Aug 06 2008
Tool Time - Red Rubber Stamp Sheets
Today’s post will help take some of the mystery out of buying Deeply etch red rubber stamps, such as this sheet from Innovative Stamp Creations “Friendship”.
When you get your stamp sheet it will look like the picture above. I cut mine out and cut them very closely to the design.
After they are all cut out I paint Aleene’s Tack it over and over on the back sides of the stamps and let dry for about an hour. It doesn’t take much of this glue. The glue goes on white in color but dries clear and is tacky to touch and stays that way. The tackiness lets you stick the stamp to your acrylic block over and over.
Next, I stick the stamps to a clear transparency sheet.
I put the transparency sheet with the stamps on it and the index sheet that came with the stamps in a large plastic store bag. I write the name on the top of the bag with a
Sharpie Marker.
Note: A copy of the index sheet also goes in my stamp binder for easy viewing and selection.
The Baggie then gets stored away standing up right in a box, sorted by manufacturer. It is very easy to look through them to find what I need. They also take very little room to store, love it!
I found that no foam pad is necessary with these good quality, deeply etched red rubber stamps to get a good stamped image.
Here is the link to Innovative Stamp Creations store: http://www.innovativestampcreations.com/ischomepage.html
There are definitely a million ways to store stamps out there. I just wanted to share my storage and prep solution with you. Hope this took a little of the mystery out of buying red rubber stamp sheets.
May your day be filled with good impressions!
Until my next post. . . . . . . .
Hugs,
Michelle
Thanks so much for sharing this Michelle! I’ve avoided this type of stamp because honestly, I didn’t know what to do with them! Now, (thanks a bunch), there is a whole other world of stamps I can invest in!!! Always LOVE your works of art and now, your helpful hints!! Keep up the good work!!
Thanks Michelle - I’ve been trying to find information on how to mount these stamps using acrylic blocks. Mystery solved!
Very kool! Thanks for sharing this tip. I have always wondered about Aleene’s Tack it Over and Over. I was buying Ez mount. It is far more cost effective to buy Aleene’s. I also like the way you store your stamps. I have mine in binders, and I find them a bit bulky. I think I will give your system a try. ~Debie
Perfect…thank you for sharing. I didn’t know what to put on the back of the stamps to make them stick.
That’s what I do with my unmounted stamps too. The only difference is I bought this product that is called Cling Vinyl. It comes on 9×12 sheets and I cut it to 8 1/2 x 11. It has a stiff paper backing and I leave everything in place. I attach the stamp with the tacky glue to the cling vinyl then put the whole thing into a sheet protector. For some stamps that aren’t deeply etched it helps to have a stamping pad to take the place of the foam. I haven’t needed it with any of my deeply etched ones though.
Very smart! And I’m sure a bit more economical than buying EZFoam for everything! Thanks for your insight :o)
This is wonderful. Now I know what to do. In the past, I used a piece of industrial strength double stick tape and stuck it to a block of wood my DH made for me. I like your idea better.
Hi, thanks so much for info. Quick question: I was thinking of using this method for some unmounted stamps I want to buy (darn cute Pink Cat Studio!) Does the tack-it over & over leave any residue on the acrylic block?
Thanks again & have a great day
Heather B.
Heather asked “Does the tack-it over & over leave any residue on the acrylic block?”
Heather, it doesn’t leave any residue at all.
Very helpful. Thank you!
Thanks for sharing the tip about using Alene’s Tack it over and over. I buy bare rubber stamps but usually mount them on cling mount. Either that or See Dee’s but that stuff is so hard to peel off from the protective sheets it comes in! I already have some of the Alene’s adhesive…bought it for something ages ago…now I can bring it to the stamping room, too!!
I never heard of Alene’s Tack it…Uh ohhhh I guess I gotta go shopping. Not only for that, but for unmounted stamps!!! My sis just gave me a 3″ binder, I could put the transparency and index sheet in a sheet protector and then put it in the binder. I have mostly wood mounted stamps, but I may have to convert!
Michelle…thanks for all the info…God Bless
Okay, I nominate you for teacher of the year! Your tutorials are always so clear! This one is terrific. Not only did you talk about the product, you showed us what it looks like.
Of course I will be using your storage system. It’s so practical. I was almost there. I have mine in baggies, but I had them flat as I was not sure if they would bend sitting upright. If you charge big bucks and put colorful lables with that you’ll make a fortune. Ha Ha!
I do the same thing w/ mine only use Wacky Tac. Don’t you just love the quality of the ISC rubber?
Shelly asked “Don’t you just love the quality of the ISC rubber?”
Shelly, I agree, the quality of their stamps is out of this world.
I do the same thing with mine and also have done my WHEELS!!!
I found a glass store (the kind that does window screens) that cut some plexiglass for me so now I have custom made blocks for my regular & jumbo wheels!
Michelle do you know if this works on clear stamps as well?
Lisa asked “do you know if this works on clear stamps as well?”
Lisa, clear stamps stick to the block without anything on them. So it is not necessary.
Michelle,
Thanks for sharing! I’m going to the store to get some of this glue today! Love your blog.
Ah hah! You’ve solved the mystery of how to use/ store unmounted rubber stamps! Thank you so much
You just saved me tons of frustration without having to cut out the stamp and the foam. Thanks!!!
I have been buying and using EZMount on this type of rubber stamp. Once I use up my supply (1 sheet left) it’s going to be Aileens Tack it Over and Over. Hopefully, I can find it in the Toronto, Ont. area. I have almost no storage room left and so far my rubber stamps that I have cut out and my acrylic stamps are lying flat in a drawer. Not great for finding or viewing. Once opened and used, I try to squeeze them back into the original packaging, (using the plastic sheet for the acrylics) but for the stamps I use more often, the original packages are almost ready for the trash bin. I really like your idea of using the transparency, making an index sheet and then putting it all in a baggie. This weekend’s project is organize my cut rubber and acrylic stamps and get them out of the drawer. Great information as always.
Your suggestion about using the Aleene’s Tack It Over and Over is great. The only concern I have is about storing the rubber on transparency sheets. Most transparency sheets are acetate, aren’t they? I read somewhere that rubber deteriorates on acetate. Have you heard this? What has been your experience? - obviously, you have been using this storage technique for awhile. Please let me know what you think. Thanks, Marilyn.
Hi Michelle. I just love the ISC stamps that you had us use in your workshop. I just bought a new sheet of them - I am hooked!
I’ve recently tried using the Tack it Over and have found it to be just fine. I usually use the EZmount but it does get expensive. When I am finished with my EZmount, I won’t be buying any more of it. Adding the EZmount does take up extra room in the binders. I never thought of using the plastic sleeves. That sure would prevent misplacing some of the smaller stamps that seem to slip off the board. Thanks for the tips. I appreciate it.
Marilyn asked “Most transparency sheets are acetate, aren’t they? I read somewhere that rubber deteriorates on acetate. Have you heard this? What has been your experience?”
Marilyn, I just started storing mine this way about 1 year ago. I’ve not seen any ill effects yet. I do notice when I buy clear stamps they come attached to a clear sheet. It’s something to think about. Thanks for your questions.
Hey! Thanks so much for thinking of doing this tutorial. I won a sheet of this type of stamp in a contest and had absolutely no idea what to do with them!
I have recently started organizing all my stamps, since I have so many now (who hasn’t heard that line before!) I forget sometimes what I have. So I bought a binder, gave each stamp set a number and stamped a sample of each stamp on a sheet with the same number. It took a lot of time, but I just love it! I also bought page protectors that have zipper closures at the top for all my gel sets and have done the same thing with them.
Now I can start a brand new section for all the red stamp sheets I am going to buy!!!
Thanks for sharing this with us. I am new to stamping and always wondered how people would use these pages of rubber stamps..Now I see the technique you use to cut them apart and mount them on the paper for storage for future use on your acrylic block.. thnx alot
WOW this is just stunning!!! You make it look so easy. Looks like the party was a blast.
Just bought some stamps from ISC, thanks to you & your tutorials…LOL. Upon receiving them & seeing the quality, I instantly realized they don’t need to be mounted on foam. But, my question to you is about the Alene’s Tack It Over. I recently started going with unmounted stamps & I had ordered some foam cling sheets but hadn’t received it yet and being the impatient person I am when it comes to waiting to get new stamp stuff, I decided to try the Tack It. I had read about it on SCS. I prepared the stamps just like you descibed above, letting them dry more than an hour. But, when I went to use them, I stuck them on an acrylic block, I stamped & when I took the stamp off the block, all the Tack It stayed on the acrylic block. What a mess that was getting it off the block. I haven’t tried it again, but now, that seems like the ideal way to deal with these stamps from ISC. Do you have any suggestions as to what I might have done wrong? The stamps I tried it on weren’t from ISC, they were from Stampin Up.
Thanks, Lisa J