A Year of Card Techniques ~ January Blog Hop ~ Emboss Resist

Welcome to

This is the first in a year long series of monthly blog hops focusing on techniques for card makers.

Each month we'll feature a different technique or fold or product.

We've assembled a team of card makers who range from new to advanced so you'll get a great variety of cards and ideas.

This month we will be focusing on emboss resist techniques and WOW have we got some cool cards for you today. We really love feedback so please leave a comment on each of the blogs in today's hop. Each comment on the 12 hops throughout the year will be entered into a prize drawing for a $25 Blitsy.com gift certificate at the end of the year.

Now on with the projects.

... What is emboss resist you might ask? 

One simple answer could be... a piece of paper is prepared with a sticky ink; embossing powder is added to it and a heat gun melts the powder into a sealed surface. All areas covered with the melted embossing powder will resist inks, ...distress inks, watercolors etc. I know, sounds complicated, but it really isn't. Let's see on some examples I prepared how this technique looks like:

... Stamp Projects

Both these cards started out the same way. I used a dotted stamp set and Watermark Ink(clear sticky ink) to stamp the dots onto pieces of watercolor paper. 

Next, I added some clear embossing powder over the stamped images and made sure all excess powder was taken off and put aside before I continued.

I let my heating gun warm up and slowly moved it over the powder. After a few seconds you can see how the powder is beginning to melt. I continued to heat the powder until everything was melted. From now on these dots wont take on any ink or color. You could also use white embossing powder for an even brighter contrast. 

For the blue card I used a variety of blue "ZIG Clean Color Real Brush Markers" and sprayed them with water to archive the background. 

For the orange card I used Distress inks in red, orange and yellow and a sponge to apply the color. 

... Stencil Projects

Here I used a stencil instead of a stamp set. The stencil works great, but it sometimes will not give you the crisp edges you are looking for. 

I placed the stencil onto watercolor paper and fasted it with some washi tape. The watermark ink pad is very sticky, so I move carefully over the stencil. I also made sure to clean my stencil right away with water and soap. The rest of the procedure is the same, place embossing powder onto the inked area and heat until melted. In both cases I used ZIG markers again, but the orange one is sprayed with water and color added to it, while the green color was applied with a brush and lot's of water.

... Pigment Ink Project

Last but not least, I used Memento Dandelion ink (yellow) to stamp the stars. First I placed a circle in the middle before I stamped the image. Then I removed the circle before I added clear embossing powder. The clear powder lets the ink color shine through, which makes for a pretty shiny background. Make sure the ink is wet and add the powder quickly after you stamped the image.

I went on to use a sponge and three different shades of blue distress inks to blend colors together to create this background.

More detailed information about each of the cards and how I made them will be on my blog following this post (Fridays).

Well, I hope you like my projects and how about trying this technique yourself? Let us know if you have questions and don't forget to leave a comment here and along the way for a chance to win. 

Up next is the talented Denise with her blog "Craft Confectionery"...click HERE to hop over and see here creations.

Here's today's line-up in case you get lost along the way

Theresa ~ http://scrapsbygracie.blogspot.com
Kim ~ http://katydidcards.com
Claudia...Your are here!
Denise ~ http://www.craftconfectionery.com
Debbie ~ http://pawstoscrap.blogspot.com
Sharon ~ http://piece-ofheart.blogspot.com
Lisa ~ http://lisaslittlerascals.blogspot.com
Jearise ~ http://lorbysworld.blogspot.com