Ink dusted cuttlebug?
 

I need help with tips on how you've all made the beautiful cards using cuttlebug embossed backgrounds that are rubbed over with inks. I've tried using my brayer but get too much mess on the background, not just on the raised flowers - what am I doing wrong???

Becky

Would like to know exactly how this is done as well, I have heard that some use the ink pad and lightly brush it over the image-this has not worked well for me!
Ann

Yup, I've tried that too and again got smutz all over the background instead of just the flowers.

There are so many gorgeous samples out there we must be doing something wrong :(

Becky

I use a pen-like thing with an alligator clip on the end and cotton pompoms for "dusting" on my pastels and ink. I got a kit with different sizes of pompoms depending on the detail. I don't know for the life of me who made the kit, or I'd tell you. The alligator thing I got at my LSS. I love it!!

I do the same thing, using chalks with the little pompoms, and rubbing very lightly over the embossing. I got my chalk set at the local AC Moore. Forget the brand name though. It has come in SO handy!

OMG.....Kimber and I just bought that thingy ma bobber this weekend. It is a wonderful kit!

What I use is the Color Box stylus with the black tips. Just run them over your chalks then over the Cuttlebug embossed background. The chalks stay on top of the design. It's super simple and looks great.

There is a cool technique we learned from TJ. Mix your PearlEx with gum arabic and paint over black cardstock. Let dry then run your BG through your bug or whatever with your embossing folder for a beautiful metallic BG.

The kit that I bought this wknd has 30 chalks. It includes the applicator and lil cotton ball things in 3 different sizes. The kit is made by Pebbles Inc.

I have spots and gently apply them flat onto the CB BG. Don't rub too hard-the pad on one of my craft spots came right off in doing this.

The pompom kit is by EK Success...here's the link!

For my cards that I've done, I've just used the direct-to-paper technique with my ink pad. I go around the edges lightly and then try to get a little bit in the middle.

Is that what you're looking for?

I just use a sponge and rub on my color. It's a bit messy to the fingers but it works great. Kids can do it too.

I did the same thing for mine. You definitely don't want to press too hard though, or it will color the background. Personally, I like the look of a little color in the background and edges, with a lot of color on the embossed part.

I've done this with ink pads and a brayer.
Craft ink works the best with the brayer, but it is inked really well and a really really light touch.
With the pads I've only had good luck with the cat eye ones they are pigment ink also and you just keep going over it lightly until its the color you want. Lightly is the key. It builds up. and if you should over ink someshere thats where you place the layering.
My firend has been using versa mark ink marker then going over it with pearl ex.powder on a small paint brush. then uses a stiffer brush to clear off the excess. It looks really nice but takes time. and you still end up with some powder where you don't want it. :-D

I use a brayer and it's really quick and even. Love it!

I just wrote all about this on Tuesday! Here's the link: http://inkblots.webseitler.com/blog/...cuttlebug.html

You can use eye makeup applicators and chalk inks and colored in the raised parts that you wanted colored.

I have done this mostly with direct to paper, but it requires a very light touch with the stamp pad to keep it off the unraised portion of the paper. When I use the brayer I use the foam roller which seems to allow for a lighter touch, but with the brayer it almost always gets on the unraised paper. I've now decided that I like that look for some things, as the embossed areas show up darker, but yet all of the cardstock has some color.

Poss I'm cheap or dense,...I use Qtips,not a high tec kinda gal

I'm with ya. That's what I use also. I especially like the look of white ink on the embossed images in color.

I put Versamark on the raised places and then dust the whole thing with chalk.

Ink dusted cuttlebug?
 

By far the BEST way to apply ink to a dry embossed image is to use the FOAM BRAYER attachment to brayer across the ink pad and then across the embossed image. I love this method because you can make it as light or dark as you want (just keep applying more ink) and because it is so easy to keep the ink off the area you don't want to highlight . . . just use a light touch when you roll the brayer. It is also quicker and much easier than trying to use sponges, Q-tips and DTP methods. (IMHO)

I've done this technique with a sponge. I just ink the sponge on my dye ink pad and then take it to the embossing.

I'm also a brayer fan, but often ink the wrong side so only the embossed design does not get inked.

Ooooh, Candy! That sounds great.....off to give it a try!

can you tell me what gum arabic is? I've heard of it before but when I ask at the craft store they don't know what I mean

You can purchase it as a powder or thick liquid. It is a water soluble binder. You could just add water to it and paint it on the edges (then let dry) of hand made envelopes to creat your own sealable envelopes. Pearl Ex will not stick to card stock by itself and needs a binder. Gum Arabic is the binder in this case. I'm not sure where I purchased mine. It is in a tiny pot about the size of an embossing powder pot. Ask at a rubber stamp store or a regular art store. You also might look in the art aisle of the craft store.

Thank you for the quick response. I shall try looking in the areas you've suggested.

got my gum arabic at Michaels,in the art isle,had to have help to find.

I've had a bit of luck coloring the raised image by first embossing using the Cuttlebug folder and then open the top cover of the folder but leave the embossed card on the bottom cover - this gives support to the raised images and makes it easier to color. I've just started doing this so I haven't tested all the different coloring mediums. What I have used is one of those square Marvy pads. I hope I explained that clearly enough to help :) It came out a lot better for me than any of the other methods I tried.

Another Option
 

subscribing

Are they called Pebbles? That is the kind I have and just love them. I think I have every set they make.

Alice

This is exactly what I have done, too, with several of the different CB folders, as well as both craft an classic inks. It works extremely well. By leaving the card stock *in the CB folder* while brayering, the ability to apply the ink to the raised or embossed areas *only* is greatly improved. I highly recommend this method. :)

Great question! And thanks for all the great tips!

Read all the responses ... just so happens I too recently had the pleasure of experiencing the Pebbles chalk kits, although intrigued with presentation and applicators, I did not buy the set as I believe Stampin' Up's chalks are just fine... did purchase a box of the cotton balls though=real cute in their pink and white... I'd like one of the alligator clip-on-a-stick applicators, but I don't find it for sale on the site or in stores by itself (may have to create one!) ... back to Becky's issue: another way of coloring the impressed image (absolutely beautiful using the Bug and folders) is to use a small pc of sponge run gently over an ink pad and dabbed or rubbed lightly on the the pressed image as desired - start with a light touch and build from there ...

Sounds interesting-subscribing..Susie

OOOh! I'll give this a try!

You can get refill pompoms in the craft section of our favorite stores. Darice is one of the brands. 100 little fuzzies for .99.

70's flash back....the alligator clip used to be a roach clip for smoking weed...NOT ME! Remember the feather hat bands with the removable feather? Glad they have found a more honorable profession!