2 Embossing Techniques With the Same Folder!

Hello Crafties! New stamps and craft supplies are always fun, right? But what about those items at the back of your toy bin “craft closet?” I’m guilty of letting those get a bit dusty.

But don’t worry about dusting…this isn’t a time for housework. I wanna try two different cards with the same (retired) embossing folder.

Does anyone have the Stampin Up Manhattan Flower embossing folder? 🙋🏻‍♀️🙋‍♂️ It’s very pretty, but I don’t find myself using it much anymore. So I brought it out in an attempt to “stamp my stash” and want to share the results with you! With this folder, I used two different embossing techniques.

Petal outlines are depressed vs Petal outlines are raised

Below are two different ways to use the same embossing folder for two embossing techniques. They are mirror images of each other because for the first one we want the outlines raised (this will hold the watercolors inside the lines) and the second one we want the outlines depressed and pressed down. Not to mention the bonus of using HEAT embossing, too!

Supplies:

Blushing Bride 8-1/2″ X 11″ Card Stock

$8.50

Manhattan Flower Textured Impressions Embossing Folder Die

$7.95

Sponge Brayers

$8.00

Versamark Pad

$8.50

Clear Stampin’ Emboss Powder

$5.00

Melon Mambo Classic Stampin’ Pad

$7.50

Blushing Bride Classic Stampin’ Pad

$7.50

Watercolor Paper

$5.00

• Prismacolor pencils

Embossing techniques 1; How to create the pink card:

1. I embossed a 5 1/4″ x 4″ piece of watercolour paper with the Manhattan Flower folder.
2. I inked up the brayer with versamark and lightly ran it over the embossed image, catching the high spots of the embossed flowers.
3. Next I sprinkled clear embossing powder and heat set. This ensures my watercolors stay on the petals where I want them.
4. Now its time to watercolor!! I used Melon Mambo, and put more ink towards the bottom of the petals. Start light–you can always add more ink. Watercoloring is a very forgiving technique.
5.  Lastly, I stamped the sentiment with the Blusing Bride ink, and adhered this card front to the top of some folded blushing bride cardstock. If you are wondering why I switched from Melon Mambo to Blushing Bride, it’s because when I watercolored, the ink became diluted to the point of matching the more subtle pink shade!

Embossing Techniques 2; How to create the blue card:

1. I brayered versamark ink directly onto the embossing folder, careful to keep it on the flower outlines. I placed the black cardstock (5 1/4″ x 4″) carefully inside the folder and ran it through my Big Shot.
2. Then I sprinkled gold embossing powder inside the flower outlines (which is now impressed down), carefully tapped off the excess, and heated it. This should leave you with the petals outlined in gold!
3. Lastly, color in the petals (I used prism a color pencils). More details on how to do this are outlined in this tutorial; check it out!

I’m entering the Pink Watercolor card into the Happy Little Stampers Watercolour Challenge (Flowers) and the Create Something Catchy Challenge (Watercolor).

If you follow my blog (and please do hit that button in the side bar for fun crafty awesomeness!), you may notice the blue card looks similar to a stack of cards I recently created. After these embossing steps, I colored these beautiful flowers using prismacolor pencils. Detailed steps can be found outlined in this tutorial!

I hope you found this tutorial useful, and maybe you are even inspired to dust off an older craft item to create something updated! Flip that embossing folder over and see what you can do!

Wanna see some other embossed beauties? Check out this Wedding Card with a window, or these garden cards that use the embossed stamp resist technique, or the Majestic Unicorn with glitter embossing!

And try this additional embossing folder technique using ink on your folder!

Embossing Folder Ink Technique with Video

Is there a craft item in the back of your closet that you’ve forgotten about? Maybe a different embossing folder, a stamp set that you still like, some funky paper, or some brads? Let me know what it is! If I also have it, or something similar, I’d love to help you find a new way to use it. We can challenge each other to create something new with it! Leave a comment below and who knows — Maybe it’ll be a future post! Can’t wait to hear from you!

Happy Crafting!