Working with clear stamps

Working with clear stamps can be tricky but with a few tips you can get a great print from a clear stamp, even a 1.00 stamp.
Regular Clear Stamps
Problem: When using dye inks my stamp never gives me a clear and clean stamp, ink pools.
Solution: 1st thing you can do. Stamp your clear stamp in versa mark ink pad before inking up your stamp with your dye ink. The versa mark will give the stamp a coating of clear and better surface for the dye ink to stick to.
Other tips: When working with normal clear stamps its best to use pigment inks or even better chalk inks. They are a good thick ink that will coat your stamp evenly for a better print. Now certain colors I have noticed may stain your stamps like reds and greens so make sure to have something to clean with quickly on hand.
Photo polymer stamps
Now these stamps are in a class of there own. They are clear for easy stamping but they stamp like a normal rubber stamp. Dye works great, pigment is fine I have found if you use cahlk ink it will stain, need a heavy stamp cleaner for these. These stamps do cost more but well worth it. Love photo poly-mer stamps cant say enough about them.
Finale tips
Staz-on ink this ink will work with all stamps. This ink is a fast drying ink it will bond to glass, metal, fabric and more. It will not smudge when using water, great for water coloring. Downfall, very hard to clean off and can stain your stamp. Best to only clean this ink off with staz-on stamp cleaner.
How do I clean my stamps when using my normal inks? Simple baby wipes yep baby wipes. They work great but make sure its the alcohol free kind. Alcohol might dry the stamps out and then crack.
Well hope that helps some, this was as condensed as I could get, if you want more details feel free to email and will answer any questions. And if you have any tips to share feel free to email.

Hooked on 1.00 stamps

Okay if anyone shops at Michaels you know about the 1.00 stamps. Well they got a whole new batch of clear stamps in and they come with gems also. I seen them and I had to get a few. Have gotten them in the past, there not detailed as a rubber stamp or clear photo polymer no dout but for a 1.00 stamp they do pretty good. Would I buy these stamps for a super important project? No! There not for a really important project that has to be prefect. But for every day cards I think they are great. And the new ones are really cute! The one with the tree says "bloom where your planted" you cant tell cause of flash on camera and the other with the butterfly says "thanks for everything" The Owl stamp says "its owl good" Thought that was cute. Oh by the way the 1.00 stamps are put out by studio g they do have a maker...lol I have a collection now. Will post a few tips for working with clear stamps next blog, there are some things you can do to get better prints from your clear stamps. So check back for some tips.

Thank you card

Made this card for a friend who gave my better half a awesome fireman's helmet that he painted himself. of course with flames....lol Really though it is very cool.
So for this thank you card I had to use this fire house dog....lol I had seen this on my cricut cart thinking how am I going to use this little dog and then here was my chance. Seems like here lately we have been running into all Gene's ex fire buddies. He used to be a volunteer fireman at our fire department. This little guy will come in handy for photos I need to scrapbook of Gene working up there. Well thanks for looking.
Supplies
Cricut cart(create a critter)
Stickles for the dog tag it needed some bling
Simple brown ribbon + craft sewing mech to sew it.
Cuttle bug weather wood and dots
Clear stamp is studio G the 1.00 stamps at Michael's
Tim holtz distress inks

Before and After

We are now on month three at our new house. I have slowly started to finally get stuff where I want it. The kitchen is pretty much organized where things work the best for me. Thanks to being inspired by Amanda at kevinandamanda.com She had some handy ideas for organizing cabinets. So now I want to work on our bathroom, and I am starting small and simple. I had a drawer that was a mess every time I needed something I would have to rummage through the drawer. It housed my makeup and products I use a lot. So I found this plastic container divider for 4.88 at target.
It's not perfect but for now it works and later on when I find something that works better for me I will transfer this to another place for use. Since I put this to use I have been able to get ready so much faster when I need my eye liner I know right where to look. I use bare minerals makeup and there are so many small containers its easy to miss place one. I now have a home for all the containers in one place, I use it then it goes right back to the home. And a place for the makeup brushes. The feeling I get when I am able to find what I need when I need it gives me the drive to now work on the next project. I am starting with small steps, but even this little organizer has saved me time and made life just a little bit more simple.

Mental Block

You ever have one of those days where you cant get any idea's well for my mom's birthday I had a major block. Did I mention it had to out next day in the mail...lol I had given up and was set to buy a card, which I hate. Then I was sitting at my desk and looked down and noticed a scetch I had made of a few card ideas. And the instant I seen it I knew what I wanted to do within 30 mins it was done and ready to go. I got that idea to scetch the ideas for another blogger and thought will have to try that and so glad I did. I was not super happy with the card but hey better than store bought...lol And from now on I think I will put my ideas on paper next time I think of cards ideas might be worth trying.

Nephew's Birthday

Today is my nephew's birthday Happy Birthday Jacob! He is going up so fast, and he is tall. Well for his birthday card I wanted to give him a beach inspired card. He had just been on a week long vacation in Florida and had a blast. Thought this crad was super cute. Was my first time using create a critter and have to say I loved it super easy to put together no wasted paper for a change. Plus this card was a little green, I used cardboard I had from a box for the sand sprayed with glimmer mist. If you dont have create a critter its a must for cricut owners you will love it.

We have such nice neighbors

Well I finally have most of the craft items unpacked, not really to organized yet...lol But its getting there, I do have my stuff handy so I can get back to scrapbooking and card making. Matter fact I made this card last week. We have such awesome neighbors. The lady next door brought us leaf gatherers as a house warming gift. The kind you put your hands in so you can just scoop them up. The funny part about that is we have not a single tree on our land...lol its all the other trees from her home and the other people next door that requires us to rack leaves. We had been joking about that first time we meet her she said she would apologize ahead of time cause all her leaves blow on our yard and patio, we would even get leaves blowing inside the entry door...lol So when she came over last week with those leaf gatherers I just had to chuckle of course I said "thank you and well these will for sure come in handy"...lol So I made her a thank you card and I thought I would make a bag of leaves, very fall themed for spring I know but thought I had to make it with leaves...lol So thought I would share the card I made. And I used my martha stewart score pal I will say I really like her score board alot. Will post a review and more details about that in another post. Hope you enjoy the card idea.