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inkinupstamps
03-02-2007, 01:15 PM
Ladies who have used embossing paste with success, can you give me some tips, help and suggestions, please? I've been studying sites on the internet and the directions with the paste so I have a basic idea, but only so much paste.

My paste is plain, matte finish. Did you use colour before or after or mixed with your paste?

Also, one of the templates I want to use is highly detailed and the details are not necessarily in the arrangement of what the finished card will look like. I'm assuming that you have to paste and dry in sections. But then, won't you have a big lump to paste over and the stencil won't dry flat?

Anything that you can think of for tips would be great. I love dry embossing and heat embossing and this is my first time with paste.

Thanks so much if you can give advice! :)

Jennifer

teabear
03-02-2007, 01:43 PM
I know Jan has done this successfully. I'll be watching for tips, too. Sorry I haven't tried it yet. Can't wait to see what you come up with in the lab.

Far North
03-02-2007, 02:45 PM
Oh what fun Jennifer, it sounds like you are jumping into a new project. I love playing with embossing paste! It is like icing a cake! The stencil provides for a small amount of dimension and then you can play with making a little texture on the surface.

My experiece is to definately color before laying the paste into the stencil-the dimension makes it difficult to color the paste's edges afterwards without flowing onto the background paper.

The stencil must be flat against the paper to make it work.

The paste goes a long ways because you use so little at a time...but you might want to start with a simple 1-2" sample-you can make colors and store them in a container (I recycled a butter tub).

I found this to be a fun, easy technique after you get the hang of a few instructions. Lifting off the stencil was the hardest part for me (I found starting over top of it helped me to lift straight up as opposed to sitting lift and moving towards myself too soon.)

I like the instructions at Polly Pal's (http://www.pollyspals.com/embossing-paste.html)

Happy playin!...Jan

inkinupstamps
03-02-2007, 02:50 PM
Thanks so much for your advice and experienced wisdom. I am probably going to be spending much of the weekend working with it. I hope you'll be around if I get in a mess and have more questions.

I'll start with the easier projects first to practice. One stencil is intertwined wedding rings. That is small and I think I just want it at the bottom of the card front. Will silver or gold metalic ink show through the embossing paste or is it better to mix the small amount with the silver or gold?

I knew I could count on you for help! Thanks so much!

Jennifer :)

1of2shoes
03-02-2007, 06:04 PM
Jennifer: Did you know you can buy silver and gold embossing paste? One of the stamp stores in my area sells it.

GrammaStamper
03-02-2007, 06:16 PM
Jennifer, here is a link to a store in Hamilton that has online shopping and great service.

http://www.creativepapercrafts.com/SearchResult.aspx?CategoryID=38

I have bought baby stencils from them when I made baby shower invitations and they're just wonderful to deal with.

Good luck with your newest project.

Nancy
03-02-2007, 06:24 PM
color when I use it. For Valentines Day I used red embossing paste and just pasted red and white block paper around the edges, put 3 small sticky stamps on it and it was great anyway he liked it.

When using white paste, I colored it afterwards with Markers and the coloring was very light. I would practice with your white and then get the gold or silver paste you want. When you type down your stencil, first put the scotch tape on your clothes to get most of the stickiness off. Then as suggested stand up to remove the template. Wash your knife and template immediately using Simple Green and make sure you rinse the sink good. - Nancy A

ctinyjoy
03-02-2007, 08:58 PM
I have found painter's blue or purple tape works best for card projects. It will hold the stencil down, but lifts over very easy. Are you using Pearl Ex powders for adding color to your paste? They work great and just use a little powder.

JBgreendawn
03-02-2007, 09:18 PM
another thing you can smoosh through the brass stencils ( or any thing with the hole and some dimension actually) is the dimensional paints. ( like texture kind in a tube they hang them near the plastic stencils in craft stores usually)

when i first started using the embossing paste i would put a dab on a butter tub Lid and then stir in some pearl-ex powder to that to change the colors ( before you could find it in colors )

I use removable tape on the edges of my stencils, Ive heard that if you stamp in old blue jeans you can attach the tape to your thighs then put it on the stencil and it shouldn't be as hard to get off that way too.

hth,

countrycowgirl
03-17-2007, 10:34 PM
You can mix acrylic paints and even perfect pearls with plain white stenciling paste to color them. I like to color a stencil with chalk or inks and then cover with translucent embossing paste.

I like sludging in which you mix a few different colors of stenciling paste, place it at various points on the stencil and spread so that you get mixture of colors...

I have some pictures in the gallery of a few stencil cards I had made.