Easy Die Cutting Technique - Embossing with Dies
This post shows cards I made inspired by the Easy Die Cutting Techniques online class at Altenew Academy. This is part of the Level 1 AECP course that I am undertaking. I have never tried embossing with dies and love the embossed look dies can produce. It inspired me to to give it a go and I love the results. I emboss with cover dies and alphabet dies.
The main stamp & die set that I used in my three cards is the Altenew Regal Beauty stamp & die set and the Altenew cover dies that I used for this technique are the Garden Trellis and Layered Snowflake Stars Cover Die Panel A.
For the final card I emboss with alphabet dies, Altenew Caps Bold Alphabet dies and for the card background I use the small Flower Pop Layering stamp set that Altenew sent me to thank me for my custom. In that stamp set included is a custom stamp, ‘With Love Angela Brennan’ which is really nice.
Do watch the video below to see how I created these cards.
Card #1 - Hello
Emboss card panel of 80lbs Neenah Solar Crest White cardstock with the Garden Trellis cover die. Every die cutting machine is different, so you’ll need to figure out (with the aid of the manufacturer’s guidelines) the best sandwich for your machine. I have a Big Shot and use an embossing mat and sandwich recommended by the manufacurer to emboss with a wafer thin die.
To stamp the flowers, follow the layering guide that comes with the stamp or check out the Altenew website for it. This stamp set is very easy to line up for stamp layering.
The ink colours that I used are as follows: (1) Flowers - Sea Shore and Warm & Cozy, (2) Flower centres - Forest Glades and heat embossed Gold Embossing Powder, (3) Leaf - Green Fields, (4) Leaf centres - Dew Drops and heat embossed Gold Embossing Powder. The leaf die cuts are from Altenew dies, Just Leaves and Virginia Rose 3D.
Die cut sentiment, ‘Hello’ with black cardstock using the Altenew Bold Greetings die. Die cut another three 'die cuts of ‘Hello’ to adhere together to provide some dimension to the sentiment. Added some Spectrum Noir Crystal Clear to the darkest colour shades on the flowers and also on the ‘Hello’ die cut for some shimmer. For added shine applied some Ranger Glossy Accents on the die cut sentiment.
Finished card off with some colourless dew drops/raindrops and adhered to side fold A2 card (4.25” by 5.5”) made with 110lbs Neenah Solar Crest White cardstock.
Card #2 - Hello, Birthday Wishes
The steps to make this card is the same as card #1 but colours and composition are different. I will only mention the different and additional products used in this card, rather than repeating here. The inks used are ass follows: (1) Flowers - Deep Blue Seas and Martian Terrain, (2) Leaf - Rock Collection, (3) Leaf and Flower centres - Misty Moor and Sea Forest. Additional leaf die is from Altenew’s Hisbiscus Garden 3D. Secondary sentiment is from the Altenew Sentiment Strips stamp set which I heat embossed with Ranger White Embossing Powder on black cardstock.
Splattered background with a paint brush with pigment from Jet Back ink spray. Also added further black dots with a 0.5mm black Unipin Fine Line pen. Finished off card with aqua gems from Lucy’s Shimmering Pool Mix. I love that the gems in this mix comes in different sizes in one packet.
Finally mounted card panel onto a grey A6 card with a border on the top and bottom of the card front.
Card #3 - Hi, Happy Birthday
The steps to make this card is the same as card #1 but colours, background and composition are different. I will only mention the different and additional products used in this card, rather than repeating here.
Arranged the stamped die cuts floral arrangement with leaves on the card panel, then placed the leaves stamps aroundthe floral arrangement and picked up the stamps with the MISTI door. Picked up the floral arrangement with Press ‘N Seal. Once the die cuts of the floral arrangement was removed, stamped the leaves with Lava Rock onto the 80lbs Neenah Solar Crest White cardstock card panel.
Cover die Layered Snowflake Stars Cover Die Panel A was used to emboss the card panel background.
Inks used are as follows: (1) Flowers - Northern Shore, Red Sunset, Summer Afternoon, (2) Flower Centres - Frayed Leaf and Evergreen, (3) Leaf centres - Misty Moor and Sea Forest. Die cut sentiment, ‘Hi’ is from the Altenew Bold Greetings die set, secondary sentiments, ‘Happy Birthday’ is from SSS Family Headline stamp, and ‘You are the sweetest’ is from Altenew’s Fabulous Florets stamp set. Stamped secondary sentiments with Versamark ink, sprinkled Ranger White Embossing Powder on black cardstock and heat embossed with WOW heat tool.
Finally mounted card panel onto a top folding A2 card (4.25” by 5.5”) made with 110lbs Neenah Solar Crest White cardstock.
Card #4 - Happy Birthday, Priya
For this card I emboss the card panel with Altenew Caps Bold Alphabet dies, spelling out the name of my niece. Keep dies close and secure with painter’s tape. Turn over and dab exposed painter’s tape with anti static powder to remove tackiness so when put through die cutting machine to emboss card panel it does not stick and ruin card.
Firstly die cut on masking sheet, where the positive and negative die cuts will be used. Use negative die cut to place positive die cut on card panel, then stamp flowers and leaves from Altenew’s Flower Pop Layering Stamp set randomly in Red Sunset for the flowers and Rock Collection for the leaves. Place alphabet dies over masked aphabets and run though die cutting machine with sandwich to emboss with dies.
Then remove the positive mask and place negative mask on the stamped card panel. Use Sea Shore ink set to ink blend (with a small ink blending tool) and ombre teal colour shade onto the alphabets that have been embossed and now exposed.
Cut down stamped panel to slightly smaller that an A2 card, backed with fun foam for dimension and mounted onto A2 card with teal backgound. Heat emboss ‘Happy Birthday’ sentiment from SSS Family Headline stamp with white embossing powder on black cardstock and back with foam strip and adhere to card.
Complete card with embellishments from Lucy’s Crystal Collection, Harmony.
Other products used:
Art Glitter liquid glue with a fine metal tip
Thank you for stopping by and do leave a comment if you have query or just if you want to:) Have a lovely day and happy crafting.