Saturday, January 15, 2011

Friday Focus: Texture Folders

I LOVE texture!  It is very, very rare that there is a card that can't be made slightly more interesting with the addition of texture.  So Cuttlebug folders and folder from the myriad of other companies that now make folders are my very favorite things to add to my stash!

There is so much you can do with your folders - here are just a few!

Emboss on die cuts
Folders: Stampin' Up corner flowers and
polka dots, Cuttlebug border folder
Stamps: Verve,  Ink: SU Always Artichoke, Paper: SU Artichoke, Mustard, Riding Hood Red, Accessories: SU Birds and Blooms Sizzlits, Challenges: clean&simple sketch challenge and Stamping 411 Color Challenge.

Emboss on vellum
Folders: Cuttlebug
Stamps: SU Well-Scripted, Ink: SU Razzleberry, Paper: SU Razzleberry, vellum, Accessories: SU Razzleberry ribbon, butterfly sizzlit


Make it the star!!
This dove stands alone!
Folder: Cuttlebug 3x3 Dove



Make it all about the embossing!
Folders: Cuttlebug European Exclusive snowflakes,
Cuttlebug cut and emboss snowflake, and
Crafts Too Christmas Greetings

All about the embossing!
I posted this card yesterday so you can
find all the details there!




Use part of the folder
Folder: Cuttlebug
Stamps: Verve, Ink: black, Paper: Paper Trey Smokey Shadow, SU Going Gray and Real Red, Accessories: Martha Stewart Stamp Sticklers, SU White Taffeta, Brayer, Challenges: Pals Paper Arts Inspiration Challenge and i{heart}2stamp sketch challenge.



Use it in an unexpected way
Folder: Cuttlebug
Do you recognize the folder in the above card? 
I simply put the sentiment on the owl!

Stamps: CDStamps Cross, AMuse sentiment, Ink: SU Bordering Blue, Paper: Paper Trey Soft Stone, SU Bordering Blue, black, Accessories: Creative Impressions brads



Emboss on DP
Folder: Tim Holtz
Stamps: SU Elegant Greetings, Ink: SU Old Olive, Paper: SU Pear Pizzazz, Old Olive, Daffodil, Paper Trey Blueberry, Challenges: Our Creative Corner


Cut up your folders!
This was actually a folder with words
on the right side - I cut the words
off so that I just have a heart border.
Folder: Sizzix


Create quick, simple and elegant cards
Folder: Cuttlebug European Exclusive Wen's Window
Stamps: Paper Inspirations, Ink: SU Bordering Blue



Emboss with TWO folders
First emboss the diamond folder,
then emboss the flower folder.
Folders: Cuttlebug

  I really enjoy the look of "double-embossing" - so here are a few more examples!

Folder: SU Lattice, Cuttlebug
Folders: Cuttlebug
Folders: Cuttlebug dots and European
Exclusive: Jules Jewels




Try other brands!
Folder: Quickutz

Folder: Sizzix

Folder: Indentz UK Funky Tree,
Cuttlebug "Thanks"

Accessories: Stampin' Up Butterfly Sizzlit, SU Celery ribbon, Challenges: One Layer Wednesday Bare Branches

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Now...after you have made it through all my card attempts, I have the best gifts of all for you - two fantastic links:

1) The best shopping source for the European Exclusives and the other unique brands is: http://www.cropstop.com/.  Besides looking under Cuttlebug and Sizzix, be sure to look under Craft Concepts, Crafts Too, Cuttlebug Exclusives, Indentz and Quickutz.

2) If you want to be completely stunned by all the spectacular cards that can be made with embossing folders, check out: http://www.heartprints.net/.  Sue has her cards grouped by brand of folder so be sure to look under each of the brands mentioned above!

28 comments:

  1. Oh my goodness! What absolutely stunning cards!

    I love what you did for OLW36.

    Now I have to go check out that link!

    Great job on the challenge and thanks for playing along with OLW36!

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  2. Wow! What an informative post! Thanks so much for playing at PPA with us!

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  3. Kim, you have so many stunning cards here! I am so impressed with all the different ways you've used your embossing folders. This will definitely help me look at my collection in a whole new way and hopefully dust off a few that I haven't yet figured out what to do with! :) Thanks so much for such a great post!

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  4. Stunning, Kim. You did magic with embossing folders! Thanks for sharing your wonderful creations.
    Amelia x

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  5. These are just amazing - and you've made me decide to get my folders out more. All the cards are so clean and simple, yet stunning. I really love the sympathy card with Wen's window - just fab!

    I also love the OLW36 - the tree is beautiful!!

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  6. Gorgeous....one and ALL!!! Love all the embossing folder work. I have so many and just don't think to use them...you've inspired me!

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  7. LOVE all the embossing! Especially like how you embossed over patterned paper on the OCC Challenge.

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  8. Wow, these are fabulous! Love the emobossing on die cuts, multiple embossing and partial folders ideas. Thanks for sharing!

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  9. What an amazing and stunning array of embossing folders you have! And ... talk about "thinking outside the square" with your designs! I certainly need to bookmark this post for ideas! Hugs xxaxx

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  10. What a host of fabulous cards!
    Together with a friend I'm starting a new Clean & Simple challenge blog called
    ”Less is More”
    I do hope you can join us. The first challenge is due on February 5th
    Chrissie

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  11. Kim your cards are just GORGEOUS! I love all the embossing! Thanks for playing along with 'Our Creative Corner' this week!

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  12. Kim, what a wonderful display of different embossing ideas! TFS that. Your cards are wonderful and you've inspired me with some new ideas! We're so glad you could join us for Our Creative Corner's challenge this week!

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  13. What a agreat post, I love the variety of uses of folders! I never in a million years would have thought to cut one up!!!!! How did you cut it?

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  14. WOW! I couldn't even begin to pick a favorite out of all these. Thanks for the link suggestions, too!

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  15. Kim,
    Hi! I just stumbled on you from the last clean and simple challenge. I love all of these cards and the way you used the embossing folders. I am very inspired to get mine out and start playing! Thanks for the resource links too.
    Have a great day,
    Kristi

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  16. These are all so beautiful! Thanks for the ideas and inspiration!!

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  17. Kim, thank you for sharing such an inspiring & informative post. All these designs are beautiful. :)

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  18. These are gorgeous cards! :)

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  19. Inspiring post about embossing folders, Kim! I had a post recently and would like to share it with you! http://virginialusblog.blogspot.com/2011/10/texturesmore-textures.html
    Would love it if you stop by!

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  20. I love all your embossed cards!! You have a great eye for layout and putting it all together in a pretty way! I was wondering, what is the nave of the cuttlebug folder you used on the "Thinking of You" card in the browns: it looks like Queen Anne's Lace? I've looked for it on the Provo craft site, but don't see it there. Thanks so much!! Helen (hlbrett at live dot com)

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  21. Hello from Australia :-)
    Arrived here from a google search and loved looking at your creations. Wonderful! Thank you for sharing & will have a look around while I'm here.

    Happy New Year!

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  22. Thank you. It was fun to see all the ways you've used your embossing folders.

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  23. Thank you. It was fun to see all the ways you've used your embossing folders.

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  24. Love these ideas. Thanks for them x

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  25. thank you, these are so helpful!

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  26. WOW! What a fantastic post! Some of your ideas I've used, but there were still some that I plan to try soon. Thanks for the lesson!

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  27. What tools do i need for embossing? Thanks

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