Dry Embossed Frame Directions

I had several requests for more specific directions for how to use the Priceless Classy Brass Template to create an embossed frame around an image, like I did in this set of 3x3 cards I made for last week's Blogger Challenge. This technique was demonstrated by Shannon West at the recent Stampin' Up! regional seminar in Philadelphia.

So, I tried to take some pictures for a tutorial kind of thing. Please excuse the quality of the photos--it's hard to do the stuff and take the pictures at the same time and I don't have anyone else around to help out other than Cosmo, and unfortunately, he's not too much help.


Here's a list of the supplies you need: a brass template with decorative edges (the older SU! templates don't have this kind of edging), an embossing stylus and/or Empressor, stamped image panel--light colored, vellum, white, or shimmery white cardstock will work best for this--, and a light table (not pictured here).

I find that I'm most comfortable using the Empressor for embossing big, open areas, then switching to the embossing stylus for smaller, more detailed work.


Set the brass template on the light table and turn it on. Place your stamped image stamped side down over the brass template. Placing the image stamped side down will make the "frame" edges appear raised. If you place the image stamped side up, your stamped image will appear to be raised from the frame--still looks nice and still works, just different from what I've done here.

Using the brass template as a guide, line up the corner of your stamped image panel with the corner of the brass template. The cardstock should extend a little beyond the decorative edge of the brass template. This ensures that you'll have a border and that your scallops (or zig-zags, or whatever) don't go off of the edge of the paper.

Using either an embossing stylus or the Empressor, trace around the edges of the brass template. Be sure to press firmly to get a good impression. To make the tool move across the paper more smoothly, you can rub the cardstock with some waxed paper before you start.






When you reach the edge of the panel, turn the cardstock a quarter turn to continue the frame and to complete the scallops at the corners. Continue tracing the template edge with the embossing stylus and turning the cardstock until you have completed all four sides of the panel.

Once your frame is completed, if you notice that the frame is not exactly centered, you can trim the outside edges of the cardstock panel (outside of the raised part) with your paper cutter if it's necessary to center the frame on the cardstock.

Once your frame is complete, move your cardstock panel and emboss any other portions of your design using the template. For my card, I just embossed the butterfly image.








Here's a close-up of my finished image panel so you can see the raised frame. If you try this technique, leave a comment here with a link to your work so I can check it out.


Materials Used:

From Stampin' Up!: Priceless and Warm Words stamp sets; Elegant Eggplant, Old Olive, and Soft Sky Classic inks; Elegant Eggplant, Almost Amethyst, Old Olive, and Shimmery White cardstock; Certainly Celery Prints Series Designer Series Paper; dimensionals; Dazzling Diamonds

Other: green dotted grosgrain (Michaels)