A method and work material for making embossed blanks for sample packages and other free-standing three dimensional display items from a sheet-type work material includes a printer for printing a graphic image on the work material, and a processing mechanism for performing work operations on the work material. The sheet-type work material has a top layer of sheet material, an intermediate layer of sheet material, and a carrier layer of sheet material, with a first layer of adhesive material bonding the top and intermediate layers of sheet material together, and a second layer of adhesive material bonding the intermediate and carrier layers of sheet material together. Any, all, or a combination of the top, intermediate, or carrier layers of sheet material may have shape retaining deformability characteristics to aid in holding an embossed design in the work material. In operation, the printer prints an image onto the work material, which is then advanced to the processing mechanism where a creaser places indented fold lines into the work material, a knife cuts the blank from the work material, and an embosser, moving in either a rasterwise or vectorial motion, embosses a design into the work material. The blank can then be removed from the work material and erected into a package or other free-standing three dimensional display item.