Clarity Matters Blog Tutorial: Embossed Whitework Lilies

Hello hello! Grace here.

I hope this finds you safe, well and enjoying your Saturday morning so far.

We are joined this week by the super talented Maggie Byford, our good friend and Clarity Crafts Design Team Member. I will hand you over to our teacher for today…

Embossed Whitework Lilies

For today’s tutorial we’ll be making an appropriate card for one of those difficult times using Linda’s Lilies Groovi plate. My whitework card consists of an embossed floral design using the shadow embossing technique, a sentiment in beautiful, elegant script, and a sympathetic grid work frame using black parchment.
As an alternative, this card could be made into an any occasion card using sentiments of your own choice.

Here is what you are aiming for…

Ingredients

Nested Rectangles Picot Cut A4 Sq Plate (GRO-PA-41067-15)
Linda’s Lillies A6 Groovi Plate (GRO-FL-42259-02)
Groovi Go A6 Groovi Plate Mate (GRO-MA-40748-18)
Groovi A4 Clear Parchment Paper (GRO-AC-40024-A4)
1-Needle Bold Perforating Tool (PER-TO-70028-XX)
2-Needle Bold Perforating Tool (PER-TO-70279-XX)
Groovi Embossing Tool 1 & 2 (0.8mm to 1.3mm) (GRO-AC-40026-XX)
Groovi Embossing Tool 3 & 4 (2.0mm-2.8mm) (GRO-AC-40027-XX)
Pergamano Shader 0.8mm Embossing Tool (PER-TO-70456-XX)
Pergamano Shader 1.0mm Embossing Tool (PER-TO-70002-XX)
Pergamano 0.5mm Ball Tool Fine Stylus (PER-TO-70009-XX)
Pergamano 1mm Ball Tool Extra Small (PER-TO-70011-XX)
Pergamano Excellent – Embossing Mat (PER-AC-70075-XX)
Black Dual-Purpose Groovi Mat A4 (GRO-AC-40194-A4)
A4 Black Super Foam Mat (thick mat) (GRO-AC-41957-A4)
Groovi Sticker Tabs x 16 (GRO-AC-40437-XX)
Groovi Guard (GRO-AC-40345-XX)
Ringlock Scissors (PER-TO-70041-XX)
Straight Basic Bold A4 Groovi Piercing Grid (GRO-GG-40528-17)
Pergamano Brads Black (PER-AC-70271-XX)
Dry Tumble Dryer Sheet
Optional: A Black Blendable Pencil, Dorso Oil and a Blending Nib

Method

Step 1. Use the Nested Rectangles plate, clear parchment and Groovi number 1 tool to emboss the 3^rd and 4^th largest double-outline frames. Attach your parchment to Linda’s Lilies plate and position it so that the main flower and leaves design (as well as the single flower at the bottom right and greeting at the bottom left) all fit nicely within the smallest double-outline frame. Emboss the lily outlines with the Groovi number 1 tool then switch to the Groovi number 2 tool to emboss the stamens.
Use the Groovi number 1 tool to emboss the 3 leaves but don’t emboss any of the centre veins.
TOP TIP: Wiping a dry tumble dryer sheet across the surface of your parchment before you start embossing helps the embossing tools glide easier.
This is what you are aiming for…

Step 2. Leave your parchment attached to the plate and use a sharp white pencil to draw one centre-vein onto each of the 3 leaves, then draw 2 centre-veins very close together on each of the lily petals.

Step 3. With your parchment face up on an embossing mat, use Pergamano 0.5 or the Groovi number 1 tool to emboss over the white pencil centre-veins on the 3 leaves. Turn your parchment to the back and use the same tool to emboss over the white pencil centre-veins on each lily petal. Use a soft rubber to gently erase all the white pencil lines on the front and back.

TOP TIPS:
Shadows: Before you start embossing the lilies and leaves at Step 4 you need to identify where the shadow areas are, and as you’ll see from the picture I’ve highlighted these areas for you using blue pencil. In whitework, the shadow areas need to be left un-embossed as they help to create light, shade, depth and dimension to your embossing, and when one petal/leaf overlaps another it’s the petal/leaf underneath that has the shadow/un-embossed area on it.
Shadow Embossing: This is done with long, stroking motions with a flick up at the end to avoid embossing into the shadow areas. For example, if you are embossing a full petal that has a shadow at the base of it you’ll emboss from the tip of the flower down toward the base following the curves of the petal, but flick up just before you reach the shadow area (imagine striking a match). 

Step 4. Working on the back of your parchment and being mindful of the shadow areas, start the first embossing stage on the centre-veins of the 3 leaves with a 1.0 Shader tool. Use soft strokes initially to emboss on both sides of the centre-vein making sure that on one side you emboss up to the centre-vein but on the other side you leave a slight un-embossed area for the shadow.
For the double centre-veins on each petal use the same tool to emboss up to both sides of the veins but leave the centre un-embossed.
Note: Generally the first embossing stage is where you use a larger embossing tool or Shader to begin with in, order to warm up/stretch the parchment in preparation for the smaller tools that follow. This allows you to steadily build up the level of whiteness at each embossing stage, but do be mindful you need to leave the parchment to rest in between each embossing stage.
This is what you are aiming for…

TOP TIP: Hold your Shader tool low down like a pencil, not upright.

Step 5. For the second and subsequent embossing stages, start with the 0.8 Shader tool, moving down to the Groovi number 4 tool, then the Groovi number 3 tool, then finally to the Groovi number 2 tool to add definition to the finer details.
This is what you are aiming for…

Step 6. When you have finished all the embossing of the flowers and leaves to your satisfaction, use the Groovi number 3 tool to lightly emboss inside the flower stems, then switch to Pergamano 1 or the Groovi number 1 tool to re-emboss the stamens to bring them to the forefront.
This is the back view of what you are aiming for.

This is the front view.

Step 7. Still working on the back, use a black blendable pencil to colour inside the 2 double-outline frames, then blend with Dorso Oil and a blending nib. Use a 2-Needle Bold tool to perforate around the outside edges of your parchment then cut between the perforations with parchment scissors or snips. Put your parchment to one side for later.

Step 8. Gridwork Frame Optional: (as an alternative cut a piece of black background card to size, say 14.5cm x 17.5cm then move on to Step 9).
Place a thick white super foam mat on the Lightwave, position your grid (either Groovi or metal) on top and switch the light to maximum. Attach your black parchment to the grid with the very dark, shiny side facing upwards. Referring to the Part Corner Grid Guide on the picture below use the Groovi number 2 tool to start embossing the Black dots according to the pattern (the Red dots are for perforating later).
Note: The completed embossed design requires 16 repeats across the top and bottom, and 15 repeats down each long side.
When all the embossing is finished leave your parchment attached to the grid and turn everything over onto the white superfoam mat so the grid is on the top. Use a 1-Needle Bold tool to perforate deeply around the outside edges of the frame as shown by the red dots on the grid guide.
Use parchment scissors or snips to cut between all the 1-Needle Bold perforations.
This is the Part Corner Grid Guide with the completed frame on the right.

Step 9. Finishing: Attach your main parchment onto the black grid work frame (or black background card) using a black brad in each corner, then mount onto the front of folded white card.

You’ve completed your project. This is your finished card…

A BEAUTIFUL card! Thank you, Maggie, for putting this fabulous step-by-step project together for us. You make it achievable by breaking into down into easy to follow steps. And we are grateful!

For those of you crafting away at home, please don’t forget to share your versions with us on Groovi Worldwide. We so love to see your versions of these cards! And sometimes they even make the Saturday Share blog too! 🙂

Everything that Maggie has used in this particular project is available in a shopping list, HERE.

Let’s have a look at the week ahead…

Monday 9th December:
10am – In the SHAC with Barbara – Live on Facebook & YouTube
2pm – Clarity Social TV – with Barbara & Jazz – Live on Facebook & YouTube
Tuesday 10th December:
10am – Groovi Tuesday with Paul – Live on Facebook & YouTube
2pm – Clarity Social TV – with Jazz & Paul – Live on Facebook & YouTube
Friday 13th December:
10am – Clarity Social TV – with Paul – Live on Facebook & YouTube

See you there!

Travel gently, friends.
Lotsa love, Grace & Maggie xoxo

Clarity – The Home of Art, Craft, and Well-Being.