Inspiration for Challenge #13 - Double Emboss

 

It's the 17th of the month and it's Jo here with a little more inspiration for Challenge #13. 

This month is all about the art of Double Embossing. If you missed it, please check out Gail's fab Technique Time post where she gives a fabulous masterclass on this fab technique and shows you how to str-e-tch those embossing folders even further. 

I was very interested to try some embossing using clear powder as a resist and so broke out this beautiful folder from Altenew. 

Just look at that fabulous 3-D image. 

I ran this EF through my ancient Cuttlebug and then very carefully swiped the raised parts of the card with Versamark Ink. Quite a lot of powder stuck to the rest of the watercolour card, so I brushed and blew it away. 

A quick 'do' with my heat gun and I was ready to smooch the card with a selection of Distress Inks. 

This looks much nicer IRL, but hopefully you can see how the embossing powder worked as a resist on the flowers and leaves. 

There's still plenty of time to play along with our current challenge as it runs until October 31st. Gail and I hope to see you in the gallery!

Challenge #9 - More Inspiration

Hello Squashettes!!  Gail here today with a little more inspiration for our current challenge, use a nature themed embossing folder and watercolouring.  Some gorgeous makes in the gallery already, but still plenty time to join the fun.

Today I'm using a beautiful 3D folder from Sheena Douglas called Wisteria Wall.   I love the way Sheena tends to combine soft and hard elements together in her designs.  I am not really a flower person, but when I saw the riveted sheet background behind the lovely wisteria I just had to buy it.  The sale price helped me along as well........

I am so pleased how this turned out.  I smeared distress inks on my craft mat, spritzed generously with water, then I used my water brush with added bling to watercolour the embossed design.

I embossed a normal pale grey thin card sheet with the folder and used Wilted Violet for the flowers and Evergreen Bough for the leaves.   You can be quite accurate with placement of colour on the embossed areas, as I tried to be with the leaves.  The flowers I was more splashy with, and after I had finished painting I still had some colour on the mat so I just kept loading it on to create very pleasing shades of violet. 

I used very very dilute Stormy Sky and gave the background a watercolour wash.  I love how the embossed areas suck in a bit more ink giving automatic shading.  Cool and very easy.

I sandwiched my panel in an old book to dry and flatten out.  One cup of coffee later and it was ready to mount on a 9x7" card base.  I trimmed a smidgen off the side and added a pre-printed sentiment strip from a Kort og Godt patterned sheet.  It says Good Friends are Worth Their Weight In Gold.  Well, you are, aren't you.  

Thanks for dropping by.  We hope you feel like getting squashy and splashy with us this month.  Linky closes last minute of the month so still plenty of time to sit in the shade and watercolour a masterpiece.  Hugz

Technique Time with Gail - June 2021 Colouring Techniques

  Hello Squashettes!

Gail here today, a little later than planned, but hopefully it's worth the wait...........

Today I want to talk about colouring techniques, in particular using watercolours with your embossing folders.  I'm gonna call this my squashy sploshy period....

The easiest thing to do is probably to smear your folder with a water reactive ink, such as distress, spritz and send that baby through the machine.   This gives you a nice background colour and leaves your embossed image white, or whichever colour your card was to start with.  In my case I started with a grey woodgrain card and went a bit crazy with the water, so it's not as clean and well defined as I am sure it could be, but for my 'Thinking of You' card it works for me.  I used Sizzix Bird embossing folder for this card.

You can also use watercolour paints and a brush, or water reactive pens/pencils to colour parts of the folder design.  Here I embossed Sizzix Cockerel Frame and used some tri-paint colour sticks I have.   I used a waterbrush to pick up colour from the light green colour stick and painted the embossed area of the frame.  Then I wet the colour sticks and applied colour to the embossed outline of the bird and then to the debossed areas inside the bird, spreading the colour with my water brush.  

 

You can also try some resists to keep your embossing pristine and give interesting effects.  Embossing powders and wax are good to use with water based colours.   I used Brusho wax sticks here and Brusho powders for a blast of colour.  These wax sticks are like colourless crayons. 

I embossed Nellie Snellen Ball Flowers on white card, used the wax sticks on the embossed texture, sprinkled the Brusho powders where I wanted my colour and spritzed with water.  This gives a much more random effect to the colours, but love that wax resist.

Here I've used the same wax resist with Sizzix Groovy Flower folder but I mixed my Brusho's with water first and used them as watercolours to fill in the embossed design.  This gives more control on where the colours end up.

I hope I have given you a few ideas for using watercolours with your embossing folders.  Drop back on the 10th for a fun new challenge with Jo and I and our awesome guest.   See you then.  Hugz

Challenge #8 - Inspiration

Hello Squashettes!!  Gail here today with a little more inspiration for our current challenge, leave some space and bling it up!

I love keeping things simple, so this theme is perfect for me, and I have masses of bling, so it's wonderful to be using a bit more than usual.  Here's my card with Nellie Snellen Ball Flower embossing folder.  

 

I used an offwhite wood effect panel, smeared the flat side of my folder with Tumbled Glass distress ink and embossed.  No water added and I got this lovely swirl effect with the ink.  Gorgeous!!!  I think it goes well with the subtle woodgrain texture.  I blinged up my flowers with rhinestones and stamped the Norwegian Happy Birthday sentiment.   A blue card base and done!!   

I hope you get some time to grab your folders and bling and join the fun.  Jo did a fabulous technique time post so check that out for ideas and inspiration.   

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Challenge #7 - Use At Least Three Folders and Include a Person

 Welcome, welcome, welcome to the seventh 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 #7

And this month's theme is

Use at least 3 Embossing Folders AND Include a Person

Make a card using at least 3 different embossing folders, any design or size, and also include a person.  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 Sally.

"Hi my name is Sally and I am so thrilled to be joining Gail and Jo as the Guest Designer for the Let’s Squash It! April challenge. I live near the beautiful Jurassic Coast in Dorset, England and I have been a keen crafter and maker for as long as I can remember. I soon realised that my real passion is card making and I then started my blog Sally’s Cards back in 2009, finding it was the perfect way to virtually meet like minded people. I have a huge collection of embossing folders that were gathering dust and this challenge blog has made me rediscover my love for using them."

And here is Sally's awesome card

 

Sally's Card uses
Cuttlebug Embossing folders - With Love Border, Flower Border, Fancy Corner

 

 

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

 

 

Gail's Card uses 

Docrafts Embossing Folders - Cherry Blossom Stripe and Beauty Sleep
Docrafts Embossing Folders -Stripe and Dot Swirl

Jo's Card uses 

Kaisercraft - Crochet Doily
Creative Expressions - Circle Illusion
Sizzix - Fancy Border

 

 

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 join the fun.

We are looking forward to seeing your cards.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Challenge #6 Inspiration

Hello Squashettes.  Happy St Patrick's Day.   

Gail here with a little more inspiration for the current Floral Embossing folder and make/repurpose a box challenge.   I'm a bit later than planned, but it was a lovely sunny day today so I was out sniffing the flowers.  I was also in a little quandry about which type of box to make and whether to go green for St Paddy's Day, or yellow for Easter.   In the end I decided to use a very cute Gummiapan Mini Milk Carton die and make one in each colour!!!!

I cut the die twice from green diamond and twice from yellow card, embossed the pieces with Sizzix Flowers #9 embossing folder and highlighted the embossing with green and yellow archival ink.  Fold and glue the pieces together, a couple of brads and a bit of ribbon and done!!

 

Aren't they cute!!!

Grab you flowery folder and show us your boxes for a chance to win a prize from the
Let's Squash It! Prize Vault.

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Let's Squash It! Challenge #6 - Boxing Clever with Floral Embossing

Welcome, welcome, welcome to the sixth 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 #6

And this month's theme is

Use a Floral Embossing Folder AND Make/Repurpose a Box

Please use a FLORAL embossing folder or two or three and also make a BOX. You can re-use a box from your stash or make one from scratch and decorate, including at least one Floral embossing folder.  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 Robyn

Big Hello Squashettes – Robyn here from sunny Queensland, Australia and my blog Waterlily Cards by Robyn. I’m thrilled to be Guest Designer this month at Let’s Squash It!  And thanks to Gail and Jo, I’m falling back in love with my embossing folders. I’m an addicted card maker which at the moment is sharing my time with my re-love of crochet and also squeezing in time for my garden. If you also have a large selection of neglected embossing folders  - you might like to join in the fun at Let’s Squash It!  - and be inspired to use them again…  Hope to see your lovely creations this month, Cheers

And here is Robyn's gorgeous floral box

 

Robyn's box uses
Embossing folder - Floral Flutter
(Simply Cards Magazine Freebie)

 

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

 

 

Gail's lantern box uses 

Sizzix Embossing Folder - Alpine Flowers

  

Jo's posse of pillowboxes uses 

Darice - Bold Daisy

Craft Too - Flower Folders

 

 

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 Floral embossing folders and join the fun.

We are looking forward to seeing your boxes.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Challenge #4 - Use an Embossing Folder and an Animal

 Welcome, welcome, welcome to the fourth 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.  Don't forget to check 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 a winner who will have a chance to be our guest designer, and top picks.  There is a little prize on offer for a randomly selected winner and these will all be announced on the 5th of next month.   

 

Jo and I try to visit all your entries and leave a little love.  Whilst visiting we notice that there are very few comments from other players.  So we have added a rool that you must comment on the two entries before yours in the linky.  Let's share some extra love with our fellow crafters in these strange times. 

So, Challenge #4

And this month's theme is

Use any Embossing Folder AND an Animal

 

This month we want to see any embossing folders and include an animal.  The animal can be part of your embossing folder or you can add one with stamps, dies, stickers or any other method.   Anything from the animal kingdom is acceptable.  Please remember to use both parts of the challenge and check Da Roolz to make sure your entry qualifies for the prize.  **New rool added 9th January**

 

Please check Da Roolz before you link up your makes.  We are a card challenge.  You must use a named embossing folder.  Other types of embossing are allowed to enhance your project but you must use a named embossing folder.  Both parts of the challenge must be included and also be the focus of your project.  Did we mention the embossing folder???  

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

Let's Squash It! Prize Vault

 

 

 Here's the inspiration from the team to get us started

Gail made this lovely card using Gemini
 embossing folder Butterfly Effect

 

 

Jo made this beautiful card using Darice
embossing folder Flowers

Click on the links to hop over and check out how we made our cards.

 

 

Now it's your turn.

Grab your embossing folders and animals and join the fun.

We are looking forward to seeing your cards.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter