Saturday 21 March 2009

With a Cuttlebug and a Brayer...

I finally had success with a techinique that I first read about several months ago on my friend Jan's Blog - Far North Designs. The technique was for inking Cuttlebug embossing folders before you pass them through your 'bug. My first attemps were horrible and on the odd occassions I have tried since I was still ending up with a mess. I had been applying ink to the embossing folder direct from my ink pad and things were getting just too inky. Anyhow this time I tried using my brayer to apply the ink - RESULT! I ended up playing for quite a while and created lots of lovely bits of inky embossed designs - this is the card I made with 2 of them.

Both of the embossed bits were inked using my brayer and a Kaleidacolor ink pad - Carribean Sea. The piece for the top half uses a piece of card I had already coloured with the brayer before embossing, once it had been put through the 'bug I ran the inky brayer over it again very lightly to strengthen the colours on the raised embossed areas without squishing the embossing flat again. The bottom section was simply I piece of white card which I had emobssed and then coloured with the brayer.

The rest of the card was so simple, I just chose some lovely vibrant turqoise card from my stash that toned with the colours from the ink pad. Added a little bit of ribbon and a pretty flower and brad. The tag was stamped and embossed with clear EP and then brayerd with more of the Kaleidacolour ink so it would tone in - the clear embossing provided a resist to the inks so the stamped words would show through in white.

I really like the effects I can get with this technique, you can ink first and emboss after, emboss first then ink, or you can do both, and you can apply the ink to either the raised embossed side or the indented debossed side of either your embossing folder or your card - so loads of possibilites! I think my assortment of rainbow style inkpads and brayer are going to be in for a hammering cuz this is just too much fun!

11 comments:

  1. What a beautiful vibrant card, I love the colours. How great to be able to emboss then colour, or vice versa! Really like this one, Judith x

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  2. That is beautiful! I have only had success with this technique when using thicker inks such as Brilliance (the peacock and twilight ones are really good!) I will try with dye inks and my brayer now! thanks for the tip.

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  3. This is a good technique - which I tend to forget about when I'm trying to think of somewhere to start. The embossed swirls at the bottom are terrific. Lovely card.
    Beryl xx

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  4. What a lovely card and what a brilliant technique idea Phree.

    Ooooh, I need more time to try it out!

    Lesley Xx

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  5. I've had a go Phree - fantastic! you can see what I did here

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  6. Oh this is fabulous, what a beautiful colour combination. I shall definately be giving this technique a go.
    I found your lovely blog via a link from Sally H and shall be a regular visitor.

    Lisax

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  7. A very stunning card, the way you've coloured it has really set it off. xx

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  8. This is brilliant, thanks so much for posting your success with this technique, I've only achieved the horrible mess for far :)

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  9. Hi

    Like the 2 patterned effect and I agree a brayer gives better results!!

    TC

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  10. How very very beautiful! I have to try what you did with your backgrounds!

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  11. Terrific background! So happy to see your wonderful pieces!

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