Scrapbooking Chipboards

Chipboards are decorations used to put a design in relief and add volume to a scrapbooking page.

They're available in many stores, but the choice of shape, size, and color is limited. You can also make them, designing them with paint, ink, chalk, stickers, stamps, etc. and can give them glazed effect by using gloss or hot embossing.

Here, Cath explains how to make your own chipboards with a shiny finish.

Supplies

Materials

• Paper appropriate to your project (that can pass through a computer printer)
• Thin piece of cardboard (just thicker than computer paper)
• Ultra thick embossing powder
• Colorless embossing ink (preferebly very sticky and slow-drying)
• Glue

Tools

• Paint burner
  (or heat gun, a tool specific to hot embossing)
• Sheet of scrap paper
• Computer printer
• Utility knife or scissors

Instructions

• Print your letters onto a sheet of paper.
  

• Glue this sheet onto the cardboard.

• Cut out each letter.
  NB: Consider varying the shape around each letter for a more interesting effect.


• Ink the edges of the chipboards to emphasize the relief effect.

• Stamp your chipboards with embossing ink.
  

• Sprinkle the chipboards with embossing powder.

• Pour the extra powder onto a sheet of scrap paper. Fold the scrap paper in the shape of a funnel and return the leftover powder to its original container.


• Heat the powder with the paint burner by placing the paint burner about 15 cm (6 inches) above the paper.
  NB: Keep the paint burner away from children.

• When the powder melts and the design looks shiny, stop heating it.

Tips

• If bubbles form, reheat the chipboards to eliminate them.


• For a thicker and shinier finish, repeat the ink, powder, and heat steps.


• If you want to attach your chipboards with anything other than an adhesive, pierce them before embossing them.


• To give a "worn" aspect to the chipboards, rub their edges with sandpaper.

Source: "Blog de Cath" ("Cath's Blog")

:laura: