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Does anyone use a "stamping mat" under their paper when stamping?
I took a class at my LSS & the instructor said it would
Make "all the difference in the world" but I forgot to
Pick one up. I'm not sure who makes them or if
This is even the proper name for it. I'm wondering if a mouse
Pad or piece of foamcore would work just as well.
Any advice?
Thanks & Happy Holidays to all,
Sherry
Location: Lake Bonaparte, NY and New Port Richey, FL
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I use a pad of "newsprint" (about 14X17 inches). It works well for padding plus you can make notes on it while you're working and then just tear off the top sheet and start new next session!
Location: Somewhere in the middle...closer to there, nearer to here...
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I stamp on a stainless steel kitchen table and found that I had a hard time getting detailed images. I bought a purple stamping mat at Joanns for about $5 and it's made all the difference in the world. I think the brand is Patrice or Anice or something like that. It's not written on the mat and the packaging is long gone to the trash bin. Others have used fat mouspads with success, but I couldn't find any of those.
I have a purple pad also, like the one mentioned above, and I really like it. I'd be concerned that a mousepad would be too soft, and your images would be smudged/darker/wider/not as detailed as they could be. In a pinch, I've used a thick magazine, or 2 thin ones and that works too! Good luck!
A good friend of mine gave me a stamping mat - it is kind of like a foam mat, about 8 1/2 by 14, I think. Sounds similar to what others have mentioned - mine is burgundy colored.
Literally anything such as a magazine, newspaper (careful of print tranferring!) etc will work. You are aiming for a padded area with a bit of give. In essence you are adding extra cushioning which helps to achieve sharper more detailed images. This will be useful for ALL stamping-it certainly isn't limited to just acrylic, I use very few acrylic and always use a 'make do' stamp pad-it does really help.
Save your money and try out the idea with a magazine etc and see for yourself. Standing up when stamping is also really a must for detailed images-in the main-there are those who get great images sat down stamping on grass but most of us need all the help we can!!!
A good friend of mine gave me a stamping mat - it is kind of like a foam mat, about 8 1/2 by 14, I think. Sounds similar to what others have mentioned - mine is burgundy colored.
I have this same one and I love it. I generally use it when I'm stamping with my acrylic and/or unmounted stamps, makes the images much easier to stamp, but I also use it with my mounted SU! stamps if I'm using both at the same time, with no problems at all. I love it! I also use the corner of the mat as my piercing mat when I'm using my piercing too, then I don't have to drag my other mat out!
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Quote:
Originally Posted by StampingShawn
I stamp on a stainless steel kitchen table and found that I had a hard time getting detailed images. I bought a purple stamping mat at Joanns for about $5 and it's made all the difference in the world. I think the brand is Patrice or Anice or something like that. It's not written on the mat and the packaging is long gone to the trash bin. Others have used fat mouspads with success, but I couldn't find any of those.
My office always gets a bunch of free large desktop calendars every year from customers or other companies and nobody really uses them so last year I think I took the 5 or 6 of them that were in the backroom just taking up space. I originally took them for DD to color on but they actually are PERFECT for stamping on! It made a big difference for me and my novice stamping abilities. Best of all... they were FREE!!! I have my name in to take them again this year if nobody wants them. I just love the fact that when they get marked up because I stamped off or stamped off the edge, that I can just tear off that piece and start fresh. Quite often I will do a test stamp just to see what the image will look like actually on paper.
__________________ ~ Jolene ~ ~ Mia Grace * 3.10.06 ~ ~ Sophie Leigh * 8.1.08 ~
I use the foam sheet that came with my CTMH stamps specifically for that purpose. It works great!
__________________ Jonelle Married DH: 6/2002; Mom to Landon: 9/2006 I love the amazing things that can be done with paper. Now if I just had more time...
I may have to look into this. I occassionally have trouble with certain acrylic stamps.
__________________ Design Team Member: Digital Tuesday Challenge, The Cutting Cafe, The Townscrapper, Pixie Dust Studio, Some Odd Girl, Fred She Said
My blog: Jaspere's Little Corner , Fred She Said
I use a stack of old-school style computer paper (the big kind that is accordian folded and perforated). It's like the calendar mentioned above since I can rip off a sheet and start fresh and one side even has some lines that serve as grid lines. Best of all, a huge box of it was at the yard sale for $1, it'll last me years!
I have one of the large burgundy pads from JoAnn's also but soon I will be replacing it with a product called Versamat from CTMH that has a cutting mat on one side and a foamy stamping surface on the other. My old faithful foam mat is melted in spots, gold gilded in others and is generally gross.
Mary Beth
I was using an X-acto cutting mat that I bought at an art supply store 5+ years ago. It has a slight give to it, and it worked well for stamping on. But now I find I never take it out. Too lazy I guess. LOL
I use 2 sheets of the thick fun foam. It is inexpensive and I can toss it when it gets too gross. I use a sheet of printer paper over the fun foam because I sometimes stamp trial images or stamp off before stamping. This works great for me.
I put a sheet of thin fun foam under the top sheet of a pad of graph paper. I can use the graph paper for rough measures and to trial stamp or stamp off and the fun foam provides just enough "give" to make fine images work. It's cheap as chips and I get it in black so if I do end up stamping on it then it takes a while before it starts to look too icky.
__________________ Kathryn
Do you know if there's a 12-step program for stamping? No, seriously, is there??
While I have a CM mat (grey) and an SU mat (black) and a Scorpal mat (green) - that one was won on the Stamping Cruise, I usually use my ironing board when I stamp. For some reason, I like doing it standing up.
You could use a mouse pad or any of the other types of mats that people use and it would work just fine.
I cut off the cover and the back of old three ring binders for stamp mats. When we have an SU party we can put the order forms in the pocket that is on the back side. All the ladies have a nice pad to stamp on and their order form is handy.
For several years I have used vinyl/padded placemats for my stamping pad (you know, the kind you would use for serving children that can be wiped with a sponge). It works great! The best part is that the ones I use I found at an after-Christmas sale for 25 cents each. They last forever.
You can even use them for paper piercing because of the foam underneath, and they are easy to clean. I also use the back side of printer/copier paper from the recycle bins at work.
I agree that it does make a big difference! I use a couple of options. Most often I use the grid pad from SU! I like to use that because I can stamp on it to see how I may like something before I put it on the card/sb page. Or I can use the lines on it to line up stuff I'm making. I also have a foam rectangle that I bought in the stamping section of M's ages ago. When I stamp with a friend one of us uses that w/a piece of the grid paper over it. If I'm stamping away from home I have used a couple of magazines under my work and it does ok.. HTH Andrea
I have a stack of scratch paper that I got from work, never ending supply. I always have at least 10 or so sheets under my project, print side down to avoid any rub off. I use it to stamp off, when I glue stuff I just pull the sheet off and throw it away. Works really well.
__________________ Becki aka Queenabella MY GALLERY
MY BLOG One of Kota's Kids Too Blessed to be Stressed
I also use a large desk calendar to stamp on. It keeps my desk top clean and when the calendar page is messy I just rip it off and throw it away. I pick mine up at Office Supply stores on clearance at year end.
hmmm...that is interesting. I haven't tried a pad before. I stamp on my grid paper and have been happy with the results....ah well....of to Joann's I go! lol ;)
I use a mat that I got at Joann's that is meant to be a kneeling mat for gardeners. It's pretty firm, and has just enough give to help give a good impression. I also have a foam placemat that I got years ago for $1 that I keep on my stamp table all the time. It's about 1/2" thick. Eileen
__________________ The best things in life aren't things.
I have the large 12x12 inch lavender pad I bought years ago and use it occasionally. I have several of the See D's stamp sets and in the plastic case each one came with about a 4x6 inch foam pad meant for using as a stamp cushion. The size is perfect for most of the things I do and isn't such a pain to grab and use. Mostly I use the pad for more detailed stamps. And I still use the larger pad if I'm going to stamp with a large background stamp like Cornish Heritage Farms stamps.
I also use a large desk calendar to stamp on. It keeps my desk top clean and when the calendar page is messy I just rip it off and throw it away. I pick mine up at Office Supply stores on clearance at year end.
I saw Target has some of these in their $1 bin section. May have to return after Christmas to pick up a few.
__________________ Pia "I am not old and haggard. I am Shabby Chic."
stamping "mat"
