Technique | Debossing & Inking

Eagle-eyed readers will have noticed a new byline on this post! This post marks the debut of a new contributing writer for Scrapbook Update, Tammy Dailor. Tammy's style is very clean and simple and she has a great way of breaking down her creative process and writing short and clear technique tutorials that appeal to scrapbookers of all styles. We hope you will welcome her contributions at Scrapbook Update, and if you want to see more of her, you can visit her website, Your Memory Connection. -- Nancy

Today I wanted to share a fun and easy technique using embossing folders. The photo for this layout is of my youngest nephew taken during a Christmas shopping excursion. Because the colors in the photo are blues and grays, I thought a wintry spin would set the right tone. For the main design element on my layout, I used a snowflake embossing folder and two coordinating distress inks.

First, emboss the snowflake pattern on a piece of smooth cardstock. If you do this technique with textured cardstock, you might want to make sure that the embossing goes on the textured side so that it will be smooth on the debossed side that you want to work with. Once you have your embossed piece, turn the sheet over so that the debossed or smooth side is up (i.e.the side with the bumpy texture of the design is face down on the table).

Apply two coordinating colors of distress ink with an ink blending tool to color the background. I used Broken China and Iced Spruce. Because the debossed side is up, the ink glides over the surface leaving the embossed design showing through. Be sure to use light pressure. If you press too hard, you might press the color into the pattern.

I wanted to add some snowflakes to create a border on my page, but there wasn't enough contrast between white snowflake punches and the distressed background paper. I ended up applying the same distress ink colors to scraps of white cardstock and then punched my shapes. Not only is there contrast between the snowflakes and the background, but the colors perfectly match my embossed piece.

Finishing touches: I stapled some twine across the page to emphasize the border, added gems to the snowflake centers on the embossed piece and sprinkled iridescent sequins from left to right for diagonal flow.