I just posted some information on the Cuttlebug on my blog (see below)... I then am going through some emails etc. and come across this information - thought i would put it all in one spot here.
Reported by Kristine Fowlerlink is at the bottom of post
If you own the Cuttlebug by Provocraft, you've no doubt used your machine along with a Cuttlebug Embossing Folder to emboss paper. After all, that's why you bought the machine, right? You wanted to add some texture and dimension to your card fronts? Perhaps use one of the Cuttlebug Dies to cut a shape or two? Me too. Big surprise there. But what about embossing items other than paper? Have you tried? Until today, I hadn't. So, I figured why not put it to the test, and see what else this little gem can handle.
Step 1: Find items to test
This went pretty quickly, I simply looked through all of my craft supplies to find items that were flat and that I knew would fit in the machine, or could be cut to size. Much to my surprise, I found several. Here's my list.
1. Corrugated Cardboard Packing Material
2. Lightweight Chipboard (cereal box weight)
3. Generic Craft Foam
4. Linen Stick-Stock by CTMH
5. Clear Envelope from Clear Bags
6. Shrink Plastic
7. Mulberry Paper (manufacturer unknown)
8. Vellum by CTMH
9. Felt
10. Foam Packing Insert
11. Fabric (origins unknown)
12. Foil Sheet by CTMH
13. Adhesive Vinyl by Quickcutz
14. Sandpaper 220 CCR/R Fine by CTMH
Step 2: Cut everything down to a uniform size and start embossing. For my tests, I thought it best to use the same embossing folder for all items to keep things uniform. I chose Tiny Bubbles.
I used the embossing "sandwich" of the A plate, B plate, embossing folder with material inside, with second B plate on top for all items. Most went through smoothly, however on a couple of the thicker items (specifically the foam and the chipboard), I had to use a bit of extra muscle, taking care not to break the machine.
The Results:
Suffice it to say, I was pleasantly surprised by how well most of the items chosen took the impression, and I can definitely see using some of these ideas on future projects. Here are some close-ups so you can see what I mean. The photos are numbered to match the list above.
My personal favorite find in this group is the Foil (Image #12)! The impression was so crisp, and clear! Both the embossed and de-bossed sides are beautiful, and I can totally see incorporating this technique on something ultra-modern or masculine. To have texture is one thing, and shine another, but to have both is phenomenal! Love it!
The shrink plastic (Image #6) looks cool too although I'm not sure what will happen when I shrink it. The impression was again super crisp, and you get a really neat white outline at the raised areas. The vellum (Image #
was similar, but it doesn't look as clean. For lack of a better way to describe it, it just looks messier.
I can definitely see how adding texture to the adhesive backed vinyl could make for some really interesting wall art. Of course this would work only on those letters or shapes that will fit in the A2 size embossing folders so unfortunately that is a bit limiting.
The big disappointments in my opinion were the felt, the foams (both the packing and the craft varieties) and the fabric. While they did somewhat take the design, the impressions were not deep, and I suspect that over time the impressions might even fade.
Have you had any success with these items or can you share tips on embossing anything other non-paper materials? We'd love to hear about it. Leave us a comment and let us know.
http://www.craftcritique.com/2009/12/cuttlebug-embossing-folders.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+CraftCritique+%28Craft+Critique%29
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January 22nd 2010, 2:48 am
