Get Crafty! Heat Embossing

A few months ago when I started brainstorming my next business card design, I came up with the perfect idea. Stamping! My love of big and bold design would pair well with my new cards idea. While chatting with photographer pal and fellow craft addict, Alicia Griffin, she gave me the idea to try heat embossing for a beautiful finish and an effect that would stand out when giving out my business card. It’s something I’ve always been intrigued with but too chicken to try, thinking it required lots of materials and work. With her suggestion, I asked for a demo at my local Paper Source.

The sales associate showed me which kind of stamp pad to get, how to use the powder and the heating tool and viola! Beautiful stamped designs in minutes.

I’m still waiting on my actual business stamps to be made, but that didn’t stop me from playing around with some other designs.

How to Heat Emboss

Tools Required:

• Card stock (this can also be done on most surfaces like wood, your walls, labels, boxes, etc)
• Heating Tool (do not use a hair dryer)
• Stamps
• Stamp Pad
• Embossing Powder
• Large scrap paper or if you’re fancy, a funnel tray thing

Set up your work area. I just put down a large piece of 12×12″ scrapbook paper, but you can use printer paper, newspaper, etc. You basically need something that is easy to dump the powder on then funnel the leftovers back into the bottle.

Press your stamp into the stamp pad. I used the clear watermark type stamp pad. Press it onto your cardstock. Even though it is slow drying, you want to be sure to pour the embossing powder over it before it dries. Be generous. Dump that powder on! You’re not wasting anything. Shake of the excess powder and flick the back of the card to get off any stubborn powder. Fold up your scrap paper and pour the powder back into the bottle.

Turn on your heating tool and let it warm up for a few seconds. It won’t get super hot but the coils on the inside will turn bright orange.  Heat the embossing powder about an inch or so away, wave it side to side, and see how the powder melts to set. It’s pretty awesome. You’ll know it’s working when you see the texture change.

And that’s it! So easy. Look how shiny!

I’m really glad I finally learned how to heat emboss because I want to emboss everything. It’s perfect for making note cards for every occasion. I know when birthdays sneak up on me I’ll have the perfect tools to make a beautiful card in seconds.

I can’t wait to work on my business cards!

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Note: This post is in no way endorsed by Paper Source. I just spend a lot of time there and wanted to show you the exact items I used.