Heat Embossed Colouring

I have recently dicscovered a new technique (new for me, been around for ages I suspect) that I wanted to try out. It involves heat embossing and colouring and I think you will love it.

My friend Michelle Strazds was selected as a display stamper at the recent OnStage event in Sydney. I fell in love with one of her cards where she had heat embossed in white on a crumb cake cardstock and then coloured in. She hasn’t blogged about that particular card as yet, when she does I will update this to link to it, but for now head on over to her blog and check out her work – you will love it!

I used the technique on two cards, in two different spots on the card – both on the front cover and on a strip on the inside of the card. The stamp set on the front of the card was one I was luck enough to get free during the recent Sale-A-Bration, so unfortunately you can’t buy it. However you can use what you have to achieve something similar.

First, use your embossing buddy over the top of the card stock you are planning to emboss, this will remove any static that would otherwise cause powder to stick. Then use versamark watermark ink to stamp your image. Sprinkle over white embossing powder and then use your heat tool to emboss.

From there just colour, trying to avoid the white embossed lines. For today’s cards I used both watercolour pencils and Stampin’ Write markers. Both worked beautifully, the pencils are a bit more subtle, the markers a bit brighter. All depends on what look you want.

For the card with circles, I masked off the basket handle using washi tape before I stamped in the versamark ink, and then added the sentiment in melon mambo onto a whisper white banner. For the second card, I heat embossed the sentiment, and added a whisper white ribbon bow to the top of the basket.

Both cards are on a whisper white card base, with a crumb cake mat that has been embossed with the Basket Weave embossing folder. The additional cicles for the circle card have been cut out of berry burst, old olive, velllum and a piece of springtime foil speciality DSP (also earned for free during Sale-A-Bration!).

If you are super observant, you might be wondering what stamp set the flowers on the inside of the card are from, well – it’s a sneak peak at a new set that will be available June 1st in the new 2018-2019 Stampin’ Catalogue. It’s called ‘In Every Season’ and it consists 12 floral stamps and will be an essential addition for adding something decorative, particarly to the insides of cards.