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Stamping 101Curious about stamping? Welcome to Stamping 101!I love stamping—I’ve been an avid stamper since I started more than eight yearsago with only one stamp and a black ink pad! What I’ve learned since then has beenmostly by trial and error…and with the help of other consultants. Some people thinkthere is a mystery around stamping…almost like you have to be part of a special clubto know the inside scoop on different supplies and techniques.Well, with this Stamping 101, I hope to eliminate the mystery around stamping.We’ll cover the basics, and hopefully you will be inspired to make stamping a part of your creative life!I hope you’ll love stamping as much as I do!Getting StartedAlthough it may be tempting, you don't need to buy everything at once! I started outwith one small stamp and a black ink pad and that was all I had for awhile!Basically, a stamp, an ink pad and paper is all you need to get started. Add moresupplies as you progress and discover your own tastes and areas of interest.Many of us use stamps to make cards—you can also use them on scrapbook pages,gift tags and bags, even metal, glass and tin.The world of stamping is a big and exciting one, and there are always new things tolearn!What Should I Know About Acrylic Stamps?I was a wood-mounted stamp snob for years…until Close To My Heart changed to thefabulous see-through My Acrylix (acrylic) stamp sets—and I love them!What’s an acrylic stamp?Acrylic stamps come on a clear plastic liner, so you peel the stamp off the liner, thenplace it onto a clear acrylic block. It will cling, so there’s no need for adhesive or acushion. Press to make sure it’s well-adhered. Ink it up and stamp away, then cleanwith a Spritz cleaner, or baby wipe when you’re done. Peel the stamp off and replaceit on the clear plastic liner.Don’t forget the clear blocksAn acrylic block that’s slightly larger than your stamp is perfect. If the stamp is toobig for the mount, you won’t get a good impression. And if the mount is much biggerthan the stamp, it’s hard to ink without also inking your acrylic mount, which canlead to stray ink marks. Be sure to clean your mounts as well as your stamps. CTMHoffers the highest quality My Acrylix blocks in tons of sizes!The benefits of acrylicHow did I switch from being a wood-mount snob to a fan of acrylic? Mostly becauseclear stamps let me perfectly position my image on my paper. They’re less expensiveto manufacture, so they’re less expensive for you and me. They’re flatter and easierto store. And because they often come with multiple images on one sheet, you get a
 
selection of stamps that coordinate—often, for the price of one wood-mountedstamp! Also, you can cut these stamps apart to make individual words or images andthen stick them back together on your block. They are so versatile!What Should I Know About Wood Stamps?Think of stamps and you’ll probably envision a traditional rubber stamp with a woodhandle. Wood-mounted stamps have been the norm in the craft industry for years,and it’s easy to find a great selection of stamp styles in all sizes, degrees of intricacyand price ranges.What’s a wood mounted stamp?A wood-mounted stamp has a rubber dye with a sheet of cushioning material,mounted on a wooden block. The rubber is permanently affixed to the wood, so you just ink it up and stamp!The down side of wood mounted stampsThey are bulky, heavy and take a lot of room to store. When stamping…they make anice, clean image….but, placing your image is hit-and-miss at best. There is noperfect placement.About Ink PadsHere’s the warning: If you love color, you will love ink pads! They’re available in somany luscious colors, different types…so exciting, but also sometimes confusing.Here’s a basic primer on types of ink pads, plus tips on using them.My favoritesOf course the Close To My Heart exclusive inks are my favorites! They come in five “seasons” of colors….60 fabulous colors to choose from! I use StazOn ink in Black fornon-porous surfaces. I use VersaMark ink for water-marking or as a “glue” for chalksand powders. I also love my White Daisy stamp pad from Close To My Heart forstamping and inking on dark papers. CTMH also has all new Distressing Inks. Colorsare Black and Chocolate. These are miniature chalk ink pads for distressing edgesand pages…and for antiquing all types of projects! All inks I have mentioned aboveare available from Close To My Heart.New vs. old ink padsNew ink pads are “juicy” so always use a light touch at first. In time, the ink pad willbecome a bit drier so you’ll need to use more pressure. I never toss out old ink pads—I order an inexpensive CTMH re-inker.A word of warning!Ink is not erasable, so be careful what you touch during and after using ink. Alwaysremember to let your paper dry before handling it or before placing it on anotherpaper. (It generally takes less than a minute to dry.) It’s easy to get ink on yourfingers or hands and you don’t want to transfer that to another surface...like yourwhite shirt, the edge of your card or your face. I always keep a package of babywipes by my side so I can keep my hands clean.
 
Types of InkDye-based inkDye-based ink is perfect for all kinds of paper. It’s permanent and dries quickly.CTMH inks have the in-lid design to keep the ink close to the surface. These inks arepH – neutral, non-toxic and acid-free. I avoid using them on mulberry paper, sincethey tend to bleed on very absorbent paper.Pigment inkPigment ink is thicker than dye-based ink; the colors are bright and the ink pads arespongy.Pigment ink doesn’t soak into paper like a dye-based ink; instead, it dries on top.That means the ink takes a little longer to dry on regular paper. It also means thatpigment ink will not dry on glossy paper. If you want to stamp on glossy paper, youmust use a dye-based ink.StazOnStazOn is the ultimate permanent ink. It can be used on paper—as well as any non-porous surface, like metal, plastic, glossy paper, dominos, transparencies, leather,glass and ceramic. It only takes about 3-5 minutes to dry on a non-porous surface.This is an acid-free, archival, fast-drying solvent ink.Embossing inkThese pads are clear and are perfect for embossing images or creating watermarks.The slow-drying archival ink can also be used for resist or brush-on pigment powdereffects. They’re used to stamp an image before heat-embossing. These pads areacid-free. CTMH also has an embossing Pen so that you can draw or write andembossed design. CTMH ahs 18 shades of embossing powder.Distress InksDistress Inks are some of my all-time favorites for their soft colors and special “alterable” possibilities. They’re different from other ink pads: They stay wet longerthan other dye-based ink pads, so you can blend and shadow with water or otherinks. Tap some on a paper, then spritz it with water and watch the colors spread.They also work well on photos! CTMH has all new Distressing Inks. Colors are Blackand Chocolate. These are miniature chalk ink pads for distressing edges and pages…and for antiquing all types of projects!Caring For Your Ink PadsYour ink pads are one of your most basic stamping supplies, so it’s important to carefor them well. It’s easy to make sure they have a long life—here are a few tips.Put a lid on itAlways twist the lid back on your ink pad…even if you’re only stepping away for aminute. You know how life is: You step away for a minute, and the next thing you
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