How to Make Your Own Raised Letterhead Paper

Ordinary paper is made stylish with embossed letterheads.

Raised letterheads are referred to as embossed letterheads. Once a thing of luxury for businesses and connoisseurs of fine stationary, embossed letterheads are now a paper embellishment requiring only a squeeze of the hand. Hand-held embossing tools are available with your name and address pre-set on a die within the tool; or purchase an embosser tool that allows you to switch embossing dies such as monograms or seasonal images. Hand-held tools that create raised letterheads are available at stationary, office supply, scrapbook and craft stores.

Things You'll Need

• Paper
• Hand-held embosser
• Embossing die, (optional)

Instructions

1. Choose paper appropriate to the intended use. Heavier weight papers in half sheet sizes are for personal correspondence and are accentuated by the beauty of a raised letterhead. Likewise, standard computer printer paper takes on a polished, formal air when embossed with a letterhead.

2. Slide the paper between the two sections of the embossing tool. A hand-held embosser consist of two halves. One half contains a die, usually made of varying types of metal, and the other half of the tool contains a receiving platform, usually coated or covered with a rubber, gel or other type of material. Most raised letterheads are centered about one inch down from the top edge of the paper.

3. Squeeze the handle or push on the handle like a stapler, depending on the style and design of the embosser you are using. Hold the paper steady, and then carefully release the tool.

4. Slide the paper from the tool. Your paper now has a raised letterhead.

Tips & Warnings

• Hand held embossing tools can be purchased with custom dies featuring your company name, logo, mailing address or any other desired information. Follow the embossing tool manufacturer's instructions for changing embossing dies. Many tools have dies that slide, snap or clip into place. Some tools require a screw to secure the die.

• Metal dies eventually wear down and lose their original crispness. The more you use the hand-held embossing tool to create raised letterheads, the more wear you put on the die. Save your original ordering information so you can easily replace the die when need more of it.

References

• Patent Storm: Hand Held Paper Embossing Tool
• Scrapbook Embossing Using Mechanical Hand Impression Tools

Resources

• Wills Quills Studio: Embossing on Paper or Card