Embossing Problems - Help!
 

I am fairly new to stamping so please help me out here.......I am doing some embossing tonight and every time, I get stray "pieces" of embossing powder in other areas that I can't wipe away (without messing up the stamped image) but when I set it with the heat gun, these "pieces" won't go away or if I do manage to get them off, the cardstock is a different shade underneath. I need a Stamping 101 class!! LOL!!

Before you stamp your image or emboss, rub the paper with an old dryer sheet. It works!!!

I find it's stickier when the weather is humid too.

I wipe the cardstock with a dryer sheetfirst and use a soft paintbrush to flick any stray powder away before heat embossing.

A few tips:

I keep a small paint brush handy to brush away the stray bits before I emboss. Don't brush too close to the image or you will lose your embossing powder off the stamped part. (If that does happen, though, simply add more embossing powder).

When I'm tapping off excess powder, I hold the paper in one hand, and flick it on the back. This is usually enough of a jar to dislodge excess powder.

Using something like an embossing buddy before you emboss always helps.

Some powders do seem to leave a film, I've found that with gold EP on dark cardstock (not SU embossing powder though, haven't tried that yet). I've gotten a sort of a haze around my stamped image. I was able to get rid of a lot of it with an eraser (my nice white Staedtler (sp?) one).

Hope this helps!

I do all of the above too, so to reiterate what the other gals already said:

1. Stamp & emboss
2. Flick paper from underneath a few times to loosen and remove stay bits
3. Use small paintbrush to gently swipe away any remaining unwanted powder
4. I always heat from underneath for a few seconds and then heat from above

Hope all these tips mentioned help you.

The Embossing Buddy works wonders!!

Why heat from below? I haven't heard this before. Or if I have, I forgot why!

I'm wondering if I am doing something wrong. When I use embossing ink the image comes out wonderful. If I stamp on versamark and then emboss, I can't get a good image. It seems the versamark doesn't let the embossing powder stick. Any ideas? What is the best ink or stamp pads to use for embossing?

I would try re-inking the Versamark. Sometimes it is still moist but not enough to hold the EP. I prefer the Versamark.

If you are like me and have moist hands a lot, the EP sticks where your fingerprints were. I just wait until my hands are dry and cool. The paintbrush is an invaluable tool IMHO!! If you are using Versamark, it is sticky enough to hold the powder so you can puff a little on it with your breath to get rid of some pesky strays that the knocking didn't get. I've done that for years. I've never needed to heat from below.

I have never had good success with embossing with Versamark, it doesn't matter how moist I get the pad! HMMM...

I went to using craft inks for embossing. Since I purchased a cuttlebug I hardly emboss unless it's with the bug (dry embossing).

What is IMHO? Also, why does one heat from under neath the paper?

IMHO = in my humble opinion.

I'm also curious as to why heat from underneath?

Does anyone know why one would heat from underneath when embossing?

I have heated from underneath when the powder on the top has the possibility of flying away with the blow of the gun. Let's say that you didn't have Versamark and used a regular pad to emboss. The regular pad ink doesn't stay wet very long and the EP doesn't adhere very well. Heating from underneath doesn't blow the powder off. Before Embossing Pads or Versamark or Color Box existed, I used a 5th burner to emboss just because of that reason.

More embossing information
 

There are some more great suggestions and tutorials in the thread directly above this one on embossing. You may want to check it out!

Sue

Ditto this! I tried dryer sheets - used and unused, swiffer sheets... all the little tricks. Never happy with my results until I got my 'Buddy. The best $3.50 (or whatever it was, LOL) I ever spent! :D

Do you know how to dry emposs on dark cardstock. I have a light lamp etc. but can't see the template at all thru the dark paper. I have tried rubbing the stylus over the cardstock but nothing helps. Any ideas?

ahhhhhhh I know how you feel! I usually wait until a sunny day and do it on the window. It's very hard on the arms though, but it's the only way I'v been able to emboss on dark paper. The light box simply isn't bright enough.

I'll be curious to see if anyone has any better solutions.

Heating from underneath or putting the cardstock on thin foil helps the cardstock not to curl so much, too.