Using Rubber Stampede Or Magenta? Regardless, Here's Ways to Store All Your Rubber Stamping Supplies

All you need to make your own personalized greeting card or scrapbook page is a rubber stamp and a few rubber stamping supplies. Sure you can personalize with your computer but is that really personal? Not for me. I love to make everything hand-made. It is the personal touch that I really like.

Some basic rubber stamping supplies that you will need are of course a rubber stamp, ink pad and some paper. But with all the really cool rubber stamping supplies on the market today, who can just use those three things? Not me.

Your possibilities are endless when it comes to rubber stamping supplies. They can be anything from an embellishment that you add to your card or scrapbook page, to the place where your embellishments are stored and organized. I keep all of my rubber stamping supplies in labeled containers. Since I am not that good in remembering which manufacturer of stamps make my favorite stamps like the Magenta stamp, rubber stampede, Hero Arts, Outline rubber stamp, stampendous and the list can go on an on, (because they are all my favorites), I organize them by theme or by holiday.

When I just listed some of the stamp manufacturers, I just remembered that I bought the cutest self cling Magenta stamp of two cats when I was at the stamp convention. It reminded me of my two cats when they sit in our window looking like book ends. Another Magenta stamp that I have is a wood block stamp with the image of a kitten in a field of flowers. Wow, I almost forgot about that stamp. I want to make some note cards with that one.

Besides a Magenta stamp, Magenta also makes really cute Metallic, self adhesive embellishments that are really great for scrapbook pages, cards and even picture frames. My favorite is a package that they have with four of my favorite words. Create, Imagine, Believe and Dream. I also have a really good video from Magenta "The Art of Stamping Magenta Style" that shows you how to use your Magenta stamp to its fullest.

Another great summer time stamp is from rubber stampede. It is a fun border stamp of cocktails. You can use this stamp for a border or you can make an invitation for a cocktail party. rubber stampede has fun stamps. I also was on a "kick" of all oriental themed stamps, and rubber stampede really had some great looking stamps that I used a lot. I can go on and on about how great Magenta and rubber stampede stamps are and for that matter each manufacturer of rubber stamps. Maybe I will one day but not today.

I also keep some of my rubber stamping supplies in a spice rack. That's right a spice rack, I think of it as spicing up my crafts. This is a great place for brads, eyelets, buttons, rhinestones and anything else that will fit in these small jars.

Rubber stamping suppliescan also be housed in recycled containers. Since I use a lot of embossing powder one great container that I use is a plastic grated cheese container. It has the holes on one side to shake out slowly and the other side is one big opening that I use to put back the un-used powder back into the container with my funnel dish.

If you have some decorative metal tins, that is also a great place for rubber stamping supplies. I have this really cure tin that stores my mini spot ink pads.

I remember shopping in a kitchen gadget store. They had silver tins for recipes and I guess cooking supplies. Well of course I bought them and now they are the new home for all of my brads that I have accumulated over the years along with some of metal picture corners that I have from Making Memories to pewter charms and Metallic embellishments from Magenta.

Another great place to store your rubber stamping supplies is photo boxes. They are inexpensive and a great size to hold small paper packs, envelopes, packages of dimensional adhesives and even for cards that you have made for safe keeping.

For some of those big bulky foam stamps that you might have, a great place to store those and other odd shaped rubber stamping supplies are in a plastic clear shoe box.

The most important thing that I can say is LABEL all your rubber stamping supplies. There is nothing worse than being in the middle of a project and wanting something to add to your piece of art and not knowing where to find it.

How to Achieve Full Color Rubber Stamping Designs

rubber stamping is a hobby that allows you to become an artist, even if you never considered yourself one before. With the huge variety of decorative rubber stamps and clear acrylic art stamps that are available, you can always find designs that will suit your project and personality. rubber stamping on scrapbook pages and card making crafts can help you take the tension out of your day and unwind. But, what if you want more than a stamped outline? What if you truly want your stamping images to be in full color? Today you will learn how to achieve different styles of full color stamped designs.

Adding color, whether vibrant or subtle, can draw the eye where you want it in seconds. coloring the details on the rubber stamp itself is one of the first steps you will take to achieving a full color image in your hobby stamping projects. Try any of the following techniques to add color to your creative ideas.

STAMPING AN IMAGE IN COLOR

1. Use a multi color ink pad. Often you will find these available in colored stripes ranging from a rainbow of different colors to complementary colors in different shades. You may even find pie shaped multicolor ink pads that will give you even more colors in your stamping art. Regardless of the ink pad, number of colors, or shape, you will end up with a multicolored stamped image that will add great interest and appeal to your scrapbooks and card making crafts. This can add particular interest to solid images that do not need colored in. Clear rubber stamps are ideal for this technique as you can see how well the ink covers the design as well as the blend color you will end up with before you even stamp the image.

2. Another way you can add color before you stamp, is to use water based colored markers. You can do this easily by simply coloring the stamp details in your choice of color. Depending on the size of the image you are stamping, you may choose to stamp between colors. Clean the stamp and then stamp the next color separately so that the ink doesn't dry on the stamp before you get it on paper. This is very easy to do with your clear rubber stamps as you can see where to place the stamp keeping your images precisely lined up. If you find the ink dries too much before you are done coloring the stamp, simply give it a gently huff - the kind that will fog up your glasses - before you stamp.

3. The third way to add color to a stamped image is simply to choose a color of ink other than black or brown. Then you can ink the entire image and stamp it on your paper craft ideas. With that done, you are ready to begin filling in the spaces with fun coloring techniques.

Once you have finished stamping your image with the technique of your choice, you may choose to add resplendant color or you may wish to use it as it is. If you choose to add more color, keep reading for more great ideas.

COLORING IN STAMPED IMAGES

1. You may use chalks or pastels to color in an image. Chalks are available in a wide range of colors and shades. They are ideal for adding delicate color to rubber stamping projects. You can apply chalks with a stiff paint brush, Q-tip, eye make up applicator, or simply use them like a crayon and then brushed away the excess powder. The best idea is to experiment with the different application tools to find your preference. You may find that one brand of pastels is harder than others. The softer they are the easier you will find it is to use a brush to apply color to your stamping crafts.

2. Coloring with pencil crayons can give bold vivid color to your rubber stamping crafts or subtle pastel shades on your card making or scrapbooking ideas. Choose good quality crayons and colors that suit your craft. With colored pencils your can simply add shadow, fine detail or a background aura. The trick to coloring rubber stamped images with pencil crayons is the amount of pressure you put on the crayon as you color. Always color in the same direction. For pastel shades or to blend colors together apply only light pressure. Likewise, for vibrant color, you should press harder as you color. Smooth papers will color differently than textured paper. Experiment with this technique if you are unsure of the effect you will achieve.

3. Stamping additional color is a fun option. Many rubber stamp sets offer a solid background stamp which, you can ink then stamp to fill in objects such as flowers or leaves. Watch for these types of rubber stamps as you create your stamping ideas. They are fun to use and work with. When using these shadow stamps, be sure you choose a color lighter than the outline color so that your details still show up after you stamp the solid image.

4. Add vibrant color with the use of markers. You can use water base colored markers to easily color in details on your rubber stamped designs. Try to use this technique on smaller areas as the ink sometimes leaves overlap lines from coloring over dry ink.

5. Pigment inks are a quick and easy way for you to add color to your rubber stamped images. You can always be sure that the colors you use will match all your stamped elements with this technique. Ink can be applied a couple of ways. Trial and error will help you choose your favorite method. Ink a make-up applicator, and then mist it lightly with water and color in as if you were using a paint brush. You may also use the corner of a make up sponge dabbed in the ink, and color in the rubber stamped image using it dry or moist for different results.

Now you can fully enjoy full color rubber stamped designs. Use them on your hobby scrapbook art and card making crafts as you relax and unwind after a long day. By exploring the world of color in your rubber stamping hobby, you will more fully realize your creative potential as you design beautiful works of art.

How to Make Rubber Stamps: Comparing Methods of Manufacture

Vulcanized Rubber Stamps

The traditional red rubber stamp that everybody is familiar with will have been manufactured in a vulcanizing press. The first rubber stamp vulcanizing press was patented in 1890 by Charles Schultze in New Orleans USA. Vulcanizing is today one of the most cost effective methods of making rubber stamps for mass produced stamps. Each batch of stamps is produced using a mould. This method of manufacture is more suited to stamp making where the same moulds are used over and over again. Making custom made stamps with a vulcanizing press requiring 'once only' moulds will drive the cost of manufacture up significantly.

Making the mould - before a mould can be made you must have a master plate manufactured from metal or polymer, the master plate has the necessary relief (the artwork is raised) to make an impression in the mould. Having a master plate made each time a mould is required is what drives up the cost of manufacture for vulcanized stamps. Pressing the master plate into a Matrix board creates the mould that will accept the rubber. Heat and pressure is applied to the master plate and matrix board inside a Vulcanizing press. The Matrix follows the shape of the relief provided by the master plate, this then hardens on cooling.

Making Rubber Stamps - Creating stamps is a simple process once the mould is made. Raw rubber stamp gum is placed on top of the mould and then placed inside the stamp press. Hydraulic pressure is placed upon the rubber and the mould from within the stamp press causing the rubber to melt into the areas of the mould that contain the images and text, curing and hardening takes about 10 minutes. Once cured the sheet of rubber is pulled away from the mould and cut up into individual stamps to be affixed to mounts.

Cost of a vulcanizing system is approximately $12,000 AUD

Advantages - Low cost of production for mass produced stamps, good ink transfer.

Disadvantages - Cost of producing master plates and moulds for custom made stamps.

Laser Engraved Rubber Stamps

The traditional raw rubber used for vulcanizing stamp dies is quite unacceptable for the production of laser stamp dies, the laser process requires a very even thickness and blemish free surface to produce an acceptable printed image from a stamp die. The rubber must also be subjected to a specific curing process before it can be exposed to the elevated temperature of a laser beam.

The depth of the engraving is determined by the laser speed, its wattage and the density of the rubber. For example, a 50 or 100W engraver will engrave the rubber deeper and faster than a 25W machine, which may require a second pass to achieve a similar result. Usually supplied in an A4 size sheet form, a good quality laser rubber is required for engraving stamp dies and must also have suitable compression strength and ink transfer properties.

To assist the engraving process, it is necessary to remove the excess dust which is constantly created by the laser cutting action with an efficient exhaust filtration system. As very few, if any, CO2 laser engraving machines were initially purpose built for engraving and cutting rubber, installing and maintaining an effective dust extraction system pays long term dividends. Mirrors, lenses and any exposed bearing surfaces should be cleaned thoroughly as part of a regular maintenance program. Any neglect in this area will be detrimental to overall trouble free laser operation, as the build up of dust and residue will affect running efficiency and the quality of the finished stamp die. Lasers are controlled directly from a computer, the software drivers supplied with lasers work with many graphic programs such as CorelDraw.

Approximate cost of a 25 watt Laser suitable for stamp making is $40,000

Advantages - Production is computer controlled, custom made stamps can be made easily

Disadvantages - High capital investment, maintenance costs and running will be much higher than vulcanizing or polymer methods of manufacture.

Liquid Polymer Rubber Stamps

Converting rubber stamp polymer from a liquid into a solid to make stamps is quite fascinating. Polymer stamps are manufactured between two sheets of glass using precision controlled UV light which passes through a negative containing the stamp artwork solidifying the polymer. Negative production has been simplified with the introduction of water based negative technology, photographic chemicals for producing negatives are now a thing of the past.

The first step in making polymer rubber stamps is to print your images, clipart or text onto Vellum, an almost transparent paper like film.
To produce quality stamp artwork you must use a laser printer, inks from bubble jet printers are translucent allowing UV light to pass where it should not. Water based negatives are easily washed out after being exposed for a few minutes in a UV exposure stamp machine.

Polymer contained in a sachet is now replacing the older cumbersome method of using foam tape to create a dam and pouring of rubber stamp polymers, the sachets have also addressed the age old problem of removing air bubbles from the poured polymer.

The negative of your artwork and polymer sachet is sandwiched between two sheets of glass spaced 2-3mm apart which is then exposed in the machine for a few minutes. Once you have completed the exposure it is a simple process of cutting open the sachet and washing away the excess unexposed polymer before returning the stamp die back to the machine for a 10 minute curing. Once the stamps are cured they can be cut up individually. Polymer sachets are available in a range of sizes up to A4 size.

Processing time is about 30 minutes for a batch of polymer stamps.

Cost of polymer stamp making machines range from $3,500 AUD for an Australian made unit designed specifically for stamp making up to high end imported units with computer controlled washout for $15,000 AUD.

Advantages - Lower capital investment, polymers make almost clear stamps making them ideal for scrapbooking and card making. Stamp relief can be easily controlled during exposure.

Disadvantages - Early polymers did not accept inks as well as polymers available today, this along with being new technology caused initial resistance to polymer stamps.

Summary

Most large stamp manufactures have a mix of the above equipment. The unmounted rubber stamp dies produced with any of these manufacturing methods can be cut up and affixed to simple hand stamps, dater stamps or self inking stamps. Craft stamps are usually affixed to wooden blocks or in the case of polymer stamps affixed to clear acrylic blocks with adhesives or InstaGrip mounting mat. Various manufactures produces stamp mounts. Astron Industries in Australia manufacturer the clear hand stamp 'Vuestamp' and also distribute the Ideal range of self inking mounts. Other brands of self inking mounts are Trodat, Colop and Shiny.

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