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I am just getting started in stamping and purchased a set of Rich Regals Stampin Spots. I am thinking about getting bold brights but am torn between another set of stampin spots or the full size pads. As a teacher money is tight and am wondering if the extra $33 is worth it?
kath
Like you, my first "INK" purchase with SU! was the rich regals stampin spots. Then I went on to buy the other 3 color families in the spots. I used them for 3 years before investing in full size pads- with the exception of black, I think everyone needs a full size basic black pad. To answer your question- you can make do with the spots for some time.
I bought the spots first because I wanted to save money. But soon learned that they are not that easy to use. Even though they do the job, the larger pads are much nicer. Buying 1-3 pads every month or every other month will help spread out the extra cost.
I like the spots b/c i can decide which colors I will use most and buy the larger pads then. It isn't bad inking with them. i usually turn my stamp over and ink that way like you would a large background stamp.
__________________ Stacey
I am addicted to stamping!
I have stampin' spots for EE and RR because I do not have any stamps pads. They have worked well for me except when I want to ink background stamps. If you travel with your stamps alot and space is an issue then the spots might be good for you. Eventually I plan to buy all the pads because they are easier to use.
I just got the last of the spots(today) and I love them. Cost was the factor in my decision in going for the spots. I too turn the stamp over and press the spot to the stamp. It works well for me!! I say get the spots to start off. you can't go wrong!! Plus it leave $$$ for the other goodies and stamps!
I have to say in in all honesty.. I NEVER touch my spots, I bought them and shortly after became a demo for the discount. As soon as I got the large stamp pads in my starter kit, I never used the spots again. I bought the full size pads off the rest of the colors as soon as I could. The regular pads are just so much easier to use I think, but the spots definatly work if expense or space is an issue.
__________________ Melissa
"Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort" - Franklin D. Roosevelt
I like the full size because they're quicker for larger stamps. boomp, boomp, done! Did ya get that?!
Depends on how much stamping you do, too.
The spots make nice gifts though!
I have the spots, too, along with a regular black and versamark. I can't imagine why I need the larger size in any of the colors yet, but when I do I can always order them separately. I don't have space for them anyway! I like being able to pack up my spots and go. My original demo recommended it to me as a quick way to get a variety of colors and I'm glad she did. They are very easy to use if you want to ink only part of the stamp image, or if you want to use multiple colors. I highly recommend them!
If I were doing a large project such as hundreds of wedding invitations , or mass producing cards to sell, perhaps I would want the larger pads for ease of use - that's the only reasons I can think of right now!
Hi there, I usually tell my customers to buy the spots first. Then they will know what colors they use the most and buy the big stamp pads then. I tell them that if theypick up and stamp/scrap alot its easy to take with them. They usually buy the Black in the pad. So far for my customers they like the idea and they know very quickly which colors they use the most and buy them little by little.
Economical: 12 1x1 ink pads for 21.50 versus 12 full sized pads for 54.95.
Convenience: If you travel with your stamps, spots are easy to transport. 4 small boxes are easier and lighter to carry and store than are 48 full sized pads.
Easy choice: If you are a new stamper and you are unsure about what colors you will use, spots are a great way to start. For example, I don't use certain colors, like Going Grey very often, but I have the spot just in case! Once I figure out which colors I use (and that I REALLY love to stamp! ) I can "graduate" to the larger pads.
Buying full sized pads has advantages, of course:
Unless you are stamping with small stamps (like alphabets) using spots will take longer. Very inconvenient if you are doing a large stamping project (like 30 birthday invites!) The easier stamping is, the more likely you are to complete your projects and enjoy them more fully.
Some techniques, like watercoloring or sponging, are more easily done with the larger ink pad. The lid on a stampin spot is NOT flexible, as it is on a larger pad, so you don't get the same effect. There are ways around it, but they are more of a pain!
A stampin spot will dry out faster than a larger pad, and you will need to purchase a reinker sooner.
These are some thoughts that come to mind for me. I own all the colors in both sizes!
__________________
Milette
The dreamers of the day are dangerous people,For they dream their dreams with open eyes,And make them come true.- D.H. Lawrence
I have a question.....do you have to reink your spots often? I am just curious how much use you can get out of a spot before you have to reink. I am also thinking about purchasing the spots.
Store your spots upside down to keep the ink fresh on top of the pads, and watch for any threads that may be hanging out the sides of the pads- this will "wick" away the ink and dry up the pad very quickly. Trim these threads immediately.
I had my spots for 2-3 yrs before I ever considered reinking them- but then again consider how often you will use them. After those couple of years the colors were not as vibrant as day 1, but they still stamped. It wasn't until after I reinked them that I realized how much the colors had faded, but they were still serviceable.
I know they're small (1" x 1") but you should still get some good use out of them!
I only buy the spots because I hate the new SU pads. I have the old bold brights and wish I had bought all the old style ones. The stampin spots are great but are time consuming if you have a large stamp. I am going to buy blank ink pads and SU reinkers for all the other colors.
SU really needs to change these new pads. They are a pain to open and they sag. Just my opinion!!
__________________ Dear Paperlicious is my blog...with a series on how I'm learning to improve my cardmaking by studying others.
I have 2 sets of the spots - BB and EE - I have had them for about 2 years now....
I have just started buying full sized pads...based on the colors I use most often...I love bright colors so I have about 1/2 of the BB colors - I decided to buy the pads individually rather than as a set because in the BB family I really don't need 3 different shades of green or 2 different shades of purple - so I have bought 1 shade of green and 1 shade of the purple - if I need the other colors I have my spots...
Spots are great if you are going to travel and you can easily use them if you are going to watercolor...just take your spot and rub it on a plastic CD case or the lid of a butter tub and use that ink with a blender pen or an aquabrush to watercolor...
I have a lot of smaller sized stamps so the spots work great - especially with letter stamps
__________________ Jenni -Happy SU Demo - MY GALLERY & MY CHAOTIC LIFE One kid makes you a Parent - Two makes you a Referee
SU really needs to change these new pads. They are a pain to open and they sag. Just my opinion!!
Jan- I don't mind the new flip open feature of the full size pads... but I agree with you in that they sag... how does this happen? I wonder if there's been any talk about how to prevent this!! (oops- I will post this as a new topic- no thread hijacking here...)
I love the spots. I am the type of person who MUST have every color available, but with limited funds .... the spots are great. I have no trouble with them. I will invest in the large pads when I start on my christmas cards. Once I decide what colors I will be using, I will get the large ones. I just couldn't see doing that much stamping with the spots. The spots are great for the 5 - 10 different cards a week I putter around with. If I start "mass producing", I will get the large ones for those projects, too. I love my spots. Only need the earth elements to complete the collection!!!
I like my spots. To me they don't seem to have a lot of ink, but that is probably just me. I do store them upside down. They are easy to transport and I love that. I also use a variety of colors, so they help with that too. Someone was talking about the sagging of big pads. They said to use little stamps around the edges, instead of the middle of the pad. Then reink the outside if necessary.
I have to say that I use the spots and the markers all the time, even for large stamps. I am not thrilled with the new stamp pads (sagging, etc) and I can get better coverage using spots, even though it may take a bit more 'tapping'.
I've got two color families in spots and two in full-sized pads. The thing I like most about the spots is inking the edges of my paper for the aged look. They are much easier to control than the full-sized pads. I'm going to get the other two color familes in spots soon. I don't have any problems inking the background stamps with them. It takes a few more taps than with the big ones, but works just the same.
I would say if you are most comfortable buying the spots for now then that's the route to go. You will see which colors become your favorite to stamp with and as your spots dry out you can either decide to reink or invest in the larger pad depending on how much you used each color. To me that is the most logical way to decide. I have a feeling that some of the bold brights you will no doubt want in the larger pad - bold brights are the favorite among most of my customers. I'm a demo so I have all the pads but I am wanting to start getting some of the craft pads because of the different things you can do with them so I will start with a few colors and add to the collection as a I can. That the great thing about being able to buy them individually!
I only buy the spots because I hate the new SU pads. I have the old bold brights and wish I had bought all the old style ones. The stampin spots are great but are time consuming if you have a large stamp. I am going to buy blank ink pads and SU reinkers for all the other colors.
SU really needs to change these new pads. They are a pain to open and they sag. Just my opinion!!
I'm a demo and I have all the spots. But not all the pads because I wanted to show what every color looked like. I've had a few times that a customer couldn't choose between like the purples so we got out the spots and she picked just the right one. I slowly am buying the full size. but until i have them all the spots work great.
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I have the full size ones but the spots are great for traveling and other things. You could get the the spots now and if you find in the future your totally into stamping you could get the full size pads for the colors you find yourself using the most of. I havn't read all the posts to this thread so if this has already been mentions I apologize.
I have all 48 colors in the big pads and the spots and I love having both...I use them for different things...If you have the money I'd get both but if you don't for a long time I had just the spots and I think they worked just fine...but I would recomend getting the spots but a big Bacis Black. Just my opioion
I have all 48 colors in the big pads and the spots and I love having both...I use them for different things...If you have the money I'd get both but if you don't for a long time I had just the spots and I think they worked just fine...but I would recomend getting the spots but a big Bacis Black. Just my opioion
Stampin Spots vs. full size pads
