"New" Product Tuesday: Heidi Swapp Minc Foil Applicator and a Birthday Greeting

Happy Tuesday, everyone!

I'm so excited to share my latest and greatest gadget with you for "New" Product Tuesday.  It's the Heidi Swapp Minc Foil Applicator.  I first saw this machine at the Craft & Hobby Association trade show in January... and I LOVE shiny things, so the ability to make your own foil-stamped designs sounded so amazing.

Today also happens to be my sister-in-law's birthday.  Yes, my family seems to have a ton of April babies in it!  So, I decided to make a custom birthday card for her using the new Minc machine:

This card was super easy to make and the machine is so easy to use.  Here's what the machine looks like.  It's approximately the size of a laminator and fits on any countertop.

Product image source: www.heidiswapp.com/minc

Materials:

• Pink card base: 4.25"W x 11"H, scored at 5.5" mark
• Gold glitter frame (DCVW cardstock): 4"W x 5.25"H
• White paper: 3.75"W x 5"H
• Vellum paper: 3.75"W x 5"H
• Heidi Swapp Minc Foil Applicator
• Gold foil transfer sheet (1 sheet comes with the machine, then you need to stock up on refills)
• Plastic transfer sleeve (comes with the machine)
• Laser printed design, just print from your laser printer.

Directions:

• Create your greeting card design.  I made a very simple design using polka dots and a script font.  I sized it to fit on a 3.75"W x 5"H card base.  
• Print the design with your laser printer in black toner ink.  The key is you must use a laser printer, NOT an ink jet printer.  The foil reacts to the toner from the laser printer.  My printer was a little low on toner so you'll see it's splotchy in some places, but overall it worked fine.
• I wanted to print on vellum paper, but you can use any kind of paper. 
• Once you have the design printed, cut a piece of foil to match the size of the design.  
• Place the card facing up in the transfer sheet, add the foil, with the foil side UP on top of the card, close the transfer sheet.  
• Choose the temperature setting based on the type of paper you used.  For vellum, I use heat setting #2.  For uncoated card stock, use heat setting #4.  
• Insert the plastic sleeve into the front of the machine until the roller catch it an automatically pulls it through the machine.  You don't have to push or pull anything.  It happens automatically, kind of like a car wash.  You know when the car wash guy tells you to put the car in neutral and don't touch the gas, steering or brake as you ride through it?  Same thing here with the machine!
• When it completely finishes going through the machine, gently take off the foil and you'll see your super awesome foil stamped image.  Warning: this can get very addicting, you're going to want to foil stamp everything!
• Since I used vellum, I added glue behind the dots and the letters so it wouldn't show thru on the other side.  The ZIG glue pen is perfect for this!

• Attach the vellum piece to the white card insert and adhere everything to the gold glitter and pink card base.

Happy Birthday, Jan!

Enjoy!