Clear Stamping & Stamping Techniques

Idea Gallery Looking for new clear stamping tips, ideas and designs? Check out the articles on rubber stamping with clear stamps. There are lots of new ideas and projects pictured with NEW things being added all the time! It is easy to apply these clear stamping tips to your scrapbooking creations and card making with clear stamps.

Card Gallery A growing library of detailed card making crafts using clear stamps. With new cards, tips, and techniques pictured and explained, it is easy to use your clear stamps. New and original card making ideas with layouts and detailed instructions are added daily.

Template Gallery Find simple design templates for interesting card making ideas and techniques. Learn how to make your own unique embellishments for scrapbooking and card making crafts.

Layout Gallery Scrapbooking is a unique and personalized way to preserve special memories. Many scrapbook layouts can easily be converted into card making layouts and ideas. Here you will find our FREE Scrapbook Layouts, easily embellished with the use of clear rubber stamps, ribbon, and unique materials.

Sometimes stamping on hard surfaces causes a loss of detail - particularly in the center of a larger stamp. To avoid this try stamping on a SOFT SURFACE. You might try a magazine, or even a sheet of craft foam. This will ADD spring to your clear stamp and images will come out clear and crisp.
It is always best to prime your stamps before using - particularly the solid clear stamps to be sure ink is evenly distributed. Simply ink and stamp on a scrap piece of paper until image comes out as desired.
If your clear acrylic stamp is starting to lose some of its stickiness, you can wash it with soapy water. Let dry. Remember a wet clear acrylic stamp WON'T stick to either a clear stamping block or a storage sheet so it must be allowed to dry before using.
Clear acrylic stamps are proned to staining but remember, even if the clear stamp discolors, as long as it is cleaned properly after use, staining will not show up in future stamping images.

USING CLEAR STAMPS
Clear Stamps are used with our clear acrylic handles for easy inking and positioning. Each clear stamp set comes on a clear plastic carrier sheet with a printed index and a cover sheet to protect from dust, glitter, etc. Peel the clear stamp design from the carrier and place on the clear acrylic handle. The clear acrylic stamp will cling by itself with no other adhesives. Ink and stamp as you would your wood mounted rubber stamps. Use more than one image on a handle if desired. Clean and replace your clear stamps onto the carrier and store in the provided pouch.

INKS
Any inks that you use for your wood mounted rubber stamps can be used with Clear Stamps. However, some inks will stain your clear stamps more than others. Clear embossing inks will not stain. Dye-based inks are the easiest to clean off. Pigment inks will stain slightly. Permanent inks and chalk-based inks will stain. To reduce staining you may try conditioning new clear stamps by stamping with a light colored ink before stamping with darker colors.

PAPER
Papers come in many colors, textures, sizes, and decorative shapes. Some papers are acid free and safe to use with photos for archival quality albums. Stamping on smooth glossy papers will show off the brightest marker color impressions. Stamping on matte papers that are soft or textured give a quaint look that is enhanced by colored pencils or watercolor. Embossing metallic colors on dark papers is elegant.

CLEAN-UP
Clean your clear stamps as you would your wood mounted rubber stamps. Use any of the following: stamp cleaners, baby wipes, soap and water, rubbing alcohol, or for tough stains Spoto stain remover. Avoid acetone, bleach and oil-based cleaners. Use rubbing alcohol to clean acrylic handles.

COPYRIGHT
Stampendous clear stamp designs are drawn by Fran Seiford and copyright of Stampendous, Inc. Will ‘n Way clear stamp designs are drawn by Dianne J. Hook and copyright of Will ‘n Way. Use of these designs is limited to hand stamping. Mechanical reproduction of any designs is strictly prohibited without written permission. Hand stamped originals may be sold.