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Convince me (or not) to buy a MISTI. I’m intrigued by the MISTI, and I’ve watched dozens of videos.
My main concern is keeping the stamps adhered to the hinged panel. I even have trouble keeping some stamps stuck to acrylic blocks for more than one stamp and reink.
Is there a trick to keeping the stamps stuck?
I couldn't stamp without my MISTI, well actually I could, but it would mean I'd be back to ruining lots of cards. As for adhering dodgy stamps to MISTI (and blocks), I just roughly swish over the back of the stamp with a Bostik glue stick. I think Elmers is an equivalent.
Slide the stamp until it is positioned correctly. Once you finished all your stamping, just wipe the MISTI (or acrylic block) and the sticky part of the stamp with a baby wipe. Job done.
__________________ Susie
Please don't take your organs to heaven - heaven knows we need them here.
I even have trouble keeping some stamps stuck to acrylic blocks for more than one stamp and reink.
Is there a trick to keeping the stamps stuck?
Your stamps (and blocks) may need a good clean. Cling foam and clear stamps get tiny particles on them over time that effects their ability to stick. Likewise, your blocks might have “invisible” dirt (oils from your skin etc) that’s means they are no longer perfectly smooth. Give things a good wash with warm water and a few drops of dish soap, rubbing the surfaces and then rinse and let things air dry. See if that helps.
I have a MISTI and find it incredibly useful for things like adding sentiments or finishing touches and knowing I’m not going to mess up the whole card if I get an imperfect impression, I can just restamp.
I am not a fan of convincing anyone to buy anything, it is a personal choice. There are tons of videos on YouTube showing the benefits of the MISTI. I know Lydia has videos showing use of hers. I can say I am so happy I purchased mine when it was still being handmade and absolutely love my MISTI. I still have and use my first MISTI, in addition to my mini and large 12x12 version. Great post by Anglenorth since both the MISTI and most blocks are acrylic.
I agree with Sue completely! I hesitated about the expense before I bought my MISTI years ago, but I almost never stamp without it now. It definitely ended up being worth it for me. The only stamps I have trouble getting to stick are SU foam ones with the slick sticker, and for those I just use my temporary adhesive runner on the back of it.
I agree that a good stamping platform is ESSENTIAL but there are other brands besides MISTI. I've got some kind of no-brand that a craft shop talked me into buying. It works okay, although if I had it to do over, I might go for the MISTI or some better known brand, but a stamp platform is the absolute best thing ever invented!
Well, I don't have a MISTI (nor do I intend to buy one), but I have several positioners from other companies (Tim Holtz, We R Memory Keepers, and others) that I find very useful. They are game changers. I rarely stamp without using them. I highly recommend them.
The only stamps I have trouble getting to stick are SU foam ones with the slick sticker, and for those I just use my temporary adhesive runner on the back of it.
And a majority of my stamps are these. What sort of temporary adhesive do you use? I’ve been away from my craft for so long I feel lost at times.
I have a MISTI which I use with every card that uses a stamp.
I have a Tim Holtz stamp positioner which has a larger platform, which I sometimes use when the stamped image needs to be 'off the side' of the card front, then I stick the paper to the base (in the middle of the platform) with Sizzix Sticky Grid Sheet. I have found the lid of his is less flexible than the MISTI which makes it impossible to press in a certain spot. You know what I mean.
I use the MISTI Much more than TH.
It's only Stampin Up Foam-backed stamps that won't stick. I use double sided Scotch tape and just leave it on the stamp, because it will be needed for the next time!
I don't have a Misti, I bought the Tim Holtz one, but I can honestly say it will be the best investment in stamping you ever make, whatever brand you buy. I'd been a stamper for maybe 20 odd years, and to be honest, really didn't think I needed one. Then I finally bought one, and it really is a game changer. No more tossing something because it didn't stamp clearly, or smudged. If it doesn't stamp well the first time you can stamp multiple times to get it perfect. No more smudges from ink that got on your fingers you didn't notice, as your fingers go nowhere near the cardstock. Also, no more ink marks from the edges of stamps. You can position your stamp perfectly,so no more slightly wonky stamping!
It looks like I'm going to be the lone dissenter here. I have both a regular and mini MISTI and I rarely use them. I find it easier to slap a stamp on my block, ink it up, and stamp. I fuss too much with the MISTI - having the cardstock cut large enough so there's room for the magnets holding it in place; positioning my stamps so that I get the proper placement; then sometimes the clear stamps stick to my fingers so they end up shifting; sometimes the clear stamps stick to my paper and that shifts; I get ink on the cover and have to clean that off.
There are solutions for those issues (get bar magnets that keep the paper in place better, use cube ink pads to keep ink off the cover, etc.) but I don't want to buy those things. And the more I used the MISTI, the less fussy I'd probably be with it (practice makes perfect). But I just don't want to do it!
My stamp group, however, LOVES the MISTI. It makes them more confident stampers, they said. And there are so many techniques that can be done with a MISTI. So you should probably listen to everyone else and not a lazy stamper like me and get one
Another vote for yes - whether it’s a Misti or one of the other stamp positioners. They all do the same thing.
If you get one for cards, the regular sized Misti could be more useful than the mini. The travel (small) Tim Holtz would work well since two sides are open so larger cardstock still fits well. I have all of them (don’t ask :rolleyes. (Some stores still have Tim positioners but will not get more; there are a couple other brands too.)
What I love about the Misti is that the door lays flat and that makes stamping easier. I also have the stamparatus, but the door needs propped up in order to stamp it better. The stamparatus is used especially when my paper needs to hang out a bit, but I like my Misti for the rest.
Well, I don't have a MISTI (nor do I intend to buy one), but I have several positioners from other companies (Tim Holtz, We R Memory Keepers, and others) that I find very useful. They are game changers. I rarely stamp without using them. I highly recommend them.
I agree. I have 2-TH (large & sm), WRMK, plus a homemade quickie which I'm satisfied with and use often. No way will I jump on the Misti bandwagon.
I suggest you look at the cost because there is a big difference. Otherwise, there is no difference in platforms and the end results.
You could participate in the Misti Monday challenge and maybe win the Misti. They are always fun challenges and well worth playing, whether you own a Misti or not. I won last year and purchased an Original Misti, gave it to my daughter, and now she plays each month with the Misti Challenge. She loves it and it works easier for her than the blocks. I use mine a lot, but still use blocks at times. Sometimes, I use my old stamp positioner with my Misti. I know Dini had a post showing a homemade one with Legos, and it helps with the wood mount stamps. And yes, I still own several wood mount stamps.
__________________ Lisa Featured Stamper #671 Love sending BRAK cards. Dirty Dozen Alumni.CC927 Favorite Virtual Stamp Night April 19 - 20 Come Join in the Fun Here
I fought the urge to buy a platform for a long time. I'm a staunch wood mounted stamp person. Then I found a great deal on a Tim Holtz platform, and I have to say I really love it. I make big cards (8 1/2 X 5 1/2), so being able to have cs stick out the edges is a good thing for me.
On another note, I have won the MIsti monthly challenge (twice), and got myself a mini, plus the corners, and the cut align. That is one great way to get a Misti!
You don't need a MISTI brand. It's more expensive and I don't like her way of doing business. Look at the Tim Holtz positioner, and at S.U.'s Stamparatus. A stamp positioner is extremely useful, although I actually use my Stamp-A-Ma-Jig more...
You don't need a MISTI brand. It's more expensive and I don't like her way of doing business. Look at the Tim Holtz positioner, and at S.U.'s Stamparatus. A stamp positioner is extremely useful, although I actually use my Stamp-A-Ma-Jig more...
Trouble with that is Tonic had to quit making the Tim Holtz Stamping Platform because of the lawsuit, also several other brands had to quit. Finding a TH platform is hard nowadays.
Yes and no. You need a stamp positioning tool. But there are other options besides a MISTI. Stampin’ Up! Makes one called the Stamparatus that is awesome. The plates (2 of them) are reversible, giving you four stamping surfaces. This is very helpful if you are using layered stamps or mass producing cards. The Tim Holts tool is very good too. Explore before you decide.
[You could participate in the Misti Monday challenge and maybe win the Misti. They are always fun challenges and well worth playing, whether you own a Misti or not. I won last year and purchased an Original Misti, gave it to my daughter, and now she plays each month with the Misti Challenge. She loves it and it works easier for her than the blocks. I use mine a lot, but still use blocks at times. Sometimes, I use my old stamp positioner with my Misti. I know Dini had a post showing a homemade one with Legos, and it helps with the wood mount stamps. And yes, I still own several wood mount stamps.
The prize is a $50 My Sweet Petunia gift card. Unless you hold it for a sale (and many of us did exactly that, to make our gift card go further), it is not going to cover the full cost of a Misti. Plus shipping, also. Don't get me wrong, or go off on me, it's a TERRIFIC prize, but it's not "giving away a Misti", it's winning a $50 gift card.
I'm going to echo those who have already said that a stamp positioner is a game changer. I have 3 (MISTI, TH and WRMK) and use the TH and WRNK regularly, MISTI less so. The advantage of the TH and WRMK is their open sides, meaning you have much more flexibility about the size of the cardstock you're stamping on. With an enclosed stamping area design like the MISTI, you're limited to no bigger than a standard card. Depending on your style, this may or may not work for you.
The TH platform is still marketed in some places outside the US; for those who really want to get one, it may be worth looking internationally.
I'm going to echo those who have already said that a stamp positioner is a game changer. I have 3 (MISTI, TH and WRMK) and use the TH and WRNK regularly, MISTI less so. The advantage of the TH and WRMK is their open sides, meaning you have much more flexibility about the size of the cardstock you're stamping on. With an enclosed stamping area design like the MISTI, you're limited to no bigger than a standard card. Depending on your style, this may or may not work for you.
The TH platform is still marketed in some places outside the US; for those who really want to get one, it may be worth looking internationally.
Some of us here bought our first TH platform overseas, and I’ve purchased a couple items from the UK since then. Shipping cost and time of arrival weren’t bad - about as fast as from the west coast of the U.S. to the east coast.
What I love about the Misti is that the door lays flat and that makes stamping easier. I also have the stamparatus, but the door needs propped up in order to stamp it better. The stamparatus is used especially when my paper needs to hang out a bit, but I like my Misti for the rest.
Could you clarify what you mean by the door needs to be propped up in order to stamp better on the Stamperatus? Thanks!
Could you clarify what you mean by the door needs to be propped up in order to stamp better on the Stamperatus? Thanks!
I'm not sure about this, either. I've used someone else's MISTI and the door did not lie flat when I was inking. I felt that the pressure of inking was eventually going to loosen or break the hinges. The Stamparatus (and Tim Holtz) door actually lies flat when inking and the way those tools are hinged seems to be a much more sturdy connection.
Now, when you're stamping, the door of the MISTI closes against the frame, so that's flat, and the Stamparatus doesn't, but it still seems plenty flat to me. The Stamparatus door is made of a much more sturdy material as well. The Stamparatus uses a cushion to make up the difference between clear stamps and cushioned red rubber, but the MISTI does the same.
I have to say, I've tried almost all of them and own several myself, but Stampin' Up got it right with their Stamparatus. I'm not a demonstrator and I really don't even order a lot from SU anymore, but their stamp positioner and their scoreboard are the cream of the crop. They might have been late to the game with their brand of these tools, but the features they added to their version are really well-though-out.
I know I am in the minority here. I love using my wood mounted stamp sets and stamp ma jig. I generally like the latest and greatest but I did not want to unmount all my stamp sets. I gave my Misti to my niece who absolutely loves it.
I know I am in the minority here. I love using my wood mounted stamp sets and stamp ma jig. I generally like the latest and greatest but I did not want to unmount all my stamp sets. I gave my Misti to my niece who absolutely loves it.
I won't get rid of my stamp a majig - I do still use stamps on blocks sometimes. But I took mine and put some magnets on the bottom. Now I can use it with my Stamparatus base and don't have to worry about the "t" piece moving, which was my only issue with it. Actually, I think they came out with a positioner to use with the Wendy Vecchi Staytion that works that way.
I have both the Misti and SU Stamparatus. Neither has ever been taken out of the box. Even though my craft group makes thousands of cards each year, I just prefer the old-fashioned ways of feeling the stamps in my hand, regardless if wood- or block-mounted. If a misprint takes place, the paper does have another side to try again--OR our motto is, "it's only paper!" Maybe some day.......
I’ve got 2 stamp platforms. I’m waiting for a SU Stamparatus to come. You can move the plates into several positions. You have 4 platforms to use. You can stamp on 12x12 paper.
I have used the Stamparatus many times during card classes with the demonstrator.
I use the Misti and the Stamparatus by Stampin' Up! (Full disclosure: I am a SU demonstrator). I bought the Misti before SU came out with theirs. I like them both and no matter what you buy, I think you will love it. I teach classes to absolute beginners and they are just thrilled when they see they did not "ruin" their card because the image didn't stamp right the first time.
I like the Stamparatus because the acrylic doors can be removed, moved up and down for repeat stamping and I was able to buy additional plates so that if I am mass producing or teaching a class, I can set up the stamps needed on different plates so there is no guesswork. I am sure there are YouTube videos you can watch for informational purposes.
I did not buy the 12 x 12 Misti; I bought the smaller one which is fine for cards.
There are a couple of things you can so your stamps adhere to the acrylic plate. I run a strip of the removable snail on the back of my stamp. when finished, I can jsut rub it off of the stamp (or just leave it for next time). Sometimes At times I noticed there is a "suction" created between the acrylic plate and the paper i am stamping and it will pull up the paper when I open it. That's no big deal if you have lined up your paper in a corner so you can put it right back where it belongs and stamp again. However, if times I am stamping on a smaller scrap or die cut it can be difficult to put it right back where it was and sometimes the piece is too small to use the magnet to hold it down. I recently saw where another stamper put a dab of the removable snail adhesive on the back of the die cut or paper to help hold it down. I have been doing that now too. Good luck. I hope I explained this clearly.
I have a MISTI which I use with every card that uses a stamp.
I have a Tim Holtz stamp positioner which has a larger platform, which I sometimes use when the stamped image needs to be 'off the side' of the card front, then I stick the paper to the base (in the middle of the platform) with Sizzix Sticky Grid Sheet. I have found the lid of his is less flexible than the MISTI which makes it impossible to press in a certain spot. You know what I mean.
I use the MISTI Much more than TH.
It's only Stampin Up Foam-backed stamps that won't stick. I use double sided Scotch tape and just leave it on the stamp, because it will be needed for the next time!
I recently heard that Stampin' Up! changed their cling stickers and now they are too sticky. Maybe someone else can chime in on this. I don't know because I have never added the stickers and without the stamps have the perfect amount of cling.
The new stickers are VERY sticky. I don't need to worry about them coming off a block or the acrylic doors of the stamping tools I use. I would guess that with use in time, they will become less sticky.
Convince me (or not) to buy a MISTI. I’m intrigued by the MISTI, and I’ve watched dozens of videos.
My main concern is keeping the stamps adhered to the hinged panel. I even have trouble keeping some stamps stuck to acrylic blocks for more than one stamp and reink.
Is there a trick to keeping the stamps stuck?
I have a Tim Holtz stamp platform and love it. I fought the urge to get one for for years until I tried a friends.
The MISTI and SU's platforms look even better as they have a few more features. Having the platform has _almost_ convinced me to unmount all of my stamps! And, I too, have had issues with certain stamps not sticking -- have tried cleaning well, a bit of chap stick (helps, but is messy), lining my blocks and platform hinges with clear inexpensive plastic sheeting from Walmart (pulls off sometimes when I remove the stamp), and lastly, Aileen's Tack it over and over. Aileen's seems to be the best- even on my older SU unmounted rubber stamps which never stuck!
I LOVE my regular size MISTI and rarely make a card without using it! Haven't tried other platform brands.
__________________
Wanda Cullen ~ Dirty Dozen Alumni, On design team for Papertrey Ink, Designer for Color Throwdown and Fusion Card Challenges Cullen-ary Creations[/URL]...my blogHERE'S MY GALLERY[/URL]
I have both the large and small Misti. I was just thinking the other day how wonderful it has been. I actually think I would have given up in frustration of stamping anything if the Misti had not come along when it did!
I have used double sided scotch tape sometimes to get my stamp to adhere to the lid. My lid is a mess, but it is not bothering me. I did clean all the gunk off at one point, but it really doesn't matter. This is funny coming from me, as I like all things clean, lol.
Just to chime in with the many answers...I think Misti has revolutionized stamping. Prior to using one I came near to giving up on stamping. I wasted SO much paper because of imperfectly stamped images. Now, I never have to worry about that problem. I have the Misti as well as the SU variant. I use my small sized Misti the most, but much depends how you like to work. I generally make A2 cards so the small one suits me perfectly.
I have to say I am a MISTI fan also. I hesitated to buy one at first but a friend convinced me. Now I always use. I don't make multiples of cards, but I love that I can restamp an image repeatedly (especially sentiments) til I get the coverage/color I want.
For the sticking your stamp on a block or the misti: I don't usually have any trouble keeping my stamps adhered, but I have some very old cling stamps that have a shiny, slick backing. They are very difficult to keep stuck on anything. The easy trick I learned was to use beeswax (thing Burt's Bees Lip Balm). Just apply some to the back. It sticks well enough for the project and then is very easy to clean up afterwards. I just keep a tube in my craft supplies now.
Do I need a MISTI?
