Technique of the Week: Use Your Dies to Dry Emboss

In conjunction with Art 'n Soul's newsletter article, "Technique of the Week" here is a short tutorial on how to dry emboss with your dies. This is just another way to get more out of your dies, and it's just as easy as using them for cutting; it's just a slightly different sandwich.  here's the card I made to illustrate this technique.

Here's the sandwich (tab 1 open on the Big shot, then die, paper, tan mat, cutting plates)

Your die should be placed on your base plate with the cutting edges up. If you have a Big Shot or Big Kick, open one tab the same as when you are embossing with an embossing folder. If you have a Cuttlebug, place your die on your A plate. The reason I like to put the die down on the base plate first is so that it won't get bent. This protects it a little better.

Next place your paper on your die. If you want to perfectly position your die on the paper, then do so first, (with the cutting edge against your paper) and lay it die side down on the base plate. If you want to be sure it won't move, you can use a little piece of painter's tape or washi tape.

Next you will need a tan or black rubber mat, and that goes on top of your paper. This is what prevents the die from cutting the paper. Don't worry, your mat will not be cut.

If you feel you need an additional shim at this time, you can put one or two pieces of scrap cardstock on top of the mat. I used one piece in this demonstration, and I'm not really sure I needed it.

Next, place your two cutting plates on top of your tan mat or paper shims. In the Cuttlebug, these are the two B plates.

Run it through with this sandwich, and the die will emboss, but not cut your paper.

In this project, in order to finish the card, I took a 2.25" square piece of watercolor paper and used the acrylic block stamping technique to add a pattern of Distress Ink (in Peacock Feathers, Mustard Seed, and Picked Raspberry). I previously did a tutorial on the acrylic block stamping technique here.

I then stamped a Magenta sentiment 07.700.G Life is Art live yours in COLOR onto the inked background using Versafine Onyx Black ink.

The embossing was done on So Silk Beauty Pink cardstock, and the die used was Memory Box 98333 Honeyblossom Sprig.

The stamped square was added to the embossed panel with foam tape to pop it up a little.  The entire panel was added to a white card base, and I sprinkled on a few enamel dots.

Magenta Stamp used:

Life is art 07.700.G

Other products used:

Memory Box die Honeyblossom Sprig 98333

Tan embossing mat

So Silk Beauty Pink card stock

Tim Holtz gridded acrylic blocks

Distress Ink:  Peacock Feathers, Mustard Seed, Picked Raspberry

Onyx Black Versafine Ink

Tim Holtz watercolor cardstock

foam tape

Enamel dots from: My Minds Eye Market Street, and Unforgettable Firsts

Big Shot machine