Embossed Cards with Alcohol Ink Backgrounds

The second of two posts today.

Following on from my previous post, I have started making some more cards for my stash, which is now empty and quite panic-generating when I remember at the last minute that it’s someone’s birthday tomorrow! I have started collecting together matching/co-ordinating alcohol ink backgrounds and core’dinations papers embossed with the Cuttlebug. This is how far I’ve got today.

You can see the 6 x 6 pad of “Gemstones” Core’dinations on the left. They are quite pretty, with an iridescent surface with a weave finish, but they don’t respond well to sanding etc. as there isn’t enough difference between the surface and the core. They look very pretty embossed, though.

In this photo I have matched up different Core’dinations papers with the various alcohol ink backgrounds, and selected different embossing folders to use for each one, trying to find something appropriate for the colour scheme.

The Core’dinations papers after embossing and trimming, each laid on top of their respective alcohol ink backgrounds. The turquoise one at bottom left has already been made up into a card and sent off (see previous post).

In case you are interested, the embossing folders I used with my Cuttlebug are, from left to right, back row: Tim Holtz Alterations Texture Fades (THATF) – Damask (pink); THATF – Rays (yellow/green); Tim Holtz Alterations – Steampunk (all the Mixatives); TH Alterations – Pocket Watches (brown/yellow). Middle row: Stampin’ Up Mosaic Madness (turquoise); THATF – Retro Circles (brown and orange); Cuttlebug – Diamond Plate (black and white); THATF – Bricked (red and cream). Front: THATF – Regal Flourishes (purple, blue and gold).

There is a good selection here to make up into cards, and a couple of them at least (the Diamond Plate and the Steampunk ones, and possibly the Retro Circles one) will make suitable man cards.

A note about the Tim Holtz Texture Fades embossing folders. When I first got them, I noticed that, rather irritatingly, they are the other way round from other embossing folders – i.e. if you use them label-side-up, the will deboss rather than emboss the design. I have therefore written on the name labels I put on them, “Other side up” to remind me to put the card in upside down, so I don’t get caught out. Or so I thought. I used the Pocket Watches one today and… you’ve guessed it, all the numbers on the clock faces were back to front! Duh. Label now altered on that one! Examining it closely, I see that it is not like the other Tim Holtz ones (the Texture Fades ones) and it will actually emboss rather than deboss with the label on top. Something to watch out for when using different manufacturers’ embossing folders.

I have also noticed with the Tim Holtz ones (it may be a feature common to all Sizzix embossing folders, but I only have TH ones so I couldn’t say), that they emboss a bit deeper than some others, and I have experienced in the past that they can even cut through the paper or card. I read somewhere that you can spritz the paper lightly with water before embossing, which will soften the fibres somewhat, to prevent this happening.

Watch this space to see how these cards progress. I may not work on them straight away as I need to crack on with my Recycled Mini-Album and there are always urgent projects that crop up and interrupt the normal work flow!