Waving goodbye to 2012

This was a very lean year for crafting for me for various reasons. I kept up with the crafting world, but didn't sit down and create. Maybe I just needed a break. Who knows? 

But when the holidays rolled around, I felt the need to jump back into it. I've been a longtime member of an internet fan club devoted to Diana Gabaldon and her Outlander series. For the past several years, many of us have participated in a holiday card exchange, and it's great fun to send cards and receive cards from all around the world. I've always made my cards and decided that I didn't want this year to be different. So, I started brainstorming, and this was the first card that I came up with.

The Penny Black hedgie image was fun and has a humorous connection to The Books. I got to use an embossing folder (Sizzix) and my Vagabond that had been sitting and gathering dust. (GASP!) I've always liked the look of the kraft card stock  I liked the card, but I didn't love it. Plus, I thought it was kind of the same old thing that I'd done before, from a design standpoint anyway.

It was back to the drawing board... but wait! I'd been "saving" cards that caught my eye on my Cards to CASE board on Pinterest. I knew that I'd been attracted to the simpler and cleaner designs lately. I browsed the board to see what else they had in common and to see if I could find some inspiration. The following card is what I came up with.

I went the cleaner and simpler route with a panel of color on solid white card stock and the sentiment in the lower corner. Since I was making a large number of cards, I opted to go with a panel design that would allow me to make many in one fell swoop. I ended up doing a resist on glossy card stock using Perfect Resist and dye inks, then stamped over the whole sheet with black and navy blue permanent inks, collage-style. All stamps used in making this card front were by Scottish Borders Stamping, by the way. I cut out the strips, mounted them on black card stock and adhered them to the fronts of the cards, later adding score lines and the sentiment.

This is a closer look at the front panel. I liked it! The whole design felt more up-to-date.

But after looking at the card a bit more and trying to decide how and where to add just a bit more embellishment, it occurred to me that the center panel of the card front could double as a bookmark, for when the holidays were over and the decorations and cards taken down. On subsequent cards, before adhering the stamped panel, I added a couple perforated score lines that I tried to show in the above photo, taking care to run my adhesive between them so that the panel could be detached easily. This in mind, I added the ribbon to the edge of the panel using a mini stapler. Done! Happy! Finished in time to send them out in timely fashion, too.  :-)

So, this is my 2012 post. I hope this gets my creative juices flowing again. To those still checking in, I wish you a Happy 2013 with lots of time for creating and doing all of the things that let you relax and recharge.

SURPRISE!

Yes, here I am, appearing out of the crafting void. Life has been keeping me busy doing things other than stamping and cardmaking, but I had to make cards for the holidays!


Here's what I made for this year's holiday card exchange (at an author fan site of which I've been a long-time member):

Since I knew that I'd be making a bunch of cards, about forty, I tried to keep it simple. HA! Never works out that way. I just had to keep embellishing and adding small touches here and there. I do like how this turned out though.


So I started with precut and prefolded cards from Michael's Recollections line, conveniently already on clearance. The snowman was made using a Sizzix Bigz die and embossing folder combo (Snowman & Hat)—make your die cut then run it through your machine of choice inside the embossing folder. Worked great! I'll just add in here that I used the Sizzix Vagabond machine for this part of the process and it made it extremely quick and easy. I even cut out the hat from black cardstock in the same pass. I just laid the white over the snowman and the small piece of black over the hat and ran it all through. The snowman was embellished with Glaze pens for the eyes and carrot nose and then a snowflake from the Martha Stewart line of punches. I added the silver hat band with a silver metallic marker and dabbed on a spot of Frosted Lace Stickles. Another Martha Stewart punch, this time a border punch, helped me create the plaid border. Martha's baker's twine formed the scarf. The final touch was a couple of spritzes of Perfect Pearls Perfect Pearl Mist. Love that added shimmer and snowy look! 


Happy Holidays!

thinking of you, part one

Ahhh, the urge to make some cards came on earlier. I pulled out the Making Memories Slice machine since I recently got my hands on the Studio Expressions design card and I wanted to play with it a bit. I also used some of my old stand-by techniques.

For this card I took a scrap of designer card stock and ran it through my Big Shot inside the Stampin' Up!/Sizzix Finial Press textured impressions folder. I accented the embossing with some Tuxedo Black Memento dye ink applied direct to paper and then adhered the layer to my card front. I added the score lines to my card using my Scor-it. I cut the labels using my Slice and a selection from the Studio Essentials design card, layered them and then attached them with foam tape to pop them out a bit. The stamped image is by Studio G and stamped and colored using Memento inks.

Interestingly, I'd made a second card with a similar sentiment, only in French. Sheer coincidence! I didn't even realize it until later. But I'm going to hold off on posting that one for just a bit. It ties in with something else that I'd worked on this week. Don't want to say more about that for the moment though. :-)

Now it's about time to see how Team USA will fare in hockey. I should be able to catch the 1st period before heading out on the afternoon drive to school.

scoring late in the game ;-)

I wanted to share a few cards that I made over the holidays that I didn't post here. They were originally made for sharing in the Scor-It newsletter, but it looks like they've started up their own design team now so I'll go ahead and share these here.

I made these using the full-size Scor-It board and Scor-It ruler. I like finding unusual ways of using scoring on my cards and these are a couple of great tools for doing just that.

Starting simply, a grid pattern can be easily made using the new ruler and it can add visual interest to a card front as above. This is a card that came in a box of premade, prefolded, blank seasonal cards. I added the stamped sentiment, the punched bird, and the grid scoring, and just like that it became a more interesting and more unique card. Some touches with a glitter pen would add some fun sparkle, too. I may have to do that.

I also like stamping bolder images on designer cardstocks and papers for making a quick card.

Here I added the flourished bird design to the preprinted card stock.

For a special touch, I added some diagonal scores in a pattern that resembles a beam of light. Again, very easy to accomplish using the Scor-It board and ruler. I scored right over the top of the design, after making sure that the ink had dried, of course. :-) I've used this scoring pattern before, using stamped images at the upper and lower corners where the cardstock is unscored. I like the look of scoring over the images themselves, too.

And finally I have a card that took a little more time to make, but I thought that the effect was worth it. This was inspired by a card that I saw on Splitcoast Stampers but done a different way.

I started out with a piece of A2 size white cardstock and stamped a flourish image multiple times in a couple of colors to make a subtle background.

I then turned this face down onto my Scor-It board and proceeded to score a brick-like pattern. I started with horizontal scores 1/2" apart then added short vertical scores to make 1" wide bricks. I staggered the scores to make it look more realistic.

So now I've got that nice background pattern and the scored design.

Another thing that's fun about the Scor-It is that it makes such crisp, deep scores. I took advantage of that in this step where I stamped a flourished bird onto the front using black ink. The bird image helped bring out that brick pattern of scoring even more, and I really liked that effect. It's even more stunning with a more solid stamp design, as you might imagine.

This is my finished card. I trimmed some of the bricks away to give that central image more interest.

Here's a closer view....

It can be a lot of fun to using scoring in decorative ways. The Scor-It board and ruler can add more than just a professional hinge score to your cards, though that's definitely a great start. :-) Creating 3D projects and using scoring in creative ways on card fronts, layers, and die cuts with these tools opens up a world of creative possibilities.

BTW, it also looks like the Scor-It folks are coming up with more ideas for accessories. The latest newsletter shows pics of their new Position-It. It looks like a fancier version of a stamp positioner. I'll be interested to see what advantages it has to offer over my tried and true Stamp-a-ma-jig. They also have new pink Scor-It boards being released soon. As I recall, it'll be neat because the rulers will have both inches/metric measurements, plus there'll be another size board added to the arsenal, smaller than the original but larger than the mini--made to accommodate A4 size European cards. Oh, and the tool will be stainless steel rather than wood.

Oops, almost forgot to include credits--all of the above card images were by Inkadinkado and stamped using Memento inks. The cardinal in the first card was made using a Martha Stewart punch. The snowflake embossing in the last card was made using a Sizzix textured impressions embossing folder.

three more cards using Thanks edge punch

I made an informal challenge to myself this weekend to come up with more ways to use the Martha Stewart Thanks edge punch. I came up with a few more ideas.

Here are three more cards....


For this card I punched along the edges of a strip of card stock and embossed Cuttlebug images between. I mounted that strip on a card front that I embossed using the C'bug Stylized Flowers A2 embossing folder. I accented the card with a bit of bling and some colorful hemp fibers.


This card was made from a base of gray Bazzill card stock that I embossed using the C'bug Thanks embossing folder. This time I used the Thanks edge punch by punching two different colors of card stock and then offsetting them just a bit to get sort of a drop shadow effect. I then embossed those two layers using one of the Sizzix thank you textured impressions embossing folders.


The photo above just shows what I meant by the drop shadow effect.


And finally, this is a flip card that I made using the Thanks edge punch and Taj Mahal decorative card stock by DCWV. The lantern image is by Inkadinkado and stamped using Brilliance Graphite Black ink.


That's the view from the front as the card is opened.


This is a view of the back as the center panel begins to flip around.


And this is a closer view of the back panel. The sentiment says, "You brighten my day" and is by Hero Arts.

So there you have three more cards that illustrate how this new Thanks edge punch by Martha Stewart can be used. :-) Have I enabled you enough yet? ;-)

two more quick cards, no stamping involved

We're getting ready for school to start and have been busy with preparations and getting in all of those last minute tasks that we suddenly have little time left to finish.

In that spirit, I have two cards that were very quick to make. They involve embossing, but no stamping, so these were very fast and easy.


I used the QuicKutz 12" retro diamonds embossing folder for the bottom of this card. The sentiment is a Martha Stewart punch and I accented that strip of kraft card stock with the Spellbinders Scalloped Edge Petite borderability die.


For this card I used the Stampin' Up/Sizzix Finial Press textured impressions folder. I love this one! It's so pretty. Again, the sentiment is a Martha Stewart edge punch and I accented that with the Rose Border Petite Borderability die by Spellbinders.

I really like the look of the edge punches combined with the borderabilities dies. I think I'll have to do more experimenting to come up with more looks.

Oh, QuicKutz, why?

QuicKutz has released new embossing folders--another new set of about a dozen A2 size as well as some 12" borders with fun designs. Here's a card that I made with the A2 folder called flowers....


First off, as I said, the embossed background was made using the new QuicKutz flowers A2 embossing folder. The other die cuts were also made with QuicKutz dies, nested labels, I think they're called. The stamped image and sentiment are by Hampton Arts.

Now for my gripe--crafters already dislike the fact that these folders (and by "these" I'm referring to the QuicKutz and the Cuttlebug embossing folders) don't emboss the full front of an A2 size card. So far Sizzix is the only company that is getting this right with their textured impressions folders. But now QuicKutz has made things even worse--these embossed designs didn't even come close to covering an A2 sized space. The pale yellow layer in my card is A2 size. The darker yellow is the embossed area created by the flowers folder--came out to 4 X 5 inches before I sliced it up and punched holes in it. That's why I had to be a little more creative about how I used the embossed design. I had some room to make up on my card front!

I haven't looked closely at my other folders yet. I will. Right now I'm a bit disappointed in that some of these folder manufacturers seem to be headed in the wrong direction. First ProvoCraft placed their designs closer to the fold in their latest release, making it tougher to center the design nicely on a card front. Now QuicKutz is making the embossed area within the folder even smaller and not in symmetric fashion. ARGH! I guess we'll just have to keep wishing for the best and having to be creative with how we use these, eh? I still love using embossing folders, despite their flaws. *insert dramatic sigh* :-)

extremely fast and easy card

I was playing with a couple of things that I'd ordered from Stampin' Up! I ended up making a card that I liked and it was so incredibly fast and easy to make that I thought I'd share it here.

Here's the card....


The embossing on the card front was made using the Elegant Bouquet A2 textured impressions folder by Sizzix/SU! That is the design of the folder--no partial or selective embossing on my part. The embossed sentiment was made using the Hi embosslit by Sizzix/SU! Since I went with white on white, it looks like the sentiment was embossed directly on the card front. It wasn't. The oval shape is a separate piece of embossed card stock that was adhered to the front. I thought it was a fun look.

So, with two passes through my Big Shot and a bit of adhesive, I ended up with a card that looks like it took a lot more time and trouble to make than it actually did. Now I'll have to see if I can do something similar with other embosslits and embossing folders. :-)

more fun with punch & stamp sets

I'll admit it. I love playing with crafting tools. :-) I reviewed the EK Success Paper Shapers Punch & Stamps sets recently. I really liked the way the Black-Eyed Susan set did its job. I decided to try out some other ones.

I made this card by embossing the card front with an A2 size Sizzix folder from the textured impressions Spring Set 2 . Love the way it covers the entire front! I used the circle punch & stamp set to make the heart-stamped, round flower center from decorative paper. The heart-shaped petals were made using the heart punch & stamp set. The sentiment is by Hot Off the Press, and all inks were Memento.

I really like how simple it is to get a nicely placed stamped design on a punched shape using these sets. I'm not saying that it can't be done by stamping, centering the image and punching with a regular punch, but this takes the guesswork out of it, and I like that a lot! I have a clear alphabet stamp set that I want to use with these next. Seems like this should be great for making words etc.

And woo hoo! My web site is back up and my blog background once again looks much more interesting than plain white. :-)

nice try with those embossing folders, QuicKutz

Wow, I can hardly believe how quickly time is flying! Yes, I'm still here and I've not given up blogging. Life has just gotten very busy!

That said, let me cut to the chase. I've had some of these QuicKutz embossing folders for a while now. I wanted to say a couple of things about them.


In the photo above you can see the A2 size folders and a couple of the smaller 2x2 size folders. These are very much like the ProvoCraft Cuttlebug embossing folders, except for the bluish tint to the plastic.


Unfortunately, they are also like the Cuttlebug embossing folders in that they aren't quite a true A2 size--by this I mean that the embossed design will not cover the entire front of an A2 size card.


I hope that you can make out that the vines reach from the top of the card to the bottom, and they're a nice crisp emboss, too, but they don't quite make it from the left edge to the right edge. If you're a crafter who's driven nuts by stuff like this, then be aware that these folders are going to leave you a bit of unembossed border on your card front.


I also had another issue with my new QK folders and this one is a more serious one in that it seems to be due to a manufacturing defect. In the photo above, you can see that the folders don't close with nice even edges. I had an 'Uh oh' moment when I noticed this.


This turned to a "GRRRR!" moment when I held them up to the light and saw that the two sides of the folders didn't match up. Hey, that's what makes these folders work, eh? But okay, maybe they'd still emboss.


My apologies for the poor quality of this photo, but frankly, the performance of the folders didn't help. The usual sandwich combo produced only a faint emboss. I went with a slightly thicker stack and ran these through again--this time I used Tab 1 on my multipurpose platform rather than no tabs. The embossing was more distinct, but far from the crisp design that it should have been. It was also very uneven in places.


Here's why. I could make the faces of the design fit together, but this is what I had to do to the folder to get them to match. There's no way that would get that way or stay that way going through a machine. Heheheh, well, unless someone, oh, I don't know, maybe decided to cut it apart or something. ;-)

Here's how the other folder looked when I fit those faces together, poor contorted thing. Again, the only embossed design I was going to get using this folder was a poor one.

So, the bottom line at this point for me is that QuicKutz apparently didn't hear the pleas of crafters who want embossed designs to cover the entire front of an A2 card, or even something larger. Hurray for Sizzix for getting that right with their textured impressions embossing folders! I should mention though, that the QK 2" x 12" borders do look like they'll emboss the full 12", so that's good news for scrappers. But I now have some defective product on my hands. I'll be writing to them to see if they're interested in making this right. I'll update if/when I hear something.

One last point, since I'm touching on customer service--my Scor-It (and I've mentioned before that they have SUPERB customer service) was buried under lots of stuff, so I used my Making Memories cutter as my background of sorts for photos today. I'd written to Making Memories a while back because my supposedly self-sharpening blade was fraying card stock when it cut. Unacceptable. I like this cutter. I've been using it for about a year. All I wanted/needed was a new blade. Well, they're supposed to be self-sharpening, so they don't have replacement blades available. ARGH! Their customer service suggested I get in touch with their dept that sends out replacements. I didn't really want a whole new cutter, but okay. My new one arrived yesterday. Wow. I like companies that stand by their product and are willing to make things right when things go wrong. Very cool. :-)

Chart for Assorted Dies & Sizzix Multipurpose Platform

Quite a while back I wrote up an entry about the Big Shot and multipurpose platform (MPP) called Big Shot Basics. I'd said that I love the MPP because it makes using all of the dies, folders, texture plates etc. so easy. It's tabbed and the instructions are printed right on each tab, with helpful illustrations, no less! After reading the comments made concerning that blog entry, the only other nifty addition would have been if Sizzix had specified just which other dies etc could be used with each tab. I'd written that up in the body of that post, but I decided that it'd be easier if that information was put in chart form.

Here's where you can now find a chart: Dies & Sizzix Multipurpose Platform

This is a pdf file, so you'll need Adobe Reader (can be downloaded for free) or some other application that will let you open and read pdf files. If you want to print it out, it's best to print it in landscape.

I've tried to include most of the more commonly used manufacturers' dies etc. If I've missed one (or more--Yikes!) feel free to let me know. I think there is only one place where my chart differs from what's recommended on the MPP and that's when using the Cuttlebug embossing folders. I tend to use No Tabs because I get a crisply embossed image with less likelihood of tearing the card stock or getting extra creases. I think that Tab 1 is what's actually recommended. I added that in the notes.

I didn't include any of my tips, tricks, or tweaks on this chart. If I've done some experimenting or tweaking, the post can be found in my sidebar in the Tutorials and Info for the Big Shot and Cuttlebug menu. I'll be adding this post to that menu shortly. :-)

double 'bossing revisited

Last night a discussion reminded me of something that I'd been meaning to try--embossing over a large folder design with a smaller one. My plan originally had been to use Cuttlebug folders, but as I looked at them, I wasn't finding smaller designs that were appealing to me. At least not today. :-)

That was when it came to me--Simple Impressions folders! Remember those? They're the embossing folders by Sizzix that no one uses anymore because everyone's been so thrilled with the plastic embossing folders. Hey, it's true for me! Took me a while to find them. But I have a bunch of these from when Sizzix was clearing them out and they were just what I was looking for. Great!

Now, the approach. At first I thought I'd simply double Cutt..., er, double emboss. ;-) The images looked too busy though. I wanted something more simple. I decided to double 'boss instead. The background would be debossed and the smaller Sizzix image embossed after.


This card was debossed with a Sizzix textured impressions A2 size folder, then embossed with a Sizzix simple impressions image. The border was made using the Martha Stewart scalloped dots edge punch. I started to reach for my chalks, but then decided to leave things plain.


This is another A2 size Sizzix textured impressions folder debossing. I then embossed with the Sizzix simple impressions star image. I used the Martha Stewart Stars edge punch for this border.


And I wouldn't want to shun my Cuttlebug folders completely (LOL!), so this is a debossed Cuttlebug background with the Sizzix roses image embossed on it. The Martha Stewart mini hearts edge punch was used for the border this time.

All of the stamps used for these cards are by Hero Arts. The inks were all Memento dye inks.

I really liked the way these turned out. The double 'bossing gives more depth to the images without adding bulk. I was concerned at first that the part of the stencil around the images might flatten out the debossing too much, but I think it worked out fine. It helps ease the transition between the debossed and embossed aspects of the card.

So, nothing fancy this time and no tools to brainstorm. Just wanted to remind you that those Sizzix Simple Impressions folders can still have a place in all of this fun 'bossing. :-)

partial Nesties cards

When my muse deserted me last week, I looked at some stamping magazines to see if I could find some inspiration. It came from an unexpected quarter. I saw a top fold card with a half circle sticking out of the top that had originally been part of the card front. I know that's not a great description, but here are a couple of cards that I made, working along those lines. I think you'll understand what I was trying to describe after you see them.


This is my version with a Spellbinders oval Nestabilities shape cut out instead. I actually would have tried a circle, but the oval Nesties were closer. I cut it out using the partial Nesties technique that I posted quite a while back now. I then embossed the card front using a Sizzix textured impressions folder. The decorative border was made using the Fiskars Apron Lace border punch. The stamps were all Hero Arts and stamped using Memento inks. The decorative card stock is by DCWV.


For this card I decided to see what a Spellbinders Labels 1 cut out would look like. Okay, yeah, and it was closer than the circle Nesties, too. The card front embossing was made using the Textile Cuttlebug A2 embossing folder. The punched images were made using Martha Stewart punches. For the decorative border I used the Fiskars Upper Crest border punch. (Don't you love the names of their border punches?!) The stamped sentiment is by Hero Arts. The added bling are tiny hot fix crystals.

snow day, take 2

This is the card that I had to make today. I'd thought that I'd put away the winter theme for this season, but no.


This card was made using a set of Sizzix textured impressions folders--the snowflakes and the snowman. For the embossed snowflakes border I used the double 'bossing technique that I wrote about earlier. This time I used Core'dinations card stock. I embossed first this time and sanded the embossing. Those are the very light snowflakes that you see. I then debossed and dabbed the entire surface with Versamark Dazzle Frost. I think you can see some of the shimmer, particularly near the top of the card. The snowflake embellishments were made using a Martha Stewart punch. The sentiment is by Hero Arts and stamped using Memento dye inks.

This is why I was back in wintry mode. We'd already had a snow day Tuesday due to a mix of sleet and snow.


This is how my backyard looked this morning. The sun was shining, and the sky was turning blue as the clouds cleared out. We got probably close to 6" of snow in all, most of that coming overnight. It looked so pretty, but it was still rather cold at this point.


As you can see, that didn't deter some of us who were bound and determined to get out and run around and live in the moment. :-)

double 'bossed cards, almost like double Cuttling

I was playing around with embossing folders a few days ago, using them in various ways. I know. Big surprise, eh? LOL!

Here's a twist on a technique that you've seen described here and elsewhere. It's what I called double Cuttling when I first described it. In my version you run your card front or card stock through your die machine inside one embossing folder, accent the embossing, then run it through again inside a folder of a different design and accent that embossing in a complementary color. This was originally done with the Cuttlebug embossing folders. Now you can do this using the Sizzix textured impressions folders, too.

So, my twist on this technique? I use just one folder; the other steps are essentially the same.


This was made using one of the A2 size folders from a Sizzix textured impressions folder set, the spring flowers and paisley. First I de-bossed the card front. I then went over that with my Pear Tart Memento dye dew drop inkpad. I placed the card front back into the folder, this time em-bossing it. I went over the embossing with Dandelion Memento dye ink. The stamped images and sentiment are by Hero Arts. The borders were made using the Lattice Arch Martha Stewart edge punch.


For this card I followed the steps that I outlined above, this time using the D'Vine Swirls Cuttlebug folder, Bahama Blue and Grape Jelly Memento inks. The stamped images are again Hero Arts. The border was made using the double scallop edge punch by Martha Stewart.


For this last card I used the same technique. This folder is from the Sizzix Argyle and Lines & Circles textured impressions set. The inks used were Angel Pink and Lulu Lavender by Memento. The die cuts were made using Spellbinders scalloped oval Nestabilities. The stamps are by Hero Arts.

I like this twist on double Cuttling. Double 'bossing can give a more subtle and less busy look, plus the images are all essentially the same design and look very cohesive as a background. I've found that it's best to use a fairly heavy card stock because of all of the 'bossing. I like to deboss first and use a lighter accent color to bring out the white of the debossed areas. I then emboss and accent with the darker color, so you get that neat combo of images in light and dark. I haven't experimented with this technique using colored card stocks yet, but that might be an interesting look, too. Core'dinations card stock might be a lot of fun. Lots of possibilities! Good thing we have another snow day here. :-)

still more textured impressions cards

Whew! It's been one of those weeks! I've been wanting so badly to make some cards, but most of what I made I didn't really like for one reason or another. Nothing seemed to work. I hate it when my muse deserts me! It came back today though--probably didn't care for the snow and sleet outside. LOL! Snow day here, so lots of uninterrupted time to craft--loved it!

Here are a couple of cards that I made using the Sizzix textured impressions folders....


This first card was made using the A2 embossing folder from one of the Happy Birthday sets. If you look at the design of this folder, it's actually supposed to be an invitation with Who, What, When Where etc embossed on the front. At this point, I can't see needing that sort of thing for my card-making, but I did like the rest of the design. I did a bit of creative altering and now have a nice blank space instead, where I stamped the large Inkadinkado sentiment. I added some Distress Stickle sparkles and some rhinestone bling and voila! A birthday card rather than an invite.


For this card I used the medium size textured impression folder from one of the Thank You sets on Core'dinations card stock which I'd cut using a scalloped rectangle Nestabilities die by Spellbinders. I sanded the embossing and accented it a bit with some Memento dye inks. The patterned card stock is by Die Cuts with a View and the decorative edges and corners were made using the Martha Stewart scallop dot edge punch. I then added some clear rhinestones as accents.

Okay. I'll save some of the other cards that I've made for some other posts. :-)

selective Sizzix-ing how-to

Selectively embossing with the Sizzix textured impressions folders is really very similar to creative Cuttling. Here are the details though, due to popular demand. :-)


In this first photo are the supplies needed: the Big Shot, multipurpose platform open to Tab 1, one clear cutting plate, two A2 size cards, one shim (Cuttlebug backing), two wood die cut frames, and two textured impressions folders.


Here is a better look at those wood die cut frames. I bought these at Michaels. You might be able to make out that I labeled the oval one with Tab 1 to make it easy on myself.


For my first card, I'm using the A2 folder from the Dots & Flowers set and the frame with the oval opening.


I place the card front inside the folder. When I wrote up creative Cuttling, I tucked the back of the folded card behind the folder. With these Sizzix folders, because of their size and the fact that the design covers the entire card front, the fold is inside the folder and so the back of the card needs to be left hanging out and the folder put through sideways.


From bottom to top: multipurpose platform open to Tab 1, shim (because I know I'll need one), folder with card front inside, wood die cut frame, clear cutting plate.


Here's the stack all lined up and ready to be run through the machine.


And here's how it turned out.


I did the same thing with the other wood frame and the Argyle A2 size Sizzix folder. The stack, or sandwich, was exactly the same.


And this is how it looked after rolling it through.

So again, this is very much like creative Cuttling. The only real differences, and they're minor ones, are putting the folder and card through sideways and leaving the back flap of the card as the trailing edge.

A caveat if you're trying this for the first time--machines are different and what works for one might not work quite the same way for another. You may not need to shim, or you may need more shims than I used. You'll have to play with it a bit the first time or two, but after that you should be able to keep using your same combo. Just don't force anything through your machine. There should be a little bit of resistance getting started, but my sandwich rolls through easily once it starts going through.

One last thought, I'd seen somewhere that people were using craft sticks or other items inside their folders to selectively emboss. From the cards that I've seen, that seems to work. I personally prefer placing anything that makes the sandwich uneven on the outside of the folder. I think that gives me the best shot at getting a fairly distinct border between the embossed and unembossed areas. I'm also hesitant to put any uneven pressure on any of the actual design elements inside the folder because I'd hate to mess up parts of the positive or negative face and risk getting a less than crisp and clean emboss when I use the folder normally. I'm all for using things in new and creative ways, but I'd rather not put a good thing at risk. Just my two cents. :-)