How to cut EZ Mount backed stamps

Nervous about cutting out your stamps? Here's a great video I just found...

EZMount How To Video

Just found this video which demonstrates how to use EZMount cling cushion to mount stamps. Some helpful tips. Feel free to drop me a note if you find other instructions and demos you think should be shared.

Making Velvet Balsam Pine Sachets - Tutorial on Instructables

Update: This is our second Instructable posted, and our second Instructable featured.

I've been meaning to put a sachet tutorial up for a while: here we go:

Embossed Velvet Balsam Pine Sachets - More cool how to projects

These are the steps I follow when I make my own sachets.

I finally photographed and typed out the steps for a magazine article deadline, which was then pushed back, so I decided to just post this up on Instructables and figure out another project for the magazine when the new deadline comes around.

I also put together pictures and steps for an embossed throw pillow cover. May put that up soon as well...

Cheers!

Embossing Velvet: Video Instructions

I just found this instructional video for embossing velvet. Seeing things visually can make step-by-step instructions easier to follow, so take a look.

Here are a few notes I have on the video:

1. The velvet is heavily saturated in this video. I think this amount can be fine if you are using lighter-weight velvets or velvets that already have a "crinkled" look, as the velvet used in the video does. If you are using a heavier velvet, however, this amount of water can cause shiny spots, as well as make the resulting images less crisp. Also, the more saturated the fabric, the longer you need to hold the iron to the velvet in order for it to dry - if you plan on using a stamp to make a number of impressions, there is a greater chance that you will heat any mounting adhesives, which can cause the stamp and/or mounting cushion to slip. I recommend using as little water as is necessary to cover the stamp, just to be safe.
2. Again, I try to err on the "safe side" - I wouldn't emboss velvet (especially expensive velvet) with an iron surface with this many large steam holes. It makes it harder to control image quality.
3. While you do want to minimize chances that the velvet could move relative to the stamp, if you have a smooth iron surface that can glide across the fabric you should be able move the iron a bit horizontally. If you are unsure, do err on the conservative side and lift the iron up each time you want to shift its placement.

I know - the video makes it seem so much quicker and easier than all that! Take my slant with a grain of salt. I approach velvet embossing as a business crafter, producing large numbers of items using different types of velvets, stamps, irons, water spritzers, etc.. I have tried to hone things so that I can get the most uniform and predictable results as possible, time and time again. In typing out instructions to pass on to others, I want to convey all the issues I've come across so that others who may do large amounts of embossing can find as much relevant information as possible. If you are simply looking for a fun afternoon project, you may decide to be a little more loose with the details. (But please, still do take a look at the safety precautions I give about some types of velvet content.)

Click here for the written instructions up on our site.

Cheers!

Mounting Stamps

I have this info up on my site, but thought I would post it here as well...

Note: Many stampers who mount their own stamps recommend using Kai scissors to cut the rubber and cushion. Click here to reach the Kai scissors website. (We will also be carrying Kai scissors soon - just need to try out a couple of types before we make our selections.) You can also often find Kai scissors available on EBay.

Why buy unmounted stamps?
When you purchase uncut/unmounted rubber stamp sheets, you can cut and mount as you please, and pay much less per image than you would for pre-mounted stamps.

Why do you sell unmounted stamps?
Time and costs. As artists, we want to focus our time and energy on designing rubber stamp images. Offering large quantities of trimmed and mounted stamps would require the purchase of a scroll saw... and then the using of the scroll saw. Having a mounting block for every single stamp image also represents a larger investment for inventory, higher shipping costs for materials, and the need for much more storage space.

One of the companies that presses stamp sheets for us offers cling mounting and trimming services. That is how we are able to offer some of our stamps as cling mounted sets. We also carry a small stock of cling mounting cushion and acrylic mounting blocks for those customers who will be mounting their own stamps.

What are the options for mounting stamps?
There are a number of options...

Mounting to Wooden Blocks: Traditionally, stamps have been "permanently" mounted to maple wood block mounts using double-sided adhesive foam cushion between the back of the stamp rubber and the surface of the block. The blocks are often "indexed" (a full-size image of the stamp design is stamped, printed or applied with a sticker onto the top side of the maple block), so that when the stamp is being used the crafter can have an idea of where the stamped image will be placed. You can purchase wood blocks and standard adhesive mounting cushion through a number of online sources, as well as find how-to's. We do not carry supplies for mounting stamps on wood.

• How to: http://www.nettally.com/palmk/RubberStampBlank.html - This site actually talks about carving your own stamps and mounting them permanently on wood, but you can use the tips for mounting purchased unmounted rubber stamps as well. If you scroll down to the text that is right below the illustration of a plane in a rectangle, there are some good tips about an adhesive that should be able to handle heat! (Remember to use good ventilation and possibly a mask when using spray adhesives!!!)

Cling Mounting: Over time, people have experimented with various other ways of mounting stamps. I remember purchasing adhesive-backed velcro to temporarily attach stamps to acrylic stamp blocks that also had velcro attached to them. One popular development has been cling mounting. The stamps are not permanently adhered to the mounting blocks. This allows crafters to have a small collection of mounting blocks that can be used repeatedly with any stamps that fit on them. Clear acrylic blocks have become the top choice, as they allow the crafter to see exactly where the stamp is being placed.

As mentioned above, some of our stamp sheets are available as cling mounted sets. The images are trimmed, mounted on cling cushion, and come adhered to laminated storage cards that can be hole-punched for binder storage. For those who would like to purchase unmounted stamp sets and trim and mount the stamps themselves, we offer cling mounting cushion and clear acrylic blocks in our Rubber Stamp Accessories section.

• How to: Sunday International, the company that creates "EZ Mount", the brand of cling cushion that we carry, has the instructions for cling mounting stamp sheets on their site. Click on the image to see the full sized image on their site.

• Sunday International has added an important note on their site: "It is not recommended that you store any of your EZMount Stamps on Acetate Sheets. Acetate is made with chemicals that will react with EZMount and any other cling cushion type product, making an almost permanent bond between it and the cling."

About the cling mount option
The cling mounting options saves money, resources, and storage space.

Cling mounting cushion has adhesive on one side and a vinyl static cling surface on the other that can adhere to acrylic blocks, laminated sheets, and many other glossy surfaces. Cling cushioned stamps can be mounted and remounted on blocks with no temporary adhesive to clean up. Even CD and cassette cases can be used as stamp mounts.

You save on the price of individually mounted stamps as well as on extra shipping costs due to the weight of the blocks used for individually mounted stamps. An assortment of sizes of acrylic blocks can be used as interchangeable mounts for many stamps. You can arrange an assortment of stamps together on one mount for a complete image/scene, and then separate them again afterwards. Clear acrylic blocks allow you to see through the block while stamping for more accuracy, so there is no need for indexing the mounting block.

Cling mounted stamps can be stored more compactly than wood mounted stamps - they can be stuck to laminated sheets and stored in a binder or even stuck to a fridge or file cabinet. If you find that your stamps are not adhering as well over time, try wiping the block and cling surfaces with a damp cloth. Dust can interfere with the adhesion. If you think you need a little more cleaning power, use warm water and a little soap to dampen the cloth.

Cling mounting for stamping velvet, clay, paper, etc.
Our cling mounted sets are mounted on 1/8 inch thick cling cushion. That is also the thickness of the cling cushion sheets that we sell separately.

• Velvet: I recommend 1/8 inch thickness or thicker for cling cushioning if you will be using the stamps for embossing velvet. Having thicker cushioning behind the stamp raises the image farther off the surface beneath it, so that the dampened velvet is less likely to pick up impressions or shiny spots from the surface around the stamp. It isn't necessary to use a mounting block when embossing velvet. Having 1/8 inch thick trimmed cushion behind the stamp should be sufficient.
• Clays: How you will be making impressions in the clay will determine whether you should use cushioning or mounting for the stamps. If you are laying the stamps face up on a surface and pressing the clay down onto them, then there should be no need for cushioning, unless you want to be sure that the stamp images are raised higher than any surface underneath them. If you plan to press stamp images into the clay from above or from the side, then you will probably want to go with cushion and a mounting block.
• Paper and fabrics: Typically, paper and fabric are stamped by pressing a stamp down onto the stamping surface. In these cases, your stamp should be backed with cushion and on a mount. There are techniques - such as using a brayer - that involve the stamp image being placed face-up on a surface and the paper or fabric placed down onto them. In these cases, it is up to you to decide if you want the stamps backed with cushion or mounts.
  

Attaching Rubber Stamp Sheets to Mounting Cushion

PictureMyStamp has posted a number of videos on YouTube, including this one, showing how to attach a series of (small) rubber stamp sheets to adhesive cushion: