Create Gorgeous Resin Embellishments with Embossing Folders!

Hello, my wonderful Graphics Fairy Friends! Heather from Thicketworks here with a super-fun and easy way to play with your embossing folders and resin! Today we are learning an Embossed Resin Technique!

I learned the basis for this technique from my extremely talented friend, Cat Kerr. If you aren’t familiar with her amazing work, you SHOULD be. Please visit her Blog – Cat Kerr Mixed Media, to see what I mean! Thank you, Cat!

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Now, without further ado, let’s make some fun STUFF!

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To create these fun embellishments, you’ll want to have a few things on hand.

Supplies:

• Ranger 15-Inch-by-18-Inch Inkssentials Craft Sheet
• Scissors
• Amazing Casting Resin – Quick Set
• Your favorite Embossing Folders! I used these: 
  • Embossing Folder: Anna Griffin “Foundry”
  • Embossing Folder, Darice: Damask 
  • An Industrial Motif – like this Steampunk Embossing Folder
• Nitrile Gloves to keep the resin off of your fingers!
• Baby Wipes for the inevitable spills!
• Your favorite Steel Rule Dies. I used these:
  • Sizzix Bigz Die: Frame, Fancy
  • Sizzix Originals Die: Curly Gate
  • Bigz Die: Tiny Tabs & Tags by Tim Holtz
  • Bigz Die: Styled Labels by Tim Holtz
• Note: this process may work with thin dies – but Steel Rule Dies are my choice for ease and simplicity. 
• A die cutting machine. I used my BIGkick .
• Insta-Cure Adhesive
• Rustoleum 2X Primer: Black
• Lumiere Metallic Acrylic Paint: Old Brass
• Lumiere Metallic Acrylic Paint: Metallic Copper
• Paint brush
• Needle Tool
• Flat Backed Rhinestones
• Jolee’s Boutique Large Self Adhesive Vintage Gems
• Triple Thick Gloss Glaze
• Jump Rings and Jewelry Chain
• We R Memory Keepers Crop-A-Dile

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How to use Embossing Folders with Resin:

Begin by placing a non-stick craft sheet onto your work surface – you do NOT want to get resin on your furnishings!

Select a few of your favorite Embossing Folders!

Don’t worry – they won’t be harmed in any way by this process.

The resin will just peel right off of the surface, with no residue!

Put on protective gloves, and get ready to mix up your resin!

Amazing Casting Resin – Quick Set is my choice for this technique, and here’s why:

• It is super easy to work with
• 1 to 1 mixing ratio
• Exact measurements are helpful, but this is a very forgiving formula!
• It sets up in about 10 Minutes! Yep – so FAST!
• Compare it to other brands: much less expensive!

I recommend this: label the lids of each bottle before you ever unscrew them.

This way, you’ll always know which is which, and no chance of cross-contamination!

The kit comes with a bottle of Part A & Part B, stir sticks, 3 mixing cups, and directions.

Follow ’em!

It doesn’t matter which liquid you pour first – either A or B is fine. 

Add an equal amount of the second liquid…

Stir for about 30 seconds!

See how milky the mixture looks? That’s how it will appear when you first begin the stirring process:

Scrape the sides and bottom while stirring gently,

When the mixture turns clear, it is thoroughly blended.

Note: I discovered that if you pour right away, the mixture is too thin for this technique.

Allow it to set up for a few seconds prior to pouring.

I hold the mixing cup in my fingers, and wait just until I can feel a bit of heat radiating from the mixture: that signals that the chemical reaction has kicked in!

Don’t wait any longer though, or you’ll be very grumpy with the results!

You can spread the resin with the stir stick, if needed, but again, work quickly or you will have a gloppy MESS!

The goal: Even sheets of resin, approximately the thickness of a dime.

Fun tip: if you leave the stir stick in the mixing cup while it is still wet, it will cure and bond to any remaining resin, making cleanup EASY!

Just pull the stir stick out once the resin has turned white, and all the goop comes with it, leaving you with a nice clean mixing cup!

This resin formula becomes opaque white when cured…

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A note about Coloring the Resin:

You can experiment with adding specialty pigments to the resin if you choose.

I didn’t have any Alumilite Colorant Liquid Pigment, and added mica powders instead, but the results weren’t interesting.

My best recommendation?

Coat the completed pieces with Rustoleum 2X Primer then paint with any old acrylic craft paints you already have!

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Once the sheet of resin has cured for approximately 10 minutes, you can peel it right off the embossing folder surface!

Trim away any excess with scissors.

Allow it to harden on a flat surface.

Note: I attempted to die cut the sheets while they were still ‘soft’ and had mixed success. The resin is so pliable at this stage that it tends to stretch, rather than cut cleanly.

Better cuts were achieved after allowing the sheets to cure overnight.

Select a Steel Rule Die to play with!

Run the resin sheet through your Die Cutting Machine, just as you would when cutting chipboard. 

Here’s an example of the Embossing Folder: Anna Griffin “Foundry” pattern…so pretty!

As you can see, the color is quite flat, even though it was created by mixing Mica Powders into the resin.

Don’t waste your precious metallic powders like I did!

The fidelity of the cast surface is extraordinary!

It’s best to choose simple dies – clean cuts will make you happy!

An assortment of Embossed Resin Die Cuts, ready to become fabulous embellishments!

While you CAN paint directly on the surface with Acrylic Craft Paints, I recommend priming with Rustoleum 2X Primer.

This will bond beautifully to the resin, and create a perfect ground for further media.

You can add handy holes wherever you like with a Crop-A-Dile. 

Just a fingertip dipped in metallic paint and swiped over the surface will highlight all that delicious detail!

I’m loving the Metallic Copper over the flat black primer!

To adhere Embossed Resin Die Cuts on top of each other use a high quality cyanoacrylate adhesive like Insta-Cure.

This is also the best way to adhere any metal doohickies to the resin.

However, do NOT use a Super-Glue type adhesive to attach rhinestones: they will become cloudy and make you sad.

Instead, I recommend Triple Thick Gloss Glaze and a Needle Tool.

Works perfectly, and no cloudiness!

Here, a tiny crown was created by cutting a zigzag edge along one side of a small strip of Embossed Resin with scissors.

The strip was bent into shape, then glued in place with Insta-Cure Adhesive. So cute!

The lovely casting that sits on this Embossed Resin Label is from the exquisite Iron Orchid Designs Decor Mould: Keyholes.

You can explore how to create the IOD castings used in this demo by clicking HERE.

The resulting embellishments are super-sturdy! 

Here, an Artist Trading Book has been covered with decorative paper, then an Embossed Resin Embellishment has been added as a focal point.

Note: To make the DIY Rich Brass Metallic Gel used on the background paper below, check out the recipe by clicking HERE.

The fun steampunk background paper shown below was created using the awesome Lisa Pavelka Stamp Set, Steampunk-Innie and Outtie!

Covering Artist Trading Books with custom papers is SO fun!

By adding Embossed Resin Embellishments, the look is taken to a whole new level!

The Graphics Fairy: Gothic Arches image was used to create the beautiful background paper that covers the next Artist Trading Book.

With Embossed Resin Embellishments, topped by an Iron Orchid Designs Decor Mould: Escutcheons II casting and a Tim Holtz Idea-Ology Metal Sprocket Gears doohickie, the look comes together in style…

Don’t you just love the Tiny Tabs?

Because they’re resin, they are sturdy and flexible!

For a quick gift, it’s so simple to create a pendant this way!

Just layer a few Embossed Resin Die Cuts, and voilà!

Dangling Tiny Tags are just irresistible!

What Magic will YOU create with Embossed Resin Die Cuts?

Thank you so much for visiting The Graphics Fairy today!

It’s been such fun to share this new Embossed Resin Technique with you – I hope that you find it inspiring. Embossing Folders and Resin are a winning combination!

Any time you feel an Urge to Craft Quirkily, stop by and visit me at Thicketworks!

Until next time,

Heather ♥

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It’s finally here! Our first online crafting eCourse! If you’ve always wanted to try the art of Mixed Media, be sure and check out this amazing course by Heather Tracy!

Click HERE to learn more about it.

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