Is There a Common Technique That You Shy Away From?

[ComradeBunny]

I have all the supplies I need to heat emboss and I like how it looks. However, I shy away from it because it can make me frustrated. I'm a perfectionist and when it doesn't turn out, I'm mad at myself for wasting supplies. It can also be a pain to clean up after.

I watch three cardmaking creators on YouTube and they are always using heat embossing on their cards. It looks nice, I just wish I could overcome my frustration with it.

Are there any common techniques you shy away from? What are your reasons?

[TeeGeeDee]

Masking. I think it seems time-consuming.

[Chris4436]

I have supplies for many techniques, but find myself not using them because I get impatient and just want to finish a card. That includes embossing, although I love the look.

[ComradeBunny]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TeeGeeDee

Masking. I think it seems time-consuming.

I've never tried it for that very reason.

[ComradeBunny]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris4436

I have supplies for many techniques, but find myself not using them because I get impatient and just want to finish a card. That includes embossing, although I love the look.

I can be like that too sometimes. It depends on my mood.

[stampin stacy]

alcohol Inks - I've never bought or even tried them, don't trust myself to not make a huge PERMANENT mess.

[howdyheidi]

Shaving cream technique, I have never done because it looks messy.

No line coloring, gave up on that one.

Foiling is almost always too much trouble!

I used to shy away from heat embossing just because I didn’t have a plug near my craft area and so I had to take everything into another room. I moved my craft area so I don’t have that problem anymore.

For the strays, I either stamp in black Versafine and then emboss in clear. And also, now I use an embossing buddy instead of the powder tool and find that works better for me and I have less strays.

I also noticed that big name crafters, now that they have such awesome cameras, you can see that they also often have stray powder on their cards, and the cards are still lovely. If they can get away with that, so can I!

[southgirl]

There are several. Less mess is my mantra and I shy away from embossing folders too. Just too time consuming.

[dini]

I hate heat embossing.

[dini]

Also, I bought everything for foiling, and it is all still in the box.

[rockybeta]

Heat embossing and I don't get along well either........but my stamping buddy loves it. She can't stamp anything straight to save her soul so I do the stamping and she does the embossing..........works well.

[bjeans]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ComradeBunny

I have all the supplies I need to heat emboss and I like how it looks. However, I shy away from it because it can make me frustrated. I'm a perfectionist and when it doesn't turn out, I'm mad at myself for wasting supplies. It can also be a pain to clean up after.

I watch three cardmaking creators on YouTube and they are always using heat embossing on their cards. It looks nice, I just wish I could overcome my frustration with it.

Are there any common techniques you shy away from? What are your reasons?

Heat embossing is my favorite technique! An LSS owner taught me during my first stamping class. It was one-on-one since no one else signed up!

If you let us know what doesn’t work for you, maybe we can help? I started to list some hints, but stopped since this thread isn’t really about that. But yell if you want them. Sometimes it’s something small that escaped me the first time/gazillion times I’ve tried/watched something.

I tend to avoid glitter because of the mess and I don’t make super glittery cards, but went to an Elizabeth Crafts card class at a Stamp & SB Expo and her glitter partly changed my mind. Hers is burnished with a finger after applying and it’s satiny smooth. But I still put off using it, even though I have lots of beautiful colors, including some amazing neutrals.

I avoided foiling but now use it with alcohol inked backgrounds (burnish it on when the ink is barely damp) so not all is lost!

[bjeans]

Another - coloring! I didn’t like it as a kid either.

I love watercolors, Zig clean color brushes, alcohol markers, Paper Arty paints, Gelatos - for light applications or backgrounds - just not a project of carefully coloring in a million spaces.

It is a good skill, so I go to a monthly card making workshop where images are often colored with colored pencils. I have lots since had to take a color rendering workshop for buildings years ago. I speed through asap. I even took a Copics workshop and will go to part two so I can wing it better for quicky applications.

So many people talk about stamping images and taking them with them on trips so they can color. No thank you. :shock:

[Dove13]

I rarely use heat embossing anymore. I had been using it on every card I made. I put the cards in cello bags, where the entire card can be opened to see the inside. I sell them at craft fairs. I noticed that as people looked at the cards, the embossing seemed to be wearing off. What once had been a crisp image, became blurred as the embossing bits strayed onto the white area. I have stopped doing heat embossing totally because I can't figure out how to have the cards able to open, but no wear off the embossing. sigh
Colleen

[Bohodiva]

I have the supplies for heat embossing but I seldom use the technique. Coloring is too time consuming, fussy cutting a lot tiny elements and working with glitter!

[Bohodiva]

In addition, spray inks and definetly not acrylic paint pouring, too messy for me.

[suenscs]

Quote:

Originally Posted by howdyheidi

Shaving cream technique, I have never done because it looks messy.

No line coloring, gave up on that one.

Foiling is almost always too much trouble!

I used to shy away from heat embossing just because I didn’t have a plug near my craft area and so I had to take everything into another room. I moved my craft area so I don’t have that problem anymore.

For the strays, I either stamp in black Versafine and then emboss in clear. And also, now I use an embossing buddy instead of the powder tool and find that works better for me and I have less strays.

I also noticed that big name crafters, now that they have such awesome cameras, you can see that they also often have stray powder on their cards, and the cards are still lovely. If they can get away with that, so can I!

Agree! And honestly I appreciate the professionals who don't make excuses for their strays - most folks who receive your cards won't realize it wasn't meant to be like that....And I also agree with the poster that moved her craft room to better access her heat tool - mine is always plugged in. I have tried white ink and it is messier than embossing - takes forever to dry.

[Jo Ann F.]

Shaker cards. I dread it every time a VSN challenge is a shaker card, and it usually is the last one that I do.

[jeanne3579]

I'm a technique junkie and love to learn and use lots of different techniques. I got into stamping because of heat embossing, and it is still a technique I use a great deal. Having my heat gun always plugged in and on a stand so it is easy to grab with a space right in front of it on the end of my work table makes the process smoother. My embossing buddy is always at hand as static cling is a big problem in the desert. I love the process of techniques and never have the desire to hurry and get a card done. The whole joy for me is making the card and the technique is usually a big part of it. I don't make cards to sell, so that may be a consideration for those that do. Glitter is the biggest mess for me. I love the look and have many beautiful colors, but I manage to get the stuff everywhere. At least it's pretty!!! I have allergies, and as much as I try not to, I inevitably itch my eyes or rub my nose and I'm so afraid of getting those pieces somewhere really bad. Mostly I use glitter glue for the sparkle as it is so much less of a mess, but when I look at all those colors of glitter, I make a day of it and do glitter techniques, and try to keep my hands off my face. I like coloring and always have, but I don't like the coloring book look of markers and can't get the knack of blending. So I watercolor, use chalks or pencils. May just give away my alcohol markers, as I don't seem to have that technique in my genes. Maybe I ned a class! Really have been trying to think of a technique I shy away from, but maybe I've shied so far away from it that it is lost to me completely. Maybe someone else will mention it.

[susanbri]

I steer clear of proper Copic colouring - just not my thing as I'd rather watercolour. I do have some Copics but just use them as a marker with no shading or layering. And I've decided not to buy gelli plates or foiling machines - there are only so many supplies and techniques one can take on.

[TexasGrammy]

Big fan of heat embossing here, although I do understand when some are so frustrated with it that they avoid it altogether. Likewise, I avoid certain techniques that require drying, then do more, then dry, then yada yada. Basically it depends on the available level of patience that day. Many times I just want to keep moving along ... setting stuff aside & waiting doesn't fit with "keep it moving" for me most of the time. I recognize that there are days when a messy time with sprays or powders just won't be happening. Other days, I'm totally willing to make a mess. Ladies' prerogative?

In short, I enjoy instant gratification with a few exceptions here & there. ;)

[KSStammper]

There’s a lot of techniques I’d love to do - but all my stuff is stored under the bed, in the bottom half of the wardrobe, in the linen closet, in my michaels tower, etc. - it takes half an hour to unpack everything and another half hour at least to put it back and clean up. So I’d like to do lots of things it’s just the time and effort that prevents me.

[ejluyk]

I steer clear of copic markers...not really good at the shading process which I think is critical to having a great end product. Love embossing, watercolor painting on stamps and have been playing with alcohol inks. Have tried foiling some, I need more practice on it to actually use on cards or projects. It is a learning process and I have learned to practice several times before trying to produce a final card.

[cjzim]

I don't like doing complicated folds and cards like shakers, spinners, pop-ups, etc.
I also realize after reading this thread that I should just give away all my glitter - I can't stand the mess. Same for Stickles because I am too impatient to wait for them to dry!

[ckstampcrazy]

You are going to think I am CRAZY....but I stay away from dies! All of them! Ha...I said it!!! I got a ScanNCut a couple years back as a gift and I sold, a gave away all of my dies and do not buy any more!!! I have zero. I love my ScanNCut! It is amazing and fun! The biggest pro is all the extra craft ca$h I have to spend!!! When I do make a crafty purchase, I feel like I get so much more for my buck, without a matching die set.

[bjeans]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ckstampcrazy

You are going to think I am CRAZY....but I stay away from dies! All of them! Ha...I said it!!! I got a ScanNCut a couple years back as a gift and I sold, a gave away all of my dies and do not buy any more!!! I have zero. I love my ScanNCut! It is amazing and fun! The biggest pro is all the extra craft ca$h I have to spend!!! When I do make a crafty purchase, I feel like I get so much more for my buck, without a matching die set.

No thank you? :-D

It’s wonderful that worked for you - and so many others.

But after getting an e-cutting machine, as much as I enjoy my PC and tablet for visiting, learning or tasks, and although I’ve used computers since the 1980’s, I could not stand combining computing with crafting.

I was surprised at my negative response, but then met others who had the same reaction so felt a little less weird.

My first and enduring stamping love was heat embossing. As the LSS owner teaching me said when I was giddy with delight, that’s often the moment when people feel the aha and magic. Except some people can’t stand it. Go figure. ;)

[smower]

I avoid texture/embossing paste through stencils for absolutely no reason except I started paper crafting back in the brass stencil days and everyone made such a BIG TO DO about how it will ruin your brass stencils and your equipment and you had to put tape down in a specific order and then pull it up and make a hinge and on and on and on and I just thought it was a huge hassle. Now I see people using it all the time and so easily but my mind still thinks of the old way so I tend to never use it.

[muscrat]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dini

I hate heat embossing.

What?:shock:

[dini]

Kathy, I'm so bad at it! I always warp the paper and I always get powder everywhere.

[bjeans]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dini

Kathy, I'm so bad at it! I always warp the paper and I always get powder everywhere.

Oh, so easy to fix. Come over today and we’ll emboss. ;)

Beth

[muscrat]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dini

Kathy, I'm so bad at it! I always warp the paper and I always get powder everywhere.

I find it very hard to believe you are bad at anything! LOL

[Scrapjanny]

I haven't used my spray inks in a long time because of the mess it creates. If I had a studio, it might be different, but it gets all over the place.

[bjeans]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scrapjanny

I haven't used my spray inks in a long time because of the mess it creates. If I had a studio, it might be different, but it gets all over the place.

Ditto. I have a collapsible spray box which contains everything, but still don’t like the mess. But it must be more than the mess because I’ll play with alcohol inks ‘til the cows come home.

[smhtwin]

I don't use dies or embossing folders.

Just stamps, punches, paper and embellishments for me :p

I like to color though and most of my cards reflect that.

[gaspo]

Heat embossing is my nightmare too. A week ago I trayed on envelope, and a result was a mess...

[gregzgurl]

I am allergic to most techniques, as they usually involve a time investment, and I'm slow enough as it is. At the very tip-top of the mountain, though, is anything beyond a basic fold - any of the multitude of fancy-fold and/or interactive cards - NOPE! There have been (very) rare exceptions, of course, but by and large I avoid them like the proverbial plague.

Techniques that I DO love are Gamsol Magic, watercolors, and heat embossing.

[maryalena]

I heat emboss. I like the look. I have all the good stuff. I’ve listened to all the advice. I’ve messed up large numbers of projects at their final stages doing heat embossing.

Alcohol inks. Mine always look like crime scenes or chemical spills.

[bjeans]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gaspo

Heat embossing is my nightmare too. A week ago I trayed on envelope, and a result was a mess...

Oh, that’s no fun! Had you watched any videos that show step by step? Unless you’ve done a lot of heat embossing, envelope paper is usually thinner than what you’d want.

Thick paper (card stock), a good heat tool, heating the heat tool for about 20 seconds before applying to the paper, moving it quickly/not staying in one spot - all can help.

I think it’s so much easier to show someone in person, and I was lucky to have the owner of a stamp shop teach me, or I’d be frustrated too, I bet. But the videos can help. Good luck.

Beth

[Savagetwin]

This was an interesting thread. I had no idea that people didn't like what I like🤣. But I will say to all, if something ain't your thing, it's alright. If you want it easy and no mess, there is a place for you. I'm with you. I gave up on glitter before I found that mixing it with multi medium or glossy accents and brushing it on makes for virtually no mess and it's permanent. Yet, still used the least. However, if the issue is becoming comfortable with a technique, don't give up. There us so much help here on SCS which was my refuge before YouTube and still is.

[bjeans]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Savagetwin

This was an interesting thread. I had no idea that people didn't like what I like� ����. But I will say to all, if something ain't your thing, it's alright. If you want it easy and no mess, there is a place for you. I'm with you. I gave up on glitter before I found that mixing it with multi medium or glossy accents and brushing it on makes for virtually no mess and it's permanent. Yet, still used the least. However, if the issue is becoming comfortable with a technique, don't give up. There us so much help here on SCS which was my refuge before YouTube and still is.

So well put. There’s a difference between 1) not liking something because you just don’t like it - not your cuppa tea, versus 2) not liking it because you haven’t mastered it and are frustrated.

Sue’s post spurred my thinking about this again - maybe because of the fancy folds comment. I’d bet Sue could fancy fold with the best of them if she had the desire, but just isn’t into it. (Thinking of Sex & the City’s “He’s just not that into you!”) But that’s different than struggling with a technique, getting frustrated and eventually giving up. Or giving up for a while.