I LOVE Stampin' Up!'s new Clear-Mount stamp system! Just introduced in the new Occasions Mini catalog, Clear-Mount stamps are a fantastic new addition to our stamping experience! One thing I want to point out to anyone who hasn't seen these stamps yet: the stamps are NOT clear, they are the same superb quality red rubber Stampin' Up! has always had, so you will still get the crisp, excellent images when you stamp, but now they can be mounted on our CLEAR stamping blocks so you can see where you are stamping! There will be less need for the stamp-a-ma-jig, but we're o.k. with that, aren't we?
Even though you will be mounting your clear-mount stamp to a clear block every time you stamp (which I thought would be annoying, but it's really not!), you still have to permanently MOUNT the stamp to the image sticker, which is a little different from what we've experienced before, so I thought it would be a good idea to show you, step-by-step, how to mount your stamps!
Step 1: To start off, the Clear-Mount Stamps come packaged in this nifty DVD-sized plastic case, which is a great space-saver (I will show you how really space-saving these are in a bit!)
(I'm also showing you how to mount the I {Heart} Hearts stamp set, which right now Stampin' Up! is donating $2 from the sale of every set (clear-mount or wood-mount) to the Red Cross Haiti Relief Fund!
©Stampin'Up!™1990-2010
Step 2: Remove the stamps from the die-cut rubber (another fantastic SU! innovation!) You can discard the excess rubber or keep it in your case to put the stamps back into to keep them "under control"!
©Stampin'Up!™1990-2010
Step 3: There is a separate image sticker sheet included with each clear-mount set. Each image sticker is covered with a translucent white paper which has been scored down the middle of each image. Use the scoring to access the sticker and remove the paper WITHOUT removing the sticker from the sheet. This can be tricky sometimes, especially with tiny stamp stickers. These stickers are VERY sticky and stick easily to anything they touch, including the tips of your fingers! Try to keep the sticker on the sticker sheet until you have mounted the stamp onto it.
©Stampin'Up!™1990-2010
Step 4: Here I have successfully removed the cover paper while keeping the sticker attached to the page! yeah!
©Stampin'Up!™1990-2010
Step 5: Remove the backing from the rubber stamp. The back of the stamp foam is also sticky. Note: if you forget to remove this backing and try to mount the stamp to the sticker image, it will not stick! (Ask me how I know this . . .?!!!!)
©Stampin'Up!™1990-2010
Step 6: THIS IS A CRUCIAL STEP!
Match up the rubber stamp with the corresponding sticker image. Try to match it up as closely as possible. The more closely the stamp and sticker are matched up, the more accurate your stamping will be later! Fortunately, if you have managed to keep the sticker on the sticker sheet, the outside die-cut edges of the sticker will help to guide your placement!
©Stampin'Up!™1990-2010
Step 7: Voila! Stamp has been mounted perfectly to the sticker!
©Stampin'Up!™1990-2010
Step 8: To mount your stamp to our clear block, simply place the stamp where you want it on the block, then apply firm, even pressure to the stamp to press it onto the block until it "sticks". This attachment is sort of like suction.
©Stampin'Up!™1990-2010
Step 9: Here is the stamp attached to the block looking through to the sticker image. This is what you will see as you are stamping with this stamp! Our Clear-Mount Blocks are crystal-clear, beveled on all sides for easy handling, and are just the right weight to help you stamp perfectly! I recommend you purchase stamp "D" and "H" to get started, unless of course you prefer to purchase the entire 9-stamp bundle for $69.95 and save 10%!
©Stampin'Up!™1990-2010
Step 10: Here are 7 Clear-Mount stamp sets stored on their side
in one of our Forget-me-Not Keepers. You can actually store 11 Clear-Mount sets in one of these, saving tons of room in your stamping storage! Notice the name & images are also printed on the side of the boxes, so you can decide which set to use with ease!
©Stampin'Up!™1990-2010
A few FAQ's:
How do you clean the Clear-Mount stamps? The same way as with our traditional wood-mount stamps: with a Stampin' Scrub & Stampin' Mist. You leave the stamp on the Clear-mount block while you clean it on the Stampin' Scrub!
How do you clean the Clear-Mount Blocks? I use the Stampin' Mist to spritz the block, then clean & dry with a soft dishtowel. They don't get very clean when you rub them on the scrub (I've tried it!), but they clean excellently with the Mist and a towel. You may have to clean them this way once in awhile just to get fingerprint smudges or dust off of the blocks so the stamps will stick to them better.
My stamps keep falling off the blocks, what am I doing wrong?
It's probably not a matter of what are you doing wrong, but what you are not doing:
1. Not applying firm, even pressure to the stamp as you are pressing it onto your block.
2. Not keeping the blocks clean and smudge-free. Use the mist-and-towel method described above to clean the blocks.
3. Not keeping the sticker on the stamp clean. The sticker can also become smudged or dusty during the mounting process. I use the same slightly damp towel I clean the blocks with to clean the sticker image. DO NOT spray the mist directly onto the sticker as this can loosen the sticker from the stamp over time.
Here's a cute card made with this set one of my roommates received as a swap at Leadership:
(I have no idea who made it as I was taking tons of swap pictures late at night without noting who the artist was, that would take forever! If you know who the creator of this card is, please let me know and I will gladly give them credit!)
©Stampin'Up!™1990-2010
Contact me if you have any questions!
carol@carolpaynestamps.com
618-237-6281
my blog: www.carolpaynestamps.com
my Stampin' Up! Website to shop 24-7: www.carolpayne.stampinup.net
Talk to you tomorrow!
