Stampin’ Up! currently carries two basic types of stamps: photopolymer and cling. Last week I told you about the photopolymer stamps and this week I’d like to share with you about cling stamps. As I was preparing this post I came across a video made by Stampin’ Up! when cling stamps first came out. It covers pretty much everything that I was going to share with you so here it is:
The video does a great job of covering most of the key points of Stampin’ Up!’s red rubber cling stamps. The one thing it doesn’t mention is that unlike photopolymer stamps, you can use your Stampin’ Write Markers on cling stamps. This means you can actually color directly on the stamp with the markers. If you do use your markers on the stamp, be sure to “huff” on the stamp before stamping the image on your paper. The moisture from your breath will keep the ink from drying on the stamp before you stamp it on the paper.
Now that you’ve learned about both types of stamps that Stampin’ Up! carries, which is your favorite? Leave a comment and let me know! Have a great day. Take care and Happy Stamping!
One of the major Tools of the Trade for paper crafters, especially those of us that stamp, would be….stamps! I can’t believe I haven’t talked about them yet.
Stampin’ Up! Photopolymer Stamps
Stampin’ Up! makes two different types of stamps, photopolymer and cling. Today I want to talk about Photopolymer. Photopolymer stamps are the transparent, harder rubber stamps. They are perfect when you need precise alignment. You’ll find that most Two-step stamping and scene-building stamp sets are photopolymer.
The thing I love about photopolymer stamps is that you can see exactly what and where you are stamping. I especially like this when using words or sentiments. I wish all words and sentiments were photopolymer! 😊
Here’s how Stampin’ Up! describes their photopolymer stamps: “Our top-quality photopolymer stamps are entirely transparent for perfect image placement, and they adhere well to our clear blocks. They’re flexible and easy to line up, giving you even more creative possibilities with each set. You can mix and match, bend, and layer images easily.”
Tips for working with photopolymer stamps:
Don’t just tap a photopolymer stamp on the ink pad. Let it sit a few seconds to pick up the ink.
When stamping, let a photopolymer stamp sit on the paper for a few seconds before lifting it up.
You can’t color directly on the photopolymerstamp with Stampin’ Write markers like you can with red rubber (cling) stamps.
Use a Stampin’ Pierce Mat for even pressure and ink coverage when using photopolymer stamps.
Photopolymer stamps don’t work well with StazOn ink. The ink makes the stamp sticky and it could pull up some of the paper you are stamping on. If you do use StazOn ink with a photopolymer stamp be sure to clean the stamp immediately (but not with StazOn Cleaner).
Do not us StazOn Cleaner on photopolymer stamps. It could ruin your stamps.
Photopolymer stamps stain easily but this does not affect their use.
You can bend photopolymer stamps. If you have a long stamp you may want to lay it on the table in front of you and place the block on the stamp to make sure it stays straight.
On the other hand, you can curve your long photopolymer stamp if you want.
It’s best to use the Simply Shammy to clean photopolymer stamps as they can pick up lint and fibers from any type of wipe.
In the photo above you can see that Stampin’ Up!’s photopolymer stamps come sandwiched between two sheets of plastic. Older stamp sets will have the images printed on the harder piece of plastic so you can make sure you get them all back in the case when you’re done with your project.
New stamp sets will have the images printed on the paper sleeve of the stamp case. This is nice because you can then get rid of those sheets of plastic.
I do love my photopolymer stamps. How about you? Leave a comment and let me know what you think of photopolymer stamps! Have a great day! Take care and Happy Stamping!
If you’re looking for an all-around useful tool for your craft room, Stampin’ Up!’s Take Your Pick Tool is the one for you!
Here’s what Stampin’ Up! has to say about this tool:
“Multipurpose pickup and precision tool simplifies meticulous task. Includes 2 changeable, double-ended tips with paper piercer, mini spatula, small stylus, large stylus, and a tacky putty tip that easily picks up sequins, paper accents, and other small objects. Includes protective end caps.”
Wow! That’s a lot of versatility packed in to a 6 1/2″ long tool! I use a paper piercing tool all the time to pick up jewels (and their adhesive backing) for my projects. The putty tip is perfect for picking up sequins and other loose accents. You can even purchase a putty refill tip!
Die Brush Tip and Foam Mats for Stampin’ Up!’s Take Your Pick Tool
There is also a Die Brush Tip for the Take Your Pick Tool that comes with two foam mats! Die brushes are so useful when you are working with intricate dies.
Yes, you can probably find all of these tools separately at a craft store but why clutter your craft room with all those tools when you can find everything you need in one little tool!
As I mentioned before, this tool is a must-have for any craft room! Have a great day! Take care and Happy Stamping!
Last week I introduced you to Stampin’ Up!’s stamp positioning tool, the Stamparatus. I gave you a brief overview of this amazing tool.
Today I want to share a quick video with you showing you the actual tool as well as what comes with it and additional accessories that you can purchase with it.
Next week I’ll get down to the Nitty Gritty and start showing you how to use this useful too.
https://youtu.be/rHfmZ16gu2Y
You can view the Stamparatus and it’s accessories in my online store by searching for “stamparatus”.
A bone folder is used to score, crease, and smooth paper. I use my Bone Folder all the time. As a matter of fact I own at least five of them and there are probably 2 or 3 on my desk at any one time when I’m creating.
The most popular use for Bone Folders, at least for us paper crafters, is to crease a fold. We will either simply fold a piece of cardstock in half to form our cards and then crease the fold well with our Bone Folder or we will make a score line using another tool (Simply Scored or Paper Trimmer) and then crease that well with the Bone Folder.
You can also use your Bone Folder to score your paper. Butt it up against a straightedge, like a ruler, and then draw your score mark along the straightedge. This is especially helpful when you are working on 3D projects and need and angled score mark.
A Bone Folder is also helpful when you want to break down the fibers in your paper. I do this when I want to give my paper a little curl. Do you ever curl ribbon with your scissors or another tool? This is the same idea. I especially like to do this with flowers like those you’d make with the Daisy Punches. It helps give your die-cut or punched shape a little dimension.
If you don’t own a Bone Folder (or two or three), you should. They are relatively inexpensive and SO useful! Have a great day! Take care and Happy Stamping!
It’s the last week of talking about adhesives. This is the post that will talk about all of Stampin’ Up!’s Adhesives that don’t fit our previous categories of Glues, Tapes or Foam Adhesives.
Let’s talk about Mini Glue Dots. These little dots of glue have so many uses. In Stampin’ Up!’s Online Store they list Mini Glue Dots as an adhesive for embellishments. In their catalog they say that Mini Glue Dots will “hold heavier embellishments, ribbon cardstock and detailed die cuts.
When I’m layering die cuts or cut out items on my project I like to use Stampin’ Dimensionals for the layer I want popped up the most, glue or Stampin’ Seal for the layer I want right on my card and Mini Glue Dots to raise a layer just a little bit. I also like to use Mini Glue Dots to adhere bows to my projects.
Adhesive Sheets
If you own a die-cutting machine you definitely need adhesive sheets! They are the perfect adhesive for adhering die cut images to any project. They make adhering small/intricate die-cut images so easy!
Adhesive Sheets are 6″ x 12″ and there are 12 sheets in a package. Each Adhesive Sheet is double-sided. To use adhesive sheets first start with the piece of paper that you’re going to die cut. Now cut a piece of Adhesive Sheet slightly smaller than your paper. Remove the backing of the Adhesive Sheet and adhere it to your paper. Die cut your image. You may have to run the die through a couple of times to make sure that you cut through the paper and the adhesive sheet, especially if you’re die cutting an intricate design. Once you’re done die cutting, remove the backing on the adhesive sheet and adhere the die to your project.
Cling Adhesive
Cling Adhesive is very similar to Adhesive Sheets but it has a totally different use. Cling Adhesive is designed to make your old red rubber stamps into Cling Stamps. Cling Adhesive is just like the label sheets that come with Cling Stamps and is used in the same way.
One side of a Cling Adhesive sheet is sectioned into rectangles. Peel the paper backing off one of the sections, place your stamp over the section of adhesive with the rubber facing up, press down to adhere the adhesive to the stamp and lift! Easy Peasy. There are even instructions on the back of the cardboard insert that tells you exactly how to use the Cling Adhesive!
This completes my overview of Stampin’ Up! Adhesives. I hope I’ve given you some new information that you may not have know. Next week I’ll move on to a new type of Tool of the Trade. Have a great day! Take care and Happy Stamping!
There are so many different types of tape and many different uses for tape. Today we’re going to talk about double-sided tape, especially those that Stampin’ Up! carries.
As paper crafters we are most familiar with and mostly use double-sided tape. We use it to adhere the different layers of our projects together. Stampin’ Up! carries three different types of double-sided adhesives. Stampin’ Seal, Stampin’ Seal +, and Tear & Tape.
Stampin’ Up!’s Stampin’ Seal Tape Adhesive
Stampin’ Seal is the new basic tape adhesive that replaces SNAIL adheisive. Stampin’ Seal is a double-sided tape that comes on a cartridge in it’s own dispenser. When the tape runs out you can replace the cartridge simply by opening the dispenser and dropping in the new cartridge. The catalog description of Stampin’ Seal says that it’s an instant-bond, permanent adhesive.
I like using Stampin’ Seal. I have to disagree with the “instant-bond” part of the description though. When I’m adhering two things together and haven’t got them quite straight I’ve found that as long as I haven’t pressed the two things together real hard I can carefully separate them and realign them. I find this to work at least 80% of the time. It’s one of my favorite things about this adhesive!
Stampin’ Seal is also easy to use. You just place the end of the dispenser on to your paper, pull to adhere the tape and then lift up. Once in a awhile when you pull to adhere the tape it won’t work but then you just move the wheel on the end of the dispenser with your finger until you feel the adhesive. If you’re in the middle of placing the tape on the paper and it stops you can also just place the end of the dispenser on a section that already has tape on it and start from there. This get the adhesive rolling on the wheel again.
Stampin’ Up!’s Stampin’ Seal +
There is also a Stampin’ Seal + adhesive. Stampin’ Seal + adhesive has a stronger bond than regular Stampin’ Seal adhesive. You would use it on 3D projects or on heavier layers such as Foil Sheets or Glimmer Paper.
Stampin’ Seal + is similar to Stampin’ Seal in that it comes on a replaceable cartridge in it’s own dispenser. The dispensers for both of the adhesives are exactly the same. The cartridges of the two adhesives are the same size but different colors. The Stampin’ Seal + cartridge is a dark blue while the cartridge for the Stampin’ Seal is a light blue. This makes it easy to distinguish between the two.
Stampin’ Up!’s Tear & Tape
The last type of tape that Stampin’ Up! carries is Tear & Tape. This used to be the only strong tape adhesive that Stampin’ Up! carried. You would use Tear & Tape in the same situations that you would use Stampin’ Seal +. Tear & Tape is “a strong adhesive with tearable paper backing for easy sticking”.
To use, you tear a length of Tear & Tape off the roll, adhere it to your paper, remove the backing and adhere the paper where you want it.
Each type of tape has it’s own uses. Of course I have all three in my craft room. Do you?
Last week in my Tools of the Trade post I talked about punches but I didn’t talk about Builder Punches. Builder Punches are a type of punch which can punch out multiple shapes that will “build” an image.
In the photo to the left is Stampin’ Up!’s Strawberry Builder Punch. As you can see, it will punch out the strawberry, the top, a leaf and a flower.
If you are simply punching the shapes out of cardstock you may not want to punch them all out at the same time but if you have stamped and colored the images you can easily punch them out at the same time. Of course, there’s a trick…
1. Turn your punch over and punch a template
Builder Punch Template
2. Place the individual stamps in the template with the side that you stamp with down.
3. Press a clear block on the stamps so that they will stick to the block.
4. Stamp (and color) your images.
5. Line up the images in the punch and punch out your shapes.
Using a template makes it very easy to punch out all of the stamped images at the same time when using a Builder Punch. Stampin’ Up! currently offers 9 Builder Punches including two in the January – June Mini Catalog.
Paper Punches are great tools for any craft room. I like punches because you can just grab them and punch out your image. You don’t have to find the dies, get out your die-cutting machine and die cut the image. Punches are nice and easy to use in a class setting too.
Stampin’ Up! carries a variety of different types of punches. You can view all of their punches here in my online store or on pages 165-169 in the Annual Catalog and page 86 of the January – June Mini Catalog.
There are the basic punches that have just one or two simple shapes on them like a circle punch or the Double Oval Punch. These are they type of punches we are most used to seeing and using.
Stampin’ Up!’s Fancy Tag Topper Punch
Tag Topper Punches are exactly what’s in the name. They are punches that only cut the top of the punch along with a small opening for ribbon or twine.
Tag Topper Punches aren’t just for tags though. You can make fun 3D items with them. Here’s an example that I found on pinterest:
Stampin’ Up!’s Lovely Labels Punch
Another type of punch is the Pick A Punch. These are probably the most versatile of the punches. They have slots that fit 3 different widths of cardstock and some of them have two different punches on them! These punches are perfect for sentiments or just to add a decorative edge to a strip of cardstock. With the three different width’s they can accommodate they can fit lots of different types of sentiments.
Stampin’ Up! currently has different punches similar to the one in the photo but they also have a Banner Triple Punch that also can accommodate the three different widths of cardstock.
Next week in my Tools of the Trade post I will share Builder Punches with you along with some tips on using them.
Today I want to talk about Clear Blocks. Wait! Don’t stop reading! I think you’ll want to continue reading to the end of this post. You just may learn something or be reminded of what exactly you can do with your blocks besides mount your stamps on them.
Clear Blocks seem an obvious Tool of the Trade because with Cling and/or Photopolymer stamps we need the Clear Blocks in order to use our stamps. It gets a little messy if we’re trying to pick up a stamp with our fingers, ink it up and then try to stamp the image on our cardstock. Yep, we definitely need Clear Blocks!
Stampin’ Up!’s Clear Block Set
Stampin’ Up! carries Clear Blocks in all different sizes. Nine different sizes in fact. I love this because there’s nothing worse than using a teeny-tiny stamp on a huge block. Yes, it can be done but if you’re not careful you’ll get too much ink on the stamp or you’ll rock the block and get ink on it that can transfer to your cardstock. I like to use blocks as close to the size of the stamp as possible.
Stampin’ Up! Clear Blocks are nice because they’re thick and all of the edges are rounded for an easy grip. The sizes range from 1-3/16” x 1-1/4” for the tiniest images to 4-7/8” x 6” for a background stamp. Stampin’ Up!’s Clear Blocks can be purchased individually or in a set like you see here in the photo. They even sell a case in which you can store the blocks. Nice!
Multiple stamps on Clear Block
Clear Blocks aren’t just for single images though. You can make your own background by placing multiple stamps on a block and stamping them all at the same time. This makes stamping a background so much faster than stamping each image separately multiple times. Personally, I have trouble stamping “randomly” for a background. With this technique I don’t have to “think too hard”! You can use this “background” image as the background for your card or even the focal point.
Multiple stamp images on one block
Using a Clear Block as a stamp.
What else can you use Clear Blocks for? Well, you can actually use them as stamps! Check out the card I made here. I inked up Stampin’ Up!’s “I” block and then stamped it on the white cardstock. I then stamped my image over it. Striking, isn’t it? It’s the perfect technique to us when you want just a little pop of color on your card.
Clear Block Stamp
Use a Clear Block as an ink palette while water coloring
Clear Blocks make the perfect palette when you are water coloring with either your Water Painters or Blender pens. Just place a few drops of the ink colors you are using on the block and then pick up with color from the block. When you’re done with your project just wipe off the ink.
As you can see, Clear (or acrylic) Blocks are a definite must for any craft room. If you know of any other uses for Clear Blocks please let me know! Have a great day! Take care and Happy Stamping!
It’s time for another episode of Tools of the Trade. Today we’re going to talk about one of the most basic tools that a paper crafter needs….scissors! We use scissors to snip things, cut ribbon or twine and of course “fussy cut”. “Fussy Cutting” is when you don’t have a die for an image or shape and you have to cut it out by hand. Most of us do not like to fussy cut. But when you do need to fussy cut something a good pair of scissors is a must.
I own quite a few pairs of scissors. How about you? One of my favorite pairs is Stampin’ Up!’s Paper Snips. They are small at an overall length of 5″. They’re the perfect size for traveling. They even come with a little guard for the blades.
These little scissors can cut your ribbon as well as the most intricate of fussy cuts. A little tip I want to share with you about scissors is that you want to have a different pairs of scissors for cutting different mediums. Don’t use the same pair of scissors to cut ribbon/fabric as you do to cut paper. That is why quilters and others that work with fabric will be very possessive of their scissors. Paper and other non-fabric mediums may dull the blades so that you don’t get a clean cut on fabric/ribbon. That is why I have a separate pair of scissors in my craft room to cut ribbon and twine.
I also like to use my Paper Snips to pick up self-adhesive jewels and such. I open the blades just a tiny bit and slide the tip of the blades under the jewel making sure to pick up the adhesive and then place the jewel on my project. It works pretty slick.
I have a confession to make. I actually own about 6 pairs of Stampin’ Up! Paper Snips. I always seem to misplace them. I don’t think I’m going to admit how many pairs of other scissors I own. Let’s just say….alot!
How many of you own (or used to own) multiple pairs of the scissors with decorative edges? I used to have quite a few of them when I started scrapbooking years ago.
We’ll leave today’s episode of Tools of the Trade with this thought….you can never have too many pairs of scissors. 🙂
In my first Tools of the Trade post that I shared with you last week I talked about Paper Trimmers. I mentioned how the ones (like Stampin’ Up!’s) that have sliding cutting blades also may come with a scoring blade.
These type of paper trimmers with the scoring blades are great but when I want accurate score lines and need to make multiple score lines on the same piece of cardstock my go to is Stampin’ Up!’s Simply Scored.
To use a scoring board like this you just butt your cardstock in the upper left corner, find the mark on the ruler at the top, place the scoring tool in the corresponding grove and score down!
The little tool that you use to make your score marks comes with two tips, one slightly larger than the other. You want to make sure to use the larger end when using a lighter piece of paper like patterned paper so you don’t go through the paper. You also may want to use a light touch when scoring a lighter paper.
Stampin’ Up!’s Simply Scored also comes with little markers that you can use on the ruler at the top to mark your measurements if you’d like. There’s also a little storage compartment on the back for these little markers and your scoring tool.
I love my Simply Scored tool. I use it every time I make a card to give me the perfect fold in my card. I like to use the Simply Scored over the Paper Trimmer when I’m making the fold in my card because as long as I butt the paper in the upper left corner before scoring I know that my card will be scored in half perfectly. Whereas if I’m using the paper trimmer I could be off a little depending on where I line up the paper on the ruler.
I would definitely recommend a Simply Scored tool. You can check it out in my online store if you’re interested.
