Birch Press Design

Category: Sandhya Iyer

  • Foiling Fun with Alcohol Inks | By Sandhya Iyer

    Foiling Fun with Alcohol Inks | By Sandhya Iyer

    Hello, friends! This is Design Team member, Sandhya Iyer. I welcome you to check out a set of cards featuring the latest sentiment hot foil plates and dies. After I created a bunch of gorgeous golden foiled sentiments, I was inspired to create a rich alcohol ink background with gold details.

    I used gold foil and my Glimmer machine to foil the Hello, thanks for your Kindness and Celebrate Today sentiments on white cardstock. I like to use Hammermill smooth cover stock for the best foiling results. Next, I used coordinating dies to cut out the sentiments and set them aside.

    Next, I used alcohol inks from my stash to create my colorful panels. While the alcohol ink brand doesn’t really matter, the gold lines work best only with Pinata Brass. I trimmed glossy photo paper to create my panels. Then I used a tiny fine-tipped bottle filled with 90% Isopropyl alcohol to drop alcohol diagonally across the panel. Next, I added 1-2 drops of alcohol ink and a drop of Brass on the little river of alcohol. Finally, I moved a hair dryer set to low heat gradually across the length of the alcohol pool. I went back and forth to create the ripple effect. For the final panel, I added few drops of alcohol inks on a piece of bubble wrap and spritzed it with isopropyl alcohol. I then gently stamped the pattern on the next panel.

    Finally, I attached the alcohol ink art panels to A2 card bases using foam tape. Then I finished off by popping on the foiled sentiments with more foam tape. 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:

    BPF505 Sugar Script Sentiments 2 Hot Foil Plate and Die Sets
    BPF506 Celebrate Today Noted Script Hot Foil Plate and Die Set

  • Spring Birthday Card | By Sandhya Iyer

    Spring Birthday Card | By Sandhya Iyer

    Hello, friends! This is Design Team member Sandhya Iyer and today I am sharing a spring-themed birthday card where I mix up a bunch of fun products. The star of the show is the foiled sentiment from the Sugar Script Sentiments 2 hot foiled plate and die set. I also used the Wiegela Leaf Contour Layers Die Set and the Gentle Flower and Leaves Contour Layers for the flowers and leaves.

    I started by using Distress Mica Stain and Distress Spray stains in different shades of green to create a few ink-smooshed panels. Then, I used the Wiegela Leaf die to cut out several leaves to build my wreath. Next, I used Saltwater Taffy Distress Oxide to ink blend an ombre background. I traced a circle on this panel and adhered the leaves to form a wreath.

    Next, I grabbed the Sunrise and Blush solid core cardstock packs and die cut a couple of flowers using the Gentle Flower die set. I colored in the center with a brown copic marker for additional contrast. I also kept the extra pieces of colorful centers to tuck under the leaves. I used gold foil and my Glimmer machine to create my birthday sentiment and added it to the center of the wreath using some foam tape.

    Finally, tucked in the flowers and little centres that look like buds/berries. I attached the completed panel to a white card base and finished with a few clear drop embellishments. 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:

    57515 Wiegela Leaf Contour Layers
    57491 Gentle Flower and Leaves Contour Layers
    BPF505 Sugar Script Sentiments 2 Hot Foil Plate and Die Sets
    SP1013 Sunrise 6×6 pack
    SP1012 Blush 6×6 pack

  • Floral Birthday Wishes | By Sandhya Iyer

    Floral Birthday Wishes | By Sandhya Iyer

    Hello, friends! This is Design Team member Sandhya Iyer here today and I am sharing a floral birthday card featuring a gorgeous new coordinating embossing folder and stencil set. The Cheerful Floral 3D Embossing Folder and Die and coordinating Stencil set from Memory Box is fun to play with and creates gorgeous embossed florals for card fronts. Another fun new product I instantly fell in love with is the Happy Birthday Foil Greetings White Tabs. There are birthday and thank-you versions of these tabs as well as black and white versions.

    I started by gently spritzing a white card panel with water to make it damp. Then, I placed it inside the 3D embossing folder and ran it through my die-cutting machine. Next, I used the layering stencil set to ink blend my way through the layers. The floral swag looked amazing just like that.

    But then I saw the masking stencil and wanted to give it a go. So I masked the colored floral swag and ink blended a purple background with Distress oxide ink. Honestly, I was super nervous going over the background with such a dark color. But I secured my masking stencil with strong magnets and the background blending went pretty smoothly.

    Finally, I ink-blended around the edges with blue distress oxide to add more interest. I also inked around the edges of the birthday tab and adhered it to the panel. I attached the completed panel to a white card base and finished off with a few pearl embellishments.

    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:


    88619 Cheerful Floral Stencil Set
    EF1025 Cheerful Floral 3D Embossing Folder and Die
    ST004 Thank You Foil Greetings White Tabs
    ST005 Thank You Foil Greetings Black Tabs
    ST006 Happy Birthday Foil Greetings White Tabs
    ST007 Happy Birthday Foil Greetings Black Tabs
    ST008 Thank You Foil Greetings White Circle Tabs
    ST009 Thank You Foil Greetings Black Circle Tabs
    ST010 Happy Birthday Foil Greetings White Circle Tabs
    ST011 Happy Birthday Foil Greetings Black Circle Tabs

  • A Watercolor Floral Card | By Sandhya Iyer

    A Watercolor Floral Card | By Sandhya Iyer

    Hello, friends! This is Design Team member Sandhya Iyer here today and I am sharing a floral notecard. I used the Early Blossom Contour Layers die set to create my watercolored florals. The sentiment is a gorgeous scripted hot foil plate and die set called Just a Note.

    I started by die-cutting the flowers and leaves out of Canson XL watercolor paper. Next, I used Rockwell Magic mineral watercolors to color the die-cut layers.

    I assembled the layers to create my flowers and leaves. Then, I created an ink-smooshed background using Worn Lipstick and Tattered Rose Distress Oxide Inks. Next, I used the foil plate to add the sentiment to a piece of Hammermill heavy cardstock and die-cut it out.

    Finally, I ink-blended using the same oxide ink combo on my card base and assembled the card. I also added gold splatters to add some glamour.

    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:

    57520 Early Blossom Contour Layers
    BPF514 Just A Note Noted Script Hot Foil Plate and Die Set

  • Just a Note | By Sandhya Iyer

    Just a Note | By Sandhya Iyer

    Hello, friends! This is Design Team member Sandhya Iyer here today and I’m excited to share a card along the Valentine’s Day theme. I used the Banner Heart Layering die set to create my focal point and added leaves from the Dainty Rose and Leaves Contour Layers. The sentiment is a gorgeous hot foil plate and die set called Just a Note noted script.

    I started by die-cutting multiples of all 3 layers of the Banner Heart Die set out of Arteza watercolor paper. Next, I trimmed a watercolor panel using a deckled edge trimmer and watercolored my background. I let it dry and added pink and white gouache splatters.

    Then, I die cut the leaves and assembled the layers. I watercolored the leaves with pinks and also added the same ombre painting to a piece of watercolor paper. Next, I used the foil plate to add the sentiment to the watercolored watercolor paper. I die-cut the foiled sentiment and assembled the card panel with the heart, leaves and the sentiment.

    Finally, I added the panel to a watercolor card base to complete my card. 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:

    57510 Banner Heart Layer Set
    57499 Dainty Rose and Leaves Contour Layers
    BPF514 Just A Note Noted Script Hot Foil Plate and Die Set

  • ATC Duo | By Sandhya Iyer

    ATC Duo | By Sandhya Iyer

    Hello, BP friends! Sandhya here. Today, I am sharing an ATC duo I created featuring the Peeking Flower and Leaves Contour Layers die set from Birch Press Designs. I also used the Anemone Grove 6×6 pattern paper pack from Memory Box. In case you don’t already know, ATC is an acronym for artist trading cards, which are typically small cards measuring 2.5″X 3.5″. It is a tiny canvas to express any form of art (stamping, painting, mixed media, etc) to share with fellow artists and collectors. However, it is totally up to an artist to make them in different shapes and sizes of their choosing.

    So when I first my hands on the adorable little peeking flowers, I was inspired to make it the focal point of an ATC. I derived color inspiration from the Anemone Grove pattern paper pack. I started by creating a few shimmery inky backgrounds on watercolor paper using Distress Mica Stains. Then, I die-cut the flowers and leaves and assembled them.

    Next, I trimmed down some white cardstock to create 2 ATC bases a smidge smaller than the standard 2.5″ X 3.5″. I ink blended over these with Villanous Potion Distress Ink and splattered with a few water drops. Next, I picked out a few pattern papers from the pack and ripped them into strips with jagged edges. I layered the strips on the ATC base and adhered them down. Then, I trimmed down to size and inked around the edges.

    I matted the base with black cardstock and trimmed down a couple of pre-printed words to add to the ATC. Then, I adhered the die-cut flower and words to the base using foam tape. I also added some gold thread on one ATC and a piece of snow gauze on the other for added interest.

    Finally, I added few black enamel dots to one of the ATCs for added interest. 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:

    57494 Peeking Flower and Leaves Contour Layers
    PP1026 Anemone Grove 6×6 pack

  • 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:

    57391 Mini Snowflake Frame Layer Set
    57539 Warm Wishes Vintage Sentiment

  • 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:

    57517 Splendid Poinsettia Contour Layers
    CL8164 Glad Tidings clear stamp set
  • Winter Hugs | By Sandhya Iyer

    Winter Hugs | By Sandhya Iyer

    Hello, friends! This is Sandhya and today I am sharing a winter-themed card. I used the Forest Canopy die set along with the Big Hugs Sugar Script die for my project. So let’s get started!

    I started by die-cutting the Forest Canopy – C layer and the hugs word out of watercolor paper multiple times. I stacked them and adhered the die-cut layers together. Next, I used an assortment of blue Distress Inks to create an ink-blended background on a watercolor panel.

    Then, I splattered some water on the inky panel to create the cool distressed effects that Distress inks lend themselves to. When I was happy with the look, I adhered the Forest canopy and my sentiment word over it.

    Next, I added glossy accents over the Hugs word and sprinkled Rock Candy distress glitter over it. I also added some glossy accents in the nooks and along some branches and added glitter there as well. It was hard to capture the pretty glittery effect in a photo, but it looks so pretty and captivating in real life.

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

    Supplies:

    57534 Forest Canopy Layer Set
    57153 Hugs Sugar Script
  • Pumpkin Thanks | By Sandhya Iyer

    Pumpkin Thanks | By Sandhya Iyer

    Hello, friends! This is Sandhya and I am here to inspire you with a layered and dimensional “Thanks” card. I used the Adornment Pumpkin die set as the focal point and added the Big Thanks Sugar Script die for my sentiment. The Honeycomb Bevel Plate Layering die set is my secret to building layers and dimension on this card.

    While I usually create ink-smooth panels and die cut into them, I did the opposite for the pumpkin. I started by die-cutting the pumpkin solid layer and the leaves out of watercolor paper. Next, I used an assortment of Distress Inks to create interesting smooshed inky layers on the pumpkin, stem and the leaves. I cut the delicate pumpkin outline layer out of glitter cardstock and adhered it over the solid layer.

    Then I die-cut some thick white cardstock with the HOneycomb Bevel Player Laters A and B. I adhered the layers together to form an anchoring layer under the pumpkin. I also die cut the sentiment out of thick watercolor cardstock.

    Next, I used Bundled Sage Distress Oxide to ink blend an ombre background on an A2 card base as well as the die-cut sentiment. Then came the fun part of assembling the card. I used generous amounts of foam tape to build the layers and embellished the card with a few enamel dots. It will cost a tad bit more to mail this card but it will look amazing sitting on the fireplace of a dear friend.

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

    Supplies:

    57481 Adornment Pumpkin
    56104 Honeycomb Bevel Plate Layer Set
    57142 Big Thanks Sugar Script