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:
Today, I’m sharing a #simplestamping card using just rubber stamps, ink, and paper.
This past year, Stampin’ Up! focused on #simplestamping: the art of creating a handmade card with just stamps, ink, and paper. After all, these provide the underpinnings of paper crafting. It allows us to focus on the basics of the craft and realize we can make beautiful projects with a handful of supplies. It’s a great place to start for beginning stampers, and it challenges seasoned stampers to step away from the extras.
Each month, Stampin’ Up! challenges demonstrators to practice #simplestamping. It presents different themes – and an extra product now and then – that we can add to our card making. This month’s challenge calls for us to create a birthday card with just rubber stamps, ink, and paper. I love tulips, so I’m drawn to the Timeless Tulips stamp set found in Stampin’ Up!’s January-June 2020 Mini Catalog.
My Tulip Card
Stampin’ Up’s’ note cards and envelopes offer a great place to start with #simplestamping. Available in Whisper White and Very Vanilla, you receive 20 pre cut and scored cards and envelopes for just $7. These bases make it easy to build a card from there without having to cut and score a bunch of card stock.
I added a layer of Melon Mambo card stock between the base and the front, stamping the flower with Melon Mambo ink. Stamps the leaves with Old Olive ink. Although the Timeless Tulips stamp set includes a “hello” greeting (as well as birthday, Mother’s Day and spring), this “hello” comes from the Bloom & Grow stamp set.
Masking Technique
The tulips get their layered look from a technique called masking. Stamp a tulip on a Post It note and cut around the tulip. (If you happen to have the coordinating Tulip Builder punch, use that to punch the image. But it’s not a necessity.)
Stamp your first tulip directly onto the card stock with your ink of choice. Place the Post It note on top of that tulip. Then, ink and stamp additional tulips on both sides.
A couple of tips: I placed a Stampin’ Pierce Mat under my card stock. And, I applied solid pressure to each stamp, making sure the entire image was stamped. Remove the Post It Note , and you’re ready to complete the card.
The photo below shows the masking technique.
Masking Technique
Thanks for stopping by today. See the list of products I used to create this card below. Click on any of the graphics to go directly to my online store where you can shop 24/7.
Below are details of Stampin’ Up!’s three-day Online Extravaganza. This is an awesome opportunity to receive new pads at a discount and to stock up on lots and lots of card stock.
15% off Ink pads and Cardstock in:
Neutrals Collection
Regals Collection
2018–2020 In Colors
2019–2021 In Colors (except Purple Posy)
Take Additional 5% off the original 10% discount:
8 bundles
Neutrals Classic Stampin’ Pads Assortment
Regals Classic Stampin’ Pads Assortment
2018–2020 In Colors Classic Stampin’ Pads Assortment
You may purchase directly from my online store at: kimquade.stampinup.net or you may contact me and I’ll help you place your order. Please let me know if you have questions.
Last night, I had the opportunity to stamp with an awesome group of teenage girls in Queen Creek, Arizona. Their creativity just blew me away!
I cut the pieces and showed them, step by step, how to create this card with rubber stamps, ink, and paper. But some of the ways they changed the card to make it their own were just amazing. (I should have taken some photos, but we were too wrapped up in crafting.)
The card starts with a Crumb Cake base, on top of which is a piece of the Come to Gather Designer Series Paper. We stamped the stump image from Rooted in Nature with Soft Suede ink onto Very Vanilla card stock. We then added two leaves punched with the Cherry Cobbler card stock and the Leaf Punch. On top of that, we inserted a small slice of the Come to Gather DSP. And, finally, we stamped the sentiment (perfect for this month of gratitude) in Soft Suede on Very Vanilla card stock.
It was fun stamping with a group of girls who let their creativity flow.
I’m headed back in December to stamp on wooden tree ornaments and create a Gold Foil gift box.
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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!
