Core'dinations & DIY embossing folders

I'm still intrigued by the notion of making embossing folders. I'd had it in mind to make one using butterflies, but hadn't gotten around to trying it until today. I pulled out my scrap chipboard, some heavy weight transparency and my Spellbinders butterfly dies. I seem to have quite a few of those dies. I constructed my folder in the same way that I've described before for DIY embossing, but instead of repeating one image several times--that had actually been my original plan--I decided to make it really easy on myself and use all of my butterfly dies at once. So, I made the cuts for this folder all in one pass. Gotta love quick and easy!

The next problem--what to make with this new folder. I'd tested it on text weight paper. I always do that first. Then I'd put folded paper through it. Finally I ran it through with cardstock inside. I figure that by then I've gradually made room for my cardstock to be embossed between those two sides of my chipboard 'sandwich'. Sometimes it's a tight fit starting out.

Now Pearl, if you're reading, this is your fault, you enabler! LOL! Pearl had mentioned the new Core'dinations cardstock a while back, saying that it would probably look really cool with some of the embossing I'd been playing with. I'd been resisting, but I finally did order some to try. No time like the present to try it!


I made this card very simple because I wanted the focus to be on the embossing. All of the die cut shapes that I used were by Spellbinders. I also used Black Magic Core'dinations cardstock and distressed the embossing with a sanding block. I like it! It's a neat effect! The sentiment is by Studio G.

I used more Core'dinations cardstock on this next card, but in a slightly different way.


I distressed the cardstock first by crumpling it then sanding it. I flattened it out a bit and then put it through my Big Shot inside the Perfectly Paisley Cuttlebug embossing folder. I then accented the embossing with the Adirondack Snow Cap pigment ink. The cardstock with the sentiment is the reverse side of the Black Magic, so it matches the distressed color exactly, which is fun. Since that part of the card didn't show up well, here's a close up.


There's a flower vine image stamped in the background with Versamark ink. The sentiment itself is stamped with Memento dye ink. Both stamps are by Hero Arts. The embellishments are Robin's Nest Dew Drops, and yes, this particular set is opaque, and there are white ones which look very much like the half pearls that people often look for only a bit more translucent. Just thought I'd mention that. Turnabout enabling is fair play, eh? :-)