Well it's snowing!

Hi friends, we have snow today - it looks lovely from inside, but I glad I haven't got to go out!

I thought I'd show you another Chrissie card I'd made recently using a border die in different way, but then I had a message from Glenda saying that her new stamps called Pretty Birdcage and  Bees were launched yesterday.  The details are over on the DT blog (link on my sidebar)and if you pop over there you could be in with a chance of winning a lovely Chrissie present as Glenda is giving away two sets of stamps - so don't forget to leave a comment at the end of Glenda's post! The draw is open until Monday.

Now I can take you from a winter's day to a glimpse of summer

This was a challenge to me as I got out my paints for a delicate look.

I stamped the image on a full sheet of watercolour paper and completed the painting, I find this the easiest way to position the stamping in a shaped die.  From this close-up you will see that I have used an octagonal die, and as I like very narrow borders when I layer - I did a bit of crafty cutting!  I first cut a burgundy shape to match the base card, and embossed the edge.  Next cut the same size from the white watercolour paper, and embossed the edge.  After positioning the die over my painting I cut and again embossed the edge.

You may be thinking why cut two white octagons, well  I wanted depth the the finished image.  So on the plain paper I cut away the embossed edge to give me my narrow border.  (On this shape die this is much quicker that tracing and  cutting round the die.  If you don't have the full set of squares or rectangles you could also used this method for ease of layering.) Now I could use the cloud template from Diamond Cards that I illustrated a few weeks ago to give interest, which I  lightly inked with DI's.  Next I also cut away the embossed border from the painted image and embossed the cloud pattern again.  Having embossed the clouds I then cut part of them away and I had my depth!  Hope all this make sense - it may sound complicated but it very easy to do and any complication may be from my writing.  If you click on the close-up image you will see the finished image more clearly. 

Stay warm and safe and enjoy your crafting.
 

Sandwich Recipe for Embossing without magnetic mat

Following my post yesterday:

To make an embossed shape on card without using an magnetic mat and without cutting the card you would used the following......

The sandwich for the Bug:  A / tan mat / card / die cut side down / possible shim(s) / 2 B plates


For the JT:  A (white plate)  / black mat / card / die cut side down / B (black plate)

Hope you find this helpful.  I will post this info on Embossing Page, or you could check the labels sections.

Top Tip - embossing with a stylus pen

Time restraints means that today I do not have the time to do my usual tutorial, BUT since I have many new readers I'm refering back to .........20th April 2009 and a tip that I consider to be my best of 2009.  It's one that you may have missed and I want you to know about it because it's soooooo useful!

Does the embossed edge on this illustration look the same? 

 One is done using the tan mat - the other with an embossing stylus. 
 
I often use this method of embossing the edge of a cut die - it's quick; it's just as effective; it will work on most shapes and if you haven't got a tan mat you will no doubt have a embossing pen. If you would like to see the full tutorial check out this link.

Have you ever visited this site:
http://melstampz.blogspot.com/2008/03/ive-been-bitten.html  there are over 200 ways listed on using your Bug (or any other die cutting machine), and I very proud that that some of my tips are on there including this one. 

Have a good day.

Joy A4 Trouvaille - Embossing Stencils and Masks

Hi friends, thanks to all who responded to my appeal for info on the JT machine.  I will be in touch with you, and if anyone else would like to add their comments negative or POSITIVE, I would be pleased to hear from you.

The machine is still working okay, no squeaks, the vicious backspin of the handle seems to have stopped and it turns smoothly!   So far so good, but I'm being very cautious! 

One of the things I've tried is using brass stencils and masks....

 

This mica mask is from Creative Expressions and called That Special Touch - Ivy background.  I  was very surprised to get such a good embossing/debossing effect on the JT, because I've never been completely happy with embossing this type of stencil in the Bug using the Spellbinders Impressionabilities, which I now find also embosses well in the JT.  Great, this opens up more pattern options!  Both sides of the pattern have been coloured with chalk, which is a medium I used a lot before I discovered DI's and happily will now be using them again.

From the JT leaflet   (they describe it for embossing templates)

 the sandwich recipe :  A plate / Black Mat / Paper / Embossing template / B plate

Now for a bit of News, and puzzling at that!!!

The other day I received a message from PeeJay telling me of another A4 die cutting machine on the market called "Happycut" from Artemio (a French Company).  And, she thought I might be interested in seeing it - to right PeeJay.  AND, this is the surprising bit - it's WHITE and LOOKS exactly like the JOY TROUVAILLE (a Dutch Company)  !??!?!?  What is going on? 

Now for some help please, I have received this message from Karuna, but I have no experiences of this problem - so can anyone add anything to help?

From Karuna an reader living in India

"Hey ikki, I see your expertise on the bug and i need some help please. Just today i tried to use the nesties in my buy and it went so lose. Yes i triple checked on the sandwich too! :( i have used it only 3 days ago and it was cutting well. I almost used 8 cardstocks to make it cut the nestie! What happened to the machine. even the bug dies go quite easily but still cut. Any help? "

If you have any comments to make please feel free to add them by using the comments button below.

Thanks for dropping by an I hope you enjoy the rest of your day.

Cuttlebug, Joy Trouvaille news and Lines

Well I watched, correction started to watch the Cuttlebug programme, but it was such a dreadful demo that I switched off!  The new bug just doesn't do it for me!!  Again it seemed unstable and moved about when used - it doesn't have the weight or the feet as the old Bug, I wonder if that's why?  Interesting!

News on the JT is that the manufacturers of the machine have been informed, but unfortunately they are unavailable due to a trade show so I still have my broken machine and have to wait.  Not the ideal situation!
Still I'm assured it is in hand!!

This is the card that I showed you last week - now with a few further adorements...

These were cut with a crealie die

The shaped base card and the mats were cut from the Diamond Eazi Box but you will notice I have embossed a line round the edge.  This I did on the Eazi Scoreboad.....

You use the two close lines, line up one edge and score down the other

just before you reach the edge, keep the stylus in the groove, then pivot the paper and line up again

                                                        and continue round your shape.

Marianne Creatable Dies

Hope my baby turtles made you smile, but how strange it is to hear your own voice!  By the way, it's not me shouting "Go Marky go", I christen my two babies Pedro and Grande and they both made the sea - wonder if they are still battling the waves?  Apparently, if they survive the dangers, they return to the same beach in 4 years time to lay their own eggs. 

I've been crafting this afternoon and used a new Marianne die that I bought a couple of weeks ago. 

Can't show you what I'm working on, but it included this little birdie.  You may wonder why it's sitting on an old Christmas card, well I was testing cutting and embossing it using the back of the card - it's a glossy type of card, and I found by accident that the embossing shows up really well.  So if you've not binned your chrissie cards, and are in to recycling  - you may like to try this!  Another tip would be to cover the back with DST before you emboss - and you get an instant sticker!

PS: Tomorrow at midnight, I will close the draw for the scoreboard - you need to be in it to win it! 

Tippy Thursday - Embossing embossed patterns

Hi from the warmth of my crafting room, and I'm staying put because it's still snowing!

I have been working on another of my secret projects for Elusive Designs, and whilst embossing a piece of decorative paper which was the only piece I had, and it matched perfectly with another paper, my Bug decided to break the surface leaving white rough bits here and there.  Ruined?  Drat!   No!  I found in desperation that by rubbing over the surface with a darker coloured ink, then adding clear embossing powder and heating......

I had a nicely embossed panel which added unintentional, unexpected, but welcome extra depth and texture.

The embossing folder is from Crafts 2 U and although only size A6, the pattern can be matched to embossed larger areas.  The flower is my new Crealie die, which unfortunately does not show up too well in the picture because of the light catching the embossing.

The darker ink really brings out the embossing, and saved my frustration and project!

This is worth a try!

Thanks for dropping by, hope you're all coping with all this cold and snow.

ikki

Tippy Thursday - Crafts Too you embossing folders

Hi, We all use Embossing Folders with our machines no matter what the make, and they are a real asset to our crafting!  I have try most of  those available, and although the majority I have are Cuttlebug folders, they are not my favourite mainly because they are slightly smaller than our A6 card size; they can crease the cardstock for this reason; and I have only found one folder (Swiss Dots) on which the pattern can be matched up to make a larger embossed surface.  Perhaps the newer folders do?  If you have any info on this, please leave me a comment that I can pass on to other cuttlers.

If you are a regular visiter to the Cupboard you will know that I like to emboss straight onto my cardstock as well as using them for matting and layering.   What I want from a folder a creasefree result, no breaking of the surface fibres of the cardstock, a full size A6 folder with a repeating pattern.  I'm not fussy or hard to pleased, am I!  (lol)

I have just bought 4 new folders from my supplier, Liz.  They are new additions to the Crafts-Too-you range and after testing them - I'm impressed with them! 

All of the examples are embossed on coloured copy paper. Only a very small section of one folder (spots)where I embossed over the centre fold actually cut the paper - my mistake!  
All of the folders embossed with no creases, and the patterns on all are REPEATABLE!  If you click on the pictures you can see if you are able to spot where the join is!

                                                                     Folder:  Spots

Folder: Hearts

Love Hearts

Damask

From my experiments I have found:

1: All of the patterns deboss as well as emboss

2: On very thin copy paper the folders do not crease or break the fibres, on heavy cardstock the embossing is good.  

3: All of the folders have repeated patterns - I have embossed onto a 6" square paper

4: The Heart folder opens the opposite way ie from the top

5: The folders emboss a full A6

Tips: If embossing a larger square card, start with the folder at the edge and emboss towards the centre fold.

Place the top B plate slightly over the folder so that you don't get a line from the folder.  On the next run, reposition the folder by overlapping  the already embossed pattern.  Feed the back of the card through first,  this time the B plate is best placed well over the pattern already embossed, that way you will not get a pressure line from the folder.  (This has been difficult to explain - not sure if I have it clear!)

Cuttlebug - Top Tip of 2009 - Die Cutting, Embossing, Stencilling with Nestabilities

Before I share with you my top tip of 2009, I would like to wish you all a very Happy New Year. 2010 - where will it take us with our crafting?

In January 2009 when I started this blog I had no idea or plans. I was encouraged by blog mates that this was the way to go! So go I did, and look where it got me! 297 fellow lovers of the Bug, and over 100,000 visits from across the world. I know I love my Bug, but I had no idea that there were so many of you out there feeling the same. I also did not realise that so many owners of this little Green Bug were looking for help and inspiration!

I hope that you have found a place where you can visit and browse at leisure, and also a place where you feel able to ask questions and share your own ideas and experiences.

Now for the tip that I consider to be the best idea I had in 2009. This simple way of stencilling and embossing is so useful. You do not need a Tan Embossing Mat to emboss the edges of many of your die cuts - all you need is an embossing pen. Like most good ideas - simple when you know.

From my Tutorial 20th April 2009

"Hi Cuttlers, another week - another subject - Stencilling. I'm adding this now because it follows on so nicely from the last two tutorials. Thank you Heather for your suggestion and contribution to make this an interesting and enlightening subject. Even though it says stencilling on the Nestability package, I had not thought or tried it before, but I have now and will again! Obviously, I only read what I want to see! How about you??? Have you tried this?

You will need: a stamp, card and a Nestie Die

First stamp your image or sentiment on the card, place the die over the image and cut as usual.
Sandwich: A; B; Card; Nestie cut side down; C plate


Having cut your shape, emboss. If you have not done this before - check here on last week's tutorial.


Leave the card inside the die - now you can stencil a colour(s) round your image. This will leave a white edge which gives more definition to the image - the more colour - the more dramatic the effect will be!

I used chalk and prisma pencils, but you could also use ink. I must say I found it easier with chalk, especially if you have a rubber handy!!!


Now this has to be my tip of the week! Discovered completely by a mishap embossing when not adding enough pressure by too few shims, left only a faint impression.


With the card inside the die with the cut side up image face dwn, run an embossing tool round the edge of the inside rim of the die as shown

This is what happened - a remarkably clear impression. To test this out I used a heavy weight card and ......was very pleased with the result. Let's call this a "Cheats guide to embossing".
The cuttlebug embossed and the hand embossed - can you tell?

As I said before the stencilling idea was passed on to me by my Cuttlebug Mate Heather. If you don't know Rica you should! Her crafting is exceptional. Her blog outstanding for inspiration and creativity, as you can see from a glimse at these cards where she has used chalk and ink to highlight the main image. Thanks Heather for sharing your work. "


 
It's a long post today, but I felt sure you would like to read the tutorial in full. As I said - a simple idea discovered by accident, but what an accident it turned out to be! My Cheat's Guide to Embossing just has to be No 1 Tip of 2009!

Okay 2010 - now I'm ready to move on. Thinking cap on...what's next????