More Embossing Folder Cards

I mentioned last week that I'd try the technique of coloring the raised parts of an embossing folder with markers on some more designs. You can see my originals here. I loved the roses, but it was a bit time consuming.  I decided to give some border folders a try.  I liked the results a lot.  Here's the first one with a button design:

I like the way this came out, mostly.  I probably wasn't as careful as I should be with this, so it ran a little bit. The buttons are just embossed cardboard.  I should have glazed them, too, to make them more realistic.  Overall, it's cute, but not to my usual quality.

So, the next one is border design.    I like the way it came out.  All the white space is perfect to add a sentiment, or just leave blank for a note card.

Finally, my third attempt.  This hasn't actually made it into "card state" yet.  It's just a front.The black isn't part of the card, it's just how I had to back it in my scanner to get the whole image instead of just the edge.  My scanner is funny with what it likes to crop automatically.  For this one, instead of coloring it, I ran it lightly over my ink pad, then just used marker for the red berries.  I tried using a Q-tip to remove the green from the berries before coloring, and just coloring over the green.   I didn't notice an appreciable difference, so I'm inclined to forego the extra step!

A couple of tips for using this technique:

1. Keep Q-tips handy to wipe up areas you overshoot when coloring.  And clean really well.  Even if it looks like the color is gone, often it's not completely removed.
2. Use a scrap piece of white paper to use as a background.  When you are finished coloring. hold the embossing folder with the white paper behind it.  It really helps to be able to see if there are areas that need to be cleaned.
3. Spritz very lightly.  Too much water and you get bleed, like in my buttons.
4. Clean the embossing folder really well.  It will look like it's clean after you use it just once, but if you spritz it again, you'll see a lot of color.  Maybe enough for a second impression if you're lucky!

Before I go, I want to mention a new book by one of my favorite stamp designers.  Melanie Muenchinger has a book out using her A Year of Flowers stamp set.  The set is available at Gina K Designs.  I have it and it is one of my go-to sets.  Because I am copic challenged, I also have the Pressed Flowers set, which makes it a 2 step stamping process.  I love Melanie's designs, and I really love these 2 sets.  Now I want the book, and I'm really being pulled toward her newest state flowers sets. You can see all her sets for GKD here.  So many stamps, so little money time!