Using Keepsake Embossing boards

This is my favourite way to emboss, it is quick and easy and you can make some exceptional and beautifully elegant cards.

The Bookatrix Embossing Board

I know that you have to buy the embossing boards to use but you can use so many different elements from the boards and each board can be mixed and matched, so if you have just one you can create some wonderful cards but if you have more than one you can use elements on each board to make even more imaginative and decorative cards.

Keepsake Embossing Boards

The embossing boards that I am writing about are the Keepsake embossing boards created by the Glitter Girls .  I have not got all of them yet as they bring out new ones on a regular basis and although they cost around about £14.99  or $14.95  US Dollars each they are well worth it as you will get many years of use out of them.  I find that it helps to put them on my Christmas List or request them for Birthday Presents and that way I can build up my collection gradually.

The concept is simple and anyone can use them, you don’t need a light box or any special skills and although you can buy many more accessories from the glitter girls the only ones that I have bought (apart from my cherished embossing boards) are the bow maker which is brilliant for making very tiny ribbon bows and the silver and gold fine border peel offs which I have used on many of my cards whether they are embossed or not.

5 Easy Steps

1.  You take a piece of cardstock and rub it gently with soap, talcum powder, corn flour, dryer sheet or wax paper (whichever you find works best for you) this will make embossing smoother and help the embossing tool to slide better over your card.

2.  Place the card face down over the board and using a 6mm embossing tool you glide the tool over the grooves of the design that you want to use. You will notice that the grooves are very easy to follow and there is a groove that runs down from your design to the edge of the board so that you can start it with ease.

Don’t worry if you slip out of the groove as you cannot ruin the card, if you should accidently make an embossed line where you didn’t want one to be, just turn the card over and run your 6mm embossing tool over the area that was a mistake and it should flatten it back out.

3.  You can use some of the elements on the board for an edge design on your card or as the main focal point.

4.  If you want to cut around the card design that you have just embossed to create an embellishment then it is very easy but do cut around the outside edge of your embossing design so that you keep the embossed lines in place.

5.  You can now add peel offs around the edges of your embossing to give extra definition and add other elements to your card or embellishment.

I love to use the heart and oval shapes on the “Romance” board (the first board I ever bought) I have used the design to cut out the shapes as embellishments for some cards.

On others I have folded the card so that the heart or oval is on the front then cut around half of the heart or oval shape to create a card with a half front.

Romance Board Card using Heart or Oval

Take a piece of card stock to make an A5 or A6 card and emboss a heart or oval shape using the romance board.  Next fold  your card so that the shape is on the front of your card.

Then very carefully cut along the straight embossed line at the bottom around the right half of the oval or heart and along the other straight line to the top.  Keep the cutting to the outside of the embossed line so that the embossing will be intact on your card.

Take a piece of coloured card and cut to the same size as your card for instance if you are making an A5 or A6 card you cut your colored card to this size.

Taking the card with the embossed oval, open up the card and place double sided tape or glue on the inside of the front cover near to the fold line and along the oval edge (please note do not put the double sided tape or glue on the inside of the back part of your card).

Next place your coloured card so that the colour is facing you and then place it on the inside of the back of your card and gently close the front fold over with the double sided tape or glue so that it sticks to the face of the colored card and creates a front where you have half of the coloured card showing behind the oval card.  This will give you a two coloured front.

If you want embossed edges on your card then do this before cutting out your shape and adding the coloured card.  Or if you want to emboss your coloured card emboss on the right hand side before sticking it to the front of your card.

You can now add peel offs to the edge of the front following the embossed outline or just around your heart or oval shape.

If you have an oval frilly shaped punch you can punch an oval in matching or contrast colour to your card and place in the centre of your oval shape.

You can add ribbon, lace or punched edged paper to the left hand side of your card.

Add embellishments such as peel offs, flowers, stamped images or even photos and glue them to your shape.

Anniversary Card

I made this card using a 3 gate fold, I embossed the oval in the middle of the card so that when it is opened

there is the faint embossed oval in the inner centre with the words Happy Anniversary, if you turn the card over you can see the embossing on the back, this just matched the oval on the front of the card.

I then folded the card into a gate fold so that the oval is on the inside and the two gate folds join at the front.

Opening the fold card flat I then embossed an edging lined up with each of the front gate folds to the right and left of the front of the card and embossed half an oval on each gate front so that when the card is folded closed there is a complete oval on the middle front.

I added peel offs around the oval and edges and punched the corners to give a fancy rounded corner edge.

Next I punched out a scalloped oval shape from a piece of fancy paper and used peel offs to form an inner oval I then glued a fancy button in the centre and stuck this embellishment to the half oval on the left front of the card.

Next I punched out a second scalloped oval the same size as above but using the cream cardstock to match the card.  Opening the card I then glued this cream scalloped edged oval on the other side of the punched oval attached to the left front of the card which strengthened the embellishment and created a neater finish on  the reverse.

For a Man’s card you can use the oval and masculine colours and add sporting embellishments or peel offs to your shape.

For a wedding card use the heart and add peel offs with bride & groom or doves and rings.

For Valentines use the heart and add little foam hearts or flowers.

Use your imagination and have fun.

I know I have made some lovely cards using these boards.

Bookatrix Board

For a really special card my favourite board is the Bookatrix Board which makes very special keepsake boards ideal for Weddings, Anniversaries, Christenings or other extra special occasions when you want to keep the cards for always.

Here are some videos showing you how to use the bookatrix board including a design gallery

Making A Book with Bookatrix Part 1

Making A Book with Bookatrix Part 2

Making A Mini Book Card with the Framey Board

There is also a box maker embossing board which is ideal for making boxes not just for your cards but also for small gifts.

Box For Bookatrix  Card

OK, so now you have checked out the different kinds of embossing why not give one of them a try.

Gallery of Cards

Please email me if you have any photos of cards you have made using embossing boards and I will create a gallery of your designs to add to this website.  EMAIL