Category: Birch Press Design - Crystal Komara

Let's Party

2/7/2022

Let's paarrrrtayyyyyyy, Birch Press Design friends! Today's I am on the Birch Press Design blog with this slimline card that is a rainbow of fun! This colorful card features the new Let's Party Sugar Script dies and the Floral Balloon Layer Set.

Card details:

This slimline card measures 8 1/2" x 3 1/2". Slimline cards are designed to fit inside a regular business envelope and require no additional postage. The base of this card is made from 80 lb. Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock. I also cut a 8 1/4" x 3 1/4" piece of the same white cardstock for the first matted layer.

To create the balloons:

From white cardstock, I die cut 5 balloons using Layer Plate B of the Floral Balloons Layer Set. Then I die cut one each of Layer A in red, orange, yellow, green and blue cardstock. I layered the two together and adhered them vertically down the card in a ROYGBIV rainbow pattern.

To create all the "party" sentiments, I die cut the thicker shadow layer of "party" in red, orange, yellow, green and blue cardstock. I die cut the thinner top layer from rainbow patterned paper and adhered the two layers together with a fine-tip glue. I adhered the words vertically down the card (over the balloons) using 3M foam adhesive. Lastly, I added the word "let's" created from layering black and white cardstock together and adhered this sentiment to the bottom third of the card.

I hope you are enjoying may of the many F-U-N new products from Birch Press Design! Thanks for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day!

XO, Crystal

Make A Wish

1/24/2022

Hello readers and happy Saturday! I hope your weekend is off to a great start. The weekends are one of the few times I have to craft, so you’ll most likely find me in my craft room today. I’m so excited to be sharing some of the brand new dies that Birch Press Design has to offer in January! Many of these newly released products focus on birthdays, so my first card using the new Floral Balloon Layer Set and the Make a Wish Sugar Script dies is a fun shaker card. Nothing says let’s celebrate like sparkle and sequins!

Card details:

The base of this A2 sized card is made from 80 lb. Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock. Using the Pinpoint Radial Plate, I cut my first layer from white cardstock. This pinpoint die is what you see behind the balloons. I adhered this pinpoint embossed cardstock directly to the card base. I placed approximately 1 tablespoon each of black and raspberry sequins on the pinpoint embossed cardstock. I created a shaker frame using a scalloped rectangle die and a smaller scalloped rectangle die. I lined the back of the frame with clear acetate. I lined the back of the frame with thin strips of 3M foam adhesive, ensuring that every send and seal was covered so no sequins would fall out. I placed the frame directly over the sequins and pressed firmly sealing the edges.

I die cut the words “make a wish” from black cardstock and white cardstock and layered the two together with a fine-tip glue. I put the sentiment aside to save for the final layer.
Creating the balloons:
For the first (black and white balloon) I used the Floral Balloon Layer Set. I die cut Layer B from black cardstock and layered it over a piece of white cardstock that I trimmed by hand to the same shape. I adhered this balloon directly to the acetate on the front of the card.
For the second balloon (black/pink and white), I also used the Floral Balloon Layer Set. I die cut Layer A from pink glitter cardstock, Layer B from Black cardstock and then again, I layered the balloons over white cardstock and trimmed the white cardstock by hand to form the balloon shape. I adhered this second balloon over the first balloon using 3M foam adhesive for added dimension.

Lastly, I added the “make a wish” sentiment to the card also using 3M foam adhesive.
I hope you like today’s shaker card using some of the NEW Birch Press Design products! Thanks for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day!

XO, Crystal

You might also enjoy:

With Love

1/10/2022

Hello crafty readers! Today I am on the Birch Press Design blog beginning to share some Valentine's Day inspiration using the Flora Heart Layering Dies.

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. The base of this slimline card was made from 80 lb. Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock. The first layer of the card is also a piece of Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock measuring 8 1/4" x 3 1/4". I ran this piece of white cardstock through an embossing folder with small cascading hearts (a retired product).

To create the two die cut hearts:

Using the Flora Heart Layering Die set, I die cut Layer A, Layer B and Layer C all from white cardstock. (I did this twice). I adhered all three white layers together using a fine tip liquid glue. Then I fussy cut a red heart background behind the layers to ensure the die cut hearts would "pop" when placed on a white background. I adhered the hearts to the top and bottom of the card using 3M foam adhesive for dimension.

To create the alcohol ink hearts:

On a 5 1/4 " x 4" piece of white Yupo paper I ink blended Ranger Adirondack Alcohol inks in the colors in Crimson, Red Pepper and Pink Sherbet. I also added in gold mixative for the swirls of metallic gold. After the ink was dry, I die cut one large heart and two smaller hearts from the Yupo Paper. I adhered the large heart to the center of the card using 3M foam adhesive. I added the two smaller hearts beside the white die cut Flora Hearts.

Lastly, I stamped the sentiment "with love" in red ink on white cardstock. This sentiment is from the Contempo Christmas Greetings stamp set. I die cut the sentiment with the coordinating Contempo Christmas Greetings die. I adhered the sentiment to the center heart using 3M foam adhesive.

I hope you have enjoyed this beautiful and elegant slimline card. While designed with Valentine's Day in mind, this card would also work for weddings and anniversaries.
Thanks for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day!

XO, Crystal

Just Add Sparkle

1/3/2022

Hello readers! I live in Massachusetts (and grew up in remote northern Maine) so January is essentially the "dead of winter" here with cold temperatures and typically measurable amounts of snow. But, in absolutely no way am I a cold weather person. You'll find me happily crafting INside.

Card details:

The base of this A2 sized card is made from 80 lb. Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock. On a 5 1/4" x 4" piece of Yupo paper, I created a background using Ranger Adirondack Alcohol inks in the colors Glacier Blue, Sailboat Blue and Limeade. Once the alcohol ink background dried, I adhered it directly to the card base. I die cut two snowflakes from the Frosty Flake Layer Set. I cut Layer A from a piece of blue glitter cardstock in the Ocean Blue 6" x 6" paper pack. I cut Layer B from white cardstock. I adhered both snowflakes directly to the alcohol ink background using a fine tip liquid glue.

I stamped the sentiment "just add sparkle" on teal cardstock in Versamark ink. This sentiment is from the Contempo Christmas Greetings stamp set. I heat embossed the sentiment with white embossing powder and then die cut the sentiment using the coordinating Contempo Christmas Greetings dies. I adhered the sentiment to the center of the card using 3M foam adhesive for added dimension. Lastly, I added a couple clear rhinestones to the snowflakes for more sparkle.

I love working with alcohol inks! They can provide a beautiful background for the most simple of elements. Thanks for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day!

XO, Crystal

You might also enjoy:

Christmas Mandala Trees

12/21/2021

Hello and happy Tuesday! Today I'll be sharing my very last holiday themed cards for 2021! I know there are only four days left until Christmas, so by now it's too late to make any more cards and send them out, but, if you're super ambitious, you can always get started on next year's cards!

I just love this new Christmas Mandala Tree stamp and coordinating dies, though for these cards, I only used the two tree dies!

Card details:

*Please note - both cards were made the exact way I just used alternate color combinations for each card to show variety.

These slimline cards measure 8 1/2" x 3 1/2" inches. Slimline cards are designed to fit inside a regular #10 business mailing envelope and require no additional postage. For one card I used a lilac purple cardstock base and the other I used a garden green cardstock base. I lined each cardstock base with an 8 1/4" x 3 1/4" piece of 80 lb. Neenah Solar White smooth cardstock. I then started die cutting trees for each card. For the purple trees, I used some of the glitter cardstock from the 6" x 6" Graceful Garden Glitter pad and some extra purple plaid paper I pulled from my scrap bin. For the green trees, I used glitter cardstock from the 6" x 6" Frosted Glitter pad.

I adhered the first five trees directly to the card base. I adhered the "top" tree (with the mosaic cutouts) to the center of the card using 3M foam adhesive for added dimension. On thin white strips of cardstock, I stamped the sentiment "wishing you peace" in either green or purple ink. This sentiment is also included in the Christmas Mandala stamp set.

Thank you for visiting! I wish you all a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Feliz Navidad & Happy Kwanzaa! Whatever you celebrate may your festivities be filled with peace, love and joy. I'll see you in the New Year!

XO, Crystal

Be Merry

12/14/2021

Hello readers! I can't believe we are only 11 days away from Christmas! I am proud of myself for getting all 121 of my handmade Christmas cards out (and on time) this year! Although, my friends in Austria and Germany may see their cards around Valentine's Day. . . I tried. Today I am sharing two cards made using the Frosty Snowflake Layering dies from Birch Press Design and while the sentiment on these cards says, "be merry," they could easily be made into winter birthday cards or holiday thank you cards by simply changing out the stamped sentiment.

Card details:

*Note - both of these cards were made the same way, I just changed out the color combinations.

The base of this A2 sized card was made from 80 lb. Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock. Using the Pinpoint Radial Plate die, I cut the background from the same white cardstock. Using Layer A and Layer B of the Frosty Flakes Layering Dies I cut the snowflakes from the 6" x 6" Twinkling Jewel Glitter pad. I adhered the snowflakes directly to the background. Using the Contempo Christmas Greetings stamp set and coordinating die, I stamped the sentiment "be merry" in either blue ink or purple ink and then I used the coordinating circle die to cut the sentiment out. I adhered the sentiment to the center of each card using 3M foam adhesive for added dimension.

Here is the same card made in an alternate color combination:

I hope you have enjoyed these beautiful cards. Thank you for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day!

XO, Crystal

You might also enjoy:

Jolly

12/7/2021

Hello crafty friends! It is a mad dash to the finish line to create those holiday cards and get them out in time! Today I'm sharing a fun and festive way to use a simple holiday shadow word die as the focal point of your card.

Card details:

The base of this A2 sized card is made from 80 lb. Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock. I cut a 5" x 3 3/4" piece of white cardstock for the first layer and matted that with a 5 1/4" x 4" piece of red cardstock. Using Layer B of the Frosty Flake Layering Set, I cut four snowflakes from white cardstock. I adhered these four snowflakes onto the white cardstock to create my background. It's a very subtle look to allow the colorful words to POP! I die cut the word "Jolly" three times using the Jolly Honey Script Word Die. I die cut one word from gold glitter cardstock, one from red glitter cardstock and one from green glitter cardstock. All of the glitter cardstock was from the 6" x 6" Frosted Glitter pad. I cut the thinner shadow portion of the "jolly" from white cardstock. I layered the two "jolly" layers together with a fine-tip liquid adhesive. I then placed the three "jolly" sentiments going down the middle of the card using 3M foam adhesive for added dimension.

I hope you have joined this fun way to use your shadow word dies to create holiday cards, no stamping required! Thanks for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day!

XO, Crystal

You might also enjoy:

Pumpkins in Every Color

10/15/2021

Hello crafty readers! Today I am on the Birch Press Design blog sharing a couple cards made using the beautiful Pumpkin Lacework stamp set and coordinating dies. This is probably my favorite stamp set from Birch Press Design, so just like the old expression "if the shoe fits, buy it in every color", I decided to stamp it in every color! Now the question is, do YOU prefer the more traditional orange/brown pumpkin, or do you like the blues and purples?

So, let's take a look at the most conventional card first. It's beautiful and elegant heat embossed with gold embossing powder and then colored using Copic markers in brown, oranges and yellows. It is very traditional, warm and earthy.

But, now let's step outside-of-the-box and try the same exact card simply using a different color pattern. Does it still emit fall vibes? I think so!

Each of these A2 cards were made using all the same dimensions and products, I simply alternated some colors. The base of each card is made from 80 lb. Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock. I matted a 5" x 3 3/" piece of white woodgrain cardstock with a coordinating piece of blue, purple or brown cardstock from the Ocean Blue, Vibrant Violet and Earth Neutral 6 x 6" paper packs. I cut 5" x 1/4" strips of ombre colors from these same paper packs and diagonally lined them up along the card alternating with 1/4" strips of gold glitter cardstock from the Twinkling Jewel Glitter 6 x 6" pad.

I stamped the pumpkins and stems using the Pumpkin Lacework stamp set. I stamped the image in Versamark ink on white cardstock and heat embossed it with gold embossing powder. I used the coordinating dies to cut the pumpkin and stem out. I colored the pumpkins with Copic markers and then adhered the colored pumpkins to the card with 3M foam adhesive. I stamped the tag in coordinating colored cardstock in Versamark ink and heat embossed it with white embossing powder. I adhered the tag to each pumpkin and added linen thread for extra dimension. Lastly, I cut the sentiment "thanks" and "hello" from white cardstock using the Thanks Sugar Script and Hello Sugar Script.

I hope you have enjoyed seeing these cards in a variety of colors and that you'll feel encouraged to try adding more color to your fall cards. Thank you for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day!

XO, Crystal

Hello Autumn

9/29/2021

Hello friends, it's almost the last day of September and we are officially in the midst of PSL season! That's Pumpkin Spice Latte for anyone unfamiliar with the popular influencer inspired lingo. Today I am on the Birch Press Design blog inspiring you to embrace fall (while dreading winter) and I'm sharing a simple, yet elegant card made using my favorite Birch Press Design stamp set called Pumpkin Lacework.

Card details:

The base of this A2 sized card is made from 80 lb. Neenah Solar White smooth cardstock. Using Layer B of the Autumn Breeze Layering Plates, I cut the background from white cardstock. I adhered this leafy imprinted background directly to the card base.

Using the Pumpkin Lacework stamp set, I stamped the large pumpkin in Versamark ink on orange cardstock. I heat embossed the pumpkin with white embossing powder. I used the coordinating Pumpkin Lacework die to cut the pumpkin out. I adhered the pumpkin to the lower right side of the card using 3M foam adhesive. I stamped the pumpkin stem in Versamark ink on brown cardstock and heat embossed it with white embossing powder. I also stamped a variety of the leaves in Versamark ink on white cardstock and heat embossed the leaves with gold embossing powder. I used the Pumpkin Lacework dies to cut all the small images out before adhering them to the pumpkin using a Tombow adhesive runner.

I stamped the "hello autumn" sentiment from the same Pumpkin Lacework stamp set in Versamark ink on white cardstock. I heat embossed the sentiment with gold embossing powder and used the coordinating die to cut the sentiment out. I adhered the sentiment to the left side of the pumpkin using 3M foam adhesive.

I hope today's card will inspire YOU to create some beautiful fall things! Thanks for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day.

XO, Crystal

Leaf Wreath w/ Birch Press Design

9/15/2021

Hello friends! Happy Wednesday, I hope your week is going good so far. Friday is coming! Today I am on the Birch Press Design blog sharing a fun way to use Layering Plate B of the Autumn Breeze Layering Plates.

Card details:

The base of this A2 sized card is made from 80 lb. Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock. Using a separate sheet of this same white cardstock I die cut Layer Plate C of the Delfina Layering Plates (retired) which became the background. I cut this twice (because I was making two cards):

Next I die cut Layer B of the Autumn Breeze Layering Plate four times, one each in red, orange, yellow and green cardstock. This would give me all the leaves I needed to complete these two cards. (*Note, I actually had enough leaves to create a third card).

I created a circular frame to act as a guide to adhere all the leaves to. I did this by placing a smaller circle die inside of a larger one:

Then I began to adhere the leaves to the frame in a circular pattern using a Tombow adhesive runner:

Using the Thanks Honey Script dies and the Blessed Honey Script dies, I die cut the larger shadow sentiment from white cardstock and the thinner sentiment from gold glitter cardstock using the 6" x 6" Holiday Glitter pad.

I hope you have enjoyed this different way to use the Birch Press Design layering plates.
Thanks for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day!

XO, Crystal