They say never apologize at the start of any article or letter. But I must! My absence has been far too long. However, life takes priority and this ankle and foot thing has been a much longer journey than I ever anticipated or thought possible. I'm very mobile, have finished up working with a physical therapist, and now I'm working on strengthening my ankle even more by spending time in a swimming pool kicking my feet back and forth. I require a walking cane to make steps and stairs manageable. My right knee is being x-rayed tomorrow; I believe I over-compensated using it while I was hobbling around. Now, onto better things to talk about . . . like crafting!

I have fallen in love with the layered die designs from Birch Press Design, the same people who bring you the terrific stamps and dies from Memory Box and PoppyStamps. I decided to try the layering with Shimmer Sheetz! from Elizabeth Craft Designs, a designer paper from Ken Oliver Crafts, and Tsumugi Linen Card Stock from Hanko Designs.

Birch Press Designs: Fiori Plate Set (Layers A, B, C) dies

(57067; 57068; 57069)

Altenew: Persian Motifs Stamp Set (sentiment)

My Favorite Things Die-Namics: Hearts in a Row - Vertical MFT01246

VersaFine Clair Pigment Ink in Summertime by Tsukineko/Imagine Crafts

Tsumugi Linen Card Stock in Bright Orange (base card & mat frame for sentiment tag); Soft Yellow (Fiori Plate Layer C) by Hanko Designs

Shimmer Sheetz! in Yellow Iris (Fiori Plate Layer A) by Elizabeth Craft Designs

Watercolor Memories Card Stock Collection by Ken Oliver (Fiori Plate Layer B)

Other Supplies:

1/8" Scor-Tape from Elizabeth Craft Designs; 1/4" satin ribbon from May Arts; Flower Embellishment & Transluscent Green Bead (source unknown - purchased at Impress Cards and Crafts in Tukwila WA); Glue Dots; Tim Holtz Stamp Platform; Sizzix Big Shot Express Die Cutting Machine; Poker; Martha Stewart Large (Long-Blade) Scissors (they don't make this scissor size any longer - they cut the straightest line than any other scissor so if you can find a pair, immediately purchase them); foam mount tape

The Letter A Plate will always be the top layer on the layering panel; Letter B Plate will always be in the middle; and Letter C Plate will always be the base layer. When cutting the Shimmer Sheetz!, I put the die through at least twice going back and forth; I reversed the plate and ran it through at least twice going back and forth. If your blades become dull, cut with aluminum foil several times to sharpen them up. The layers were adhered together with the 1/8" scor-tape . . . all around the edges and in small places on the inside areas.

The sentiment was stamped with the stamp platform. The tag die from MFT was placed over it and cut. Using the narrow scor-tape, I adhered it to a piece of the base card stock and trimmed with scissors. I put a narrow piece of foam mount tape underneath and adhered the sentiment strip to the card.

I tied a simple bow with the ribbon in olive and adhered it with a couple of glue dots. The yellow sequin-like flowers were adhered with glue dots, as well as the green bead at the center of each one.

Check out the Birch Press Design Layering Dies . . . www.birchpressdesigns.com

They not only offer dies, they also offer stamp sets, lovely designer papers and ribbons, as well as other gift items. My mention indicates no affiliation or renumeration. Because they're not sold in retail stores and only online, I wanted to make sure you knew about them.

#BirchPressDesigns #Altenew #MyFavoriteThings #TsukinekoVersaFineClairInk #HankoDesigns #ShimmerSheetz #ElizabethCraftDesigns #KenOliverCrafts #TimHoltzStampPlatform