Dry Embossing...

Another favorite technique of mine is dry embossing. I love that I can make my own embellishments for cards and scrapbook pages with just paper! I use the templates from Lasting Impressions because they are soo cute! To do dry embossing, you need brass templates, a light box, a stylus, waxed paper and paper to emboss on. You can emboss just about any type of paper but if you are using a heavy cardstock in a dark color, you will have a hard time seeing the template underneath. My favorite paper to use is Die Cuts With a View's cardstock stacks. They are great because they are textured and have a white core. The white core is important because when you sand over the embossed images, the white comes through!

Here is a quick how to...

First turn on your light box. On your lightbox, tape down a template. If it has words, put them upside down so you can't read them. Next, put your paper on top, face side down. Use your waxed paper to rub over the image that is showing through. Use your stylus to trace over the image. You don't have to push too hard- just quick and easy... When you are done, flip over your paper and check out your work! You can leave it as is, sand to bring the white core through, or distress using chalk or ink.

Here are a few examples that I made last weekend:

Supplies Used:

Cardstock: Bazzill; Die Cuts With a View (white core)

Patterned Paper: SEI's Silly Line

Others: Ribbon- American Crafts; Dry Embossing Template- Lasting Impressions #L9569, Polka Dots, and #L9280, Baby Assortment

Dry emboss onsie on white paper, cut out. Dry emboss polka dots on orange paper, star on yellow paper. Sand to bring out white core and then cut out. Cut mats to create background layers. Add ribbon and adhere all the layers together. To pop layers, use dimensional pop dots.

Supplies:

Cardstock: Bazzill, Die Cuts With a View (white core)

Patterned Paper: SEI's Great Aunt Gert Collection

Other: Dry Embossing Templates- Lasting Impressions #L37075, Large Dotted Flower

Dry emboss flower, with out the middle or leaf onto the pink flower. Dry emboss the middle of the flower on tan paper and the leaf on green paper. Sand all pieces and cut out. Leave a tab at the base of the leaf to adhere under the flower. Use the straight side of the template to create a square shape on white cardstock. Cut this out and mat it with green cardstock. Adhere all pieces together, using pop dots where you want to add dimension. I embossed the sentiment straight onto the card base. Instead of sanding, I inked it up a little so you could read it easier. When you are working with wording, remember to put your template upside down, otherwise your words will be backwards!

Supplies:

Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Vanilla

Patterned Paper: Basic Grey's Sugared Line

Other: ribbon, source unknown but I got it at Recollections, Dry embossing template- Lasting Impressions #L9587, Rose

Dry emboss rose in layers on pink paper. If you do it in layers, you can pop it up for a dimensional look. I did two outer petals at the bottom as one layer, the opposite two petals as the second layer, the middle section as the next layer and the bud as the top. Cut each layer out separately, sand and layer. Emboss the petals on green and swirls on brown paper as shown. Sand and cut out leaving tabs to adhere to your rose. Add the patterned paper and ribbon to your card base. I was a little fancy here- I added the dotted paper to the inside of the card and cut a border around the rose on the vanilla cardstock. I also cut the brown paper to create a border on the top side of the rose.

Anyways, I hope you enjoy dry embossing as much as I do!

Photo Gifts

I am always trying to find fun ways to incorporate photos into gifts. For Mother's Day this year, I sent my mom, stepmom, and mother-in-law bracelets that showcase my beautiful little girls.

These bracelets are made from Naked Bracelette Kit by 7gypsies. It comes with a clasp, plain bezel charms, acrylic stickers to go over the paper/ photos, and the links to make it into a bracelet. To make it, I stuck the acrylic dome stickers over the photos and patterned paper I chose. I used a few papers from the Bohemia line by My Mind's Eye. I cut around the stickers (it is easy) and then used Diamond Glaze to glue them onto the bezel charms. After that, I just linked the charms together using the links included and pliers!

Just a card...

This one I made last night. I am planning on making 5 more and sending them into a swap I joined.

I used Stampin' Up's Always stamp set. It is a great on and I think it may be my most used set! I just love the heart!

I am really liking the color scheme of Kraft, Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery, and Cameo Coral... They look soo pretty together!! Very shabby chic spring...

As for the techniques, I first inked up the edges of the kraft paper with a makeup sponge and Creamy Caramel ink. I stamped the sentiment in the corner. The berries are done using 2nd and 3rd generation stamping onto the certainly celery piece. I also tore the edge and rolled it up a little onto itself with my finger. I added the blue scallop diecut (Scrapdoodles) and trimmed the edge to line up with the kraft base. The heart is done using the emboss resist technique. To do this, I first stamped the heart with Versamark onto Vanilla cardstock. I embossed using clear embossing powder. I then used a makeup sponge to dab ink over the image. I started with Pretty in Pink, then added Regal Rose around the outside edges and finished by going over it with Cameo Coral to brighten it up. This technique is a lot of fun to play with!! I cut the image out and popped it over the same image stamped in Regal Rose. I cut this out and matted it with Cameo Coral cardstock. The ribbon was the last bit I added...

As always, please email me if you have any questions regarding my techniques or products. I am always happy to help out a fellow crafter!

Summer...

So with all the nice weather recently, I've been dreaming about summer! No, not the hot, sweaty, sweltering days but the fun things we get to do all summer long! I can't wait to splash around at the pool with the girls! There is this great one out in Manassas that Beth introduced me to last year...

This project was inspired by the feeling of summer! I got the little paper mache' pie piece from Recollections before the closed... it was 90% off so I only paid a few cents for it!! I used the Summer Picnic Line by Stampin' Up (in their current mini catalogue) to decorate it, along with some black buttons. The word summer is stamped in black ink, cut out and then diamond glazed and sprinkled with fine glitter. I love this technique and use it quite often! Zoey's photo is held up by a clothes pin I painted red to match. I love it!

I know some of you are waiting to hear about some more up coming classes... I am planning an open house at the beginning of June! I'll let you know more details as I work them out. I will be holding it in Woodbridge so I hope you all will be able to make it!