack and Vibrant Violet 6" x 6" paper pack. For the top layer (Layer A) and the main body of the peacock I used a teal glitter paper from the Glitzy Glitter 6" x 6" paper pack.

I then adhered the peacock to the card with 3M foam adhesive for added dimension.

For the sentiment I heat foiled the Hello Sugar Script with purple foil on white cardstock. I used the coordinating die to cut it out and adhered it to the card with foam adhesive.

Swoooon, she's so pretty! Birch Press Design just came out with a whole new release geared toward the upcoming holidays and I can't wait to get into my craft room and begin creating. Thanks for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day!

XO, Crystal

Products used:

Lots of Large Cosmos

7/17/2023

Hello today I am on the Birch Press Design blog sharing three ways to use the beautiful new Large Cosmos Contour Layering dies. Initially, I had only one slimline card in mind, but I ended up die cutting soooooo many cosmo flowers that I made multiple cards to show you a variety of ways to use them. So, sit back and enjoy the inspiration!

The easiest way to begin making all of these cards, is to first create the large cosmos. For the flowers, I used a combination of purple colored cardstock. Then I just began assembling the flowers following the guided image. I ended up with almost 20 flowers by the time I was done. This truly was the hardest part of the entire process. Then I just took the flowers and designed multiple layouts.

The first card is an 8 1/2 x 3 1/2″ slimline card. It is designed to fit inside a regular #10 business sized envelope. The white base is made from 80 lb. Neenah Smooth white cardstock. I adhered four of the large cosmo flowers down the center of the card. Behind a couple of the flowers, I tucked a few leaves, die cut from the Curved Leaf die from lush green cardstock.

I heat foiled the sentiment in purple foil on white cardstock. The sentiment is from the Sugar Script Sentiments Hot Foil plates. I added the sentiment to the card using 3M foam adhesive for added dimension.

My next card is an A2 sized card made from the same 80 lb. Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock. I matted the base with a piece of plaid foiled cardstock from sister company Memory Box. This plaid foiled paper is 5 1/4″ x 4″. Next, I die cut a large scalloped oval from white cardstock. I adhered this to the center of the card. I adhered one of the large cosmos to the lower right side of the oval. I also added a few leaves behind the flower. I heat foiled the sentiment in purple foil on white cardstock. Again, this sentiment is from the Sugar Script Sentiments hot foil plates.

My third card for today is also an A2 sized card made from a base of 80 lb. Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock. I heat foiled a piece of white cardstock with the String Art Frame Hot Foil Plate. Once this hot foiled background cooled, I adhered it directly to the card base as my first layer. I adhered one large cosmo to the lower right side of the card and tucked one leaf under the flower. Using the Find Joy and Outline die, I die cut the sentiment from purple and white cardstock, adhering the two layers together before adhering both to the card with 3M foam adhesive.

I hope you have enjoyed seeing a variety of cards all made in monochromatic purple and white with the new Large Cosmos die!

XO, Crystal

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Patriotic Balloon Easel Card

7/4/2023

Happy 4th of July friends! Today I am on the Birch Press Design blog with this red, white and blue patriotic themed balloon easel card.

*To make the easel fold, simply look up a tutorial on YouTube, there are a wide range of ideas, but all you need is the basic cutting instructions which are super easy!

The base of this A2 sized card was made with 80 lb. Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock.

Using all three layers (A, B, and C) of the Floral Balloon Layer Set, I die cut four of every balloon in red, light blue, dark blue, white and silver glitter cardstock. (I really didn't know how many balloon pieces I would need, so this gave me plenty to mix and match!) I really could have made two cards with all the pieces I had leftover.

I then began playing around with the balloons to see which colors I liked layered over each other, until I found an arrangement that was pleasing to my eye. I saved two balloons for the base of the card, to act as the "stopper" so the easel fold won't collapse once it is standing.

I die cut the Let's Party sentiment from both navy blue and white cardstock. I layered the two together with a fine-tip liquid glue and then adhered the sentiment to the card with 3M foam adhesive for added dimension.

Thanks for visiting and enjoy your 4th festivities!

XO, Crystal

Supplies used:

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Make A Wish

6/26/2023

Hello crafty readers! Today I’m really excited to share my card with you because it’s one of my favorite new-to-me color palettes! First, let’s take a look at the inspiration for today’s birthday card:

Yes! My color inspiration came from a Pinterest photo from an architectural website. Kind of wild, right? What I liked about this photo was that these are colors I would not normally have considered ever putting together, and yet they work beautifully! Now, while I don’t want these colors in MY house (hello, neutrals girl here!) I found they worked well for a card.

Card details:

*A full list of supplies is located at the end of this post for your convenience.

The base of this A2 sized card is made from 80 lb. Neenah Solar White Smooth. I also cut a 5 1/4″ x 4″ piece of the same white cardstock to be used as the first base layer. Using all three layers (A, B, and C) of the Floral Balloon Layer Set, I die cut four of every balloon in teal green, min green, light pink, gold glitter and magenta pink cardstock. (I really didn’t know how many balloon pieces I would need, so this gave me plenty to mix and match!) I really could have made two cards with all the pieces I had leftover.

I then began to play around and see what colors I liked layered over each other. I also toyed around with the balloon placement on the card. There was no real method to my madness, I simply kept rearranging until I found a layout that was pleasing to my eye.

Using the Make a Wish Sugar Script word die, I cut the thicker shadow portion from darker pink cardstock and the thinner top portion from white cardstock. I layered the two together with a fine tip liquid glue and then used 3M foam adhesive behind to sentiment to adhere it to the card with added dimension.

I hope today’s post inspires YOU to find inspiration from the world around you! Thanks for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day!

XO, Crystal

Supplies used:

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Happy Easter

4/10/2023

Hello readers and happy Easter! I am on the Birch Press Design blog today this Easter themed card using one of my favorite dies from the company called Petal Egg Layer set.

Card details:

The base of this A2 sized card is made from Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock. For the first 5 1/4″ x 4″ layer, I ran a piece of the same Neenah white cardstock through the Blooming 3D embossing folder by Memory Box Co (a sister company of Birch Press Design).

Next, I created the layers of the Easter egg from the Petal Egg Layer set:

Layer A - the top layer was cut from white cardstock.

Layer B - the middle layer was cut from yellow glitter cardstock

Layer C - the bottom layer was cut from yellow cardstock

All 3 layers were adhered together with a fine-tip liquid glue and then I fussy cut a yellow background piece.

I adhered all four layers of the egg together using a fine-tip liquid glue. Once this was dried, I placed the egg in the center of the card. Then I used the Tiny Tuft Flowers and Leaves Contour dies. I cut the leaves from two different colored green cardstock and the flowers from both yellow cardstock and yellow glitter cardstock.

Using the You Are Loved Noted Script heat foil plate and die, I heat foiled the sentiment in gold foil on black cardstock. I used the coordinating die to die cut the sentiment out and adhered it over the egg using 3M foam adhesive for added dimension.

I hope you have enjoyed this elegant card. Thank you for visiting and happy Easter!

XO, Crystal

Felicity Snowflakes

11/2/2022

Hello friends! If there is one thing I love when it comes to cardmaking, it's the alcohol. Ink, that is! ; ) Initially I never thought I would have enjoyed working with alcohol inks as much as I have because, well. . . they're messy. They stain. They are a tad unpredictable in outcome and all that just terrifies me. Yet, somehow I learned to love them and now can't feature them enough on my cards.

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 Yupo (polysynthetic paper) and "ink blew" Ranger Adirondack alcohol ink in the color Stream over the Yupo paper. That's it, just one ink color was all I used! As it moves around and dries, you get puddles of ink that look like other darker and lighter colors, but I assure you, I used just one color. Nice and easy!

Using the Felicity Snowflakes dies, I cut the outer layer from vellum cardstock and the top thinner layer from white cardstock. I adhered the two layers together with liquid adhesive and then I adhered the snowflakes to the card with a small pop dot (which you can actually see through the vellum, it's too hard to hide).

Using the Contempo Christmas Greetings stamp set and coordinating die, I stamped the sentiment in Versamark ink on white cardstock and heat embossed it with turquoise embossing powder. I used the coordinating circle die to cut out the sentiment. I adhered the sentiment to the card with Scotch 3M foam adhesive for added dimension.

Now that I think about it, you could make this same card in ANY color! Red or green alcohol ink would be very traditional, but I'm also thinking pinks and purples for a pop of pizazz too!

Thanks for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day!

XO, Crystal

Be Merry

10/24/2022

Hello friends! Today I am sharing more holiday themed inspiration using products from the latest Birch Press Design release. Birch Press Design never ceases to amaze me with its elegant layering dies, contour dies and foil plates. Some of my most loved cards have been as a result of these gorgeous and elevated products.

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 navy cardstock from the 6" x 6" Ocean Blue paper pack. Using my Gemini Foilpress machine and the String Art Hot Foil Frame, I heat foiled a cerulean blue foil onto the navy cardstock. I know that it kind of looks like silver foil in these photos, but it is ever-so-slightly more blue tinted in person.

Using the Snowy Circle Layer Set, I created the center focal piece. I die cut Layer C (bottom layer) from navy cardstock. I die cut Layer B (middle layer) from a sky blue cardstock. I die cut Layer A (top layer) from white cardstock. Again, I used cardstock from the 6" x 6" Ocean Blues paper pack. I used a fine-tip liquid adhesive to adhere all three layers together and then I lined the back of the three layers with a solid sheet of white cardstock. I adhered the entire Snowy Circle image to the center of the card using 3M foam adhesive.

Lastly, I stamped the sentiment "be merry' in navy ink on white cardstock. This sentiment is from the Contempo Christmas Greetings stamp set. I used the coordinating circle die to die cut the sentiment out. I adhered the sentiment to the lower right side of the snowflakes with 3M foam adhesive.

Thanks for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day!

XO, Crystal

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