Stampin’ 101

by Jody | Mar 19, 2014 | stampin 101 | 0 comments

Tonight, I held another Stampin’ 101 class:  I’ve had many new customer and many new stampers this year and sometimes in classes, I just don’t have the time to explain fully everything we are doing.  I have created Stampin’ 101 to be a small class, just for those new folks.  It’s quiet and relaxed and a time to learn and ask questions.

I would love for you to submit any questions you may have or even suggestions on what to include in Stampin’ 1o1!  Just comment below!  Sometimes, I forget how overwhelming this can be to a new comer!

Here we go:

Stampin’ 101:

• Lesson 1:  The basic materials you need to get started
• Lesson 2: How to Ink a Stamp and How to Stamp
• Lesson 3:  Clear Mount Stamps, Wood Mount Stamps, Photopolymer Stamps
• Lesson 4:  Kinds of Inks
• Lesson 5: How to Clean Your Stamps!
• Lesson 6:  Card layers
• Lesson 7:  Creativity

Lesson 1

Here are my suggestions on the basic materials you’ll need to get started:

1.  Stamps!  Decide what type of creating you wish to do:  card making, gift giving, décor, scrapbooking…stamps can be very versatile and used for all of these.  Knowing what you’ll be using them for may help you narrow down your choice. Most of stamps come in sets (more than one) and the ideas are endless

2. Ink!   Yes!  You can create beautiful cards with just ONE stamp and ONE ink pad!!!  I did when I first started!  We have 4 different color families to choose from:  Brights, Regals, Subtles and Neutrals.  These families each contain 12 colors.   We also have a line of “In Colors”…these colors are around for 2 years and are trending colors of the time.  You may purchase ink pads individually or by full color family.

3.  Paper/Cardstock!  We have paper packs to match each of our colors.  These too can be purchased individually or by assorted packs.  My suggestion is to always start with a neutral pack as your card base (whisper white, very vanilla, or one of our light neutrals) and add shades to coordinate with your ink pads.  We also have various packs of designer paper.  These are much lighter and patterned in all of our exclusive colors.  Our paper comes in 8 1/2 x 11 and some colors are in 12 x 12.

4. Adhesive!  You’ll be pretty frustrated when you go to put these gorgeous projects together and you have no adhesive!  I prefer our SNAIL adhesive, but we also carry Tombow Multipurpose glue and glue sticks.  It’s a matter of preference.

That is really all you’ll need to get started making hand stamped projects.  Simple as that.  Now, I would also suggest a paper trimmer, makes creating soooo much easier!  And if I was going to have a splurge, I’d pick up a pair of our Paper Snips!  They are amazing!

Lesson 2

Make sure you fully ink your stamp: The first time I use a stamp, I like to test it on scrap paper. I also always look at the rubber side after I ink it up. Push it firmly into the ink pad and then look at it to see if the ink is covering the entire stamp.  With our new firm foam pads, you need to be very light handed.  Just a few light tap, tap, taps and you should be good.

Don’t rock your stamp: Always make sure you stamp straight down, apply even pressure and lift the stamp straight back up. Be very careful not to rock the stamp as you are creating the image. Rocking it will cause any ink on the edges of the rubber to transfer to your paper.

Keep your stamps clean and store them properly:  Use a cleaner and a scrubber designed specifically to clean your stamps. Clean them as soon as you use them. Store them in the recommended containers away from the elements. Don’t store them in direct sunlight as it will break down the rubber.

Lesson 3

When you start stamping, you will need to decide whether you want to used clear mount stamps or wood mount stamps or even our new Photopolymer.   There are positives and negatives to each.  You will decide, as you stamp, which you prefer.

I personally prefer clear mount stamps.  They are less expensive than wood mount stamps.  Once I made the initial investment in purchasing the set of clear blocks in all sizes, I now purchase only clear mount stamps whenever I have a choice.   I like being able to see where the stamp is when I’m placing it on my paper.  I also think the biggest advantage is stamp storage.  These take up so much less storage space than wood mount stamps!!  I really like how Stampin’ Up! stores them in the DVD style cases with the full size images on the front of the case and the images on the side of the case so I can see what I’m looking for without pulling everything out.

Some people prefer wood mount stamps.  I’ve asked people why that is and here is what I’ve heard:  They are ready to go.  You don’t have to search for the right block to use to stamp the image.  Many people also said they prefer the wood mount for large background stamps and teeny tiny sentiments.  They find the larger and very small stamps easier to use when they are permanently mounted.

If you choose wood or clear, you will have to assemble your stamps.  They are laser cut, so pop them out of the rubber background.  If using wood, adhere the stamp to the wood block and apply the sticker to the opposite side so you can see the image you are stamping.   If you are using clear, you may attach the optional sticker to your image.

Lesson 4

There are a variety of ink pads that you have available when you are rubber stamping.

1. Dye Ink: Dye ink is fabulous because it dries quickly on all types of paper and they work well on glossy card stock and vellum. Because they dry quickly, you can stamp one image and then immediately stamp another or add an embellishment to your project without smudging the ink. These are great ink pads to use when stamping with children because the are washable and non-toxic. A little soapy water will take the ink off your table and off small hands! Dye inks do tend to fade over time, so you should not use them for scrapbook projects unless they specifically say they are archival dye ink pads. You would also avoid using a dye ink pad when embossing because they dry too quickly to hold embossing powder. I would also not recommend using them if you plan to color in your image with markers or watercolors because the images tend to smear if they get wet.  All of our Firm Foam Inkpads are dye based ink.

2. Pigment Ink: These are thick, slow drying inks. They are color-fast and do not fade when exposed to light. They tend to hold their vivid colors and resist fading so they are great for scrapbook projects. These are great for embossing because they stay wet long enough to hold the powders. They won’t dry on glossy paper or velum unless you emboss and heat set them. These are perfect inks for tile, glass and wood projects. You can heat set them with a heat gun for faster drying.  Our Whisper White and Illuminate pads are pigment inks.

3. Permanent solvent inks: Solvent inks are opaque and quick-drying. They are great for use on plastics, metal, glass, ceramics, laminated or coated paper and leather. They are not recommended for fabric. These inks will stain clothing and furniture.  These are fabulous inks for stamping on tiles. They also work great for water coloring or coloring with markers since they do not smudge when they get wet. They do stain your stamp, so you will want to purchase a stamp cleaner made just for solvent inks.  This is our Stazon ink.

4. Embossing Ink or Watermark Ink: These create a translucent image excellent for background designs on any color paper! they are great for archival projects. They are also perfect for embossing because they stay wet long enough to hold the embossing powder to be heat set to the paper. They are slow drying inks. This is our Versamark Ink

Lesson 5

Cleaning your stamps is very important to insure the longevity of your sets, it will also ensure that you get a clean, crisp image every time.  We have 2 products that work perfectly, our stampin’ scrub and our stampin’ mist.  Simply spray the scrub with mist and very gently clean the ink from your stamp.  You may also use baby wipes if you have them, this helps get the ink out of the “nooks and crannies.”  Do not immerse your stamps in water.  If you are using acrylic blocks, these need cleaned as well.  You may use stampin mist on them and I sometimes even wash them with warm soapy water and then dry.  They do get oils from our fingers and dirt from the environment and that can affect the stamp sticking to the block.

Lesson 6

Basic Cards are generally 4-1/4 x 5-1/2 after they have been cut, scored and folded.  There are two ways to get this card size.  For both, you will start with a piece of card stock that is 8-1/2 x 11”.

Landscape orientation:

For this card, you will cut the card stock in half with the long side (11”) against the top of the trimmer.  Line up your card stock with the 5-1/2” line and cut.  This gives you two pieces cut at 5-1/2 x 8-1/2”.  Turn it 90 degrees and score it at 4-1/4”.  When you fold it, you will have a card that is 4-1/4 x 5-1/2”!

To create a mat, I generally like to cut it at 4 x 5-1/4”.  When centered on the card, this gives me a 1/4” border peeking around all 4 sides.  .

Portrait Orientation:

For this card, you will cut the card stock in half with the short side (8-1/2”) lined up against the top of the trimmer.  Line the paper edge with the 4-1/4” line on the trimmer and cut the paper in half lengthwise.  This will give you two pieces of card stock cut at 4-1/4 x 11”.  Turn the card stock 90 degrees in your trimmer and line the edge up with the 5-1/2” mark.  Score the card at 5-1/2”.  When you fold the card, you will have a card that is 4-1/4 x 5-1/2”.  This is the same size as the landscape orientation, buy it opens differently.

Lesson 7

Creativity!  One thing people say to me the most is…..I am not creative!  Well, guess what?  I’m not either!  We love those that are….we thrive on their creative juices!  I find most of my inspiration from 2 places:  Pinterest and www.splitcoaststampers.com.   If you are on pinterest….you can follow my boards and I’ll share what I’ve stolen from others!   The main thing is….enjoy what you are doing!!!!