Decorative Rubber Stamps

Mounted rubber stamps remain high in demand among crafters and stamping enthusiasts despite the introduction of more lightweight and inexpensive unmounted stamps. Basically, rubber stamps that are mounted are sold with individual handles or mounts either of wood, foam, or acrylic. If you are just a beginner in scrapbooking or paper crafting and would like to try various techniques in rubber stamping, you may buy mounted rubber stamps that are ready for use. They usually need to be pressed against ink pads each time you make an imprint on paper.

Mounted rubber stamps are essentially composed of three basic parts: the die, the cushion, and the mount. Traditional mounts are made of wood, which may be shaped ergonomically for easier handling. A replica of the stamp image is usually printed on top so that it is easy to pick the stamp you need among a collection of wood mounted stamps. Wood mounts are better varnished so they don’t get stained with ink.

The cushion is what sits between the rubber stamp and the wood mount. It is the padding that aids in the even distribution of pressure in the act of stamping and raising the stamp. The result would be consistent and clearer images. The cushion may also serve as the adhesive between the die and the mount. If the cushion starts to loosen, you may easily secure its position with glue.

The die is the most important part of mounted rubber stamps. Made of rubber, it is where the stamp image is carved at just the right depth to produce crisp images. Sometimes, the cut may be a little rough but this slight problem can be remedied by using a scalpel or a craft knife to smoothen out the edges of the image and cut off excess rubber.

To be able to use mounted rubber stamps for as long as possible, they need to be properly cared for and stored. After every use, the stamps must be cleaned out using specially designed brushes and cleaning fluids, both available in rubber stamp supply stores. Most of the time, soap and water are all you need to clean ink from the stamp image.

Store stamps with the die side down on flat surfaces. Airtight containers that allow you to organize your stamps are a good idea. Use inkpads recommended by the stamp manufacturer to get the best results and to preserve the quality of your stamps.

Amazon.com sells mounted rubber stamps from different brands and sellers at the best prices. If you wish, you may purchase directly from the websites of sellers that specialize in mounted stamps. They include RubberHedgehog.com, Inkadinkado, and Stampabilities. Websites selling products from various brands include AddictedtoRubberStamps.com and BlockheadStamps.com

Sargent Art is a leading manufacturer of quality art supplies in the United States. It caters to both retail and educational markets. Paints, crayons, and art materials are non-toxic, making them suitable for use by children. There are several distributors of Sargent Art products, many of them schools and educational institutions. Popular craft and art stored including Dick Blick, Hobby Lobby, Blick Art Materials, and Crafts Supplies for less also has them in stock.

Sargent Art has provides art materials for fine artists, crafters, hobbyists and young students. Whether you are into creating scrapbooks, greeting cards, clay sculptures, and painting, you are sure to find quality materials at SargentArt.com. Some of their top sellers are:

Multi-purpose paints by Creative Craft have thick consistency but remain flexible even after drying. The paint works best on non-porous surfaces and may even be used to create three-dimensional shapes if applied in layers to be peeled off like molds after drying. Available in several colors, these paints have several applications including water coloring, craft painting, finger and window painting, temporary sticker paints, blending, marbleizing, and so on.

Glitter glues are applicable in almost any art and crafts project. Sargent Art makes available glitter glues in regular and mini glitter tubes in six attractive shades. They are sold in sets, as well as the Washable Glitter glues, which come available in eight assorted colors, including silver, black, violet orange, gold, green, and red. The glitter glues are great for decorating greeting cards, scrapbook pages, and some other surfaces.

Scrapbook artists and makers of homemade greeting cards are sure to enjoy using square chalk pastels sold by Sargent Art. You may choose according to your needs from two variations available: Landscape & Portrait Square Chalk Half Pastels; and the Color & Tone Shading Square Chalk Pastels.

The Color & Tone Shading Square Chalk Pastels in particular is excellent for creating an aged effect on scrapbook paper. These pastels produce brilliant pigmentation and the velvety smooth texture makes them easy to use. Color choices vary by set including Gray Tones, Charcoal, Earth Tones, and Colored.

For creating realistic sculptures without the need for baking or using a kiln, the air-hardening sculpting material from Sculpt It! is a useful tool for sculpting and free hand modeling. The result is a ceramic hard surface with minimal shrinkage. Available in pure white and five new bright colors, air hardening clay can be mixed with a little water for more pliability. Colors may be blended or smoothed to reduce cracking. The clay may be purchased in six-piece color assortments or bulk classroom packets.

Start using Sargent Art products by purchasing from any of the distributors listed on the website, SargentArt.com. Apart from Dick Blick, Hobby Lobby, and the distributors mentioned above, educational institutions like Nevada Fine Arts, Teacher Parent Connection, United Art & Education, the Kaplan Early Learning Comp also have them.

Speedball Art Products have been around for quite a long time that when you buy art supplies from them, you can be sure of the quality of the materials you are getting. The famous Speedball dip pens were introduced in the market in 1899. The company has since expanded to supplying various art products to students, teachers, hobbyists and professionals. It has undergone a handful of administration while staying true to the commitment and dedication of late founder C. Howard Hunt to producing only the best quality products.

Apart from generations’ worth of knowledge and skill in product development and manufacturing, Speedball Art Products attributes the success of the brand to the people that make up the corporation. Passion, dedication, commitment, experience, and dependability are just a few of the traits the company prides in its staff and associates.

Speedball has indeed gone way beyond manufacturing quality pens although Speedball pens continue to be regarded as top of the line. It now offers its own unique product lines for screen and block printing, acrylic paints, and watercolor palettes. Well-loved Speedball art products also include Speedy Stamp and the Speedy Kids collection. It is apparent that despite of the company’s rich history that spans over 30 years, it keeps up with modern trends and concepts to continue satisfying its growing customer base.

Beginner and experienced artists and crafters are sure to be pleased with what Speedball has to offer. Products are carefully studied and planned prior to manufacture; and are designed with utmost regard for their intended application. Speedball also offers oil-based block printing inks, linoleum cutters, speedy-carve block, soft rubber brayers, and an assortment of inks.

Rubber stampers who would like to create their own stamp designs can surely make good use of Speedball Art Products’ Speedy-Cut Carving Block and its range of carving products that include Speedy-Carve (formerly known as Speedy Stamp) and some other tools and accessories. Speedball offers different sized carving blocks and the Speedy-Cut Carving Block falls somewhere between the Speedy-Carve and Speedball Lino carving blocks.

The Speedy-Cut Carving Block is great for beginners. It is relatively less expensive than other carving blocks. You can achieve detailed impressions and buy them in larger sizes. You might also want to try Speedy-Carve, which, although more expensive, is of better quality.

Speedball’s Printmaster Paper is a sought-after block printing paper among accomplished printers and stampers. It disappeared in the market for some time and was re-introduced due to high demand. Printmaster comes in different sizes: 9″ x 12″, 12″ x 18″, and 18″ x 24″.

Rubber brayers come in handy in rubber stamping, making greeting cards, mounting, photography, printmaking, home decorating, making memory albums, and all sorts of art projects. Speedball rubber brayers are of supreme quality and affordable, too. The hard synthetic rollers rubber brayers are mounted on plastic frames that are easy to handle. They are interchangeable for when you need to apply other techniques, and detachable for easy cleaning.

Speedball Art Products are carried by major hobby and craft stores nationwide. By visiting SpeedballArt.com, you can locate stores nearest you from which you can purchase the supplies you need. Products may be bought directly on the website, where you may enjoy “flipping” through an e-catalogue. You may also look for discounted materials on e-commerce sites like MisterArt.com, Store.Scrapbook.com, and ArtPurveyors.com.

Rubber stamping on fabric is not an entirely new idea but more products such as specialty fabric ink pads and stamps are being introduced, thus, helping stampers develop more techniques and improve the craft even further. One of the best ways to ensure success is of course, by choosing the most suitable stamp fabric. The requirement is actually very basic – most linens, cotton sheets and pillowcases, and even shirts can be imprinted with rubber stamped designs.

Essentially, the best stamp fabric material should be tightly woven and if possible, has no naps. Bleeding is one of the main problems that may occur if the type of fabric you used is not woven tightly enough. Cotton is another top choice. Other fabrics that are suitable for rubber stamping include velvet, velveteen, corduroy, and terry cloth. Before you start stamping, wash and iron the piece of fabric for the fabric ink to stick better.

Fabric stamping is probably the easiest way to accentuate your table napkins, curtains, and even shirts. Painting requires skill and time while printing requires professional work. But with fabric stamping, you can apply the designs as you please with just basic knowledge and some materials, including fabric inks. Stamp fabric inks are easy to find, although it could be said that not all are of the same quality. Choose ones with thicker consistency. You may even have them in different colors. You would also need a heat gun to make the images permanent.

In theory, you can use any rubber stamp to imprint designs on fabric. However, by using regular stamps with fabric ink, which they are not designed for, may damage the stamps. Also, images that are too small and detailed will not look good in fabric stamping. It is best to use large-sized stamps or ones with bold images when you stamp fabric. Hot Potatoes and ZimPrints are top suppliers of rubber stamps specially intended for stamping on fabrics.

Remember to test your stamps on spare fabric before starting on your project. Some practice will prevent you from making costly mistakes. Stamped images on fabrics may be painted over or embossed using embossing powder. Heating the imprints will make them more permanent. It is also recommended that you refrain from washing the piece of fabric for at least two weeks to allow the ink to set.

Fabrics for stamping are readily available in any fabric store near you. Online, Chinese manufacturers offer the cheapest fabrics. You may find many of them found on Amazon.com.

Stamp glue is used for applying glitter and other decorative items on stamped images in scrapbooking and paper crafting. They usually come in pads used the same way as ordinary ink pads are used for stamps. Retailers and wholesalers of scrapbooking supplies online usually have their own respective stamp glue products available. Glue pads are affordable and easy to use. Here are some of the common stamping techniques wherein stamp glue pads come in handy:

Simple images such as flowers and leaves, even lettering, may be stamped in glue and be adorned with glitter in any color or flocking material. All that needs to be done is to press the stamp against the glue pad and make an imprint on the surface of the paper or the card stock. Make sure the entire image was evenly covered with glue. Sprinkle glitter or flocking material while the glue is still wet and shake off any excess. Use a heat gun to let the image dry.

To cover images stamped in glue with chalk or metallic powder, repeat the initial procedure of pressing the stamp against the glue pad and making an imprint on the targeted surface. Use a heat gun over the image until it dries up. Using a cotton ball or a soft brush, rub the chalk or metallic powder onto the glue. You may apply various color combination on the image or text.

You would again need to use the stamp glue pad the same way as the first two techniques. Heat up the image until the glue is tacky and then press the metal leaf onto the ink surface. Lightly rub the metal onto the glue until you have covered the whole impression. Burnish the design to remove excess metal using a stamp scrub pad.

Palette Stamp & Stick Glue, available at CraftWarehouse.com, is a heat activated adhesive solution that comes in clear and black adhesive pads. You may use it to apply glitter, fine pigments, gold leaf, flocking, and chalk powders on stamped images.

Everybody knows who Martha Stewart is. Her crafting supplies line includes the Crafts Glue Pad, available on Scrapbook.com for the discounted price of $5.69. The package comes with a refillable glue pad and a small container of glue.

Also sold on Scrapbook.com, Tsukineko stamp glue pad is designed exclusively for rubber stamper, stencilling, and paper applications. It is great for applying ultra-fine glitter, gold leafing, flocking, and several other stamping techniques. It costs $8.54 on Scrapbook.com.

FranticStamper.com sells glue pads for rubber stamping applications under several brands. Visit the website to view the wide selection available.

One significant factor that determines the overall quality of rubber stamping and scrapbooking in general is the choice of paper you make. Creating clean, precise images goes beyond the quality of the ink and the rubber stamp; paper must also be carefully chosen to ensure quality and long-lasting designs and end products. With the availability of all sorts of paper you can use, how do you choose which ones will work best for your projects?

There are some important things that need to be considered in order to pick the most suitable stamp paper. Among them are the color, weight, and size. Paper and cardstock are now available in a wide spectrum of colors so choosing based on color depends on your taste of the theme of your project. Think about the color of your inks and experiment with stamping on paper of different colors until you get your desired effect.

The weight is an important determinant factor; heavier cardstock make the best choice for rubber stamped greeting cards, for instance. Also, thicker paper makes better material for scrapbooks, especially if you plan to add embellishments. Stamp paper come available in sizes other than the standard 8.5″ x 11″ size. For scrapbooks, you might find that large-size papers can accommodate more photos.

Other aspects you need to look at when shopping for stamp paper include surface finish, absorbency, archival qualities, and whether or not the paper is acid-free. There are hundreds of ways to use rubber stamps and depending on the techniques you plan to apply, you need to choose paper with the most suitable surface finish. For instance, basic stamping techniques may not be suitable for paper with metallic or velvet surfaces.

With regard to absorbency, selecting paper with glossy finishes, for instance, causes ink to dry slower. This could be helpful if you are planning to emboss your stamped images, but if not, settle for quicker absorbing paper. Archival and acid-free properties of paper are main considerations for veteran scrapbook hobbyists. These two characteristics are what makes stamp paper last longer, which is exactly what is needed in making scrapbooks.

Most sellers of rubber stamps and scrapbook supplies offer their own paper products. Some have even introduced background papers that already come with patterns or incorporated with pre-made themes to make work a lot easier for you. AddictedtoRubberStamps.com, Stampin.com, and Scrapbook.com are just a few of the websites you can check out. Local specialty scrapbook stores also make available stamp paper in all colors, sizes, and textures.

Tsukineko is one of the top suppliers of high-quality inks and ink pads in the crafting industry. The company sells more than ten types of different inks for stamping on paper, fabrics, and some other surfaces. Tsukineko inks may be purchased directly from local craft stores and a handful of online retailers. Tsukineko has everything from pigment inks to dye inks to embossing inks in a wide selection of colors and attractive packaging.

Tsukineko currently has nine different lines of pigment inks. The Brilliance line offers fast-drying inks in pearlescent colors. These Tsukineko inks work best on vellum, photo papers, shrink plastic, mica, acetate, and shiny types of paper. The VersaColor Ultimate Pigment Ink line is made of a unique ink recipe and comes available in up to 80 exciting colors. The ink pads may be purchased in stackable containers to minimize clutter or in compact 1″ cube stamp pads.

Encore is Tsukineko’s collection of metallic color stamp pads if you are out to make glittery, eye-catching artworks. There is total of 12 shimmering colors that may also be purchased in two-color pads. The metallic Tsukineko inks are quick drying, which makes them a valuable choice for making scrapbooks and greeting cards. VersaMark is one of Tsukineko’s most versatile pads as these products can be used in a variety of applications such as stamping on glossy paper, brayering, stamping tone on tone images, and even as glue for chalk and pigment powders.

If you are fond of chalk inks, Tsukineko offers the VersaMagic line of perfect chalk pigment inks that dries perfectly on even dark-colored paper. The 41 colors are available in easy-to-store ink pads. For bold or pastel colors, Tsukineko has Splendor and Opalite lines, respectively. Tsukineko’s Emboss inks are available in clear or tinted light-pink colors.

Tsukineko inks also come in dye-based solutions for basic crafting needs. The Kaleidacolor stamp pads are made up of 20 rainbow color combinations in compact palettes. There are a total of 62 refill colors available. Tsukineko also has Memento, fast-drying and fade-resistant dye inks. The same quality may be experienced with Memento Markers and Memento Dew Drops, which come in innovative stand-alone pads in a unique dewdrop shape.

Fabric artists surely know about the Tsukineko All-Purpose Ink, which can be blended and washed. Water-based and non-toxic, the All-Purpose Ink can be applied on fabrics, wood, paper, leather, and even porous surfaces. Available in several colors, these Tsukineko inks may be blended to achieve a watercolor effect or heated to stay permanent on fabric. VersaCraft Inkpads and Markers by Tsukineko are also ideal for use on various surfaces other than paper. VersaCraft is also great for archival scrapbooking projects. Tsukineko inks for crafting also include StazOn, Walnut Ink, and Essential Glue Pad.

Learn more about Tsukineko inks by visiting Tsukineko.com, where a complete catalogue and informative product descriptions are found. You may also gather tips, techniques, and product ideas from the website. Tsukineko products are sold by online sellers such as Overstock.com, Amazon.com, FranticStamper.com, Ericas.com, SewThankful.com, and many others. At Amazon, a 12-color set of Tsukineko All-Purpose Ink costs retails for around $53 or less.

Passionate stampers who like collecting several stamp designs benefit the most from buying unmounted stamps. Usually, they have a have some sets of wood or acrylic-mounted and mounting supplies along with their collection of unmounted stamps. Buying stamps unmounted is practical in terms of cost and storage. If each stamp is mounted, it would take too much space. Stamps without mounts also cost less that mounted ones.

Manufacturers are aware of this trend and have made available sets of unmounted stamps sold in individual sheets. Shipping is also relatively less costly because stamps without mounts are lighter. Some unmounted designs, especially larger ones, can be bought individually. These stamps can usually be used with almost any kind of mount to be attached using materials such as magnets or static cling foam. The use of acrylic blocks as mounts is the latest trend in rubber stamping. They go together with clear stamps, allowing for greater precision when stamping and re-stamping over the same image. You may even set stamps next to each other to achieve a certain effect. Standard rubber stamps can also be mounted on acrylic blocks. The stamp designs need to be closely trimmed around the edges and then placed on static cling foam to be mounted on acrylic blocks.

When buying unmounted stamps, you must ensure that you are getting products of the best quality. As has been mentioned, it is best if the stamp is closely trimmed around the design. With acrylic stamps, do not settle for cheap products and those sold in bulk for big discounts unless the manufacturer or seller is a reputable one. Acrylic stamps of poor quality tear up more easily and attract dirt. Good quality acrylic stamps can be used repeatedly for a long period of time.

Your choice for what type of unmounted stamps to purchase would also depend on the kinds of projects you mostly work on. Different kinds of stamps work best on various mediums. For instance, acrylic stamps are ideal for scrapbooking because it takes meticulous work to create designs for individual pages. Rubber stamps yield the best effects on fabric, greeting cards, gift boxes, and patterned paper because they produce crisp impressions.

Unmounted stamps can be found almost wherever rubber stamps are sold. Stampin.com sells all of their mounted designs unmounted and uncut. You would need to buy mounting supplies separately and request for your own wood blocks to be cut. BlockheadStamps.com features a large collection of unmounted rubber stamps and other stamping supplies. You may also look at unmounted stamps sold at AddictedtoRubberStamps.com.

Rubber stamps today are sold mounted or unmounted. If mounted, they are either mounted on wood or acrylic blocks. Wood stamps are the more traditional form of rubber stamps. Although it can be said that acrylic-mounted rubber stamps have grown more popular for several reasons, manufacturers still continue to produce wood-mounted stamps simply because there is nothing like them. Environment-friendly suppliers prefer to create wood stamps partly because wood is a renewable resource, and is thus, more eco-friendly.

Some brands only use the finest wood for mounting the stamps, assuring that the stamps will last for a long time. Acrylic mounts are more lightweight and easier to store; they may also offer better precision when stamping. But wood-mounted stamps still make a practical choice for anyone’s basic stamping needs. Wood stamps are easy to use and apply if you are stamping using only one ink color at a time or do not need to be too precise.

Wood stamps may have one advantage over acrylic mounts though. Some would claim that these traditional rubber stamps bring the crispiest and most detailed imprints as compared to unmounted clear acrylic stamps, which may result in smudged impressions. Clear acrylic, they argue, does not possess the same soaking ability of rubber stamps. But the choice always lies on the user and there would be projects when wood stamps would seem like the best tool and there would be others when other available options would be more practical.

Wood-mounted stamps have been around for a long time, perhaps ever since the stamping technique was invented, and it is not likely that they will fade in the background very soon. Wood stamps remain valuable, if elevated slightly to collectibles or novelty items. Rubber stamp makers continue to expand their rubber stamp designs on wood mounts.

You may browse through catalogues of online stores that specialize in stamping supplies such as AddictedtoRubberStamps.com, Stampin.com, and RubberStampingFun.com. The mentioned stores each feature their own line of wood-mounted rubber stamps and even have mounting supplies available for sale. There are plenty of other specialty stores with a broad range of traditional wood-mounted stamp designs for everyday use or to fit any occasion.

Paper crafting is a refreshing and rewarding hobby. By using your imagination and basic art and craft supplies, there are a lot of things you can create – for your loved ones and for your own enjoyment. It used to be that scrapbooking is made from “scraps” and was a way to recycle unused paper and other items found in the household. This may still be applicable today but the growing number of manufacturers and artists dedicated to making and designing art and craft supplies has made scrapbooking a thriving commercial endeavor as well.

Practically anyone can create handmade greeting cards and scrapbooks today, thanks to easily accessible crafting products. Rubber stamping practically goes hand in hand with paper crafts today because it is a simple technique that offers several possibilities. If you are just got interested in scrapbooking or stamping, all you need to do is drop by local stores or browse online catalogues by online sellers and retailers. Just to give you an idea of basic supplies:

Stamp Paper

Paper used for stamped scrapbooks or greeting cards is usually heavier than ordinary paper. Mostly you would need a smooth surface that is absorbent to avoid messing up inks from your rubber stamps. Art and craft supplies store offer paper in a myriad of colors and sizes. Scrapbooks require larger and heavier paper while cardstock is most preferable for cards.

Wood Stamps

Wood stamps are readily available anywhere rubber stamps are sold. Unmounted stamps are prolific nowadays because they are cheaper, lighter, and take up less space but wood-mounted stamps continue to draw great interest among beginner and new stampers alike. Rubber stamps mounted on wood produce imprints of great quality. They should be used with the proper type of ink pads.

Copic Markers

Copic markers are definite must-haves for artists and crafting enthusiasts. These markers are functional, reliable, and versatile – that they are the markers of choice for artists, designers, and professionals around the world. Copic markers, made in Japan, are sold in over 330 colors. They are fast-drying, refillable, double-capped, and durable. Amazon.com and eBay.com are the best places to find cheap Copic markers.

Fiskars Scissors

If there is one brand of scissors that artists and homemakers trust, it is definitely Fiskars. Fiskars scissors may be straight-edged or decorative. They are sold in sets with each set composed of edging scissors that can create various patterns. If you are serious about crafting, you owe it to yourself to get yourself a pair, or more than one pair, or Fiskars.

For your crafting needs, there are several websites like Scrapbook.com, AddictedtoRubberStamps.com, Scrapbooking-Warehouse.com, and MemoryLaneStore.net that sell art and craft supplies that you need for your projects. Amazon.com is also a good place to hunt for the best bargains.