Letter Press musings...

I finally dragged out my Letter Press embossing plate again about a week ago and decided I'd give it another try.

I wasn't very impressed with what I'd made the first time several months ago, so put it away and didn't give it any more thought. UNTIL I saw on someone's blog that they'd put DSP thru it!

I had an "aha" moment and realized that since the DSP is thinner paper, it would probably show the embossing better.

So I ran a number of types of papers thru, trying many variations to get the right pressure on the paper and the letter press plate.

I found DSP shows the embossing MUCH better than most card stock does. BUT, I also found that confetti card stock showed the embossing even better than the DSP!

Why, you ask? Well, I can't give you a scientific reason, but my thoughts on it are that the confetti CS breaks down more easily than regular CS - and so does the DSP.

What do you think?

This is confetti card stock. Notice how it cracked where the CS hit the edge of the plate - up where there was no ink applied to the plate (oops - my bad, LOL).







This is DSP. It shows some texture, but it isn't as easily photographed as the confetti. In person you can see it and feel it, though, and it adds nice texture.








When I ran the regular CS thru the letter press, I got a nicely inked image (I used Craft ink on the letter press), but it really didn't emboss it very much. I tried to photograph it, andi doesn't show up.

Since the confetti paper cracked so easily, I decide tearing it would probably look nice.

Here's a card I made, using the letter pressed confetti paper and some DSP.

I added a button, laced with 1/8" taffeta ribbon, a key, and a crown.






Here they are in close up.











And did you catch it?

Did you catch the little pearl half peeking out from underneath the lower part of the torn confetti CS?

You didn't? OK. I'll post the photo again - look more closely this time...

See it?


No?


OK...

How about an close up shot?





Kinda cool, huh?

Just peeking out from underneath, all shy and everything...








I have a few other things I've made using the papers I put thru the letter press, but I'm going to save them for another time.

If you have any questions about the letter press plates, leave me a comment, or send me an email!

Thanks for stopping by!

2011 Calendars! Are yours up yet?

If you can believe it, I FINALLY put out 2011 calendars through - out the house tonight!

Every time I'd try to look at a wall calendar I'd realize it was last year's and go find a current one, thinking, next time I go to the kitchen, I'll bring one back to hang here (where ever "here" was at that moment).

You see, I had about 8 calendars on the kitchen table just waiting to be put up somewhere! Most came from animal shelters, etc, since that's what I support.

So, tonight, I finally got them OFF the kitchen table and UP ON THE WALLS! Every room now has at least one 2011 calendar!

I also make calendars. I generally purchase those little stick on calendars from a company called AIP, and then use coasters to make unique calendars.

I've had my stamp club ladies make their own for the past two or three years - and I always make one for my computer desk at the same time.

Then, assuming I have time, I try to make additional calendars to give as gifts.



Here's one I made for my friend Roxy. She's always the Hostess with the Mostest when we go visit her for a weekend of gambling and goofing off.

Her calendar was my initial use of the Pompom Trim (in the Occasions mini-catalog). Took me a while to figure out I was going to have to use Sticky Strip to get them to stay on there! (They ARE still there, aren't they Roxy?)

I also used the Sweet Buttons embosslit as the centers of the orange flowers - see them? They're made from Daffodil Delight! Hard to miss something THAT bright, isn't it?

And here's the one I made for Susan...




She's very much into Vintage, so I went crazy with a lot of the new stuff from the Occasions mini - both DSPs and stamp images. Easter Blossoms and Nature's Walk stamp sets, Botanical Gazette Designer Series Papers, scalloped edge punch, and my favorite ribbon (for the moment!) the 1/8" taffeta - LOVE IT!

I liked hers so well I almost kept it for myself and made her another!

I just realized I haven't taken a photo of the one I made for myself! I'll have to do that tomorrow and then remember to post it to show you.

Thanks for stopping by - have a great tomorrow!