Heat Embossing

Here is your 2nd installment on embossing.  Yesterday's post (scroll down to see it) talked about pressure embossing.  Today's post is an example of heat embossing.  

The concept is simple: You melt some powder onto the paper, it adheres because its slightly melted into the fibers of the paper, but its also raised up - hence the word "emboss".

The trick is to get the embossing powder to stick where you want it and to not stick where you don't want it.  Typically we use a sticky, gooey, slow-drying ink.  And Stampin'UP!'s new foam ink pads are perfect for embossing.

This gorgeous butterfly is our new Swallowtail Background Stamp.  It just begs to be colored.  However . . .

The problem is the inks. The inks in our ink pads and our markers are both water soluble.  Therefore you really can't stamp the outline and then color it because the marker will smear the stamped outline image.  One solution is to heat emboss the outline.

Can you see the difference here? This butterfly was stamped in black ink and sprinkled with Clear Embossing Powder. In this photo the left side has finished embossing but the right side still needs more heat.  You have a great visual clue when the process is finished. Plus, its fun to watch.

And the answer to your question is NO.  You can't use a hair dryer.  #1 it doesn't get hot enough (what, you want to set your hair on fire?) and #2 the fan on a hair dryer is too strong, it would blow all your embossing powder away. You need a heat gun

Do you like the sparkle on this project? This is another embossing powder.  To get the card to sparkle I covered the WHOLE surface with Versamark ink (a clear gooey ink) and then sprinkled with Iridescent Ice embossing powder and heat set it.  It certainly adds a WOW factor to the project.

By the way, we'll be making this card at the February Stamp-a-Stack this weekend.  There's room for you and a friend. Sign-up HERE on my events calendar.

Are you about to click away without signing up?  You know you'll forget it if you don't sign-up now, so just do it before you click away.  You know you want to make this card.  Which day works for you?  Sunday afternoon or Monday evening?

See you this weekend
--Katie