Tutorial; Top Tips for Clear Stamps

Welcome Back

In my last post I reviewed the Making Memories Clear stamps, which I loved!  Today I’d like to share some tips, that I have discovered, that really help to get the best from Clear stamps.

• Store Clear stamps out of the light
• Avoid using solvent inks or cleaners
• Have a sheet of funky foam under the cardstock you are stamping onto. (In place of the tradition stamps cushion).
• Ink up with pigment ink and most work fine.
• Experiment with dye inks, results vary with brands of clear stamp.
• Practice your stamping technique on scrap card, you need much less pressure with clear stamps than traditional ones and this takes a little getting used to
• Clean stamps straight after use to reduce staining

As I mentioned in the previous article NOT all clear stamps are made equal, there are a whole range of different products used to create clear stamps, and they all have their own quirks. Much of the time it is a question of trial and error. If you are trying a brand for the first time, buy a single stamp rather than a big sheet, if you get on ok with it, then invest in the larger sets.

The problems I have had with SOME clear stamps have been

• Repelling dye based ink
• VERY soft and as you stamp the image distorts badly ruining the stamped result
• Unable to remove them from their own storage without tearing the stamp

Recent Developments

• There are now cleaners specially made for some clear stamps. Check the packaging on your stamps to ensure the cleaner and the stamp you want to use it on are compatible.
• Tim Holtz has a great tip for using Distress ink with clear stamps;

Links

Here are a list of Clear Stamps which I have had success with

• Clarity Stamps
• Making Memories Clear Stamps
• Anna Griffin Clear stamp sheets from QVC
• Making Memories
• Video Demo on Clear stamps

Best wishes and thanks for reading, see you soon

Billie

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