Stamping Tips

I've noticed that several bloggers are sharing their tips for better stamped images. Some of these have been shared before and some are just common sense but I'd like to share them here with you and add a couple of tips of my own.

I hope you find this information useful.

So far I've read:

• For solid image stamps use your jeans or a pencil eraser to get the release agent off the rubber.
• Don't just dab the stamp on the ink but do a combo dab and smoosh to get a good inking.
• Lastly count to 10 before you lift up your stamp.

Here's a couple more tried and tested stamping tips:

• If your stamp is bigger than your ink - take your ink to your stamp rather than the other way around.
• If your stamp is big(like a background stamp) lay your paper on top of your stamp and rub rather than pressing your stamp down on your paper.
• I actually like to use this last method even with smaller stamps when stamping on vellum. I can see the vellum getting inked as I press that way ensuring a clear crisp image.

Here's my TIP:
Use a fun foam mat for stamping. Sometimes your table surface doesn't give the stamp enough "cushion" to give you a good image.

I don't have a stamp studio so I stamp in my dining room or in my kitchen. My dining table is travertine (crumbled marble) and my kitchen table is oak (deep grooves) so when I stamp I lay a piece of scratch paper (Stampin' Up! makes a grid pad that's perfect for this!) on top of a BLACK fun foam and stamp on that. It works perfect for me everytime! I used to have a pink fun foam mat but it got all stained and so I switched to black and it looks new even after months of use. I got mine at Michaels and I think it was 89 cents a sheet. Of course I bought 10 for my classes!