Clear stamps

You will need a clear acrylic block to mount your clear stamps onto.

1. Peel, or gently roll your stamp off of the protective plastic it is on

2. Place the smooth side of the stamp onto the block; you should have the rough image side facing up.

**If it doesn't seem sticky, just clean it with plain soap and water or stamp cleaner. Make sure you dry with a lint free towel. It is like a vinyl cling on the back side, so if it gets dirty, or has lint on it ...it might not cling to your block****

3. Some clear stamps require you to season them. You will know if they need seasoning if your ink beads up like water drops on your stamp.

**To season rub a white eraser across the image or some prefer light grit sandpaper across the top. Whatever you do ...do it gently!!**

**Technique Tuesday Stamps DO NOT requires seasoning**

4. You can use ANY ink or paint with your clear stamps. Some inks will stain your stamps and that is totally OK. It will not harm your stamps at all.

5. Lay your block down with your image facing up and ink your stamp by pressing your ink pad onto your stamp. If your do the opposite by pressing your stamp into your ink pad you may press too hard and get too much ink. By doing it ink onto stamp you have more control.

6. Ready to stamp. If this is your first time stamp onto a scratch piece of paper first so you get used to how your image transfers. I like to stand up over top of my project, so I have even pressure and I can see exactly what I am doing.

** Some recommend using a piece of foam under your project so that your image gives a deeper impression. My personal preference is a hard surface, so you try and see what you prefer**

7. Press down with even pressure. Straight down and straight up. Try not to rock or roll your stamp, you could get smears or smudges. And don't worry if there is a part left too light or uneven that is why the stamps are clear, so you can re-ink, and re-stamp over your image.

8. To clean your stamps you can use a spray cleaner and a scrub pad…the way this works is you spray one side of the pad with your stamp cleaner, then with your stamp still adhered to your block rub across the cleaner until your stamp is clean (remember some staining will happen) Then dry your stamp on the other side of the scrubber.

You can also use plain soap and water, just be sure to dry your stamp with a lint free towel.

And alcohol free baby wipes can also work. Just be sure they do not leave lint on your stamps.

You can also just stamp off the ink...stamp over and over on a scratch piece of paper until you no longer see ink coming off.

Now you are a stamper!!!

Some of my favorites…

Technique Tuesday Stamps- quality clear stamps, very sharp images, never have to season, great variety offered.

Tsukineko Inks- Versa Magic is a chalk like ink that dries very quickly and is so soft and beautiful. Also love their brilliance pads, they have a shimmer to them.

World Win Cardstock- has a bit of a smoother texture to the cardstock, great for getting a clear image

I hope this is helpful, and gives you the confidence to getting started.

Happy Stamping!!!