How to Use Embossing Stamps For Wedding Invitations and Scrapbooking

Embossing stamps are used on a variety of materials to raise an image and are often used to emboss paper products.

What Are They?

Embossing stamps typically have two components. There is a male component and a female component. The female component has the image of the stamp indented, the male component has the image raised, the two halves fit together perfectly. The two halves are placed with the material to be embossed in between them, then pressure is applied to the two halves to raise the image.

The Process

Embossing stamps are used to emboss a wide array of products to include; paper, leather and other non woven fabrics and plastics. Each product is typically embossed in pretty much the same way. The two plates that make up the embossing stamps are utilized and usually there is some heat applied as part of the process.

There are two separate types of embossing. There is blind embossing which is done without ink and there is color press embossing which is used with ink. The raised image in blind embossing is just the image without any added color. The color press embossing uses ink on the male plate to add color to the image.

The material to be embossed is placed between the two plates and either clamps or another form of applied pressure will leave the imprint of the image on the embossing stamps behind. In large printing applications a press is used to emboss multiple numbers of papers at the same time. These presses usually have built in heat conductors in the plates.

Commercial Applications

There are plenty of commercial applications that use embossing stamps such as creating one of a kind invitations to weddings. This has been a popular practice for quite some time. The results are elegant, the process can be either blind embossing or can be color enhanced embossing.

Card companies use embossing stamps to create greeting cards. There are commercially made leather items that are created like belts and wallets. The process is the same for leather or paper except the heat that is applied is greater for embossing leather than it is for paper.

At Home

Scrapbooking has taken on a life of its own. There are very elaborate kits that are sold for at home use that are used to emboss materials that will become part of the scrapbook. Typically these kits include an embossing press and different types of embossing stamps. The kits come with complete instructions and design ideas. Most kits will contain the ink that can be used for color embossing and the directions for using the ink..

The plates or the embossing stamps are interchangeable and are used to add a designer touch to at home crafts to include scrapbooking. This is a great way to create greeting cards, invitations and leather items at home.