The Essential Foil Guide

Are you looking for something extra special to add to your handmade cards? Foil is a wonderful way to add a little sparkle & shine!

There are so many ways to add foil…with heat, without heat, with dies, with adhesive…where to start? Don’t worry, we can help!

We will share several ways to add foil, including techniques with the Minc machine, the Gemini FoilPress and techniques with foil friendly adhesives. We’ll also be giving you all the information on different types of foil, and how to choose the right foil for your projects.

Types Of Foil

We think all foils are good but not all foils are good for the same things! The 2 main types of foil are thermal foil and toner reactive foil.

• Thermal Foil requires heat and pressure; it is a “hot stamping” foil, which is why it works with metal dies/impression plates. Thermal foils are designed for use with the Gemini Foil Press. Crafter’s Companion Foils are thermal.
• Toner Reactive Foils require toner (printed imagery and/or toner infused sprays/glues/pastes, etc.) and heat. iCraft Deco Foils (by ThermoWeb), WOW foils, Heidi Swapp foils are toner reactive.

How To Use

• Gemini Foil Press: use with thermal foils and metal dies.
• Toner Products: use with toner reactive foils and a hot laminator like the Minc.
• Embossing Powder: use with toner reactive foils, embossing powders & a laminator. Sticky Powder & Bonding Powder generally work the best but don’t be afraid to test other powders.
• Dry Adhesives (double-sided tape): use with thermal and toner reactive foils. No heat required. We love Be Creative tape for this!
• Wet Adhesives (glue pens): use with thermal and toner reactive foils. no heat required. We love Zig 2 Way Glue pens and the iCraft Deco Foil Adhesive Pen.

We’ve created a quick reference chart for you…

Ellen Hutson Foil Comparison ChartDownload

Be sure to check out today’s video tutorial. There is so much information! And if you have more questions, be sure to leave them in the comments below so we can get back to you!

Thank you for stopping by today!

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