All Eyes On...Embossing

We all know it, and we all love it...embossing! Whether it's heat embossing or dry embossing, it's hard to beat the instant impact that it adds to a project. And this month all eyes are on embossing.

Myself and a few of the Design Team members are sharing some cards with you that all feature embossing. I chose to focus on heat embossing, specifically, the "emboss resist" technique. For those of you that are not familiar with this technique, it's very easy, and produces stunning results. You simply clear emboss an image, and then add ink using a sponge, q-tip, or applicator directly over top of and around the embossed area. The embossed area will resist the ink, causing it to stand out clearly from the areas you have inked. I apologize that I do not have step-by-step photos this month (sometimes life gets in the way), but I did take some close-up shots for reference.

I started by stamping my focal image from Woodgrain Silhouettes Additions (Wplus9 Design Studio) in the center of my cardstock panel. Going in, I knew I wanted to frame the focal image and create an old worn/burned out look around the edges. And it was so easy.

I used the Music Score rubber background stamp by Stampendous. This is a large 4x5 inch stamp so all I had to do was ink all around the edges of the stamp, avoiding the middle, with Versamark ink and stamp directly over my focal image panel. This left my focal image clean. I then used clear embossing powder and shot it with my heat tool to set. Now it was time to add the contrasting ink. Using a Tim Holtz Adirondack Alcohol Ink Applicator and Tim Holtz Distress Ink in walnut stain, I applied the ink in circular sweeping motions all around the edges of the panel directly over the embossing. To create the halo effect around the center stamped image I came in closer all around, using different amounts of ink and pressure here and there to break it up.

I absolutely love the effect this created and will be experimenting with it more in the future. Maybe I'll try using some Maya Mist etc. I finished the card using a sentiment from Mehndi Medallionsa (Wplus9 Design Studio), and framed that with buttons wrapped with some twine. Kind of a rustic elegance, don't you think?

Now let's check out what some of the the design team did. Just click on the pics to visit each blog and check out their cards.

Thanks for stopping by today! Don't forget, if you've got any requests for an All Eyes On...feature, be sure to leave it in the comments. Now...go get your craft on!

Project Supplies

STAMPS: Woodgrain Silhouettes Additions, Mehndi Medallions (Wplus9 Design Studio); Music Score (Stampendous)
INK: VersaMark; Canary pigment ink, Dark Brown fluid chalk ink (Colorbox); Walnut Stain distress ink (Tim Holtz by Ranger); Sahara Sand dye ink (Stampin' Up!)
PAPER: Rustic Cream cardstock (Papertrey Ink); Kraft cardstock (Stampin' Up!)
FIBERS: Rustic Twine (Papertrey Ink)
OTHER: Clear embossing powder (Stampendous); Alcohol Ink Applicator (Tim Holtz Ranger); Vintage buttons (Papertrey Ink); Heat tool