Embossing love

As I mentioned in this post, my sister ordered a few stamps off Etsy and then embossed her own save-the-dates for her upcoming wedding.  I think the result is really quite impressive.  The raised gold writing is so elegant and you would never guess that she did these herself.

After buying a new stamp off Etsy (also in this post) and using a stamp pad to make my own Christmas gift tags, I decided to take it up a notch to Bailey's level and purchase the supplies needed to start embossing stationary with the same stamp.  Enter my new best friend, Paper Source.

Supplies needed: stationary (lots of colors and sizes available), envelopes, embossing powder (lots of colors, but I love picking colored paper and doing gold or another neutral), embossing heat tool, watermark stamp pad and of course whatever stamps you desire.

Step 1: Use the VersaMark watermark stamp pad and stamp your stationary card.

Step 2: With the tiniest spoon I scooped up the littlest bit of gold embossing powder and then sprinkled onto the card where I'd stamped the watermark ink.  The watermark ink almost acts as glue, but I made sue that the entire area I'd stamped was fully covered.  I shook the excess back into the container and then inspected the card to blow off any stray pieces of gold powder.  Occasionally, I'd have to carefully use my finger to scrape off a little bit that was stuck where it shouldn't have been.

This is what mine looked like at this stage.

Step 3: You then use the heat tool - unlike the picture (since I was trying to take a picture and demonstrate), I held up the card and held the heat tool a few inches away from the card, moving it back and forth.  You will see the color and texture of the powder change as it reaches the correct temperature.  This doesn't take long - maybe 10 or 15 seconds.  With the gold, it became a much shinier gold.

The finished products -- I used baby blue for my baby shower thank you notes and then ordered the hot pink for fun.  I still have a TON of the gold powder left after making about 150 cards, so the supplies do go a long way!  It will now be a very cost effective way to make stationary, gift tags, etc.

The pictures don't do the gorgeous gold color justice at all!

In other news, I started a new job last Monday (that's right, 7 months pregnant!) and was in Santa Monica, CA last week for training.  So far I'm loving it and very impressed with the company.  It will be a very busy month of travel from NY to FL before I hit 36 weeks.

This weekend we headed to Kinston for Myers and Kai's wedding - such a fabulous night and the bride was as beautiful as ever. (photo credit of the happy couple to Hunter Schenk)  

XO,

Whit