Monday 12 August 2013

Textures Using Embossing Folders

Hello Peeps,

Poornima here to share few ideas to use embossing folders to add quick textures to your projects. As you all know this month’s theme set by Saumya is “Nail it Down with Textures". Though this is out of my comfort zone but I always love to challenge myself and try new things. I found dry embossing is the easiest and quickest way to add textures to your projects. My embossing folders were lying dead in my stash, have used them rarely. This challenge has boosted me to use my embossing folders innovatively with so many techniques. I am sharing few of them with you all today. 
Btw CraftShop has huge variety of embossing folders. Just check out and pick your favorite ones before they are gone.

You can try embossing any material. Here are few examples for you-





Now few techniques with embossing folders. But remember you results depends upon how deep and crisp the embossing is. Usually thick cardstock/materials gives crisp embossing. Sometimes you have to give to 2 or more passes through your machine (BigShot / Cuttlebug / Spellbinders) or add a shim to get the desired result and this also varies from folder to folder.

(1) Sanding - After embossing your cardstock, take a sandpaper and gently sand the raised areas. Be careful while doing this, as this can torn your cardstock. Always emboss on thick paper for sanding. A finished card using sanding. I hope you can see the raised sanded areas.


(2) Dry Brushing - Dip your brush into acrylic color and give few strokes on embossed paper. 


(3) Revere Vellum Coloring - Have you ever tried embossing on vellum. Try it and you will love it. The embossed areas becomes white which looks super cool !! For this technique, take a embossed vellum and color it on reversed embossed side using inks or any other coloring medium. I have used black memento ink to color vellum and fussy cut it in this card.



(4) Crayon Resist - This is one of my favorite technique to work with embossing folders.Very simple it is. Just take a white wax crayon and rub it over embossed areas. And then color the cardstock with distress ink or watercolors.The areas with wax crayon will not take the ink.The same can be achieved with wax candle.

Here's a sample of crayon resist with distress inks.



This tag is done using wax candle resist with watercolors

I have tried pink crayon instead of white for resist technique for this tag followed by coloring with watercolors.


(5) Gel Pen Highlights - You just need a gel pen for this. Highlight few or all areas of embossed paper with gel pen. A finished card using this technique.


(6) Faux Letterpress - I saw many cards on this technique and used to think it is too complicated. But when I tried it last month for my DT project, I realized how easy it is with so many possible variations. For this, ink up your embossing folder on one side (embossed or debossed) and carefully place the paper inside the embossing folder and then run it through your machine.And you are done.

I have used memento lulu lavender dye ink in this wall hanging


Color few embossed areas with distress ink on faux letterpress done paper



The Eifffel Tower is diecut from a faux letterpress done paper in which I colored the raised areas with two different inks.

(7) Embedded Embossing - Glue some punch outs or diecuts on cardstock.


Emboss it using your favorite embossing folder..Cool isn't it !!


(8) Embossed Acetate - This technique requires acetate with crisp and deep embossing. Choose that embossing folder that gives deep impression and emboss on acetate. Then fill the entire debossed side with acrylic color. 

Take a tissue and wipe of the color. Make sure that color does not wipes off from recessed areas. Don't wipe with much pressure.This is how your acetate will look after wiping off.



A finished tag using the same technique



(9) Double Embossing -  In this technique we usually resist few areas from getting embossed.You need a chipboard for it. Using dies, cut that portion from chipboard which you don't want to emboss.You will require 2-3 passes to cut chipboard.


In Bigshot,  make this sandwich and place it on tab2. It requires only one cutting plate
(i) embossing folder with paper in it
(ii) chipboard over embossing folder
(iii) one cutting plate over chipboard
Run this sandwich through your machine and you will get this result (Sorry for bad pictures)


Now cut a frame using the same nestability that you used to cut chipboard and emboss it using tan embossing mat. You could also use embossing stylus to emboss around the frame.


Place this frame on your embossed paper



Image Courtesy : Pinterest

(10) Acrylic Distress - This is also a very good technique. Now this also requires thick cardstock. Color it using acrylic color. Apply at least 2 coats of paint.


Use a embossing folder which gives deep impression and emboss it


Use a sandpaper and sand few areas carefully.


Using distress inks color the sanded areas. A finished tag


(11) Embossing on Foil - You can use your regular kitchen foil to make metallic embellishments.




Apply glue on cardstock or chipboard and adhere foil to it. Make sure foil sticks very well. Using dies, cut few shapes and emboss them. Lastly color your pieces. I have used  regular shoe polish to get that black metallic finished flower in the center. Rest are colored with colorbox pigment inks. You could even use alcohol inks.


I hope I have inspired you. I would love to hear from you. If you have any query, do drop a comment and we will get back to you. And don't forget to participate in our current challenge "Nail it Down with Texutres".

Till then, Have fun Crafting !!


19 comments:

  1. OMG such a informative post Poornima.............it is such a brilliant way to make the best use of our resources to achieve endless results.Thanks for sharing.

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  2. The best and most informative post on Embossing folders!! Well done Poornima!!

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  3. This is an awesome post.I am a fan of embossing too and much like you have been exploring all the ways and surfaces where it can be used.I had never seen that acetate embossing technique,so thank you for teaching that awesome technique.

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  4. OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! Lovely post Poornima.. :)

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  5. one needs to bookmark this exhaustive post on Embossing folders!! and all your creations in this post are Awesome!!
    Great job, Poornima!!
    http://www.kalasirjana.blogspot.in/

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  6. Such a fantastic post Poornima..your tags are just mind blowing and the cards are fab !!

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  7. u have actually researched n executed all the methods so well .....hats off to u gurl.....n hv also increased our knowledge base to utilise our embossing folders to the fullest...

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  8. This is fabulous Poornima...a gem of a post.

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  9. This is a superb post... informative and really awesome.. gonna try them all!

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  10. This is so vast......so much of information. Thanks Poornima so much. Already started trying and they do look great.

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  11. Embossing on acetate is FAB!! Great post Poornima, thanks for sharing!!

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  12. Poornima this is such an awesome post ..I just loved the various techniques you have shared using the embossing folder's ...Never knew so much can be done using a embossing folder ..Thank you so much for sharing this detailed post ..All the cards tags and projects you have shared here are so so beautiful !!

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  13. What an awesome post Poornima! All the techniques are wonderful and a must try!love this post of yours ... So informative...so inspiring:)

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  14. Wow.. it's very very interesting! You've really inspired me to try out embossing.

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  15. Wow!! sooo many techniques to work upon!! Surely u hv inspired :) fab post!

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  16. awesome post poornima, this post is a treasure :)

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  17. Amazing post Poornima.Never tried double embossing....will soon try.THANKS :)

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