Guest Larry Garlock from Lasting Impressions introduces the technique of brass embossing. He furnishes details of each easy step of the process for producing a "daisy dot plaid" card. A few brass templates, a light box and an embossing tool are the only equipment required for this project.
Materials:
raffia
tacky glue
white card stock - 1/2 sheet for card, 1/2 sheet for flowers
yellow or gold card stock
light green card stock
Lasting Impressions embossing templates
- Cone Flowers (model #S724)
- Soft Plaid (model #B258)
- Dot Fill (model #L960)
embossing tool - medium/large size recommended
Align-A-Card - two sizes available: small or large
light box or homemade light box optional: foam or mounting tape
Making Your Own Light BoxIf you don't have a light box and prefer not to buy one, you may want to make your own as follows: Place a piece of translucent rigid material, such as an acrylic clip board, on two sets of stacked books. Place a night light, a desk lamp with a flexible neck, or a small fluorescent light between the two stacks of books. You may also use a glass cake pan, or pie plate with a light source underneath. A glass table top with a lamp under it will work just as well. If you are having trouble seeing through the paper, reduce the light in the room.
Embossing TechniquePlace the template on a light source--a window, light box (
figure A), or make your own light source using the instructions above. Place your paper on the template, right side down, so that the template shadow can be seen through the paper. You will be working on the back side. Rub wax paper over the area you will be embossing. This will allow the tool to glide over the paper. With embossing tool, trace along the inside edge of the design (
figure B) so that the paper is being pressed along the cut edge of the metal. Because the templates are made of metal, it is okay to go out of the lines because the metal will not "give." This allows you to emboss quickly, yet it will look like it took hours. Be sure to trace all the design areas before turning over the final card.
Using Align-A-CardTape plaid template to bottom edge of Align-A-Card. Emboss stripes in one direction, moving edge of paper (not the template) and using the Align-A-Card as a guide and counter for spacing between stripes. The number of squares that the paper is moved determines the size of the plaid. When that direction is complete, rotate card 90 degrees and repeat above process.
Steps:
- Emboss plaid on the left half of the card. This is easily done by following the plaid- making instructions above. Using the Align-A-Card, count three squares as plaid spacing guide.
- Place dot fill template on the right half of the card and emboss design. When repeating a pattern, position template partially over previously embossed area to ensure even spacing.
- Place flower petals template on a separate piece of white paper and emboss around the outside edge of the template to create a frame. Cut out the white embossed squares 1/8" larger than embossed area. If you cut too close to the embossed area, you will lose the effect of the embossing.
- Emboss the centers of flowers on yellow/gold paper. Emboss leaves and stems on green paper. Cut centers and leaves 1/8" larger than embossed area. Position and mount cut- out leaves and centers onto white embossed squares using tacky glue.
- From the yellow/gold paper, cut squares 1/2" larger than the white embossed squares. Apply tacky glue or double-sided tape to white squares and mount them onto the yellow/gold squares.
- Use foam tape to position and mount squares onto card.
- Tie raffia bow and glue to front of card.
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