Embossing help for a total beginner!

[Lianne86]

Hi guys hope your all good! Can't believe how much snow is outside!!

Anyway, i've got a week off uni (exams are finished - woo hoo!!) so i'm planning on experimenting with embossing. I've done dry embossing with the light box and the stencil and it went really well. so i'm looking to start using the powders with the heat gun. Would i only need a heat gun, stamps, ink and embossing powders?

I'm totally new to this so i'm thinking that i need to stamp the image, sprinkle the embossing powder onto the ink and then use the heat gun on it? Is that right? I also read somewhere that i could use a hair dryer but i'm a bit unsure about whether that would work or not!!

Also is there any specific brands that i should buy or are they more or less the same quality?

Thanks in advance and sorry for all the questions!

Lianne

[Seahorse]

HIya

Yep, stamp picture, sprinkle on heat up powder, remove excess powder and use heat gun on it.

A hair dryer wont work.

You can get a set from Argos for around £20, a heat gun, 1 ink pad and 2 heat it up powder pots.
Its worth buying this set as the gun itself can cost £30!

Dont know about the best make but I got mine from the Argos set and its been great.

[Lianne86]

Yeah i saw that Argos set, looked pretty good and at least thats nearly everything i need to get started.

Thanks for your help.

[Seahorse]

I warn you, once youve started you will want every colour ink and every colour heat powder there is available!
The colour ink under the powder can effect the final outcome, say you have a red ink then use a white heat powder, the result can look pink.

[Lianne86]

Ooohhh.... i didn't realise that the ink affected the colour.

Thats all i need, more crafty stuff to fill my room up with! Started off as a few papers and embleshments in a folder, now i've got a huge plastic box filled with stuff.

Goodness knows where i'm going to put all the other stuff that i'll need!!

[Funkyhand]

Welcome to the madness Lianne, I started off with a cardboard box with a few items in in, then a four drawer plastic box on wheels... two years later I have the second bedroom, a desk, floor to ceiling wooden shelving with 12 large plastic boxes just to hold papers and bit's never mind the piles of embellishments, inks, stamps, beads, tools, etc etc... in other drawers around the room. It's great fun!!
Anice xx

[Seahorse]

You beat me funky.Ive got 3 draws, then another 4 draws, 2 boxes and a number of bags with everyday mess with items in them strewn around the floor.

[Lianne86]

Very impressed!!

I can imagine, especially if you do more than one craft.

Well i bought the kit today, was only £18 so even better. Also bought some rubber stamps from the craft shop and i'm amazed at how good it looks... and how easy it is. I thought it would take ages to "set" but it didn't. So i'm quite impressed with it all!

Just need to get more stamps now...

[Corinne]

Hi Lianne,
don't make the same mistake as I did with heat embossing.... I couldn't get my powder to stick to the ink, no matter how quick I was! Then I found out that you need to use pigment ink for heat embossing not dye ink as this soaks into the card too quickly.
Also I think you'll find a hairdryer won't be hot enough and it may blast the powder off the card!!!
If you're really getting into embossed stamping go out and buy some Sakura gelly roll pens as they're great for filling in between the embossed lines for a stained glass effect.
c
x

[Carnie79]

Hi Lianne

I used embossing inks for the first time when I made my bro's wedding inviations. It is very, very easy to do and great ofr beginners.

Just make sure that you use pigment ink as this does not dry so quickly and the embossing powder will stick to it - any other inks will not work. You can also get embossing ink pens that work in the same way that the ink pads do - only difference is that they are a pen so they enable to to do more tricky stuff like write names or draw pictures on your cards. You used the embossing powder on them the same way you would your stamps.

I would definately buy a heat tool as they are guaranteed to get the job done 100% right, I doubt very much that a hirdryer would work in the same was.

Give me a shout if you need more info.

Thanks!

Leanne

[Samm]

and once you've got the heat gun, have a play with shrink plastic too, that's great!!! also when embossing with powders, I have a small canvas bag filled with talc that I wipe over the surface before the first stamp on the paper, that stops the powder from sticking to the paper but allows it to stick to the stamped area. My favourite stamp pad for embossing is a versamark watermark pad.

[lizard]

Yipee

Yipee.. YOu are getting into embossing. I love embossing. Just be aware that once you start you will never want to stop!

[lizard]

I also use an embossing buddy to rub across to reduce static before embossing or applying glitter. It helps alot!

[deezkatz]

I agree, once you start you cant stop.
I never really got to grips with it when I first started card making, but picked it up again recently and am hooked, I've just found the enamel embossing too, love it.
Good Luck.

[mum-on-the-run]

Must be one of those things!!

I couldn't get on with it to start with either but have recently been doing tins of it, specially triple embossing chipboard!!