Making a Great Impression: Embossing and Stenciling with Templates, Rubber Stamps and Punches

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Author: Beverly Terry

Would you like to add a new dimension to your cards and scrapbook pages? Try dry embossing! To get started you’ll need paper, a template, a light box, a stylus, removable tape and some waxed paper. Follow these easy steps:

• Secure your template right side up on the front of your cardstock with removable tape. This type of tape will not tear your paper when it’s removed.
   
  
  
• Turn your paper over and place it on top of the light box. You will be working on the wrong side of the paper, so make sure that your template is face-down on the light box.
• Rub waxed paper over the cardstock to make your stylus glide easily when embossing.
• Use the larger end of the stylus to trace the outline of your image. You want to simply press your stylus against the edge of the image. Resist the temptation to “color in” the open areas with the stylus as this will leave undesirable marks.
   
  
  
• Hold your paper up to the light to be sure you didn’t miss anything.
• You can add color to the image with chalks, inks, markers, etc. while the template is still attached to the front of your paper. This process is called stenciling.
   
  
  
• Remove the stencil to see your embossed image.
   
  
  

Here are some handy tips to keep in mind when you’re embossing.

• You can tape your template right side down directly to the light box and place your paper on top to emboss. This is the preferred method if you want to randomly emboss multiple images on your paper or if you simply want an uncolored raised image.
• Most people prefer the embossed or raised image. However, some like the other side which is debossed or depressed. If that is your preference, you need to place your template on the wrong side of your paper and work from the front side.
• To get the deep impression you want, you should use light colored papers that you can see through. You’ll find that papers with a white backing also work well, even if they’re dark colors.
• You can also use a personal die cutting machine to quickly emboss your images. You’ll need a poly pad and specific plates to do this. Keep in mind that if your poly pad is larger than your image, you’ll get an embossed outline of the template itself.

You can use brass, steel or plastic templates for embossing, but that’s not all. You can create your own templates using rubber stamps, punches and dies.

• Stamp a simple image with a dye ink, such as Staz On, on a stencil blank, transparency or heavy card stock. Use scissors or a craft knife to cut out the image to create your template.
• Punch or die cut an image or multiple images on a stencil blank, transparency or heavy cardstock. You may have to use several layers of punched cardstock to make your template if the stencil blank or transparency is too thick to punch.

Now that you know the basics, try your hand at dry embossing. The technique is easy and the results are impressive to say the least!