Archive for October, 2008
Get Started Stamping - Part 3: All About Stamps
For the third installment of Get Started Stamping, I will discuss the different types of stamps on the market. This will be old information for most, but I thought it would be nice to start from the beginning for newbies wanting to dive into the stamping world.
We’re all familiar with red rubber stamps, but did you know that stamps come in photopolymer and foam also? Here, I will discuss the pros and cons of the different types of available stamps.
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Rubber Stamps
Image © 2008 Stampin’ Up!
Rubber stamps are the tried and true classic stamps that everyone knows. These stamps are typically mounted with a layer of foam on a wooden block and an image of the stamp affixed to the top. Rubber stamps ink up very well and they produce an even, defined images, even when the artwork is intricate. The main downside of using rubber stamps is the difficult positioning; since the stamps are not clear, they are harder to stamp in exact locations. If precise placement is required, a stamp positioner (like a Stamp-a-ma-jig) must be used.
Rubber stamps are also available unmounted, where the rubber comes in a sheet that is not stuck to foam or a wooden block. Unmounted stamps can be easily attached to blocks using mounting foam. However, some crafters prefer to leave the stamps unmounted because they take up less storage space. Unmounted rubber stamps can be temporarily adhered on acrylic blocks using a vinyl cling sheet, like EZ Mount. When they are not used, they can be removed from the blocks and stored in thin containers, like CD jewel cases.
Image © 2008 Stampin’ Up!
Stampin’ Up stamps come on unmounted rubber with a layer of foam and adhesive. Wood blocks and image stickers are provided for easy, permanent assembly (more on assembly in a later post).
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Photopolymer Stamps
Image from StewartSuperior.com
Commonly known as acrylic stamps, photopolymer stamps are completely clear and come unmounted, typically on an acetate sheet. When the stamps are used, they temporarily adhere to acrylic blocks in the same way that a vinyl decal would stick to a car window.
The two main advantages of clear stamps are the minimal storage space they require and the ability to see exactly where the image is being stamped without the use of a placement tool. Clear stamps are also typically less expensive than rubber stamps because they require less materials to manufacture. When permanent inks (like StazOn) are used on clear stamps, they stain the stamp and do not wash off completely. However, this does not affect the the stamp’s performance.
The downside of photopolymer stamps is the image quality; ink tends to pool on the stamps and therefore, the stamps do not print clearly (think water droplets pooling on a plastic surface). Some ink types supposedly minimize the pooling effect (for example solvent or hybrid ink). However, for intricate images, photopolymer stamps will not show the same amount of detail as a rubber stamp.
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Foam Stamps
Image from scraphappy.net.au
Foam stamps are very inexpensive and can even be made at home. They are often found in the décor aisle of craft stores, like Michaels, and they work well with acrylic paint. There are a plethora of home décor projects available online utilizing foam stamps and paint. The downside of foam stamps is that they often lack detail, since foam is not a good medium for creating intricate designs. They also lack the longevity of rubber or photopolymer stamps because the material is not as durable.
So, naturally the next question would be: which stamps should I buy? The answer depends on a variety of factors. Is it important for you to easily see where the stamp is being placed? What type of ink do you like using? What is your budget and project?
I own mostly rubber stamps because I have a decent amount of storage space (they take up a lot of room when you have a large collection) and the image quality of the stamps is most important to me. I don’t mind using a Stamp-a-ma-jig when it comes to image placement.
I’ve found that photopolymer stamps are a hit or miss when it comes to pooling ink issues. The higher quality clear stamps pool less. The cheaper quality ones have ripped on me while trying to remove them from the acetate sheets they’re stored on. I still love and purchase clear stamps, but I tend to choose the designs with more lines and less flat surface areas to minimize blotchy images. When I stamp with alphabets, I prefer using clear stamps so I can see where I’m placing my letters.
I also own a handful of large foam stamps that I use with acrylic paint, mostly for scrapbooking.
I hope this was helpful! 
Have a great Halloween weekend!
A Bold Birthday
I was up late last night prepping materials for two invitation jobs I’m doing, so I don’t have much in the way of interesting posts today. Instead, I’ll share a quick card. It’s another birthday card, but this time I cut the front of the card in a wave to add some interest. I like these bright colors. They make a nice birthday card for a kiddo, don’t you think?
Card Recipe: SU Polka Dot (109276) and Party Hearty (111532) stamp sets, SU card stock and ink in whisper white, pacific point, and tangarine tango, SU ribbon in kiwi kiss, 1/2″ circle punch, Fiskars wavy ruler, SU designer paper in Haiku, stampin’ dimensional stickers
Halloween is tomorrow. Is anyone doing anything interesting? Me, I’ll be hiding in my house with the lights off because I ate all of our Halloween candy.
Twitter Me This
I’m not really an online social networking kinda gal (ironic, since I’ve been blogging all my conscious life). I don’t even have a Facebook account. But, Hubs coerced me into joining suggested that I join Twitter. Since I can’t access my blog from work (because it’s too sexually explicit), at least I can Twitter! I admit, I don’t really get Twitter or the whole micro blogging thing yet, but hopefully I’ll catch on soon!
I also added a Twitter badge to the left sidebar. I’m officially Twitted.
The question is: who else is on Twitter? None of my real life friends are bloggers, much less Twitter-ers. Any readers out there want to follow a new Twitter pal? Follow me on Twitter here! http://twitter.com/thesunsethouse
Get Started Stamping - Part 2: Ink Talk
So, now that you know what you need to start stamping, lets talk ink!
Rubber stamping is a rapidly growing craft. There are numerous types of ink on the market that have been developed specifically for stamping. I will touch on a most of the major ones in this blog post. My explanations will not be all inclusive, since I’m only writing about the inks that I have experience with. However, I will cover the major categories, including the ink types you would normally see at Michaels or Joann’s.
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Dye Inks
Dye inks are water-based, fast drying, and economical. Dye inks are meant to be used on porous surfaces, like paper. They dry instantly once stamped on paper and they do not smudge or smear. Since they are dye-based, the pastel dye colors can appear lighter than pastel colors of pigment inks. Dye inks should not be used with any coloring techniques that involve liquid (e.g. watercoloring). The inks are water soluble and will run if mixed with water. Dye inks also wash off rubber stamps very easily with a damp paper towel or wet stamp scrub.
Common brands of dye inks include Stampin’ Up Classic Ink, Ranger Adirondack, and Impress inks. Colorbox Fluid Chalk is a new type of dye ink that has a chalky, muted finish and resists fading better than regular dye inks.
Techniques that can be applied with dye inks:
- Stamp and spray: Stamp an image onto a dye ink pad, then spritz it with a water bottle for a speckled effect.
- Watercoloring: Stamp an image with a permanent, non water soluble ink (e.g. StazOn). Using a watercolor brush, dip the brush tip in a drop of dye ink and proceed to color the image.
Techniques that cannot be applied with dye inks:
- Embossing: the ink dries too fast for embossing powder to stick.
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Pigment Inks
Pigment inks are usually glycerin or resin based. They are thicker, richer in color, and they take long time to dry completely. Pigment inks are also known to be fade resistant, so they are preferable for projects that demand longevity (e.g. scrapbooking). While dye inks are absorbed into paper, pigment inks are not. They sit on the paper, thus requiring a longer drying time. Because pigment inks stay wet for longer, they should be embossed if stamped on coated paper, like vellum. If quick drying time is needed, pigment inks can be heat set with an embossing gun or hair dryer. Pearl and metallic inks are typically pigment inks. The inks are harder to clean from stamps, so a good stamp cleaner and scrubber should be used.
Common brands of pigment inks include: Stampin’ Up Craft Ink, Colorbox, Brilliance, Encore, and VersaColor. Some companies have designed pigment inks that dry quickly, like VersaFine by Tsukineko.
Techniques that can be applied with long drying pigment inks:
- Heat embossing: Stamp an image in pigment ink, pour embossing powder over the image, shake the excess away, and then set with a heat gun until the powder melts. Another fun technique is stamping with colored pigment ink, then embossing with clear powder. The color will be visible underneath the embossed surface.
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Solvent Inks
Solvent inks are permanent inks that design for stamping on both porous and non porous surfaces. With solvent ink, almost anything is possible, including decorating glass, plastic, and metal. The projects are endless! Although solvent ink is not recommended for fabric, I regularly use my ink pads to stamp on ribbon and cloth without an issue. However, I don’t know how the images would hold up in the wash.
Solvent inks do not clean off stamps easily. Special solvent cleaner can be purchased and will effectively remove the color from the stamps.
The most common brand of solvent ink is Stazon (by Tsukineko).
Techniques that can be applied with long drying pigment inks:
- Acetate card windows with stamps: Punch a medium sized circle on your card, cut a piece of acetate (transparency sheet) that is large enough to cover the circle, then, stamp an image onto the sheet with solvent ink and adhere to the inside of the card.
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Hybrid Inks
Hybrid inks are a new class of inks that are a blend of both pigment and dye. They can be stamped on a variety of surfaces, including paper, wood, and fabric. They set quickly (more quickly than regular pigment inks) and they are easily removed from of stamps with a little cleaner. In my experience, hybrid inks also work a bit better with clear stamps and do not pool as much as dye inks. I’ve found that the downside with hybrid inks is that that images often lack crispness and sometimes appear blotchy in color. However, the versatility of hybrid inks makes up for the lack of definition.
The most common (and only?) brand of hybrid ink is Palette ink (sold by Papertrey Ink).
Techniques that can be applied with hybrid inks:
- Stamping on fabric: Decorate a baby onsie by tapping a rubber stamp on a hybrid ink pad and pressing the image onto the shirt. Heat set with an iron for a quick and easy gift.
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VersaMark Ink
VersaMark ink is a watermark/resist ink, that’s not really an ink at all. It’s completely clear, but when stamped onto colored card stock (uncoated paper only), it will leave a slightly darker watermark image. VersaMark can be used with a variety of techniques, including coloring with pastels, embossing, and resisting. Versamark is a definite must-have in every stamper’s collection.
Techniques that can be applied with VersaMark ink:
- Embossing with colored embossing powder: Tap image onto Versamark pad, stamp on paper, and cover with embossing powder. Remove excess powder and heat set with an embossing gun.
- Coloring with pastels: Tap image onto VersaMark pad and stamp on paper. Taake a sponge dauber (or cotton ball), dip it into colored pastel chalk, and sponge over the image. The chalk powder will stick to the Versamark ink creating a light, pastel image.
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What is the Best Ink Type?
So, naturally, the next question is: what inks should you buy? The answer is: it all depends what kind of stamping you want to do. Below, I will share with you what is in my collection, and why.
90% of my ink collection is comprised of dye inks. I use these more frequently than any other ink because I work mostly with paper crafts. I like inks that dry fast without smudging so that I can make my cards quickly. With dye inks, the cleanup is quick easy and they are less expensive than pigment inks. I own over 60 Stampin’ Up dye ink pads in my collection! The only drawback is that I find that dye inks do not work well with clear, photopolymer stamps. The ink pools and the images stamp unevenly. However, clear stamps often have this problem with many types of inks, so I always prefer using red rubber stamps.
I own a handful pigment pads in lighter shades (like pastels and whites) and metallic colors. The lighter shades are richer and deeper than dyes. The main reason I don’t use regularly use pigment inks is that they take a long time to completely dry (sometimes hours). I’ve ruined numerous cards with pigment ink because I’ve smudged them before they dried. Although pigment inks can be heat set, I’m too lazy to do this extra step.
I also have three pads of Stazon solvent ink pads that I use to decorate plastics, like containers and transparency sheets. I also use Stazon when I watercolor an image because the ink is permanent and will not bleed (see my watercolor video from two days ago).
I own a handful of hybrid ink pads that I use once in a while. These pads are great for making fabric gifts, like stamped aprons, totes, or potholders. I don’t typically like using hybrid ink to stamp on paper because I find that hybrid ink is a little blotchy and I like my images to be crisp and even.
If you want to test out different types of inks, some brands make their inks available in small cube samples (e.g. SU Stampin’ Spots to the left). For my ink collection, I purchase all my everyday dye stamp pads in regular large sizes and stock up on the small cubes sizes for my craft and metallic inks, since I don’t use them as regularly.
Well, I hope my lengthy explanations were helpful! If you have any questions, leave them below and I will answer them as soon as I can. (I can’t access my blog at work, boo!)
Get Started Stamping - Part 1
So, you want to stamp, but where do you start? There are so many supplies to consider: card stock, punches, ink, stamp sets, Cuttlebugs, embossing powders and more. It can definitely get overwhelming. Where should the money be spent and what do you need to start crafting?
I’ll share with you what I think are the essential ingredients for anyone who wants to start rubber stamping. These items are not *overly* expensive, and they will give an new stamper enough supplies to start creating pretty paper goods right away.
Essential Stamp Supplies
Supply Items #1: Matching card stock and ink in colors that coordinate well together
Choosing my color palette is the very first thing I do when I start making a card. Well matched colors will really pull a card together. As an example pictured above, I posted the six shades of SU’s current in colors (plus chocolate chip). In colors are a set of six seasonal colors that are meant to coordinate in multiple and complementary color combinations. I added chocolate chip as a base color, because I just love dark brown. It matches with so many hues.
Ink tip: There are many types of ink. For everyday stamping purposes, I use water-based dye ink. Water-based ink dries instantly and doesn’t smear. It also washes off all rubber stamps in a breeze, with only a little cleaner needed. One alternative to water-based dye ink is pigment ink, commonly found at Michaels and Joann’s. I only use pigment ink for a few reasons. If I need to stamp with a light color on dark paper, like white on brown, pigment ink works better. If I’m using clear photo polymer stamps, pigment ink stamps more evenly. I also use pigment ink if I need to emboss something, since water-based dye ink dries too fast and embossing powder does not stick to it.
Supply Items #2: Several birthday stamp sets
Birthday stamps are always useful. One of my favorite birthday stamp sets is the Party Hearty set (top) because I think it’s one of the most versatile birthday stamp sets I own. I’m sure you can tell I love it, since I’ve already posted a number of cards I made with the set. I have a few more that I designed over the weekend too.
Note: Stamp sets from Stampin’ Up come unassembled. I’ve mentioned this in passing before, but I want to quickly mention it again, since I know that not everyone is familiar with SU products and some have ordered products already. The stamps are easy as pie to assemble. Just trim the extra rubber away with scissors, peel the sticker back and adhere to rubber stamp to the wood block, and lastly adhere the image sticker. SU chooses not to assemble the stamps before shipping them so that they can pass the cost savings onto customers. I will write a post about stamp assembly soon!
Stamp tip: The party hats from the Party Hearty stamp set can be used as Christmas trees! Just ink them in green and add a little brown stump and the birthday hats are now decorated trees.
Supply Items #3: A few everyday, versatile stamp sets.
Fruit stamps and nature stamps are always versatile. They’re good for all ages and occasions. Pictured above are SU’s stamp sets in Pocket Silhouettes and Tart & Tangy.
Stamp tip: All the fruits except for the cherry stamp will fit inside Stampin’ Up’s 1 1/4″ circle punch.
Supply Items #4: Basic tools and supplies
Paper cutter, stamp scrub pad, stamp cleaner, a spray water bottle (to use for cleaning stamps on the stamp scrub pad), bone folder, adhesive in a dispenser, and foam stickers to make images pop off the page. I can’t make cards without these products.
Card tip: Score the card base before folding it. Scoring is a simple step that results in cleaner and more professional looking cards.
Supply Item #5: Extra goodies
If your stamp budget has a few extra dollars, I would pick up some coordinating ribbon that matches the ink colors, designer paper that also match the ink colors, and embellishments that are–you guessed it–in the same colors as the inks. Then, I would buy several nested punches. Nested punches add pizazz to any card and they’re quick and easy to use.
Helpful punch tip: The scallop nested punch above coordinates exactly with the “Celebrate You” stamp from the Party Hearty stamp set that I showed above! I will post a card showcasing this soon.
Next up: I’ll decipher the common different kinds of stamping ink, including water-based dye ink, pigment ink, chalk ink, solvent ink, and hybrid ink. Confusing! Stay tuned for part 2!
Video Card #2: Dreams du Jour
Guess what I have for you all today… a video! I made a quick and easy card this weekend, so I thought you might enjoy watching the process. The video is blurry because I used the zoom function on the Flip Video cam, which does not work well because it’s an optical zoom. Oh well. Hope you enjoy it anyway!
For this card, I used an easy peasy watercolor technique to paint the image. First, I stamped my image with Stazon ink (solvent ink that is waterproof so the ink will not run when it is colored). Then, I used a nylon brush with a built in water reservoir (SU’s aqua painter brush) plus a bit of water-based dye ink to color the image. The video will show it in detail:
Music: When You’re Older - Kate Earl
And below, the finished card. I haven’t made a rustic looking card in a while, so I’m digging the French script background stamp.
Card Recipe: (All supplies SU unless otherwise noted) Dreams du Jour (11624) and En Francais (109521) stamp sets, card stock in kraft and chocolate chip, inks in kiwi kiss, riding hood red, chocolate chip, and sahara sand, striped ribbon in riding hood red, stampin’ dimensionals, watercolor paper, Stazon timber brown solvent ink.
Now, just for you, a sneak peek inside the Sunset House professional film studio. Here’s where the all the magic happens:
Sofa + Ikea lack table + metal kitchen chair + tripod + flip video camera = movie studio magic!
Don’t all get jealous of my high end set up and equipment.
Cupcakes and Sunsets
While commuting home from work yesterday, I caught the most amazing sunset. The sun was low enough that I could look into it (sunglasses in place, of course) without burning my eyes. It was a gorgeous deep red-orange, like the color of a tiger lily. The clouds were bright shades of magenta and pink. The colors blended so beautifully with the twinkling lights of the bay bridge. I tend to catch a lot of sunsets during my evening drives home lately. The days are getting shorter, so winter must be right around the bend. Although with our 77 degree temperatures, it certainly doesn’t feel like winter! On evenings like these, I fall in love with the California bay area all over again.
In anticipation of the blue-gray winter that will be here soon enough, I made a blue-gray themed card with some red to spice things up. Can you tell I’m obsessed with cupcake stamps? I couldn’t stop myself from buying this set after I saw that Stampin’ Up added it to their list of October 20% off promotion stamps. I totally needed it, I swear. I don’t know what’s worse, my stamp collection or my shoe closet.
Card Recipe (all supplies SU unless otherwise noted): Card stock in whisper white, basic gray, & baja breeze, Big Bold Birthday stamp set (109439), ink in real red & baja breeze, 1/4 inch ribbon in real red, flower from flower fusion 2 embellishment kit, stampin’ dimensional stickers. Non SU supplies: Cuttlebug swiss dots embossing folder, MM brad, striped ribbon leftover from a gift.
