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Has anyone ever used their templates as an embossing folder? What results did you get?

I found a tutorial for this using a Cuttlebug, but I'm wondering how this would work with the TH machine. I don't want to make a mess of it, so recommendations for which platforms to use would really be appreciated.

Maybe it's my work-fried brain, but I can't figure out what templates you mean. Would love to see the tut if you have the link; I don't think I've ever done this.

Like this? No, haven't tried it but that shouldn't surprise anyone!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=o1DJOo0BNqA

That's the one I watched. I don't have the rubber mat she's talking about - wonder if a mouse pad would suffice? I have a couple of templates and stencils I'd like to try.

pbp908 wrote:That's the one I watched. I don't have the rubber mat she's talking about - wonder if a mouse pad would suffice? I have a couple of templates and stencils I'd like to try.

Maybe if it's a thin one. I use that cheap craft foam that comes in different colors for kids' crafts. You just need something soft.

Seems to me I got some kind of rubber mat cheap at the hardware store from the plumbing section - not sure what it's real purpose is. Yes, I have the supplies - have just never tried the technique!

Keitha wrote:Seems to me I got some kind of rubber mat cheap at the hardware store from the plumbing section - not sure what it's real purpose is. Yes, I have the supplies - have just never tried the technique!

Plumber's gasket, I think. What I have is awfully stiff though so maybe there are different kinds. Just some thin foam but a hardware department would be a good place to look. Or just pile up a bunch of paper like she did in the video.

I have tried using assorted stencils, mylar and the thin metal ones, with greatly varied results. Also you can use some thin metal dies that way too. I have a set of those rubber mats that are the recommended type. I don't remember where they came from though. A now shuttered LSS ordered them for me and showed me how to use them. Funny when I get home with something like that it doesn't work for me. I haven't tried it since getting the Big Shot Plus which makes deeper impressions I've noticed. So I should give this a whirl again.

BTW: Using metal stencils for embossing through a Cuttlebug/Big Shot really curves them up and don't go back to being perfectly flat. So BEWARE!

Glad this came up.

Also foiling has given me varied results and none of them good, So Tuesday night I am taking a foiling class at my neighborhood LSS and hope that one of the non-machine methods works for me. I like the look but I've found it frustrating to get a smooth gilded look. I'll report on my success (I hope) this week.

had to go look for plumbers/plumbing gasket material... lots of options... I may have to check it out in a store....

but... also came across this link to using it in place of linoleum blocks for cutting your own stamps/print blocks

http://cynthia-stcharles.blogspot.com/2 ... asket.html

nchoney wrote:had to go look for plumbers/plumbing gasket material... lots of options... I may have to check it out in a store....

but... also came across this link to using it in place of linoleum blocks for cutting your own stamps/print blocks

http://cynthia-stcharles.blogspot.com/2 ... asket.html

Yes, it is a very cheap way to carve your own stamps but it is harder and you need really sharp tools. I'll have to look for my efforts with it which could have been since PAO was started. Here is the last one I did from plumber's gasket.
http://www.paperartistsonline.com/forum ... ed#p176470

Wow! You are so talented Marianne. I really like how you stamped it too.

Bob found my carving tools awhile back and I do have a slab of the carving rubber. I should give it a try again. My first efforts were pretty lame.

That's really nice Marianne.

Thanks!
It really isn't hard at all to carve stamps especially if you use the real stamp carve stuff. The plumber's gasket stuff is much stiffer and harder to carve deeply. I love the woodblock/hand carved look but if you like a very clean sharp image like commercial stamps it might not be something you like. I follow Julie Fei-Fen Balzer's blog every day and the stamps that her beginner classes carve are amazing. Anyone can do it-if you like that look.
Here is the link to the first Stamp Carve post I found on her blog. It happens to be the one when she was in Australia earlier this year. And, yes, I know, some of you don't like her. I think her blog has more creative/inspiring content every day than a lot of others.
http://balzerdesigns.typepad.com/balzer ... p-carving/

I have some of this material that Rod said he wanted to carve on so when we get done traveling he's going to make me a stamp. I can't draw stick people.