November neglected supplies challenge - Christmas stamps

[nchoney]

I'll post some examples tonight. But this month it's Christmas stamps that we need to shake the dust off and get inky!

[troublesmom]

What do you mean dust them off! I've been making them all year

[paddlegal]

Oh boy do I have some dusty ones or never used sets.

[pbp908]

I have some never used Christmas stamps and a few new ones - just have to get some new embossing powder and I'm off to the races!

[paddlegal]

My order from Catherine Pooler landed today! I. Am. Over. The. Moon!!! I’ll be posting the haul and cards probably all month, LOL.

[katymjo]

Do you find that clear stamps lose their "cling" once you have used them, and won't stick back onto their acetate sheet? My new set were really hard to pull off, and then wouldn't cling back again. And others over time go all sticky and squidgy?

[Monica]

I've noticed that with some of mine, yes. I ripped a really cool clear stamp a few years back attempting to remove it from its backing, because it was all but cemented in place! Try washing them in soapy water and letting them air dry to see if it brings back the sticky or reduces the sticky. I've managed to save some of mine that way. Last night I found some rubber stamps from the 90s that disintegrated on me when I attempted to use them, although the ones with them (same era) were fine. A lot depends on the quality of the materials used, I think. I've an old Close To My Heart layered poinsettia clear stamp set that has almost no sticky left. I'm going to try the soapy water and see if that will rehab, but if not they are getting tossed.

[pamcook]

I wash my clear stamps when the stickiness starts to wear off. It seems to work well. You can always use a thin layer of chapstick (any brand) to help clear stamps stick to the block.

[Keitha]

I wash my clear stamps when the stickiness starts to wear off. It seems to work well. You can always use a thin layer of chapstick (any brand) to help clear stamps stick to the block.

That's a trick Pam that I've never heard of. I, too, find that washing the stamps in soapy water restores the cling. And I, too, have ripped a stamp in the past that just wouldn't come off the acetate sheet it came on.

[katymjo]

Thankyou, friends, for your advice. Do you think the kind of ink used has any effect on the stickiness? I usually use pigment ink.

[pbp908]

I haven't found that the ink makes any difference on clear stamps other than staining them. They lose their stickiness because of the oils from our skin getting on them. If you use a hand cream before pulling out your stamps, that also affects the adhering quality. Warm water and a gentle soap to clean them should do the trick. The same thing can happen to rubber cling mounts, so I wash them, also, as well as my stamp platform or blocks. If you can see smudges or prints on them, they also need to soap and water treatment.

I pulled out some older wood mounted stamps a few days ago that I wanted to keep and they disintegrated in my hands. I have some rubber conditioner that we used when we had the electronics/music store, but I'm not sure if I really want to try it. If I do, I'll let you know, Monica.

[pamcook]

Embossing ink can erode stamps. I’ve never hear of any other ink causing problems.

[Keitha]

Thanks Debi, for the nudge to get this set out of the package. I've come to the conclusion that while I don't care for actual poinsettia plants I quite like poinsettia images for Christmas. For copying someone else's design this took far longer than it should have; those of you following the EP/swatching thread can laugh at me when I tell you I was again auditioning inks on a scrap of paper. I don't have any of those coordinating sets for layering stamps, and ended up pulling out an old CTMH ink pad for one of the reds. I heat embossed my sentiment, which doesn't really show up in the photo.

[pamcook]

So pretty! So much detail.

Do you reinforce the folds when you make envelopes? I felt like my folds were pretty weak when I made some envelopes this week. Maybe I was a bit heavy-handed with the tool?

I need to pull out my Christmas stamps and make a decision.

[Keitha]

...Do you reinforce the folds when you make envelopes? I felt like my folds were pretty weak when I made some envelopes this week. Maybe I was a bit heavy-handed with the tool?

I find that some of the heavier weight scrapbook papers tend to tear when you crease them; for some reason they're not as pliable as cardstock. I really like to make my own envelopes as I've so much paper that won't otherwise get used, so I've resorted to reinforcing the creases with tape. Good luck to anyone trying to slit open the envelope with a letter opener, LOL - but at least I know the card will arrive safe and sound.