It seems that Stampendous is really coming along with it’s product lines- so many of their items now can be used in mixed-media and art, as well as traditional stamping. For example, the Opaque Embossing Enamels they sent me- two “aged metallic” and two “shabby” ones- go far beyond “Stamping 101.” Lets take a closer look, shall we?
For the purposes of this review, I received
TThey are described on the website thus:
This chunky, vintage-inspired embossing powder will provide a thick layer of enamel to your artwork. You can impress an inked stamp into it like our Deep Impressionâ„¢ Clear powder. Sprinkle it on your artwork and heat from beneath for a shabby chic/vintage look. Made in the USA.
The grains of the embossing powder are not uniform- as a matter of fact, I found at least three distinct particles in the mix:
Due to the different sized bits and the fact that they are NOT a uniform size, you are going to get different effects depending upon how you apply the Embossing Enamels. If you use a stamp pad to get the particles to adhere before melting, you are more likely to get the smaller bits and glitter to adhere- the larger chunky bits won’t stick as well. But we’ll get to more on that later. FOr now, let’s look at some swatches stamped with an Inkadinkado watermark pad:
So -for you newbies out there, you need to apply heat to these powders to get them to melt together to create a raised, glassy finish. It’s recommended that you use a special heat tool for this purpose- using your hair dryer will blow the bits all over the place.
As you can see, some of the largest bits didn’t stick well and you get some “skipping.” But considering the “look” of this product is described as shabby, well, then maybe it’s intentional.
I was challenged to find other ways to use the enamel and get it to stick to my substraites to make the most of the product. So next I cut a frame out of some Darice adhesive sheets with my Cuttlebug- it works great with punches and dies. I adhered it to some cardstock, then added some Shabby Pink Embossing Enamel and hit it with my heat gun.
Then I tried just sprinkling the powder on top of some cardstock and heated it from underneath, making a molten puddle. Then I stamped into it using a cling-mount stamp.
Next, I used a bold outline stamp- as a matter of fact, it’s the Peony Jumbo Cling-Mount SStamp that I reviewed earlier this month. This time, I “double-dipped”- that is, I stamped, embossed it, and then while it was still hot I added another layer of Embossing Enamel and heated it again. By doing it this way, you get a LOT more texture and color.
Definitely a vintage-y look. And I love the texture!
I added some pigment ink to a chipboard shape and “double-dipped”it withe the Aged Silver. I think the result is pretty metallic-y and would substitute for real metal in mixed media and altered art:
I decided to try applying the Embossing Enamels with glue. I added some Inkadinkado glue pen to the raised areas on the branches of this tree embossed with a Darice Embossing Folder (I’m rather obsessed with it right now) and also added some glue and enamels at the bottom to mimic snow.
So down to the nitty-gritty. These Embossing Enamels sell for around $5.99 USD and you get .6 oz, or 17 grams per jar. Of course, it seems like a small jar, but it will last you a really long time, unless you are doing a lot of that “puddle” method. It’s readily available on their website and in brink-and-morter stores.
As of this writing, if you buy it right form the Stampendous website you can get free shipping if your order is over $50 with the code FREESHIP. (Sorry, this is a US-only promotion.)
I think if you are looking for a new way to use Embossing Enamels beyond the traditional stamping- to add texture and color varigation- these will be great for you! I would also not hesitate to use them in translucent polymer clay or in a UTEE melting pot.
Feel free to leave a comment sharing YOUR experiences with Embossing Enamels!
Disclosure: Samples of Embossing Enamels provided for review purposes. I provided link outs to ConsumerCrafts.com products, as I received them to use as I am a member of their Design Team on the CraftsUnleashed blog.
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Stampendous Graphics Department says
Thanks, Jenny, for the review. We do intend that the chunkier Embossing Enamels be heated from underneath whenever possible to retain the variety of particle sizes. This isn’t your mamma’s embossing powder! It’s gritty, off the page, and yummy. Mix them, add glitter, mica, etc to your “puddle” and just have a blast with them.
Jenny says
“This isn’t your mamma’s embossing powder.”- ha! Well put & agreed! : )
Dee in N.H. says
OMG! This stuff went right to my list of must haves! I can’t wait to try the puddle and stamp! What awesome embellishments just begging to be made!
Jen Clark says
How funny – I just bought a jar of the Shabby Blue last week, not even realizing you were reviewing them! LOL I haven’t given it a try yet, but it just looked so cool, I couldn’t resist! Really happy I got it now!!