Embossing with your cricut cuts: NO FOLDER REQUIRED

This one was done with an image from Storybook, sized to 4 by 5.25 in DS

I've been saving this one, but I can't hold back any more...you don't need folders, you don't even need chipboard. A couple weeks ago I started making simple shapes for embossing with chipboard (see my Faux Nesties technique). I of course wanted to turn that into cuttlebug embossing folders, but the chipboard was just too hard to cut, time consuming, ruining my blades/mats and you just can't get an even mildly intricate shape with chipboard. So I turned to cardstock. Turns out if you cut your delicate shape from heavy cardstock (I use 80 lb from Stampin UP), and just glue three together (2 works if you have 100 lb cardstock), you have yourself a nice sturdy template. The other thing you need is a piece of plumbers rubber (I learned about this from heartprints she has great cuttlebug tutorials and uses the rubber to do partial embossing of her folders) . I bought1/16th inch, you'll only need one sheet you'll use over and over - it was $0.79 at the local hardware store. What a bargin!
SO...here is the sandwich you need bottom to top:
A plate
B plate
Plumbers rubber
Your paper you wish to emboss
Your homemade template
B plate
shim cardstock (see note)

NOTE: It will be a little loose and you want it as tight as a real folder, so shim it with 2-3 pieces of scrap card stock (they go on top of the last b plate). It sounds like a lot, but its not, once you do it it a couple times, it will be old hat - and you'll be doing it a lot!

If your doing simple shapes, you can still use chipboard and use the same sandwich, but you won't need to shim it. This is now my preferred sandwich for the "faux nesties".

I have a folder started of "folders/templates" that work well. I will post tomorrow if anyone needs ideas, but I'm guess you all want to come up with your own.

Another sample using Gorge, this will be one of 5 on tomorrows file.