The Stampin’ Hot Foil System is a new way to add smooth metallic detail to handmade cards, and I enjoyed trying it with the Botanical Glow Hot Foil Dies. In last week’s Live, I shared what comes with the system, demonstrated how it works and offered a few tips to help you decide whether it might be right for you.
The video below is actually a re-recording of my Live. Unfortunately, I had some issues with echoing sound during the original recording, so I decided to record the demonstration again. It was a little frustrating at the time, but I wanted you to be able to watch it clearly and see the system working properly.
See the Stampin’ Hot Foil System in action
The Hot Foil System creates a smooth, shiny finish by transferring foil onto cardstock with specially designed hot foil dies. It gives a different result from heat embossing, with a clean metallic image pressed into the cardstock.
In the video, I show you the different pieces included with the system and demonstrate how I created one of my cards. I also share some practical tips I discovered while using it, along with a few different project ideas.
One important thing to know before purchasing is that the Stampin’ Hot Foil System is designed to be used with the full-size Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine. It will not fit through the Mini Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine or the older Big Shot.
Botanical Glow Hot Foil Cards in Old Olive
For my first group of cards, I combined Old Olive cardstock with gold foil. I also stamped leafy images over the background in Old Olive ink, creating a subtle tone-on-tone pattern behind the foiled leaves.
The gold layer and ribbon repeat the metallic finish without taking attention away from the large Botanical Glow image. I tried different sentiment sizes and placements, including both thank you and birthday greetings.
I like how the same basic combination can be changed simply by moving the ribbon, changing the sentiment or altering the orientation of the card. The individual photos will help you see these smaller details more clearly.
I first placed the ribbon horizontally, but I wasn’t quite sure if I liked it.
During my Live, someone commented and made the suggestion to put the ribbon vertically and so I tried this too.
Which card do you prefer?
Here are the supplies I used.
Elegant Secret Sea Hot Foil Card Ideas
I also used the Botanical Glow Hot Foil Dies with Secret Sea cardstock. The gold foil stands out beautifully against the deep background and gives these cards a more dramatic and elegant appearance.
On one card, I added a narrow white layer between the Secret Sea pieces. It is only a small change, but it creates extra contrast and frames the foiled panel nicely. For these cards, I kept the sentiments quite small so they did not compete with the large leafy image. The sentiments are from the Sweetly Sentiment Hot Foil Dies.
The gold ribbon finishes the cards and connects with the foil without covering too much of the design. These would work well for thank you cards, birthdays or any occasion where you would like something a little more special.
Botanical Glow Bundle
Here is the Botanical Glow Bundle I used:
Is the Stampin’ Hot Foil System right for you?
Hot foiling may not be something you use on every handmade card, but it is a lovely option when you want to add an elegant metallic finish. It could be especially useful for special birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, Christmas cards and gift packaging.
Watching the video will give you a much better idea of how the system works and what is involved than simply looking at a finished card. You will be able to see the process, the supplies and the final shine before deciding whether it is a tool you would enjoy adding to your craft room.
If you would like to see more about what the Hot Foil System includes, check out this post here.
At the time of publishing, the Hot Foil System is temporarily out of stock in the South Pacific, with more stock expected around 7th September 2026. Please feel free to contact me if you would like to know when it becomes available again.
Which colour combination do you prefer with the gold foil—the fresh Old Olive cards or the deeper Secret Sea designs? I hope you enjoy watching the video and seeing the Stampin’ Hot Foil System in action. I would love to know which cards are your favourite.