At the far right is a border embossed the regular way. It shows that line that can be so irritating. The embossing in the center is the one I embossed using a craft stick. The one on the left is one that I did by using the following sandwich in my Big Shot: multipurpose platform open to Tab 2, border folder with cardstock inside, silicone embossing mat, clear plate. The beauty of this last method is that you probably already have everything you need. If I looked VERY closely, I could see a very faint line made by each edge. I don't think that you could see them in the photo. The embossing is also just a bit less crisp. I think that the differences are small though, and the ease of using just a silicone mat makes up for them. So add that in as yet another way to emboss with these folders and avoid the annoying lines. Thanks, Jackie!
Now this is a tip that is probably useful only for Big Shot/Big Kick users, but I thought this was a neat time-saver. I'd read somewhere about being able to cut and emboss Nestabilities dies in one pass by using the Sizzix crease pad. I wish I could remember where I'd seen it, but it was a while back and I didn't get a chance to try it until this afternoon. Just know that this is not an idea that I'm claiming to have come up with myself--I wanted to share it though.
What I did was use the following stack: my multipurpose platform on Tab 2, clear cutting plate, oval scalloped Nestabilities die with cutting side up, cardstock, blue Sizzix crease pad. So in short, I substituted the crease pad for the clear cutting plate that would normally be at the top of my stack. One pass through the machine, and you can see in the photo that the die did indeed both cut and emboss my scalloped oval shape. I love this because it's so quick and easy. No changing stacks. Just one pass. Very cool.
Hope that Big Shot/Big Kick users find these tips helpful. :-)
Edited to add: I've posted about cutting and embossing Nestabilities in one pass using the Cuttlebug, too. You can read that post by clicking HERE.
Thanks for sharing the embossing folder tip and the Nestabilities tip, too - now I have to go find a Sizzix crease pad!
ReplyDeleteI've had my crease pad for ages and had only used it once before, I think. I'll be pulling it out often now that I have another use for it.
ReplyDeleteOk, now I need to add the crease pad to my list of things to buy for my BigKick. Seriously, if you got commission on just the things I've purchased after seeing them on your blog,you'd be a wealthy woman! Ok, maybe not actually wealthy, but it would at least fund a visit to Starbucks.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your knowledge! Your blog has been very helpful. I'll bookmark it so i can refer back to it when needed. Thanks again! Your site has been soooooooooooo helpful!!!!!
ReplyDeleteAnn
WOW! Absolutely amazing! I'm going over to joann.com right now and look for that crease pad. I've got a set of nestabilities that are still in their packaging.
ReplyDelete~Cheers
SharonK-MN
I've got a crease pad and I tried this, even with the shims, without, with tab one, with tab two, with no tabs, even exactly as you said... nothing works for me... :-(
ReplyDeleteCall Me Clueless
Call Me, I'm sorry to hear that it's not working for you. What happened when you tried using the crease pad? Did it not cut, or not emboss? With a little more info we might be able to troubleshoot this and get it to work for you. And just to doublecheck, you're using the crease pad and not the silicone rubber mat or impressions pad, right?
ReplyDeleteI tried also and it did emboss, however it didn't cut.
ReplyDeleteTonie, try adding a shim. Occasionally I'll wind up with a partial cut, depending on how thick the cardstock or paper is that I'm using. Shimming will help that blade cut all the way through.
ReplyDeleteThis may also be one of those situations where the pressure applied by any one machine may vary from another, so you might have to play a bit at first to see what works best with yours. Oh, plus it also seems that all crease pads are not alike--the red one that I purchased recently is just a bit thinner than my old blue one. So try shimming and be sure to start thin--it doesn't usually take much to get the cut and emboss working properly.
Hope that helps. :-)
I am going to try that sandwich, though I find just cutting the nesties on tab 2 with the normal cutting plates alone does emboss and cut and I think this is because of the large empty area in the centre which gets pressed down.
ReplyDeleteThe same method didn't work with other Spellbinder dies, I needed to cut then emboss so I will try the sandwich on those too, now I have a crease pad!
I have the CB borders on the way, what is a craft stick?
Hi!
ReplyDeleteToday I posted an entry on my blog with a link to these tips.
Would you let me know if that's OK?
Thanks,
Nancy Ward
http://paperfriendly.blogspot.com
Not a problem, Nancy. Thanks for stopping by!
ReplyDeleteJay
Saw a pin on Pinterest and here I am. I followed your directions and it worked BEAUTIFULLY. Thanks SO much.
ReplyDeleteI shall try both tips! I hardly ever use my ten borders, and I was disappointed to find that I have to make two different sandwiches and passes at different tab settings to cut and emboss a set of dies I looked forward to. Consequently I have stopped using them. Thank you!
ReplyDeletewouldn't this cause cutting into the crease pad. that it couldn't be used except for a cutting pad.
ReplyDeleteThe crease pad was originally designed for use with Sizzix dies that cut and score. With the regular cutting pads, sometimes the score lines would cut through. The crease pad has more give to it, and some are actually thinner than the cutting pads—this allows the die to cut the cut lines and score the score lines, and in the case of nestabilities, you can create the embossed design at the same time as making the cut.
DeleteHope that helps! :-)
After reading your tip, I ordered a crease pad. I just received it and can't wait to try it with oodles of my dies!! Thanks for sharing
ReplyDelete