How to Use Clear Stamps

We're back with another tutorial this time on how you can use clear stamps! Clear stamps are made out of silicone and these versatile craft must haves are great for making everything from home decor projects to journal layouts, greeting cards and even gift wraps.

To use your stamps, first peel them off the plastic sheet.

A clear stamp ensures precise positioning and they should be used with an acrylic block. Acrylic blocks come in different shapes and sizes, some with a grid or without. Use an appropriate sized block to ensure even pressure throughout your stamping and make sure to clean your block after use!

Now don't look down on these little Japanese ink pads, though small in size they're loaded with lots of ink and are long lasting provided you cap them properly and store them in a cool dark drawer after every use. How you would use them is to dab the ink pad (sponge side down) onto the surface of your stamp. Get creative by using two or more colors at once!

Here's a stamped acorn pattern on both tracing paper and brown Kraft paper using the Versacraft Chocolate.

Next, we're trying out the Memories Metallic Gold Ink Pad on black construction paper to create our own DIY wrapping paper. The transparent acrylic block allows us to see where we're stamping so no need for guess work!

Do note that clear stamps do not react well with StazOn inks over an extended period of time as they are not as durable as red rubber, if you must use them with StazOn, remember to clean your stamps immediately after use.

For those who journal or scrapbook, clear stamps are also a quick way to spruce up your journals especially if drawing is not your forte. There are so many different designs available from botanical to travel to coffee themed stamps!

If you're using water-resistant ink pads such as Versafine, Staz On or Versafine Clair, you can paint over the stamp marks after they dry like what we did with our greeting card above!

CLEANING

Now that you're done stamping, it's time to clean up! Due to it's material and transparent nature, silicone stamps are prone to staining (even after cleaning) and can be quite visible but don't worry it's perfectly alright and still usable of course! To clean your stamps, you can use the Tsukineko Stamp Cleaner with a paper towel then wipe off the residue with a damp cloth. 

Alternatively, here's a tip we learned from a friend which is now a must have in our stash: Kleenex Wet Toilet wipes! Simply wipe your stamps clean after use immediately and restick them back on the plastic sheet they came in.

STORAGE

Acrylic stamps are cost effective compared to their wood mount counterparts and is more portable in terms of storage and weight. However you must keep them stored in cool places as they distortion may occur under heat. You can use a Clear Stamp Album like the one we have here which also doubles as an easy to view catalogue of all the stamps in your collection.

So there you have it! We hope you give clear stamps a try if you haven't already done so, the possibilities are truly endless and if taken cared of properly, they will last for years and years, some of the stamps in our collection are over 5 years old and they're as good as the first day we opened them. Happy crafting!