Krafty Tips and Tutes - Stamping 101

Happy Monday Everyone! Here in Canada we are celebrating Labour day which means a day of getting krafty for me.  Are you able to get some krafty time in today?

We had a wonderful lady awhile back ask about stamping basics so I am here today to talk about tips and tricks I have come to find helpful when working with my stamps.

What I like to do first when I get my stamps from Miss Kimmie is clean them. Sometimes in the manufacturing process there is residue left on them. I like to either use baby wipes or a stamp cleaner with a scrubbie. Once cleaned I will then prime my stamps. What I will do is ink it up and stamp the image a few times on scrap paper I have. This allows you to not only check the stamp(s) for defects but also gets some ink on there before you start stamping up your images on your good paper.

Storage:
You will definitely want to store your stamps whether in the bags them came in or a storage container. This keeps dust off the semi-tacky stamps which will hold that dust. Do NOT use baggies as the stamps react and can melt the baggies. You will also want to keep them out of direct sunlight as UV rays are not good for the stamps. Below are the bags I use to store my stamps that don't have their own packaging.

Ink Pads:
You can use whichever kind of ink you would like. There is a little controversy over what effect Solvent based ink (Staz-On) have on the stamps. I haven't found any issue with this type of ink however just to be careful I ink, stamp, and clean right away - I don't leave this type of ink on my stamps for too long.

Ways of getting ink on a stamp:
OK here is the fun part!!! It is so interesting learning how each person does this differently!
I have met people who press their stamps into their ink pad and people who pat the ink pad onto the stamp. I actually tend to hold my stamp on my block in one hand and pat the stamp pad on the stamp with the other.
How do you ink yours?

Stamping:

When I stamp my image I prefer to do this on a surface which has a little give. One of the best and inexpensive ways I found to do this is to put your paper on a thin mouse pad and then stamp on it. I use my Close to My Heart mat which has a foam pad under the surface. The reason I like to stamp on something that gives is so that the middle of image comes out cleanly. I found with some larger stamps that the full image doesn't come out if I am stamping on a hard surface. Other stampers prefer not to however I would suggest try stamping your images on copy paper on a multitude of surfaces and see what you prefer.

To the left is an example of what can sometimes happen.
Photo credit: Krafty Girl Stephanie 

Cleaning: 
As mentioned above I prefer to use baby wipes, or a spray with my scrubbie. For my baby wipes I prefer to get an unscented alcohol free brand (alcohol I have also read is not a good thing for the stamps either).  There are a few things I wouldn't suggest using such as Kleenex or paper towels as these may leave lint on the stamps which will then transfer when you stamp your next image. Lawn Fawn has also recently come out with a shammy which I have been told is pretty awesome.  One product I also wouldn't suggest using on photopolymer is Staz-On cleaner. I have talked to several people that have had bad experiences with this product and photopolymer stamps.

Paper: 
I generally use different types of mediums so I work with a multitude of different types of papers. I have used and have great results with copic papers (X-press It, Neenah, Spectrum Noir, Cryogen), watercolor paper, and plain cardstock (staples).

I must note though this is what I generally do. I know each stamper has their own way with working with their own stamps. What I suggest is to use this as a starting point in figuring out what works for you!

I would love to hear from you about what you think or if there is anything you find that works for you!

Cheers,
Krafty Girl Alexis