Dry Embossing--The Old Fashioned Way

Remember the days of dry embossing before the Cuttlebug, Wizard, and Big Shot machines and embossing folders? Remember Fiskars Texture Plates and the little contraption you held in your hand and rubbed--aggressively and with a lot of pressure--over the texture plate to get an impression (and not the best of impressions at that)? I usually wound up with a bit of an impression and a very sore hand! Remember dry embossing with a brass stencil, embossing stylus(es), and a light box (and those who didn't have a light box would tape the stencil to a window)? Remember how amazed you were when you first saw dry embossing demonstrated either at a home stamping party or at your local stamp store? Dare I say "those were the days"?? Those "days" aren't that far behind us . . . it's amazing to consider how quickly product lines and ideas change--out with the old, in with the new. As you might have guessed by now, today's card was created using the old-fashioned dry embossing technique--a brass stencil, embossing stylus, and a light box.

The close-up photograph shows the detail of the embossing . . . flower petals, leaves, and the decorative "dots". The brass stencil is one that coordinates with the Bodacious Bouquet stamp set by Stampin' Up! I also use PergaSoft, a wax product originally designed for use with pergamano tools, to "condition" my embossing stylus. PergaSoft allows the embossing stylus to glide effortlessly over, and prevent tears in, the card stock. Some people will rub wax paper over the card stock before using the embossing stylus, but I have found that the PergaSoft works better. One of the advantages of using a brass stencil for dry embossing is you can pick and choose your image(s) and where you want them to appear on your card stock--something you cannot always--or easily--accomplish with an embossing folder. All in all, dry embossing is a little more time consuming than using an embossing folder and one of the machines, but there is also a different sense of achievement when you dry emboss the old-fashioned way!

Don't forget . . . only two days until the Frosty in July Christmas Blog Hop. Here is another sneak peek:

Thanks for stopping by for a visit today! Have a great day!!