Challenge #10 - More Inspiration...

 

Hi, it's Jo here with just a little more inspiration to hopefully tempt you to play along with us for Challenge #10 - Shimmer and Shine.

I'm currently more than a little obsessed with heat embossing my dry embossed panels. 

Paisley - Sizzix Embossing Folder

I started by embossing a piece of watercolour paper and colouring it with Distress Inks. When it was nice and dry I swiped my Versamark pad across it and then heat embossed with Altenew Crisp Embossing Powder Translucent Pearl. 

It's really hard to capture the sparkle, but hopefully you can see it on this angled shot of the card.

This really is an easy technique and gives a great twinkly finish to your cards.

There's still a week to run for this challenge, so we very much hope you'll get your card super sparkly and come join  the fun!

Challenge #10 - Inspiration

Hello Squashettes!  Gail here today with a little blingy inspiration for the current any folder and use a shimmery/blingy medium challenge.  

I decided to try the double emboss technique.  I am not sure I've ever done this before, certainly not often, but I had some NBUS blingy Wow! embossing powders I wanted to try.  Ta dah!  Bling!!!!!!

I actually managed to bling my desk, the floor and the cat during the making of this card!!!!   I used Wow! Cloud 9 and the glittery bits were really fine.  I also used Sizzix Arrows embossing folder and Art by Marlene Roadtrip stamp.

I embossed some turquoise card with the Arrows folder, a blue ink pad to give some extra contrast on the arrows, then versamark and the embossing powder.  Bling!!!!

I stamped coloured and fussy cut the cute lady in the car and stamped a TH sentiment on a vellum strip to finish.  

Dig out those shimmery shiny mediums, get squashing and join the fun.  

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Challenge #10 - Shimmer and Shine

 Welcome, welcome, welcome to the tenth challenge here at 

Let's Squash It!

Let's Squash It! is The Embossing Folder Challenge.  We are gonna help you explore the world of the not so humble embossing folder and encourage you to dig 'em out, knock the dust off and find old, new and fun ways to make your projects pop. 

We have an awesome team to keep you entertained and awesome challenge themes to stretch your creativity and get you using all those long forgotten and neglected embossing folders. 

For those of you who are just tuning in you can check the previous posts for the story behind the genesis of the challenge and the technique posts for awesome tips and techniques to help you make the most of your supplies and folders.

Challenges start on the 10th of the month and run to the last day at 23.59 GMT.  We will be picking top picks and a winner, who will have a chance to be our guest designer for a future challenge.  There is a little prize on offer for a randomly selected winner and these will all be announced on the 5th of next month.   

So, Challenge #10

And this month's theme is

Use any Embossing Folder AND Make It Shimmer and Shine

Use any embossing folder and a medium to make it shimmer and shine ie gilding wax, perfect pearls, glitter glue, sparkly embossing powder/paint etc... Please make sure you include both parts of the challenge on your card and also check da roolz to ensure your entry will be eligible for the random prize draw!

We are very pleased to have our Let's Squash It!! Empress joining us as our guest designer this month.  Please welcome Tina!

"Hi. I am Tina and I live in Slovenia, a country well known for its stunning nature. I have been married to my high school sweetheart and we have one daughter and two sons.

I started cardmaking in 2010 when my husband bought me my green Cuttlebug.  I didn't know that one hobby could be so addictive … So, in April 2015 I created my blog to share my passion for cardmaking. Both decisions, to start cardmaking and to start blogging,  are among the best in my life, it is so inspiring and I am so happy about all this. I don’t have any specific style,  I just love playing with papers and trying different styles and new techniques.

You can find more about me on my blog (http://www.treebug.org/). The name incorporates my passion for environment (»tree«) and card making (»bug« is short for my green Cuttlebug)

I am so happy to be your Guest Designer because I love my huge collection of embossing folders! Thank you!"

 

Tina's Card uses
Sizzix Embossing folder - Diamond Dots

folder from bigshot starter kit

Tina says 'For my purple card I sprayed my sizzix embossing folder with nuvo mica mist before running through my cuttlebug. The card is all shining but how to take a picture of this, I don't know, I tried different positions with no success unfortunately... Then I just added some flowers, greenery and gemstones for extra bling.'

 

And here's some inspiration from the team......

 

 

Gail's Card uses 

Sizzix Simple Impressions Embossing Folder - Stars

 

Jo's Card uses 

Kaisercraft Embossing Folder - Stained Glass

 

 

Please do check da roolz to make sure you will be in the running for da prizes.  

This months randomly selected winner will be able to choose a prize from the

Let's Squash It! Prize Vault

 

Now it your turn!

Grab your embossing folders and dies or scissors and join the fun.

We are looking forward to seeing your cards.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Technique Time July 2021 - Shine and Bling

 

Hi Squashettes, welcome to another technique time here at your favourite embossing folder challenge blog!

Embossing is great, right? Here at Let's Squash It! we love to challenge ourselves and to see if we can take embossing a little further to add extra 'Wow' factor to your cards. In this post, I'm going to be looking at how to add a little shine to your embossing to lift it to a whole new level!

My first thought for adding some shine to an embossed panel was to use gilding polish. A couple of years ago I bought some Silver Dream Gilding Polish from Cosmic Shimmer. Unfortunately, the polish has now gone a little gloopy, but I still managed to get some nice effects by using a cloth rather than the sponge that comes in the lid of the container. Using a very slightly damp cloth seemed to help.

My first application was a little heavy.

I was happier with this piece - less definitely was more!

Gilding paste/polish comes in a variety of colours or finishes and really adds lustre to your embossing. A lighter touch really seems to give better results.

Mmmmm, what else could I use to add some shine to my embossing? I certainly didn't want to 'add to cart', so decided to look through my stash to see what I could utilise.

I was delighted to find that my gold Versa Color cube still had a little ink in it. I doubt if I could stamp with this ink, but the sponge still held enough ink to swipe it across an embossed panel and I love the effect.

This was quick, easy and far less messy than the polish. I used the de-bossed side of the panel and was amazed at how different the pattern appeared in reverse. 

(X - Cut Folk Florals)

I love how it looks against the blue cardstock.

I continued to rummage through my old inks and found a Dew Drop Brilliance pigment ink called Pearlescent Orchid. This colour was never a favourite of mine, but add it to kraft card and just look at the effect!

(Unnamed Folder)

I then turned my attention to embossing powders. After making this card for our previous challenge I was very excited about the possibilities of heat embossing the raised portions of dry embossing.

I've got a lovely powder from Altenew which is clear with just a hint of sparkle. I carefully swiped the cardfront with my Versamark pad and then sprinkled on the powder for a beautiful, sparkly finish. 

Here's some further examples on red card so you can see the full effect.

(Crafter's Companion - Ornate Lace)

(Darice - Bold Daisy)

This has less of a 'wet' look IRL and is so sparkly and pretty. 

I'm more than a little obsessed with copper embossing powder from Cosmic Shimmer right now, so just had to try the same effect with some of that. 

(Kaisercraft - Stained Glass)

Oh my, just look at that! 

(Kaisercraft - Stained Glass reverse.)

What a beautiful finish. I love metallic embossing powder soooooooooo much.

Hopefully, you've enjoyed my little tutorial and you're now all ready for our next challenge which is only two days away! Take care, see you soon and keep crafting!

Winners and Top Picks for Challenge #9

 

Hello Squashettes!  Gail here today to announce the results of Challenge #9.

Thanks to everyone for joining us and sharing your gorgeous entries with so many different ways of solving the challenge.

And a big thank you to Marlena for joining us as our guest and sharing her lovely card.

But you are here for the winner and top picks aren't you?  So let's get to it......

Our two runners up, impressing us with their fabulous squashing are:

Chris

 

Beautiful embossed leaves and loved the colouring and shading

and

Jeanne

 Gorgeous embossed flowers beautifully watercoloured

We hope you'll wear your badge with pride!

Our top pick and winner of our Empress of Squash award,
(with a chance to guest design for a future challenge) goes to:

Jane

Tropical paradise with gorgeous embossing and we loved the matching leafy background and die cuts.

Here's your badge and well done on being our Empress of Squash.

We also have our random draw prize to award!  

Mr Random says the lucky winner is......

  

#14

 

Karen Finkle

Congrats Karen!  Please email me at craftynomad@gmail.com with your address details, and also let me know which folder you want from the prize vault.

Thanks again to Marlena for joining Jo and me for this fun challenge, and a very big thank you to everyone who joined the fun. Our next challenge is due to start on 10th May, and don't forget to check out the Technique Time teaser on Saturday 8th. Hope to see you there!  Hugz