Video: 5 Ways to Add Gold Foil
Over the past few weeks, I have been sharing a lot of pictures on Instagram of the fun I am having with gold foil. I decided to put together a video of my favorite 5 ways to add gold foil to cards…
[All supplies are linked to multiple sources in the thumbnails at the end of this post. Affiliate links used. To watch the video in HD on YouTube, click HERE.]
[NOTE: These foils are very popular right now and hard to find in stock. However, I do know Simon Says Stamp will have it back in stock very soon!]
I will admit – I have spent a lot of time experimenting with different foil methods over the last few weeks. So much fun! I have found five that work best for me. (I am sure there are many other methods out there!) I will be sharing more on these techniques and what I learn in the next few weeks. Oh – remember – if you aren’t into gold, don’t worry. These foils come in many awesome colors. (Check the links at the end of this post. I love the Deco Foils from Therm O Web.)
FOIL TECHNIQUE #1: Foil With Stamps
Since most of us are stampers, it seems only right to start with stamps! I played around with *many* ways to use foil with stamps and found that best results were found using FlitterGlu. (Be sure to try any liquid adhesives you have – the stickier the glue the better. I found out about FlitterGlu from the kind folks at Simon Says Stamp.) I simply applied the glue to my stamp, stamped it on the paper, added the foil and rubbed it in place. Applying the FlitterGlu to the stamp with foam from my Ink Blending Tool was key.
The results are pretty! It isn’t a perfectly smooth shine but much shinier than heat embossing. I found I have the most success with stamps that didn’t have a lot of solid area or “important” detail. Also, you can scratch the foil with your fingernail, but it isn’t bad. I will still use this technique on my cards. (By the way, I discovered this method worked better than using sticky embossing powder with the foil.)
FOIL TECHNIQUE #2: Foil With Dies
By using double-sided adhesive, you can even add foil to your project with dies. I found Stick It worked best since it is a *super* thin double sided adhesive, but other adhesives would work. The key is to make sure you really use that bone folder to press the foil in place.
This technique would work with any dies. However, since the double sided tape is so fragile/thin, I would avoid very intricate dies. Again, you can scratch the foil with your fingernail but it isn’t a big problem to me. As with all of these techniques (except for #5), the results are as smooth as the adhesive underneath.
FOIL TECHNIQUE #3: Foil With Tape
This third technique is definitely the easiest. Grab any adhesive (my favorite is Be Creative Tape) and add foil borders, lines or trims to your card. You could even use a tape runner. Again – make sure you really use that bone folder to press the foil down.
This technique is fast and fun. However, since it is an adhesive, it is possible to put subtle scratches on the foil.
FOIL TECHNIQUE #4: Foil With Stencils
Stencils are so inexpensive and great for impressive backgrounds. I found good results by applying a spray adhesive over my stencil and then removing the stencil to add the foil. So pretty…
I used an old Krylon Spray Adhesive but can’t seem to find a source online. I would recommend trying any spray adhesive you may have. Once again – you can scratch the foil with your fingernail, but it isn’t bad. Sending this through a laminator (or ironing) afterwards seems to smooth this out a bit.
FOIL TECHNIQUE #5: Foil With Print Outs
OK… this technique is by far my favorite! The foil results are durable, super shiny and very smooth. Eek! I love it. Simply print anything you want on a laser printer. Lay the foil on top and send it through a laminator. Perfect results!
I have a video with more details on this process soon. However, I want to note a few important things now. I use an inexpensive Brother Laser Printer and it works great. If you don’t have a laser printer, just take your files to Kinkos and they can print it for you. (The key is to have it printed with a toner. Copiers are great.) You can print on any color cardstock – just print in black. I find that applying the heat and pressure with a very inexpensive laminator (you can find on Simon Says Stamp or Amazon) is best, but you can also use an iron.
So I had great success with my laser printer and laminator. However, keep in mind every printer and machine is different. If you are unsure how to create or find printables for this technique, stay tuned. I will have tips and a video soon. It’s easy! And check out my daughter’s Valentines that I created in 45 minutes with this technique HERE. Love!!! I can’t get enough!!!
MORE TO COME
What I shared here today is really just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to using foil. As I find more fun technique I will be sure to share them. (But I also promise not to go overboard lol.) Also – there were a lot of great foil products released at CHA. Therm O Web (who makes the Deco Foils) also has a Iron Transfer Adhesive product that I am looking forward to trying. I will let you know how it works when I get it.
Another that I can’t wait to get is the Heidi Swapp Minc. The Minc machine is supposed to be awesome… giving great results even on big projects. Once I get it I will do a video. (It is available for pre-order HERE now.) Even better – Heidi has lots of paper products that have the images already printed… so you can just add any foil you want without fussing with the printing! Sweet. And – of course – she has lots of great foil colors. You can see a peek at these products on her website. Stay tuned for more!
In the meantime, I would love to hear from you. Is foil something that appeals to you? Will you try it out? I just love new techniques. 🙂
SUPPLIES
Below are the products featured above. Affiliate and product disclosure can be found here. Click on the letters below each picture to go to a favorite store: Simon Says Stamp (SSS), Ellen Hutson (EH), Amazon (AZ), etc.
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