Easy Embossing

So I recently purchased this box of gorgeous embossed cards from Michaels and I absolutely love them, but to buy an entire box of cards is pricey so I wanted to see if I could create my own. So after looking at the various posts on blogs & SCS about the Spellbinders Nestabilities and alternative ways to get similar effects, I decided I would give it a go. Here's how it went.....

I just grabbed a scrap piece of paper and taped it to my lightbox then I traced around it with my stylus, as I would with any template. Made a great embossed border for my card. And the smaller the piece of cardstock, the smaller the embossed edge....kinda like the rectangle Spellbinders embossing dies. So then I decided to try squares...

I did the outline of the 3x3 scrap cardstock on the center of my card first. Then I decided to add some circles using my new SU brass template...

An even cheaper way to do this would be to use various size circle punches and make your own template by using a scrap piece of cardstock and punching various size holes in it.

Here is my embossed card....and I must tell you that it looks EXACTLY like one of the ones I purchased in that box of cards from Michaels, only this one probably only cost about 10 cents. :)

And here is my finished card.....

So I challenge all of you to try this out, use punches or brass templates that have been sitting on your shelf collecting dust. Pull them out and see what fun you can have with them again!!! I'd love to hear what you all come up with!!!