# embossing/craft chalks/heat embossing ???



## hoggie (Feb 11, 2007)

A while back I lashe dout and bought DD and I a Fiskars embossing template. We haven't used it as much as we might, because I didn't buy enough stencils to go with it  . But when I have used it I always end up frustrated. I bought some craft chalks to use with it, but somehow they never seem to finish quite right. Am I doing something wrong - I was told to just brush the chalks on dry, but when I do that I don't get ANYTHING. So I have been damping the brush, but then I get more of a watercolour look.

I have wondered about heat embossing, but am not sure where to start?

Also as I have the embossing template, I feel we should make the best use we can of it - once we learn to use it that is LOL

Any suggestions for the village idiot :shrug: 

hoggie


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## Lauriebelle (Jul 11, 2002)

Hi Hoggie...Ok...I don't know exactly what part of the embosser you don't like but if it's that the embossing stylus drags across the paper ....it can be hard to get a nice effect....one way to stop this is to run the stylus across waxed paper several times...

As far as the chalk goes...I find the best way to get a nice dark color from my chalk is to apply it with a cotton ball or one of those foam makeup wedges...since you've wet your chalk you may have to scrape the top of it to get it loose...also...it works the best if you build up layers than to try to get it really dark in one application....

Heat embossing is my VERY favorite technique!! Forgive me if you already know this stuff: You need...
a heat tool
embossing powder
embossing ink pad 

Simply press the stamp in the inkpad and press onto paper as you would any other stamp...next...sprinkle powder over the stamped image and lightly shake the paper to distribute the powder....pour powder off of the stamped image and LIGHTLY tap to remove excess....hold embossing gun several inches from the image and move in a circular pattern until you see the powder "turn"..you'll know it when you see it!....Don't over heat or you will burn the powder.
**I like to preheat my gun for a few seconds before I put it over the paper...I feel that it prevents over heating.

~Laurie


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## hoggie (Feb 11, 2007)

Hi Lauriebelle - thank you.

That problem with the stylus is one part of it - I will try the waxed paper. The other is that I see stunning designs just done on card - without any colour or anything.  But I can't reproduce that. I am guessing that it is the weight of the card that is the problem, so I have trie dseveral different weights but it doesn't seem to make any difference.

Also not being able to use the chalks has worried me - I will try that. I think I have a couple of colours that I haven't tried wet - so I will try thoses dry and see how I get on  Does it make any difference what type of card you use the chalks on. It suddenly occured to me in the night, that the card I usually use has a very slight satin finish - could tha tbe stopping the chalks from "taking"

Thank you for the info on heat embossing. I have only seen it demonstrated once - and that was on tv in a shop  I don't get sky tv so I can't pick up any of the craft programmes. Do you just use the same stamps that you use for other work? Or once they have been used with the embossing ink, do they need to be kept for embossing?

Thanks again

hoggie


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## Lauriebelle (Jul 11, 2002)

G'morning Hoggie....Are you using cardstock for the embossing?....It definitely wont come out as good if you use a light weight paper....I don't use the Fiskars set up....I use a lightbox underneath the stencil with the paper over the stencil...I know if the card is too thick I like to do several passes over an area rather than pressing really hard all at once.

....You can use the same stamps for embossing as you do with regular stamping...essentially embossing ink is just ink that stays wet longer..so it wont dry before the powder is on it.

Here's a Youtube video that demonstrates: [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvZEVu3HU7k]Heat Embossing[/ame] 

I don't use the plastic thing that they have to catch the powder...I just use a sheet of paper.


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## hoggie (Feb 11, 2007)

Hi - sorry I didn't come back sooner. I meant to reply last night but I fell asleep putting DD to bed  

I have been using card, but it is quite a light-weight one. I will try with some heavier card I have here and see if it is any better.

I will try building up the layers of chalk as well - sounds as though I may have ruined my chalk pad, if this works I will order some more - oh goody - an excuse to treat myself LOL.

I can't play the youtube videos at the moment. It keeps telling me I have a problem with my player, but I can't figure out what it is 

I am about to put in an order for or Christmas stuff, and I am trying to decide whether to buy some more normal embossing stencils, or to lash out and get the heat gunand some new stamps. hard one  

hoggie


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## hoggie (Feb 11, 2007)

OK - we're looking good. I have just been through my card stuff, and have tried out a few. I found a pack of 260gsm matt silver, and the embossing looks GREAT on that. I sense some Christmas card ideas finally coming together here 

Then I tried some heavier, dark card, and again, it held much better. Simple problem - must just have been using too light a card  

Another question if I may. With the craft chalks, is it normal to get a sort of "drifting" effect along the edge of the embossing? I quite like it, but I'm not sure it's meant to be there :shrug: 

Thanks 

hoggie


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## Lauriebelle (Jul 11, 2002)

Hoggie...the "drifting" always happens with chalk....that's part of it's charm....one really cool thing you can do with chalk is called chalk popping...you put a stamp in embossing ink...stamp it on your paper..and after chalking up a makeup sponge....dab onto the ink and the chalk sticks to it..no need to heat or anything....just a very cool effect!


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## hoggie (Feb 11, 2007)

That sounds fun. I will have to see if I can try that out 

I have just read through this thread again, and going back to your first reply about the wet chalks. You said that I might need to scrape the chalk to get it loose. Both of my chalk pads have always been really hard. I think that is why I couldn't ge tthem to work? Last night I used my little short bristled brush, and sort of scrubbed the surfce of the chalk until there was some loose, then use da cotton ball to apply. That worked and I managed to get a result. I am wondering now if they got damp before i even got them? 

I also tried the second block of chalks and those colours are much more "definite" I think I will use those till I feel more comfortable with doing it.

Thank you for all the advice 

hoggie


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