Is anyone as appalled as I am at the exorbitant cost of greeting cards these days? I have resolved myself never to spend $5 on a single card ever again, and I have to say my Epic Letterpress machine is going to make that a very easy resolution to keep! I completed these two cards in a half hour, and that was my first time ever operating my machine. I was so impressed with how user-friendly and intuitive it is!
Cracking open the box, I have to admit I was just a fudge intimidated. There are a lot of parts and plates to keep track of, but with one quick look at the instruction manual, I was able to easily make sense of just what each and every piece was for. I also found the video tutorials on the Lifestyle Crafts website to be particularly helpful.
Once I felt comfortable with how everything worked, I decided to do a bit of playing. Fun! I will admit that it took me a few tries to achieve a finished result I was completely happy with, but once I got the hang of applying just the right amount of ink to the plates, I was all set!
A few pointers I’ll pass along to you that I learned along the way:
When it comes to the ink, a dab will do you. I found a pea-sized amount to be more than adequate to do the job for 2-3 applications. It is really important to apply a thin, even layer of ink to the plate for a crisp result.
Clean everything as you go! I found the Letterpress Cleaning Cloths to be particularly helpful for this purpose.
If you want to create a project using more than one ink color, make sure your plates as thoroughly dry from cleaning before you apply your new round of ink. The cleaning solution on the cleaning cloths diluted my ink colors a bit because I didn’t dry everything off after cleansing.
A few snapshots of the creative process…
Applying ink to the brayer. There are so many gorgeous colors to choose from!
Running everything through the machine.
The finished result!
For my cards, I opted to try using one of the plates strictly for embossing, without any of the ink. I love this look! I also opted to cut out some of my pressed shapes and adhere them separately to my card, using dimensional foam dots on some of the shapes for added interest. Y’all know I can’t resist added dimension!
A little bit of zig-zag stitching with my handy-dandy sewing machine, and I was absolutely tickled with the end result. I know our moms are going to love these!
Overall, this really was a simple process. My mind is truly dancing with the ideas for other projects this machine will help me complete!
If you haven’t already, don’t miss your chance to win one of these beauties all for your very own! The contest ends on Wednesday night, so there is still plenty of time to get your entries in.
Stay tuned tomorrow for a meaningful Mothers’ Day gift project that I put together using my machine!
Having grown up in a home brimming with sewing notions and paintbrushes, Amy has a deep love for all things creative. On any given day, you’ll find her knee-deep in her latest creative endeavor, with projects ranging from sewing and crafts to home decor and kid-friendly ideas. Amy believes that everyone, regardless of skill level or experience, possesses the ability to create something beautiful, and Positively Splendid was born of her passion for helping others harness their innate creative potential.
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Beautiful cards. I love the stitching details, too.
Jessie
http://www.mixandchic.com
Very cute card! The embossing is beautiful and I like how you used it!
The cards look great! I need more tools like this to help my card making process speed up a bit. Thanks for sharing!
Love them. So cool seeing the process.