How to Get Started Rubber Stamping Archives

Let’s Talk Ink

Jun 20, 2020 | 2020-2021 Annual Catalog, Kim's Creations, Video | 0 comments

Let’s talk about ink and what to use for your rubber stamping projects.

You want to get started rubber stamping but you don’t know where to start? Last week, I posted information about the basics of rubber stamps as well as a short video. See that post here.

Today, let’s talk ink.

Ink Choices

Choices abound in this category – from classic, dye-based ink available in an array of colors; to Memento, a general-purpose black ink; to Stazon, a permanent black ink; Versamark, a clear, watermarking ink; and craft ink.

Classic, Dye-Based Ink:

I recommend starting with a few coordinating colors of classic, dye-based ink. It absorbs into the card stock, dries more quickly than craft ink, and is acid free.

Stampin’ Up! Brights Ink Assortment

Stampin’ Up! offers full-size foam pads in fifty different colors of ink, so you have lots of choices. Be sure to purchase a refill with your pad so you’re able to reink your pad after a lot of stamping.

Neutrals Collection Ink Refills

There’s also a smaller selection of mini ink pads called Stampin’ Spots. These one-inch pads are available in eight colors. They’re perfect for travel, easy to store, and great for use with the Stamparatus.

Stampin’ Spots Assortment

Stampin’ Up! also sells uninked Stampin’ spots, allowing you to create your own mini pads with refills.

Uninked Spots

Brand-new pads are quite fresh, meaning they have a lot of ink. So, a light touch is important. When inking your stamp, it only needs a tap-tap-tap on top of the pad to apply ink. Don’t feel you have to press hard to get good coverage. If you find you have ink marks on the edges of your acrylic blocks, you’ll know you’ve applied too much pressure.

These pads have a unique design that stores the foam pad upside down so the ink stays at the top of the pad. Stamps inked with classic ink clean easily. Just use Stampin’ Up!’s Simply Shammy or the Stampin’ Scrub with the stamp cleaner.

Memento Black Ink:

This is a good basic black ink pad. I find myself grabbing for this pad if I need a black. It’s a perfect water-based ink to use when coloring with Stampin’ Blends, Stampin’ Up’s alcohol markers. It’s a nice, all-purpose black ink. Pads are available in Stampin’ Up!’s catalog and online store as well as refills.

Memento Ink Pad

Stazon:

Stazon is a quick-drying permanent ink. Stampin’ Up! offers this in both Jet Black and Saddlebrown. This permanent ink is perfect when used with watercolor techniques (your image won’t “run”) and nonporous surfaces like vellum and window sheets. Stampin’ Up! offers a Stazon refill as well as a Stazon cleaner.

Jet Black Stazon

Versamark:

This ink helps you create a tone-on-tone effect on colored paper or a watermark image. Use this pad if you’re planning to heat emboss any of your images. A pad and a refill are both available from Stampin’ Up!.

Versamark

Craft Stampin’ Pad:

Stampin’ Up! offers this permanent ink in white. The pad comes uninked and you add the refill before you start stamping. Images stamped with the craft ink often need a longer drying time. Or, heat set with the Heat Tool.

Craft Ink and Refill

Here’s a short video explaining the ink selections:

Visit Stampin’ Up!’s 2020-2021 Annual Catalog to view the huge variety of ink.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Kim

How to Get Started Rubber Stamping

Jun 13, 2020 | 2020-2021 Annual Catalog, Annual Catalog, Video | 0 comments

Learn how to get started rubber stamping!

Receiving a handmade card in the mail delivers a lot of joy. But creating a handmade card brings even more joy.

You want to start making your own greeting cards and get started rubber stamping, but you don’t know where to start.

I’ve been crafting greeting cards for more than twenty-five years, building my collection of stamps, ink, and paper slowly. I became a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator almost ten years ago (wanted to get the discount), and I’m sharing some of the lessons I’ve learned.

During the next few weeks, my blog will focus on topics of creating handmade greeting cards with rubber stamps, ink, and paper. Geared toward beginners, I’ll include a few photos, a video, and a short narrative description.

Today’s entry focuses on the basics of stamps.

Stamps

You’ll need good quality stamps. The most popular stamps on the market today are photopolymer and cling red rubber. (The cling brand is exclusive to Stampin’ Up!).

As a side note: Many sites and stampers offer a variety of wood mount stamps for sale. In the past, Stampin’ Up! created its designs in wood mount, but the company has since transitioned to the photopolymer and cling red rubber. They’re easy to store and easy to use.

Photopolymer: transparent, clear stamps that allow you to achieve precise alignment, to build scenes, and to layer images easily. I recommend placing a thick mat (like Stampin’ Up!’s Stampin’ Pierce Mat) underneath your card stock to ensure a good, solid stamped image.

An example of one of Stampin’ Up!’s Photopolymer Stamp Sets

Cling: classic, red rubber stamps have a highly adhesive label that helps them stick easily to clear blocks.

One side of Stampin’ Up!’s Cling Mount Stamp Sets

The flip side of Stampin’ Up!’s Cling Mount Stamp Sets

Using Rubber Stamps

For both photopolymer and cling, remove the stamp from the stamp case and from between the clear sheets. Place the image on a clear block (they come in a variety of sizes), and you’re ready to stamp. Need another image? Gently remove the stamp from the clear block, place it back in the package, and retrieve another image. Place on the clear block.

Clean your stamps between use with Stampin’ Up!’s Simply Shammy or the Stampin’ Scrub and Stampin’ Mist.

Enjoy this short video reviewing the tips above.

It’s that easy. Look for my next post which discusses ink and what kinds to use for which projects.

Please let me know if you have questions. I want to help you get started rubber stamping.

Here’s a link to Stampin’ Up!’s 2020-2021 Annual Catalog. Click here.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Kim

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The content in this blog is the sole responsibility of Kim Quade as a Stampin’ Up!® Independent Demonstrator. The use of and content of classes, services or products offered is not endorsed by Stampin’ Up!