Homemade Embossing Plate

I would bet that everyone has purchased something they just had to have and never got around to using it. For me, it was this filmstrip die by Sizzix & Tim Holtz. It sat in my craft room for years . . . alone . . . just waiting for this month's Cinema kit to come along. A match made in heaven.

I could simply die cut these strips and use them on my page or card, but instead I decided to create something unique and fun -- a homemade embossing plate! Check out this video for more details. 

Follow these steps to create a filmstrip plate:

1. Die cut five film strips from sticker paper.

2. Adhere the strips together, stacking them one on top of the other. (Tip: I left the backing on the bottom one until I was ready to adhere to the base plate.)

3. Cut the film strip into three unequal parts.

4. Cut a piece of thin chip board (base plate) to 4x5.25"and adhere the film strip pieces to the board.

5. Create your embossing "sandwich" and run paper through an embossing machine.

The "sandwich" will vary with different embossing machines. I use the Big Shot by Sizzix.
My "sandwich" from bottom to top - clear acrylic base plate, multipurpose platform tab 1, homemade embossing plate, silicone rubber, and impression pad.

Oopsie Daisy Gray paper held up nicely to the embossing.

The plain White cardstock was a bit thin for this technique and tore.

Bonus embossing plate: 

1. Adhere leftover film strip scraps together in stacks of five. 

2. Adhere onto base plate chip board in random pattern.

Embossed Oopsie Daisy Gray paper.

Once you have a nicely embossed piece, it is time to assemble a card.

1. Stamp Borders and Backgrounds images onto de-bossed (indented) side of plain White paper.

2. Continue to add color with a sponge tool in Amethyst, Orchid and Fuchsia hybrid inks over the de-bossed filmstrip image.

3. Nest the panel onto a 4x5.25" Wine matte.

4. Add embellishment (Spring Chorus rhinestone stickers) and the card is complete!

I added a little bit of spritzing with the Tim Holtz spritzer tool and a Dusty Concord Distress marker.

I hope you enjoyed this fun tutorial and will give it a try. Have a show-stopping week!

Julie