Create an Embossed Background with Dies

Sometimes you can’t find the right paper for your background. Create an Embossed background with Dies!

Today starts our April challenge for the Joy of Sets! Below is our new tic-tac-toe grid for you to choose a Row, Column, or Diagonal for your next project. I hope you join in with us and share a project!

For today’s card, I chose Die-Cut, Ink Blending, Fussy Cutting from the grid.

I wanted to use a subtle background, but I found that only dark colors let the bright Eiffel Tower stand out. Unfortunately I didn’t have any dark DSP that would match, so I figured I could create something. Let’s get resourceful!

Have you seen the flourish die that comes with the Parisian bundle? It was perfect for this card, but I didn’t want to CUT my background.

See below how to emboss a background with dies and make this Parisian card!

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How to make this card:

Create your card base:

• Cut a piece of Coastal Cabana 4 1/4″ x 11″, and then score it in half at 5 1/2″.

• Using black card stock, cut 5 1/4″ x 4″ for the layer.

To Emboss the background with dies:

• Using your black card stock piece, let’s embossing the background. To build your sandwich for your die-cutting machine:

Impressions pad (white)

• Thin silicone mat (blue)

• Black card stock piece

• Flourish Die (cutting side UP towards your paper)

• Standard cutting pad

• Die-cutting platform

Tip: When Embossing with dies, put the cuttting side UP towards your paper. When cutting with dies, put the cutting side DOWN towards your paper.

Emboss the background with this die over and over until you have the right amount of texture that you want.

Bonus tip: If you don’t have the embossing mats, thin pieces of silicone will also do the job, but it may take a bit of experimenting to get the thickness right.

To Make the Eiffel Tower

• On a piece of 5 1/2″ x 3 1/2″ Very Vanilla, blend three color inks into “clouds”. I chose coastal cabana, gorgeous grape, and melon mambo. With a sponge dauber, dab it onto your ink pad to pick up some ink, and use circular motions to ink your paper. Create different size pockets of your colors. There’s no wrong way to do this. Keep adding ink until the color is dark enough for your liking.

• Using vellum, Die-Cut the detailed Eiffel Tower. Spread liquid glue evenly on the back with a sponge or your finger, and glue it down onto your colorful “cloud” piece. Then let it dry.

• Lastly, fussy cut the Eiffel Tower. I left a small border around the vellum (because it’s just so pretty!). Set it aside.

Adhere the Eiffel Tower and the sentiment with dimensionals to your card front!

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Supplies

Coastal Cabana 8-1/2″ X 11″ Cardstock $8.75	Basic Black 8-1/2″ X 11″ Cardstock $8.75	Very Vanilla 8-1/2″ X 11″ Cardstock $9.75	Vellum 8-1/2″ X 11″ Cardstock $10.00
Coastal Cabana Classic Stampin’ Pad $7.50	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad $6.00	Melon Mambo Classic Stampin’ Pad $7.50	Gorgeous Grape Classic Stampin’ Pad $7.50
Parisian Beauty Cling Stamp Set (English) $21.00	Parisian Dies $27.00	Parisian Beauty Bundle (English) $43.00	Big Shot Embossing Mats $15.00

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I’m so glad you stopped by to craft with me! Thank you for joining in. Embossing the background with dies is something so fun, and it can help double the use of your craft supplies.

Are you also a huge fan of the Parisian stamp bundle? Check out one of my latest creations (with the tutorial of course!):

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