by Kari Robbins

Created on: April 29, 2008   Last Updated: February 03, 2011

When I was in high school my mother got really into scapbooking. She had bought tons of stamps and learned tricks to making cards and other stuff. One Christmas she made all the Christmas cards. That year she had m buy her an embossing gun. Not understanding she wanted it before Christmas to make cards with it I put it under the tree.

How to start the process; first and foremost gather up everything you need. That includes a large sheet of paper, the embossing powder, an embossing buddy (the embossing glue), embossing ink; yes you use special ink or it won't work; and last a way to heat it.

Next let's start the process, by putting the card stock that you will be using on the large paper. Doing this you will be able to reuse the excess powder. Take the embossing buddy or stick, and rub it on the card stock you plan to emboss. Doing this it keeps that powder where you want it, on the ink.

Next lets pick out the stamp we want. Since you have to wash the stamps thoroughly between each use or color change; you may use any stamp. Next grab your embossing ink and stamp away the design you want.

Now it's time for the powder, pour it all over the image. No need to be stingy with it since we pour off the excess, so make sure the image is thoroughly covered. Now that's covered shake off the excess onto the big paper. Pour that back into the container, so you can reuse it.

Now time to heat it. All the scapbooking places say you need a embossing gun. The gal who was selling my mother the stuff told her of a few others ways to it. All you need is heat to make it work; so two other ways are blower dryer or hair dryer and the stove.

Since she didn't get the embossing gun at that time, she had to use others ways. In the classes she had taken they had taught other ways to do it with house hold items. So today I'm going to share the two I really remember.

My favorite is the hair dryer method. You start out with putting the glue and embossing powder on the paper. Then you set the hair dryer on the lowest heat setting and hold it back like six inches so you don't scorch the paper. You put it in back of the card and set it and let the heat work to set the powder.

The next one takes more steady hand and paying 100% attention and a very steady hand. This one you se he stove. Yes the cooking stove, but it better be electric not gas. You urn the stove on the lowest setting like warm, or just the first dot on the stove; then you start the same way as all the times before. But then you hold the card or paper above the burner and watch the powder do it work.

Now time to place them in a safe place to cool. Once cooled they are done and you can use them for what ever you planed on, like birthday Christmas or anytime cards. If you would like more information check out www.stampingup.com; that and independent sellers for them is where I gained the knowledge for stamping and heat embossing

Learn more about this author, Kari Robbins.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.