Embossed Leather Look with Crayons (on a purse)

This purse box is a revamp of an old template you might recall.

It was made to give to

my cousin--and soul sistah--Shea.
(She adores red.)



Shea is also a big fan of butterflies, flowers, and
natural things with lots of texture.

The leathery texture on this is made by pressure embossing plain old red
cardstock; then adding the world's most affordable (and nostalgic) craft supply:



Crayons!

1... making a 'crayon rubbed embossing' purse (with a leather look)
2... cheap trick for cutting small paper bits (re-visited)
3... the free purse templates (an oldie)

-1-

...make a crayon rubbed embossed
purse (with a leather look):

• Purse template (print 2) Free template linked at the bottom of this post, or well over 100 purse styles available in this link list.
  
• Cardstock in the colour of your choice
• Pressure embossing machine
• Embossing folder (This one is Cuttlebug's plum blossom folder from their Asian set)
• Crayons to suit the cardstock colour
• Stamps (if you want)
  
• Embellishments (I used embroidery threads, patterned paper, decorative brads, butterfly cut from BasicGrey Ambrosia paper & jazzed up).
  

This crayon technique is fast and ever so easy!
It gives you a leathery look to your embossing:


(It looks and feels more leather-like in person, honest!) ;)

Step 1) Print the purse template & build it.

Step 2) Print the template a second time on the same cardstock (use this second printing to cut panels for the front, back, sides & bottom. that you can pressure emboss)

Step 3) Pressure emboss the panels in a Cuttlebug, or a Big Shot or what have you.

Step 4) Rub crayon over the raised areas of the embossing. I used different red crayons ranging from light to dark red, with the papers peeled off, and rubbed the crayons on their sides. The crayon gives you a leather look. (Tutorial on crayon rubbed embossing here or Crayon Resist embossing here).

Step 5) Embellish however you like.

I pierced holes along the edges of the embossed & crayoned panels and then stitched them. They are added to the purse all over...


(even on the bottom)

The handle was made with red cardstock layered over black cardstock:



I heat embossed the red cardstock handle with a background stamp (a very old Paisley Stampin' Up background) in Versamark ink and clear embossing powder.

Then I adhered the red cardstock to a wider strip of black cardstock, pierced holes, and stitched it with embossing thread. (The ends of the stitching were hidden when I adhered the handle onto the purse box.)

It was secured onto the purse with brads, so it would be sturdy.
To cover the brad backs, I added roses:


They were embossed in black, coloured red, & cut from this...

...Victorian Rose stamp

from Impression Obsession
(I have no affiliation with I.O. I bought
the stamp when I was designing with
Paper Garden Projects) :0)

The middle strap over the top of the box is also attached with decorative brads:



I added BasicGrey Ambrosia patterned paper and more stitching. The butterfly is cut from BasicGrey 6x6 paper. Its body is a wee silver metallic bugle bead & the wings have glitter & clear lacquer glue to bling-ify them (and make the whole thing more durable).

And the little butterfly trail carries onto the back of the purse strap:



The trail was made by adding knots of red embroidery thread. (After sewing, I hid the mess on the back by lining the strap with red cardstock & then adding it onto the purse).

-2-

(for cutting small paper bits)

If you're cutting little things from patterned paper
(like these wee butterflies) you might like to try this tip.

Paint the back of the paper with acrylic paint (or
gesso) to strengthen it before cutting:

(Click the pics to go read more here, if you like).

-3-

(Two free purse templates & tutorials
for how to put them together)

Top note purse here:

Jeweled Purses here:

Thank You so much for having a look,
Hope your day is full of the kind of fun only a crayon can bring!