Seasonal Embossing Plate Set

By:  Lisa Storms

This versatile embossing set comes with four double-sided seasonal plates to cover a full year of crafting projects, cards, and scrapbook pages, all in one box!  The front of each plate contains four individual images along with a title of the season while the reverse side hosts a full texture pattern. Click here to see product details.

The unique magnetic transparent guide for each season lays on top of the plate front with the magnets aligned.  This convenient feature lets you know exactly where to emboss and allows you to place your design anywhere on your paper.  To get perfect positioning if you want a design in a specific place on a large paper, simply point to the position on the front of the paper with one index finger, pick up the paper and align your other index finger pointing to the same spot.  Simply mark this spot on the back with a pencil dot so when you emboss, you can line up the transparent guide with this mark. 

To emboss an image, place your paper between the guide and the plate so the front of your paper is facing down.  If doesn't matter if you are using a small scrap of paper or a full sheet as the magnets work through the paper.  Run an embossing stylus along the edge of the design using the transparent guide to know in advance where you are going.  Then fill in interior designs by lightly feeling around until you reach a raised spot and follow it along with your stylus until the entire design is completed. By flipping over your paper, you now have a beautifully embossed image that can be used as-is or enhanced by inking, chalking, stamping, embellishing, or sanding.  The images can also be cut out to create your own free-standing embellishments.

To create embossed texture, place your paper over the back of the plate with your paper facing down.  You can add a few small pieces of tape around the paper to avoid shifting the design during embossing.  The Fiskars Texturing Tool comes in handy with these backgrounds.  Place the tool down on your paper applying circular pressure over the entire design in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions.  You can add a layer of waxed paper on top for a slicker surface. 

For extra definition, you can follow up your design with a stylus. By flipping over the paper, you now have a textured background you can use as-is or embellish, sand, enhance with color, punch, or cut into shapes or letters.  

Now that we know how to use these plates conventionally, let's explore some other creative uses for these versatile designs.  I wanted to make a mini album of my favorite family photos from last year and knew the seasonal textures would be perfect to add interest to my cover and symbolize a year's time.

This super quick technique adds a ton of instant, unique texture, reminiscent of worn or batik fabric or canvas.  I taped a scrap of textured white-core cardstock (I used Die Cuts with a View brand cardstock) to the texture plate and sanded back and forth over the design. 

I repeated this technique with different colors using the different texture plates.  For the snowflakes, I used the snowflake image from the front of the winter plate and sanded around the flake, feeding my paper down a little, and sanding the flake again to create my own background.  I cut each design into strips and pieced them together on my cover.

For the inside of the album, I also wanted to keep it very simple.  As a divider for each season, I added a sheet of vellum with an embossed image and letter sticker seasonal title in the bottom right corner.

Vellum is probably my very favorite material to emboss.  It adds instant texture and color, taking on a brighter shade of the vellum.  Embossing vellum is the same process as paper.  Add your vellum between the plate and transparent guide and emboss with a stylus.  Be sure to use extra care to avoid ripping delicate vellum.

So how else can we use these plates?  This next technique will likely either remind you of your childhood or bring out your inner artist.  I wanted to create a very cheerful, sunny card to send to a friend who is going through a hard time for a little pick-me-up.  I knew I wanted to use Fiskars' new 'Soleil' squeeze punch, but wanted a sunny background, too.

Tape a piece of textured cardstock (or any paper you wish) to the summer background plate.  Using different colored pencils in orange and yellow shades, color back and forth with pressure to pick up the design.  I decided to add more orange or yellow in some spots as my inner artist started experimenting. 

Just keep coloring in different directions until you have a happy design.  I used this rubbing as the background for my card using the Ultra ShapeXpress with the frames template layered under an 'Apron Lace' punched border.

For this final card, I used another technique that took me back to my childhood.  Working with glue is just plain fun.  You will need to allow a full day for drying time, but the actual "work" you put in is super quick. 

Simply squeeze out Elmer's Washable School Glue onto the spring seasonal texture plate filling up the entire design.  I have also tried Elmer's Glue-All, but due to its strong bond, it dries too hard and the final product can break unlike the School Glue, which has a very flexible end product that can be cut with scissors.  I also had success using Matte Mod Podge, though the drying time is much longer. 

Set the plate somewhere safe to dry for a full 24 hours.  Check on it after five minutes to be sure the glue isn't pooling onto one side due to being placed on a slightly uneven surface.  This can be corrected by switching locations or placing a scrap of cardstock under one side to compensate.  The glue will turn clear once completely dry.  Peel off gently, and the embossed glue can be cut with scissors or a trimmer.  Both sides of the design can be used depending on the effect you desire.

Using trimmer, cut down to size and layer over strips of cardstock by adhering in the center to be covered with punched circle, sentiment, and butterfly punches.  It's amazing that something as utilitarian as glue can produce something so beautiful.

These are a just few ideas to get you started getting the most of out these already versatile embossing plates.  Just imagine the fun you could have with clay and metal sheets. The unique design and varied images will give you lots of fun dimension and texture throughout the entire year. 

By Lisa Storms

• Related tools:
• Embossing Plate Set – Seasons