Technique Tuesday - Vellum Embossing

I love vellum.  It gives anything you make an air of elegance.  It is versatile, it's translucent, and there are many techniques available for using it on our cards, pages, and projects. 

In this posting, I am going to talk about pressure embossing on vellum.  This is where an embossing tool is used to actually impress the paper.  Thermal embossing is where you use embossing powder and a heat tool to emboss.  Now that we have our terminology out of the way, let's move on to the technique of pressure embossing on vellum.

For this card, I stamped the heart (Impression-Obsession stamp) onto the vellum with white Staz-On ink.  It is important to use a permanent ink, NOT pigment ink, as it will smear and never dry on the vellum, as vellum has no pores to absorb the ink.  Let the Staz-On dry (you can heat set with your heat tool if you like) before starting.

Turn the stamped vellum so that the stamped image is face-down on a piece of foam (like the foam craft pieces you can get in the craft stores, or a mouse pad), or even a plastic foam bottomed place mat.  Using an embossing stylus (the kind you use with embossing templates), follow the outline of the stamped image, pressing firmly, yet not too hard so you don't poke through the vellum.  Practice a few times on scrap before trying this on your good piece.  You will soon "feel" how much pressure to apply.  You will notice the paper "embossing" itself, and the image will become more pronounced on the front.  Turn the piece over, and there you have it....embossed vellum! 

It is very elegant and so pretty just as it is, but if you choose to add color, as I did on this card, simply use markers to color the wrong side of the image.  The color will show through the front, very softly and elegantly.

Attach with brads, eyelets, or by taping in the design area, or using vellum tape or vellum adhesive spray.

Here is a small enclosure card I made with the embossed vellum technique.  I added texture to the leaf, stem, and petals by "scratching" veins in the  vellum as I embossed.  I also embossed he word create after I stamped it vertically up the left side.


That's it for today.  I hope you enjoy this technique. 

I have been busy making favors and little candy purses for Faith's bridal shower coming up in just over a week and a half now.  I made acrylic post-it holders.  I will post pics later in the week, so be sure to check back.

I also finished my trading cards for the Magenta swap, but the pics came out poorly, so I will have to take them outside in the natural light tomorrow, and will post those later, as well.  So, lots to come back for.  Stay tuned.....

Blessings,
   lynda