Spellbinders Impressabilities
 

Hi,

I'm wondering if anyone has tried Spellbinders Impressabilities? They have some great designs! :) I'm just wondering if they work as well as the Cuttlebug Embossing Folders (I am addicted to those things!)? Also, I thought they might be flimsy, because Spellbinders suggests cutting them (to customize them & says you can use the metal as an embellishment).

Thanks so much,

Jennifer

I have four of them and I don't like them for embossing at all. The designs are beautiful but they are flimsy, break easily and don't leave a very good impression. I even quit using them until I could order the Spellbinders tan mat, thinking that must be the trick to getting a better impression but I stll wasn't impressed, pardon the punn. All I ended up doing was stretching the templates out of shape with each try so I've kind of quit on them. Dissapointing because they are such pretty patterns. IMHO, not the best money I've ever spent. As for using them as a stenciling template, haven't tried that.

They are thin and they eventually do break off the frame but they're sort of intended to be like that. You can easily cut them apart for other uses or partial embossing. If you're not getting a good impression you just need to shim more. I get a fine impression with mine and my CB.

You can see some tips and my sandwich about them on my blog in these posts:

http://blog.iheartpapers.com/2009/04...bo-flower.html

http://blog.iheartpapers.com/2009/04...on-spring.html

Good luck!

Thank you for taking the time to reply!

I'm torn. It's too bad that they're flimsy. They have some really unique designs and I love the new, limited-edition cherry one (amongst others)!

But on the other hand, I'm so impressed with your cards, Kate! :) They're beautiful!

Thanks. Really, even if they fall off the outer frame you can still use them. I don't have any problems. You just have to be careful not to poke yourself. They're sharp!

I have some Impressabilities that are over a year old and they work fine. Even though the frame came off, they still work. I have cut some apart and used as embellishments, too. There pretty cheap - $6.99 - so if you try one, your not out alot of money.

You can do a few things with the Impressabilities that you can't do with the embossing folders. For example, after cutting a shape using a nestabilities die - leave the cardstock in the die and add the Impressabilities to your embossing sandwich. You get a great pattern onto your Nestabilities shape.

Here is a link to a card I made using this technique on foil and cardstock:

http:////www.splitcoaststampers.com/...00&ppuser=4947

HTH

I was pleasantly surprised to find out that a scrapbook page I made is being featured on the Scrapbook Trends Blog today. I used an Impressabilities as an embellishment on my page.

Here is the link:
http://northridgemedia.net/blogs/scr...trends/?p=2071

Congratulations, Debbie!!! :)

That page is absolutely beautiful!

(I like the unique ways you used the Spellbinders products. I get in a rut & use them mostly for stamped images & layering, but I love the way you cut the designer paper in half...)

Thanks so much! My daughter will be tickled!

I bought one to try and decided to stick with the embossing folders. I love the look and consistency of how the paper gets embossed. I figured I was doing something wrong (even with the tan mat) and decided it wasn't worth my time or the learning curve.

I find them quite fun, as they are stencils you can use them to make cool glitter effects with like this:

http:////www.splitcoaststampers.com/...&ppuser=231216

and

http:////www.splitcoaststampers.com/...&ppuser=231216

That is so true about them being sharp!

I love them. I think they're easy to use and do a great job getting a good impression. I agree with one of the above posters that if you're not getting a good impression that you need to shim more.