Wedding Blog
So after you’ve seen how NOT to emboss your invitations, I should probably show you how to emboss them.
We ordered custom stamps, used dark brown ink, and took the pads out of their containers to make a larger stamp pad. We also used a Stamp-A-Majig, a heat gun from Jo-Ann’s and, last but not least, clear embossing powder.
Step one: Set your Stamp-A-Majig to where you’d like to stamp.
Step two: Stamp down. Our stamps were a bit large, so it was best to use two sets of hands for this project. For the bird stamp, Mr. D’orsay would stamp down, and MOH MB would push down again using the wooden handle to make it even.
Step three: Quickly powder. Make glittering hills of clear powder, tip off, then hand them to your heat gun operator. If you don’t have a heat gun operator, then you can leave all the stamped/powdered ones until you’re ready to heat them. The important part is quickly applying the powder to the stamped area. Don’t tap the paper to removed excess powder. Wait until after you’ve embossed and simply dust the sheets with a rag.
DO NOT leave your cat alone near a hill of embossing powder…
Step four: Bring on the heat! Hold your heat gun 1-2 inches away from the paper. Be careful because you don’t want to burn the paper! You can see below when the powder begins to turn.
Unofficial Step five: Attach the invite. We used Tombow adhesive and it worked great!
This was a fun and rewarding project once we figured out all the kinks. I highly recommend practicing on scrap paper until you work everything out.
Most important lessons learned:
Did you have to learn any DIY lessons the hard way? Do you have any helpful embossing tips?
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I definitely preferred the glass cutting to the embossing. Note that I’m not actually in any of these pictures… 
Though it was much more fun once we figured out the kinks!
Thank goodness you posted this!!! I’m planning on embossing our invitations too. I totally would have bought the colored powder and clear ink first. Thank you!!!
BTW, from what I can see you, your invites look great!!!
I embossed my STD cards and loved it so much that my MOH and I are planning on tackling the invites next.
wow, this is really helpful…i’ve always wondered how people emboss stuff! so you just stamp a piece of paper with regular stamp ink the normal way you’d stamp anything, and the powder just sticks to it? (and then i guess the heat gun after of course?). so cool!
I also learned the hard way on my invitations, and ended up using clear ink, with clear powder. On colored paper, the stamped area turns out a darker shade than the paper. This worked best with medium toned paper, like a blue or brown.
Very nice! I would just add that when I did my STDs I not only tapped them get the excess powder off but blew on them A LOT because if I went straight to the heat gun then the excess clear powder melted on and me no likey. But it just could’ve been the brand of powder or paper I used, idk. I love embossing though! Fun!
I think I’ve told you this before, but I LOVE your little birdie on the swirls 
Thanks for the tutorial.
@HeatherB618: We got them from Simon Stamp, but I like the clear ones from Impress stamp. By the time we saw the impress ones we already ordered the red rubber one.
@AliCherri1: Thanks!
@Valerie: I’m glad I posted this before you went shopping, we wasted money on those other supplies (rawr)
Looks great! Question, though, what on earth is a Stamp-a-Majig and what does it do?
If you have leftover clear ink and some clear powder, I find that it works wonderfully on a white or ivory envelope as a subtle little seal. We’re using ours (made the same mistake you did…grrr!) to emboss a pretty C (for our last name) on the back flap of each envelope for a little personal touch.
Oh, and to Mrs. Daffodil - you have to use pigment ink pads. They’re stickier and they dry slower than dye ink pads.
@driftslikesmoke: gaaaa. good point, you can’t really see it on the photo. A stamp-a-majig is a clear piece of plastic and a little plastic thing to help line it up. Our stamp isn’t clear so we used it to see exactly where we were stamping. Here is a you tube tutorial
Wow, can’t wait to see the whole thing, but it looks like you chose the invite I had voted for!
I used a stamp and embossing powder on our STDs. Turned out great. To cut down the cost I used a toaster oven for the heat source rather than the heat gun. This seemed to work out fine.
i know i would suck at doing this but you’re really tempting me to go try it out!
Hi! I wanted to inquire about your printing. Did you print using a deskjet computer or did you go to a printer for digital or offset? Did the heat impact your wording at all?
Thanks!
@chelsea: We went to kinkos b/c the printing was much cleaner than when we did our test run on our home printer (an HP inkjet). Plus we needed them to cut 1cm off of all the edges…not something I really wanted to myself…
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Mrs. D'orsay, Baltimore/Lancaster UK
Age and Occupation: 24, Stay at home fiance (formerly in nonprofit communications)
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 29, Web site developer and designer; co-owner of men's skincare shop
Engagement Date: August 10, 2008
Wedding Date: August, 2009
Venue: Oakland Manor
About Me: I'm a Maryland raised environmental policy wonk/activist/organizer and communications aficionado. In the past year I've lived in Baltimore, MD, Tucson, AZ, Miami, FL and Lancaster, England. In my not so spare time I enjoy planning trips with Mr. D' Orsay, visiting friends and family and crafting like a mo-fo. I also enjoy modern dance classes, rugby and soccer but have been banned by my mother, MOHs, and Mr. D' Orsay from playing till after the wedding. I have an unnatural addiction to cheese and shoes, but love Mr. D' Orsay more than either and can't wait to become Mrs. D' Orsay!
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