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Five ways using embossing folders

 I’m excited to be taking part in the Save the Crafty YouTuber Video hop and have loved watching the two previous hops Justine hosted, so I’m thrilled to be part of this one. Today’s video is all about 5 ways using embossing folders. 

The Save the Crafty YouTuber Video hop is a celebration of cardmaking video tutorials created by a group of talented crafters of all different styles and levels. We are coming together to give our viewers a chance to discover other amazing cardmakers and help reach monetization goals! All you have to do is watch, like the video, consider subscribing, and click the link in the video description below to hop to the next video. Let yourself be inspired! Don’t forget to comment because we have tons of prizes to give away. Please indicate if you are located in the USA or International so that prizes can be awarded appropriately as some prizes (not all!) have restrictions on them. I’m giving away a prize if you leave a lovely comment below, and you’ll see what you could be winning later on, so I’d stick around till the end of the video.

Today in this video, I’m showing five ways to use embossing folders in your projects, from a simple technique to more interesting ways to use the folders in your cards. To make it bright and colourful, I also went with a lovely Rainbow colour scheme.

video tutorial

five ways using embossing folders

written tutorial

5 ways using embossing folders

Embossing folders & Colour card

For the first technique, I’ve gone back to basics and just used an embossing folder simply with coloured card. I’m using a dotted embossing folder from Sizzix and a selection of coloured card from a 6″ x 6 Papermania card pack selecting the colours of the rainbow. This is an A4 folder and I ran the red card stock through my big shot plus machine with the sandwich set up for embossing folders – so take out adapter A and just use Adapter B. For other machines just check your manual.

Once the rainbow had been embossed, I trimmed the cards down into 1.5 inches strips and added double-sided tape to the back. Starting with the red piece, I place it down at the top of the card aligning the edges.

Using the grid lines on my mat, I then adhered the orange piece, overlapping the card. If you prefer, you can trim the card down so the strips don’t overlap for a more smooth card, but I like the extra texture. Once all the pieces where added, I used my trimmer to cut off the excess overhang. This was the adhere to a card base with an eighth of an inch border. To finish the card off, I added a white layered die cut Happy from Lawn Fawn,  finished with an embossed sentiment on black card using Opaque Bright white embossing powder from WOW! and a few white nuvo drops from Tonic Studios.  This is a very easy and simple technique, and this style of embossing with bright colours really reminds me of lego, making a great card for a child.

Embossing folders and ink blended backgrounds

For the second technique, you can emboss over ink blended backgrounds – another easy method to try. Using a selection of Catherine Pooler inks, I use some blending brushes to create a rainbow background on Neenah Solar White cardstock. Starting off with Rockin’ red ink, gradually build up the colour using circular motions. For the yellow, I use Limoncello and made sure this overlapped Rockin’ red to create the orange. I then used Fiesta Blue and overlapped this with the yellow to create the green. Also, I added some juniper mist just to add some darker blue and lastly, I added Grape crush for the violet which blends beautifully with Juniper mist.

When I was happy with the blending, I ran this through my machine using a Crafters companion hessian embossing folder. I love the texture this folder has given this vibrant background. The panel was trimmed down and foam mounted onto a white card base. To finish the card off, a white layered die cut Happy from Altenew and an embossed sentiment was added along with a few sequins from Trinity Stamps. This technique is great if you don’t have a lot of coloured card but have an array of inks in your craft stash allowing you to get the look of the embossed coloured card quite easily.

Embossing folder and ink sprizting for textured watercolour backgrounds

For the third technique, I’m going to use spritz inking to create a faux watercolour look. I’m using a Tim Hotz alterations folder from Sizzix and a selection of distress oxides. First of all, I’m applied Wilted violet to one side of the embossing folder – this is the side that will deboss into the card stock. However, you can use whichever side you prefer. The apply blueprint sketch, salty ocean, mowed lawn, squeezed lemonade, spiced marmalade and candied apple. Don’t worry about overlapping the colours whilst apply the ink as we are going spritz the folder with water.

This will start to move the inks and allow them to blend. Position some distress watercolour card in the folder and close it shut. Next, run this through your machine to emboss it. As you remove it, you get a lovely textured faux watercolour look to your embossed design.

To finish the card the panel was foam mounted it onto a card base, and white layered hello die cut from Altenew with glossy accents for shine as added to the panel, as well as an embossed sentiment. This technique creates fun messy backgrounds, with some control but each time you background might look slightly different depending on how the water moves.

Embossing folders and Alcohol ink backgrounds

For the fourth technique, I’m using embossing folders with alcohol ink backgrounds. Alcohol inks can create fun unique backgrounds, but using an embossing folder can allow to add a design to the backgrounds as well.  I dropped a selection of inks down onto some Yupo paper, starting off with Watermelon, coral, Dandelion Pearl ink, Botanical, Sailboat, Indigo and Villainous pearl. Make sure your room is well ventilated when using alcohol inks. I like to use a straw to move the inks about and added alcohol ink blending solution of help move the ink around. I also splattered some of this over the paper for added texture.

Before the background was completely dry, I added some foil detail to the areas where the ink was still sticky. I placed some rose gold foil from WOW! Embossing powders over the top burnished it with my finger and then removed the sheet. Some of the foil will transfer onto the sticky ink giving a marbled look. I got a little ink transfer from the foil sheet, as I had us the piece of another alcohol background in the past and there was ink left on it which reactivated when it touched the alcohol ink background.

To fix this mistake, I cut the background down into 2 strips to get two cards. I used a leaf vine embossing folder from Sizzix to emboss these two pieces. To keep the strips straight whilst embossing as this has a vertical pattern to it, I applied a little repositionable tape of the back of them and adhered them down in the folder.

To add more texture to one piece, I used my sand eraser to run away some of the ink over the embossed areas. Once you have done this, just run the eraser over a scrap paper to move the ink transferred onto the eraser. Alternatively, you can use sandpaper.  These were finished off with some sentiments from Avery Elle Sentimental die collection along with a couple of small heat embossed sentiments. I kept the cards quite simple so the bold colours popped against the white and to allowed the foil to shine.

Embossing folders and faux letter press

For the last technique, I use the folder to transfer ink to create a faux letterpress design. Using a selection of Catherine pooler inks, I added ink to the raised side of the design in this embossing folder from docrafts. You only want to tap lightly to prevent ink transfer to all of the folder and not just the raised areas. These inks are great for this, as they transfer ink really well without much pressure. You can use a baby wipe to remove any excess ink that transferred. Once the design is inked up, place your card in the folder and close it shut. You may want to do this at your machine, to prevent the card moving and smudging the ink.

After you’ve run through the machine, the ink will have transferred into the debossed design, giving a faux letterpress look. Remember, you can use your mono sand eraser if any excess ink has transferred to clean up the design. I added a thanks die cut from Birch Press designs, along with an embossed sentiment and a few sequins from Trinity stamps. This technique gives a lovely elegant look to your cards, and I think it is my favourite technique out of the five. Whatsmore, you could use embossing ink as an alternative and then add embossing powder to heat set instead.

five ways using embossing folders

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five ways using embossing folders

Supplies

Affiliate links at not extra cost to you at: Altenew (ALT), Scrapbook.com (SB), Craft Stash Uk (CS UK), and Craft Stash US (CS US). All other shops are do not contain affiliate links: Bumbleberry Papercrafts (BP), WOW! UK (WOW UK), WOW! US (WOW US).

Original MISTI - My Sweet Petunia
Original MISTI – My Sweet Petunia
Shop at:
ALT | BP | SB
Opaque Birght White -WOW! Embossing Powder
Opaque Birght White -WOW! Embossing Powder
Shop at:
CS (UK) | CS (US) | WOW (UK) | WOW (US)
WOW! Dual Speed Heat Gun (US version)
WOW! Dual Speed Heat Gun (US version)
Shop at:
WOW (US)
Blueprint Sketch Distress Oxide - Ranger Ink
Blueprint Sketch Distress Oxide – Ranger Ink
Shop at:
BP | SB | CS (UK)
Mowed Lawn Distress Oxide - Ranger Ink
Mowed Lawn Distress Oxide – Ranger Ink
Shop at:
BP | SB | CS (UK)
Gina K Designs - Connect Glue
Gina K Designs – Connect Glue
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BP
Neenah Classic Crest Solar White 110lb Cardstock
Neenah Classic Crest Solar White 110lb Cardstock
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BP

“Life Changing” Blender Brushes 2 pack
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BP

“Life Changing” Blender Brushes 10 Pack
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BP
WOW! Dual Speed Heat Gun (UK version)
WOW! Dual Speed Heat Gun (UK version)
Shop at:
CS (UK) | WOW (UK)
WOW! Clear ultra slow drying embossing pad
WOW! Clear ultra slow drying embossing pad
Shop at:
CS (UK) | WOW (UK) | WOW (US)
Reason To Smile - Altenew
Reason To Smile – Altenew
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ALT | BP | CS (UK)
Happy - Altenew
Happy – Altenew
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ALT
Sentimental Stamps - Avery Elle
Sentimental Stamps – Avery Elle
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BP | SB
Simply Hello - Altenew
Simply Hello – Altenew
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BP | SB
Squeezed lemonade distress oxide - Ranger
Squeezed lemonade distress oxide – Ranger
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BP | SB
Spiced Marmalade distress oxide - Ranger
Spiced Marmalade distress oxide – Ranger
Shop at:
BP | SB
Candied Apple distress oxide - Ranger
Candied Apple distress oxide – Ranger
Shop at:
BP | SB
Salty Ocean distress oxide - Ranger
Salty Ocean distress oxide – Ranger
Shop at:
BP | SB
Wilted Violet distress oxide - Ranger
Wilted Violet distress oxide – Ranger
Shop at:
BP | SB
Sentimental dies- Avery Elle
Sentimental dies- Avery Elle
Shop at:
BP

Additional supplies used (No links available)

  • Rockin’ Red ink Catherine Pooler Designs
  • Limoncello ink Catherine Pooler Designs
  • Fiesta Blue ink Catherine Pooler Designs
  • Juniper Mist ink Catherine Pooler Designs
  • Grape Crush ink Catherine Pooler Designs
  • Thanks die – Birch Press Designs
  • Happy die – Lawn Fawn
  • White Nuvo drops – Tonic Studios
  • Watermelon Alcohol Ink – Ranger
  • Coral Alcohol Ink – Ranger
  • Dandelion Alcohol Pearl Ink – Ranger
  • Botanical Alcohol Ink – Ranger
  • Sailboat Alcohol Ink – Ranger
  • Indigo Alcohol Ink – Ranger
  • Villainous Alcohol Pearl Ink – Ranger

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I would love to hear what you think of the project!

I often forget about using my embossing folders, but they are very versatile and can be used in a simple way with cardstock, or create fun and unique embossing backgrounds. No matter your budget, skill or time, you can easily use them in your cards and are a budget-friendly craft tool.

 

As part of The Save the Crafty YouTuber Video hop, I’m giving away to one lucky commenter, the Blossoms Vine embossing folder by docrafts which I used on the last card – don’t worry you will get a new folder. Whatsmore, I’m also including a script alphabet die set and adhesive vellum sheet pack as well. I will pay postage and shipping, but local taxes are at the recipient’s cost. So remember, to leave a comment over on the video on Youtube to be in a for a chance to win.

 

To continue along the hop, make sure you click the link in the description box of the video on Youtube to take you to the next stop in the hop. You can also start right at the beginning of the hop over at Justine’s channel HERE.

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DISCLOSURE

This was not produced as part of any design team work nor is the prize of the post sponsored by any company. It was produced for taking part in the Save the crafty Youtuber video hop. Affiliate links are used where possible at no extra cost to you.

About Me

Hi, I am Verity and I live in the UK.  I love to create beautiful projects whenever I can. My main passion lies with Papercrafting, however, I will always turn my hand to a new project or craft any chance I get.

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5 thoughts on “Five ways using embossing folders”

  • Great tutorial, very inspiring. Can I ask you about the embossing folders you used. Have you got the name and brand of them? (Some were really big!) Thanks!

    • Hi, I’m not 100% sure on the names of some of them as I no longer have the packaging for them and they don’t have a name on the folder. I’ve googled them and I one of them I think is called Sizzix Dot A4 large embossing folder. For the others, all I can say is the brand I’m afraid, One is Darice, Docrafts (Xcut), and Tim Holtz

  • Love your cards and tutorial, you went through it so quickly (love that)! Will be trying all of the techniques for sure. Thank you!
    I live up n Canada.

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