Thursday 25 October 2012

Foiling and Leafing and writing too much.

Here's another card with foiling...a cuttlebug folder embossed on Kraft card and then the raised detail 'coloured' with hologrpahic foil.

I promised to talk a bit about the foiling/leafing that I've used on cards recently posted.  Try not to yawn - click away if it's all old hat to you!

The autumnal ferns at left are gilded with Leaf. It also comes described as Gilding Flakes.  It comes in boxes or packets of sheets in gold, silver or copper, for example.  Once burnished, all the biddy bits and crumbs it creates can be saved for extensive re-use.  It has a soft glow to it and is probably the messiest medium I use in terms of static and cling.  I always decant the leaf into a large zip lock bag and try to work inside the bag when the glue is dry.  If you try it, you'll see why. Don't be put off by this...the tidy up effort is teeny compared to the reward!
So sorry about the naff photos of the foil...the light in this hemisphere is pants this morning.  



The foil that I use is on rolls (but you can get it in sheet form).  Here (as in, in England) it's described as 'Hot Foil' and you can use it with one of those heated wands to do freehand application to all sorts of surfaces. Comes in any number of colours and choices - holographic or plain, etc. It's basically a sheet of plastic that has a removable metallic coating on the underside.  When your glue is ready, place the foil, face up over the glue and burnish.  Lift away. Any colour left on the carrier sheet is good for re-use.  The carrier sheet, when fully used, will be transparent.  Quite a cost effective medium I tell ya.  

You can use most any wet glue...indeed the small kit that I first bought contained 6 1" wide reels of foil and a tube of glue that Mr Dunnit reliably informs me is  good strong PVA. Either spread it thin or be patient.  The key with all the gluing is patience...it really needs to be dry but sticky.  Which is why I use the Zig pen...it's obvious when dry enough and fast-drying enough to keep my attention!  If it isnt dry, the foil will actually just lift the glue off the card. Remember, if you use a heat gun to dry the glue, you might end up wrecking any lovely heat embossing that you've previously done on the card. Usually, the foiling/leafing, is like the glitter glue..pretty much the last thing I do to a card.  In the case below, the moon is foiled,  the glue was drying while I stamped and cut out the tree trunks to overlay the original image.  

Coincidentally this was the card that caused agonies in a workshop between the 'eyeballers' (me) and those who prefer precision (most everyone else).  Normally, I would pre-cut card stock and mounts to size to save the workshopeers the trouble and boredom.  But imagine if I'd pre-cut the gloss card upon which the image is stamped.  How many of the precision lovers do you think would have been un-shakey enough to fit the image on as precisely as necessary?  Far easier, I thought, to give out bigger pieces of stock and have the workshoppers cut to size.  See, you make one thing easier and it makes another thing harder.  But that's possibly a statement that should apply elsewhere.  
Here endeth the foiling lecture.  Go get coffee, the rest of your day depends on you being awake.

31 comments:

Annie said...

I've read to the end Julia but have to say some of it just went over my head....guess you need to be a card maker to keep track with all the things you girls do....so clever....but just not fabric, ribbons and beads :-)
It wouldn't do for us all to be the same would it?
Hugs,
A x

Unknown said...

Awake? Why do I have to be awake?

Annie, I was reading a book by Kim Thittichai last night where she talks about using hot foils on fabric, in fact it is something I've been wondering about. The book is called Hot Textiles and covers lutrador, tyvek, bondaweb and all kinds of things you can heat and burn and get great effects with in textile art.

Julia, love the foil on the cards. I think I need some now, where do you get it from?

Crafty Lark said...

Thank you so much for the foiling "lecture", I have got as brave as decanting my flakes into a larger tub and they look at me accusingly, I really must use them, xx Flora

Di said...

Ha, ha - I haven't even decanted my flakes - I had a little play about 6 months ago, totally covered my desk in fluttery flakes (I sneezed!!), wrecked a card, got cross and then hid them away again :( Should I have another go? Hugs, Di xx

Helen said...

ok, so I wrote a comment and it's disappeared... so here's hoping you don't end up with two...

A great tutorial, and I love the look of the gilding on the fern. May just have to get out my flakes which I haven't used for ages (bet that doesn't surprise you!)

Have a great day.

Helen said...

and it disappeared cos'd I'd been signed out of google.. hey ho!

Rita said...

Julia, I read it all and its definately something I'd like to try. Your work is all wonderful. TFS. Enjoy your day. Hugs Rita xx

LisaDV said...

Thanks for the foil lecture. I've actually never tried it. May have to now. I love your cards.
Also I am an eyeballer on many items myself.

Sarn said...

Di: NO! Keep them hidden. (I'm saying this for reverse psychology)!

JULIA Excellent and helpful post and I totally admire your beautiful shiny work.

Have a lovely day xxx

Angie said...

Brilliant ...I have so wanted to know about this ...now I need to get some and sit down with a coffee and re read this slowly ...that is after i tidy my space eventually xx

Hettie said...

I knew there was something else in common with us and now I know....we are both eyeballers...except when I have been on the grape juice! Then and only then do I use a ruler! Now you know when I am pickled when crafting as things will be straighterer!!
LOL!
xx

jodpea said...

It is definitely one of the messiest, altho not as irritatig as getting embossing powder everywhere. I dont think I've ever tried it with proper wet glue, I've used the Papermania bonding powder technique (similar to embossing) both with a heat gun and also by running it thru the laminator (altho this does effectively ruin the sheet, u can't reuse any excess) and I've also tried laser transfer foils from Crafty Computer Paper, these are designed to be used with printouts from a laser printer but also work with the bonding powder technique.

I also bought Flitter Glue and gilding flakes from the NEC in March and intend to buy more when I go back next month cos I LOVE them!

(Sorry that turned into a bit of an essay!)

Sandi McLean said...

Using gold leaf is one of those things on my "try it" list...appreciate the step by step. Since you can find all manner of bits of glimmer, mica, etc around my house..the gold will surely add to the palette!

jill said...

Stunning cards Julia.

Krisha said...

Good tutorial on the leafing. I only have one thing to add: If not using a baggie, do not take a deep breath and exhale....flakes fly everywhere LOL I have used foils for many thngs, nail art being one of them back in the days I was a manicurist. Still have tons of it in a stash box. You've peeked my interest in it again. Love your cards by the way!

Kirsty.A said...

These cards look truly amazing. I found some gold leaf I bought 3 yrs ago when I got my Christmas stash out this week - might give it a go

Kimbo said...

I must admit that the rolls of foil are far easier to use. I wasn't too fussed about the matting - just missed my usual trimmer :)

Tamika said...

Love the holiday themed card!Awesome work!

fairy thoughts said...

Well done to me for not clicking away and sticking to the end (pun intended) this is another product I have in my stash but never actually used... maybe I will rectify that soon. I will add to my 10 year plan... maybe watch this space
janet

MaggieC (Silvercrafter) said...

Thanks for your great tutorial, Julia. I have used gold and silver leaf and gilding flakes (you can't breathe with those), but not tried foiling, although I have some small sheets of foil, which I bought in mistake for something else years ago, and never used. Must have a go. That moon behind the tree is brilliant. I have just thought how I could use silver foil or silver leaf to mimic lightning. I use a Quickie glue pen which you can monitor as it changes colour to know when it is ready. Thank you. xx Maggie

Spyder said...

Fabulous! somewhere in my craft room I have some foil...will hunt it out!
((Lyn))

scrappymo! said...

Great tutorial...I have some somewhere...I think maybe in the garage with the "Other" craft stuff.
Will have to give this a try...I like the baggie idea to contain the mess.

Shaz in Oz.CalligraphyCards said...

Hi Julia great Tutorial and no wasn't yawning, asleep nor in need of coffee..
And think the comments gave me as much fun too - everyone is either not looking at their stash of it or more likely hunting it out. I have done both foiling and gilding but mainly used gilding mix.
Was interested to know you use wet glue, too. I have used PVA as that is how I build up my gold in my calligraphy but usually let it dry, then breathe on it to moisten it and attach leaf/ foil... I dont use the loose variety either as yours is attached as think the loose gives one nightmares.
The crop would have been great and must admit I tend to eye ball things too, in card making that is not other things.
Thanks for sharing, Shaz in oz.x

trisha too said...

I actually enjoyed the foiling lecture---say on, Julia!

:)

Anonymous said...

Thanks for that, Julia. I bought the IndigoBlu starter kit earlier this year, which includes a yummy pot of gilding flakes - and have used it once (with good results), and even bought a big tub to put them in - but, as usual, they are still sitting in a drawer waiting to be used. Foil on a roll. Seen that in our local craft shop and wondered how to use it. May get some and give it a go. Do you need a heat source to 'set' it? Or do you just rub over?? So many questions, so little day left already - must go and get dressed and have breakfast. Ali x

Unknown said...

Well...

I have the papermania rolls, Kanban Rolls - gold and silver, 24ct gold leaf sheets; pots of different coloured gold, silver, copper etc flakes AND (i'm squinting and toe curling as I say this)...One unopened A3 hot foiling machine that I bought a lazer printer to use with.

Of the above, I've used the lazer printer. It's good though.

One hot foiling machine for sale mind you. And it really has NEVER BEEN OPENED!

I love what you have done here - and think I am too chicken to fail. Love what Barbara Gray does with the double sided sticky sheets and her flakes but still haven't tried.

I completely eyeball too - that's why all my matting and layering is rubbish. Glad I'm not the only one.

Love the comments above. Did you know that i've only just started to read all the other comments.. I've usually always just gone to comments box, but you can gain a lot of insight into people when they write their comments. Am I the last one to catch on with this or something? I truly have never bothered before (there are usually too many anyway)!!!

Thank you for the smiles

Paula x x x

Arnoldo L. Romero, MLA said...

These are beautiful cards, Julia. Blessings!

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