Dry embossing

Dry Embossing by hand is so easy to do and can add a real professional touch! You can buy metal templates and embossing tools from most papercraft stores. The templates come in a variety of patterns, shapes and sizes. (I have my eye on a lovely dragon one, actually. One day it may come to live in my craft cupboard!)

In the picture at the top of the page you can just see the shadow of my brass template behind the paper I am working on.

Here's what I do:

• Select my cardstock, template and tool

• Find a window with lots of light behind it

• Tape or blue-tack my template to the window at a comfortable height for me to work on. In the image above you can see I've chosen a brass rose template and it is under the paper I am working on (you can see a corner of the template on the lower right in the picture at the bottom of the cardstock)

• Place the cardstock over the template where I want my finished design to appear

• Run the stencil tool firmly over the template and cardstock, making sure I rub all metal edges of the images with the tool. Work by rubbing the tool in one direction all over the paper, then return and cross-hatch the image with the tool if desired. Be careful not to press too hard or your tool may go through the paper

• Remove my template and cardstock, turn the paper over so the raised side is 'up' and use the image as desired. In this case I have chalked my design.

Many people have light boxes and use them to see the template behind their cardstock instead of a window. This may be a lot more comfortable for you to use, if you have one. You can also just raise the outline of your image by running your tool only along the edge of the designs instead of cross hatching them.

Other things to try with Dry Embossing:

Look for unusual 'templates' to try:

• the edges of tearing rulers
• leaves
• hold your cardstock over an etched design on a vase, for example, and use it as a template
• Coins

Be inventive and enjoy your manual dry embossing experiments!

Once you have tried this technique you may want to branch out and consider purchasing a Big Shot machine. You would then be able to expand your papercrafting to include die cutting and machine embossing. It is so quick, easy and convenient to have a Big Shot machine from Stampin' Up!

Remember to Contact Me if you have any questions or inquiries about the techniques or products used here.

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