Custom Embossing folders!!!!! From Breakfast Cereal to Artsy Embossing!

Let me tell You, I am freeeeeaking out about this. DIY embossing!!!!!

It turned out better than I ever could have imagined....

Here's a custom embossed piece with a little gesso on it:

Look familiar? It was the Stampin' Up! background stamp Baroque.

So, this is a tutorial on how to make your own embossing folders using stamps (or any image) & a cereal box! I liked the embossing it gives even better than a "real" folder! SqeeeeeeeeeaL of Joy!

Here's the "folder" that made that embossing:

It's probably more of an embossing plate than a folder,
but the results are just as nifty....

(I find these Do It Yourself plates work best with de-bossing &
the effect is a little more like the letterpress look)

The Basic Process to make it is this simple:

1) Cut an image out of cardboard (ETA: or die cut shapes...)
2) Stick the pieces on more cardboard
3) Seal it all up with some Mod Podge

So there are a couple-few of ways to make your own folders
--some less labour intensive than others--
depending on the tools you have at your disposal:

#1. Lucky Duck Category: if you have a Cricut Expression & this thingy you can make your own plastic folders. (Not explained here; sorry, lucky duckies!) ;o)

#2. Duck whom I am most envious of Category: ;O) If you have a cutting machine that will cut cardboard or plastic you can use it to cut shapes to make your own folders like this. You lucky bum You! LOL. ;O) If you know how to make .cut files or the like, you can even use software to make your own images and cut em out. Got a Zyron? Use it to stick it all together. (Not explained here either; sorry, Dahlinks!) :O)

#3. This tutorial was made for You if You belong to the "Scissors & Granola box budget...but have a pressure embossing machine" category (ie; you have Cuttlebug or a pasta maker)...or if you belong to the "likes to do weird things with Stamps category

SOooooh, if you like to "use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do with out" (and you have a stamp-geek side to your nature) like moi, then come along with me! ;O) It might entail more work than the lucky duckies have to do, but the benefit to all your handiwork is that you'll have a one of a kind artsy craftin' tool!...

From Breakfast Cereal to
Artistic Embossing!

Preparatory Schtuff:

Prep Step #1) Gather your goodies.

Materials:

--Cuttlebug or other press embossing machine (or pasta maker)
--A Key Product: You will probably need a silicone mat or plumbers gasket to get the embossing to take, but that is a staple in my book since it lets you emboss brass stencils & anything (like charms or hardware...)

--Stamp or image
--Cardboard (like cereal box stuff, no hollow corrugated stuff)
--Glue (me likey Mod Podge)
--Old paint brush (or a dedicated one) for glue
--Sharp scissors
Optional: hole puncher from SU tool kit (or Cropodile) for punching circles

Prep Step #2) TEST! :O) Before you work on making a finished folder, it's wise to test the thickness of your cardboard in your particular machine--(since they'll vary)--to be sure it'll work.

Try this simple test to see if your thicknesses will work:

1) Stick a small piece of cardboard to another large piece of cardboard.

2) Let the adhesive dry (Sealing with Mod Podge will prevent the paper binding to the cardboard, but for this step it's not necessary; you just wanna check the impression or embossing your test piece makes...)

3) Run it through the machine with a piece of cardstock lightly spritzed with water.

The Cuttlebug stack/sandwich used:

(listed from bottom to top:)

1st, lay down your white A plate
2nd, add a B plate
3rd, lay down your test cardboard piece (or new custom folder)
4th, lay down your piece of cardstock that you have lightly misted with water
5th, lay down the silicone sheet
6th, add a 2nd B plate

Depending on the calibration of your Cuttlebug, you may need a piece of cardstock or two as a shim to get the nicest impression. I'd add that before the final B plate. :O) (Got a sandwich like this for another machine? Please share it with us?)

All tested out? Here's how to make this little suckah...

The How To:



Step 1) Stamp or draw image on cardboard. I've used red ink here so you can see it well, but you may want to use light ink to prevent colour bleeding when you use this with spritzed paper (helps the image emboss.) Or use Solvent ink or waterproof ink (or seal it later if you don't have that. (This is the Stampin' Up! background stamp Baroque.)

To use clipart or your own digital images: print onto copy paper & glue to cardboard then cut etc...

Type of cardboard is important: (harder not the layered corrugated inside kind) Needs to hold up to pressure embosssing. (I used the cardboard from Quaker Harvest Crunch & one layer of cardstock (perfect thickness IMHO.)

Type of glue is important too: (use something that has no tackiness when dry but won't crack. Mod Podge Great. NOT so good for this: Tombow monomulti or other silicone based adhesives, rubber cement (these stay tacky) Cystal Lacquers (these can crack).



Lil' Tip: You may want to extend the pattern to make a wider folder than the original stamp or image.Sketch in the lines for this onto the cardboard now if you like.



Step 2) Rough cut the cardboard (This makes a huge difference. It'll make the fine cutting easier & tidier.)



Step 3) Fine cut the cardboard. I found it helped to approach the cuts from different angles, moving the piece more than the scissors.

Plan your cuts. Since the material is thick, it's a good idea to take a second to plan how to cut it easiest. The photo above shows one way of making cutting easier: save any cuts that destabilize the piece for last. That way you are cutting a sturdy piece instead of a flimsy one.



Lil' Tip: You can use the hole punching tool from the Stampin' Up! tool kit (or a similar one or Cropodile) to punch circles. (You could even make your own custom swiss dots folder!!!!! Just stick lots of dots on a piece of cardboard. DO you have a dot background stamp? You could stamp it as a guide.)



Step 4) Stamp a placement guide for gluing down your newly cut bits: stamp the same image on the cardboard you will use as your folder base. In hindsight, I'd make my cardboard pieces larger than this (ideally just 1/8 of an inch under the size of your machines platform so you don't have edges that will crease) For the Cuttlebug that would be 7 5/8 inches by 5 6/8")



Step 5) Following the stamped pattern, glue cardboard to that cardboard. To make a reverse image, glue ink side down. You could make one of each!!! :O)



Step 6) Seal with mod Podge (hardens it & also sealing with mod podge will prevent the paper binding to the cardboard.)

Lil' TiP: The modgodge will harden & leave an impression when you emboss, so to avoid over softened corners, I found that using a little Mod Podge is much better than globbing it on, since it collects in the corners. To remove any that collects just use a damp brush with very little Mod Podge on it & pounce out the corners. Working systematically from one corner of the design to the last is a great way to make sure that you don't miss any excess.

Step 7) Allow to dry to touch (then if it is curly at all, allow to dry under book stack. But no worried a little curl is ok.) Then cure it: if you can wait, it is ideal to let the cardboard harden by curing the modpodge for a while (1 hour after a minute or two with a teensy bit of gentle heatgunning was enough for this impatient crafter, heehee. It worked loverly!) :O)

And that's it! It's easy! I just make it seem complicated by blathering about all of the variables (You know me, I loves making complimication outta simple stuff!)

Hope You give it a go &
You have as much fun as I did!

You might like the easier
grungeboard version (Tutorial here)

Here's a pictorial for how to make an intricate free hand cut one
(leaves on the left) :

You can also use a digital image to print & cut (vines),
or use layered die-cut/punched shapes (flowers)

P.S. Quick reference for Ya:

The technique to make the Folder:

1) Cut an image out of cardboard
2) Stick the pieces on more cardboard
3) Seal it all up with some Mod Podge

The Cuttlebug stack/sandwich used:
(listed from bottom to top:)

1st, lay down your white A plate
2nd, add a B plate
3rd, lay down your test cardboard piece (or new custom folder)
4th, lay down your piece of cardstock that you have lightly misted with water
5th, lay down the silicone sheet
6th, add a 2nd B plate

Depending on the calibration of your Cuttlebug, you may need a piece of cardstock or two as a shim to get the nicest impression. I'd add that before the final B plate. :O) (Got a sandwich like this for another machine? Please share it with us?)

Happy Crazy Cuttlebuggin'! And please send me a link if you make a folder, will ya? :O)