Can I just say... woohooo!!

[BunnyCates]

ok Im silly but I had to share.

I'm relatively new to all this stamping business. So when I was trying to build up some supplies I ordered tons of Stamping Up! stuff. Well, I got one of each of the colorsets of inks + refills. I asked around for weeks before doing so because I didnt (and still dont really) understand the difference in the types. Color was more of a concern to me. Well, since I like to hand color, watercolor, markerize (is that a word even?) everyone said I needed the CLASSIC ink. So thats what I bought. Bought it ALL. LOL..

ok, shoot forward to last night.

Up until now Classic ink is all I had used. I used some Encore once, but it didnt feel like this.

Anyway, so last night I could NOT sleep again. I have no idea why my mind will not shut off at the end of the day! So, I decided to break out my new walmart stamps and make my family Christmas cards.

When I signed up to be a demo for SU! a few weeks ago, one of the things they sent me was a pad of white CRAFT ink. Which I used last night to make my snowflakes. I have to tell you I just wanted to SCREAM OUT "wooohoooooo"

Up until now, Ive stamped and been like
"oh yay, Im stamping look at me make a pretty..."
but last night...
the way the craft ink FEELS when you stamp the paper...
the stamp almost HOLDS the paper screaming out
"Do ya feel that!? DO YA?!"
omg it was just AWESOME!!!

hahah! ok, sorry, just had to get it out. Had to tell SOMEBODY. My hubby just doesnt get it. Although, when I was telling him about how awesome it was this morning he responded by saying. "Thats great babe. How much is THIS going to cost me?" hahaha poor guy.

[altds34]

You are too funny! I like the craft ink as well. If you are looking to spend a little less money, just get the craft spots from SU. That is what I did and I love them!

[TEAZ]

I am so glad you liked it. I used Craft for the first time just a few weeks back and I loved it also!!

[ekip2]

Its addicting isn't it LOL!!

I too have the stampin spots in craft ink. I have a full white craft ink and I just ordered the full chocolate chip craft ink and refill. I love the chocolate chip on chip board.

I love having the craft spots so I'll have all the colors when I "need" them. For the ones I use the most I plan on getting the full craft pad. I mostly use the classic ink unless I'm embossing or doing chipboard.

To me part of whats great about this board is we get the need to "wahoo" when most of the rest of our world doesn't!!
Andrea

[BunnyCates]

You wouldnt think it would make a difference. Stamping is stamping, but craft ink feels amazing!!!
lol..
yes, it is the LITTLE things that excite me. LOL.

[jackie1]

The other nice thing about craft ink is that you can use it with embossing powder to give the white that added dazzle if you want to. As for DH, he will learn not to ask. If your's is anything like mine he will just say as long as you are using it and having fun that is fine. I do have to stay within my budget most of the time though. You might also find that you are more creative in the middle of the night, I know that is when I have my best ideas and I just have to put them to paper in one way or another. Keep having fun and don't be afraid to share with us here, we all know what it is like to have those moments of sheer joy that none crafters don't understand.

[Lola G.]

That feeling of the stamp holding the paper? That was the final step in you being sucked into the hobby forevermore. How exciting! And by the way, I took a look at your fun blog, and the Christmas cards look terrific!

[JulieHRR]

*chuckle*

I believe your experience is referred to as a "stamp-gasm".

"I'll have what she's having."
--When Harry Met Sally

[BunnyCates]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JulieHRR

*chuckle*

I believe your experience is referred to as a "stamp-gasm".

"I'll have what she's having."
--When Harry Met Sally

hahah! Are you telling me my hubby has OFFICIALLY been replaced? HAHAHA!!!

LOLA Thank YOU! Those are 1am cant sleep cards! LOL!!! I had stamped the penguins, and set them to the side to dry and wanted to "test" the white on the blue to see if it would look like I wanted, and I was like..."oooooooooo" hahah! Stamped up about 4 too many blue bits though. Guess I got over excited, and just couldnt help myself! hahah!

[momis mama]

<-------- absolutely LOVES SU! craft ink!


i just have white, vanilla, and black at this point.

thank you altds34 for the idea! i hadn't even thought to just get the spots.

i like the full size classic inks but i think the craft would be perfect in the spots.

[cjbapp]

Ok I read 'penguin' and I have to see what you made!!

I do love how the white craft pops out on the paper...never thought I needed more...but maybe??... LOL

[amysings]

I have all the craft spots, too! They are yummy. And big pads in white and black (you must try this one--no more little black spots when the black EP sticks where it shouldn't).

[MSBetsyZ]

I adore my Craft inks from SU, lol. The richness of the color just can't be beat! You may find, Bunny, that if you heat set the white as soon as you stamp it, the image will be a bit brighter than if you just let it dry on its own. That's because a bit of the color will absorb into the paper in the time it takes to dry on its own, whereas heat setting it quickly prevents that from happening. Either way you'll still get rich color, but try heat setting if you get a chance.

[sprtchick]

If you like craft ink..you would probably melt using Colorbox fluid Chalk Inks...they are so yummy...and dry quickly.
Blessings.

[MiamiKel4]

Sounds like you are having fun!

Is there a HUGE difference between SU! stamp inks and the SU! Craft inks? That is on my wishlist and I'm torn on which way to go ...... I haven't ventured into embossing yet but it sounds like you all love the way they stamp, and the rest is just an added bonus! I have a few SU! stamp pads and wonder what the big difference is? I only stamp thus far on Whisper White or PTI paper ........ anyone?

[CNewman]

BunnyCates - hilarious! I started slowly several years ago. Now I have TONS of stamps, inks, cardstock, ribbon, etc etc. My advice to a new stamper: get matching cardstock and ink and ribbon. Stampin Up cardstock is the best. My hubby as sort of resigned himself to my hobby, worst I get now is an eye roll!

[BunnyCates]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MiamiKel4

Sounds like you are having fun!

Is there a HUGE difference between SU! stamp inks and the SU! Craft inks? That is on my wishlist and I'm torn on which way to go ...... I haven't ventured into embossing yet but it sounds like you all love the way they stamp, and the rest is just an added bonus! I have a few SU! stamp pads and wonder what the big difference is? I only stamp thus far on Whisper White or PTI paper ........ anyone?

Kelly,
the difference is supposed to be what you do with each kind.

If you want to like, stamp in color (not color it in with watercolors, etc) then you should use the CLASSIC ink. It dries really fast.

If you want to use markers to color it in like copics, or watercolors, etc.. then you should use the craft ink and emboss.

being really new too, I want to tell you this though..

You know when you stamp...
the rush of excitement of MAKING IT YOURSELF....

for me with classic ink,
it comes when I take the stamp off the paper and see the pretty thing I have just made, you dont really feel it happening so you have to wait to SEE it...

craft ink, is so thick and gooey, and sticky, and awesome.
that rush comes when the stamp hits the paper and you can literally FEEL it going off the stamp onto the paper. You FEEL it before you see it. Craft ink FEELS awesome!

I probably sound like a loon, I mean its putting a stamp on stupid paper. But for creative people, its almost like a fine wine. The "experience" of DOING it is actually better then the taste.

LOL..

oh yea, I really do sound like a psycho.

[SusieMuslie68]

I'm just a jealous Aussie, we don't get a choice down here. We get the classic inks & only the white craft. I wish we could a least get the spots in the craft for the rest of the colours. I would go mad, I'm with BunnyCates, the feel is just amazing.

[natalie3m1]

I'm certainly not trying to rain on anyone's parade, but I have NOT had great experiences with craft ink. Now, it could be a host of things that I do differently than you guys, but the two pads I accidently got in the craft formula were so gooey that my line stamps were a complete mess after just one tap. I tried putting the pad upside-down for a couple days, thinking it would drain a little, but that didn't work. Those two pads sat for months before I finally found a fellow crafter who wanted them. SU Classic Ink is almost all I use now, aside from Top Boss, Versamark, Stazon and Perfect Medium.
I have figured out a couple tricks to making solid stamps work better with the dye pads: Swipe the stamp across the pad a few times, and then tap several times. I find it picks up much more ink and provides good coverage.
That said, I do know how you feel about putting ink to paper, and I don't think you're a loon. You should warn your husband about the addiction, however, because mine was caught off guard and is still getting over the shock. I need how many stamp sets? How many? Really? And more every month until when?
For me the feeling comes when I put the last element on the card and get it ready to photograph. Seeing the whole thing together, even if I'm not thrilled with all the details, makes me feel like Renoir, Michaelangelo, and Andy Warhol all rolled into one. Thanks for sharing your moment with us!

[Joan B]

Your post brought a huge smile to my face.

Your enthusiam is so infectious. Enjoy!!!

[JulieHRR]

Quote:

Originally Posted by natalie3m1

I'm certainly not trying to rain on anyone's parade, but I have NOT had great experiences with craft ink. Now, it could be a host of things that I do differently than you guys, but the two pads I accidently got in the craft formula were so gooey that my line stamps were a complete mess after just one tap. I tried putting the pad upside-down for a couple days, thinking it would drain a little, but that didn't work. Those two pads sat for months before I finally found a fellow crafter who wanted them.

If I can offer a few helpful suggestions--I think your craft/pigment pad may have been over-saturated--highly possible, based on my experiences with these pads in the past. You can eliminate this by blotting some of the excess ink with a paper towel.

It's also possible, and not uncommon, with Craft or pigment ink, for the glycerin to separate on occasion from the pigments (glycerin is what makes the ink so wet and tacky for EP to stick to it). I take a butter knife and just rework/mix the ink throughout the pad to resolve the issue.

Another issue may be the way in which you apply the ink to the stamp when working with a pigment or craft ink type pad.

Rather than leaving the pad on the table and tapping the stamp into it, try holding the pad in one hand (left, if you're right handed), and the stamp in your right hand, and then touch or tap the two together gently, checking the stamp for ink coverage, and re-touching them to apply more ink if needed.

OR, my preferred method is to leave the stamp, rubbah side up, on the table, and hold the ink pad in my hand, and apply the ink from that direction. I get a better feel for the pressure applied and can quickly see how well the stamp is being covered.

Quote:

SU Classic Ink is almost all I use now, aside from Top Boss, Versamark, Stazon and Perfect Medium.
I have figured out a couple tricks to making solid stamps work better with the dye pads: Swipe the stamp across the pad a few times, and then tap several times. I find it picks up much more ink and provides good coverage.
That said, I do know how you feel about putting ink to paper, and I don't think you're a loon. You should warn your husband about the addiction, however, because mine was caught off guard and is still getting over the shock. I need how many stamp sets? How many? Really? And more every month until when?
For me the feeling comes when I put the last element on the card and get it ready to photograph. Seeing the whole thing together, even if I'm not thrilled with all the details, makes me feel like Renoir, Michaelangelo, and Andy Warhol all rolled into one. Thanks for sharing your moment with us!

That's when my euphoria tends to strike as well!



*chuckle*

[jenjoy71]

Julie thanks for all the tips!! I actually already do some of them too!

[scrappinspadiva]

Great tips! How exciting, Bunny! And just when I thought I would go inactive in my demonstratorship... woohoo... something else to buy!

[allensm]

Question for those of you out there. I've only used the craft ink once and felt it was a diaster. My stamp got clogged up with ink, and wouldn't stamp many cards. It was messy to clean. Any solution to the problem?
sam

[queenoe]

Well, I STARTED with "craft ink" not SU but others. I embossed EVERYTHING. Then I found SU and discovered "flat" stamping, that is just stamping with classic ink and no coloring. Faster, but there is nothing like the squish of craft ink and then the embossing. What a rush!!LOL!