Hello Peeps,

As you may have seen in the Spring/Summer catalogue, Stampin’ Up! has launched a new type of stamp and I would love to tell you a bit more about this.

Type of stamps

Stampin’ Up stamps are available in photopolymer or red rubber.

Photopolymer stamps are completely transparant. This is a usefull feature because you can see straight through them in order to see exactly where you are going to stamp. When using two-step stamps for example, it is indispensable.

The rubber stamps are available as wood-mount, in which case you will receive the stamps with wood blocks to which you will permanently adhere the stamps, or clear-mount, whereby you use the stamps with acryllic blocks which are sold seperately. You can use the clear acryllic blocks over and over again for different clear-mount stamps. The clear-mount stamps are provided with a sticker sheet of the images which are to be attached to the back of the stamps in order to instantly recognise which stamp you have. Unfortunately the stickers made the stamps adhere less to the blocks. As a result people tended not to use them. Stampin’ Up! has worked hard to find a solution to this and it is called Cling.

Cling

Cling is, just as the wood and clear mount stamps, a red rubber stamp. However, it has a super tacky sticker. As with all things new, you will experience a learning curve and need to get used to it. This is why I would like to give you some pointers.

First of all you need to carefully place the cling sticker on to the stamps. You only get one shot because when you place it, it is adhered permanently. Make sure you are straight above the stamp and sticker when you place it.

The other thing to get used to, is that you can’t quickly switch from one stamp to another. You need to peel the stamp off the block SLOWLY by carefully lifting up a corner between the block and the cling sticker. If you peel it up too fast by the red rubber you risk tearing the foam between the rubber stamp and the cling sticker. If you take the time to get used to them, you will see that these stamps are fantastic! (Which is a good thing since there are only photopolymer and cling stamps in the Spring/Summer catalogue and the clear-mount and wood-mount stamps will be discontinued compleetly as of the start of the new Annual catalogue in June.)

Experience

By now I have gotten to play with several different Cling sets and I am very excited about them. In fact, yesterday when I was finished stamping with a clear-mount stamp and I wanted to clean it, I slid of my block. I was convinced about the new Clings. Of course I will still use my clear-mount stamps, but you can get used to the advantages of the cling stamps quickly.

Distinctive

While I have you here, I would like to take this opportunity to tell you a bit more about our Distinctive stamps too. This is a special type of stamp that gives a photo-realitic image. The way the stamp is made, it transfers more or less ink in certain areas. This allows for more colour variation and creates more shadows and depth then when you use a traditional flat stamp. Stampin’ Up had Distinctive stamps in both Photopolymer and red rubber. There is a patent pending on this type of stamp.

Want to try?

If you want to try the new Cling stamps yourself or see the impressions of a Distinctive stamp first hand, you could join one of my workshops or make an appointment to host your own workshop. That way you can experience stamping with them yourself.

See you next time,

Leonie