Embossing 101

I discovered embossing when visiting Paper Source store a couple weeks ago and was so fascinated by all the crafting possibilities I saw there! Please visit their website for great crafting ideas... http://www.paper-source.com/ I didn't even know this store existed, but thanks to Sprinkles Cupcakes which was our original destination we found this little crafting gem. It is a must stop if you're a craft-a-holic like me! One of the friendly staff members was glad to show me how easy embossing is. With only 4 items needed (embossing ink, embossing powder, embossing heat gun, and a rubber stamp), it seemed fairly easy. So with ideas brewing, I decided to go to Hobby Lobby for the all the tools needed for embossing. Armed with the 40% off coupon, I bought the embossing gun for $12 (originally $19.99)! The stamp was $6.49, the embossing ink was on sale for $1.50, and the embossing powder was $4.99. Here are the tools I bought...

I was originally looking for a peacock feather stamp, but unfortunately the Hobby Lobby at The Fountains did not have any. However, I did find one that looked peacock inspired and would go perfectly with my peacock wedding motif. I also bought a eggplant colored embossing powder and clear embossing ink. I tried it on several types of paper (metallic silver paper, lime green paper, and plain ol' white card stock). Surprisingly I thought the plain white card stock looked best with the ink. I had to ensure I applied a fair amount of ink and made sure to evenly stamp the paper. Also I made sure to sprinkle a hefty amount of embossing powder on top of the stamped paper, and tapped the paper to ensure the powder was evenly distributed. The embossing powder goes a long way, so don't be afraid to sprinkle a good amount on. You can save the unused powder that does not stick. I then used the embossing gun to emboss and essentially melt the powder into the ink. This only takes a few seconds, since the embossing gun gets super hot. I highly recommend the embossing gun as oppose to a regular hair drier. Here are some of my practice runs (on the white cardstock, green cardstock, and an asymmetrically corner stamp (which I loved!))...

                  

It took a bit of work to get it right, which I think may be attributed to the stamp being new. So I did see some spots where the ink did not really stick, but hey that's what practice is for! Here is an up close picture of my first embossing work. You can definitely see the raised embossing the powder creates and the shiny sheen as well. Isn't it cool! I can't wait to apply this technique to my wedding invites! So exciting!