New to stamping? Or want to improve your stamping? Read on for my top seven stamping tips and tricks!

Priming solid stamps

Ever ink up a brand new solid stamp and get a streaky-looking image when you stamp it? Just gently rub a plain clean eraser over the surface of the stamp. Clean any bits of eraser left behind with a baby wipe (I like the Kirkland brand at Costco because they don’t leave lint behind). Then ink and stamp. It’s amazing what a little priming can do to create a clean stamped impression.

No More Halos

Haloing is when a stamped image has lines of ink outside of the actual inked impression. To avoid halos, ink your stamp and gently press straight down on your paper

Too Much of a Good Thing

The foam ink pads can sometimes be so juicy that you get too much ink on a stamp. So tap, tap, tap instead of squish, squish, squish when you ink up your stamp. Also, look at the inked stamp before you stamp with it. If you can see the raised edges of the design with ink on the top of the ridges rather than pooled ink in the valleys, you’re good to go.

Stamp Platform

If you are using layered or two-step stamps, or have hand or wrist weakness or pain, the Stamparatus (146276) is a must-have instead of a nice-to-have. To use the Stamparatus, simply place your cardstock on one side of the tool and secure it with the included magnets. Place your stamp on top of the cardstock image side down, positioning it wherever you want the image to be. Once you are happy with your stamp positioning, gently close the lid, then open it again. The stamp will cling to the lid in perfect position! Ink the stamp surface, close the lid and your image will be stamped on to the cardstock. And if any of the ink didn’t transfer perfectly, just ink and close the lid again.

For two-step stamping, stamp the first layer with the Stamparatus. Keep the cardstock where it is, then remove the stamp. Place the second layer of the design on top of the stamped image and close the lid. Ink the stamp, then close the lid. Repeat for all stamp layers.

Get More out of Sentiment Stamps

Create different messages from your sentiment stamps by masking off portions to say something different! Use washi tape, clear tape, or any other low tack tape such as painter’s tape to cover up any of the words you don’t want. Ink your stamp, remove the tape, and stamp. Now you’re saying exactly what you want.

Easy Masking for Dimension

Create dimension by using the masking technique. Masking makes an image look as though it’s in front of, or behind, another image.

Begin by stamping the image on scrap paper. This is the mask, so don’t worry about stamping a prefect image. Sometimes I stamp onto a Post-It note so that the sticky border on the back is perfectly placed on the other side. Cut out the image

Now stamp the same image on to your cardstock. Place the mask over the stamped image. Stamp another image next to the first, with the edge of the stamp overlapping the sticky note mask. Remove the mask and you’ll see one image behind the other!

A Clean Stamp is a Happy Stamp

While stained stamps are well-loved, a dirty stamp will not make clear impressions. A quick swipe across the Simply Shammy (147042) as you go will make clean up a breeze. Then a deep clean every so often with the Stampin’ Mist (102394) and Stampin’ Scrub (126200) will keep your stamps in top shape.

I hope these seven top stamping tips and tricks will help you in your creating with stamps! Which ones will you try out next time you have your stamps out?