Heat Embossing 

This technique is always a big crowd pleaser with new stampers and scrapbookers and will give you that extra WOW-factor for any special project.  It adds an elegant touch especially to baby or wedding announcements, graduation cards or special thank you's.

Supplies Needed:

 

- Heat gun
- Stamp
- Clear Embossing ink pad, pigment ink pad or 

   Versamark Pad
- Embossing Powder
- CTMH Craft Tray (optional but highly recommended)
- Anti-static product (optional - like a dryer sheet) 

 

 

1. First wipe the area to be stamped with an anti-static product (a laundry fabric sheet will work). This step is optional, but is a good idea to do if you want to make sure no stray embossing powder granules are on the surface surrounding the image. Anti-static products reduce static on the paper, which attracts embossing powder granules.  You can also do this to your craft tray to assist in the clean up process.

 

2. Next ink your stamp with your clear embossing ink pad or pigment ink of choice, and place the stamp down on your paper. In order to heat emboss, you must use an ink that dries slowly, which is why embossing ink (clear or tinted), pigment inks or Versamark inkpads are great choices. Dye inks dry too quickly for this process. Also keep in mind that if you want to have a totally transparent embossing effect, use clear embossing ink, not the tinted. The tinted ink will show through. If you use different color pigment inks remember your image will be the color of your embossing powder not the ink you used. Using different color inks can enhance the color of the embossing powder, but will not be what you see unless you emboss the tinted ink with clear embossing powder.

 

3. Generously sprinkle your embossing powder over the image. Pour the excess powder into the Craft Tray or container. If there are some granules in areas that you don't want, use a small paintbrush or your blending pen to swipe away.

 

 

4. Using your heat gun, heat the image until the powder melts and turns shiny. Hold your heat gun about 6 inches from the paper. Sweep back and forth over the image until you notice the embossing powder melting. Melted embossing powder is smooth and shiny, and has a raised edge. Remember that if you heat too close to the cardstock, you can cause the embossing powder or the paper itself to burn. Many times I use my eyelet tool setting tweezers to hold what I am embossing so that I don't burn my fingers.

 

 

 

Here are some other fun things you can do with heat embossing!

 

Random embossing. Swipe your ink pad over your paper and just emboss an area on your layout.

 

Change the color of metal embellishments. If you run out of a gold brad, you can easily change a silver brad to gold by using gold embossing powder. Holding the brad with tweezers, heat the top and then dip into the embossing powder. Heat again until the embossing powder is melted.

Make your own faux metal embellishments. You can make your own faux metal letter tiles and words just by embossing. With regular embossing powders you will need to build up more layers. For example, if you wanted to make a circle letter tag, you would emboss a paper circle tag with silver or gold embossing powder. (Other colors would work as well). Build up several layers (or make a big controlled pile of embossing powder on the top of your paper, then heat/melt it by placing the heat gun underneath (not on top). Then take a letter stamp, ink it with embossing ink and push the stamp into the hot embossing powder. Leave it there for several seconds. When cooled, pull the stamp away from the circle and you should have an impression of that letter. 

 

 

Emboss transparencies. Type a title or phrase out on a transparency and as soon as it comes out of the printer, sprinkle embossing powder over it. Carefully heat the title, making sure not to warp the transparency. The best way to do this is to have a piece of cardboard wrapped in aluminum foil. Place the transparency on that surface while heating in order to speed up the heating process before the transparency has a chance to warp.

 

Emboss on vellum. This works the same as transparencies.