Craft projects by Bubblescrap: Playing with foil

I'm baaack... my apologies for neglecting my blog.. I totally lacked blog worthy inspiration. But I was asked to do a tutorial on foil, so that is the perfect opportunity to take up blogging again.

I made a Halloween card with a rainbow skull, using foil, and a few fellow crafters asked how I did it. So here it goes:

This technique works best if you use big die cuts and black cardstock. I decided to make two more of the skull cards and a dashing deer christmas card. Both dies are by Tim Holtz.

I used a thicker black card stock so the foil will really pop.

This technique only works if you use a glue that stays tacky after it dries. I have used this Tombow glue as it dries very quick and stays super sticky. And I have used 2 in 1 glue pens that stay sticky also for foiling writing or drawn images. I know there are special glues and pastes for foiling, but I am still in the experimenting phase, so I haven't gotten those yet ;-)

You could use a brush, but as this glue dries so quickly, I prefer to use my finger to smear the glue all over my die cuts.

For this skull I am using a rainbow coloured foil. I am also making a skull with an opal foil, that is a bit iridescent, and a gold/brown stag.

You cover the image with the colour side up. I always fold up a paper towel or tissue and rub it over the foil, to press the foil onto the glued surface. There are foiling machines that will give you a perfect foiled finish. I am more of a distress girl, so I prefer this look as it is not that perfect. You can see the streaks you made with your finger and sometimes there are areas where the glue didn't quite get to. But to me that makes it more beautiful ;-)

Here you see all three die cuts with the foils rubbed on. I always leave it for ten minutes just to make sure that the glue is really dry. After that the big reveal... always exciting!!

How colourful is this? I always pull it off quite carefully because when the foil didn't take well, or I missed a spot with rubbing, I can press it down again and rub it some more.