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Have any of you used these Autumn Leaves stamps by Rhonna Farrer? Ok, what is MY deal? I can't get a good image with these stamps! I'm using my SU classic inks and the ink is beading up on them. I used the eraser tip, rubbing the stamps with an eraser before the first use, but that didn't help.
I have to say, I love BUYING acrylic stamps, but I'm not loving the actual using of them. I don't want to have to buy all different inks to use with these acrylics - it's just not worth it to me. There are plenty of rubber stamps to chose from without this aggravation.
I have used them many times with dye inks and chalk inks and they stamp just fine.
Try just putting a very little pressure on them when you stamp. Sometimes it looks like it is beading up but when you stamp you get a clear image--at least that is what I have noticed lately.
I use chalk inks...they aren't really too expensive if you get the little ones (versamagic, etc.) and you can use a coupon if you have a craft store nearby like Mikes or HL....or try Frugalities.com (that's where I get all my chalk inks!) They come in a pack of 4 (I believe) so you get lotsa purty colors!!
I'm using my SU classic inks and the ink is beading up on them. I used the eraser tip, rubbing the stamps with an eraser before the first use, but that didn't help.
you could also try "inking" up the image on a versamark pad and then inking up with the actual ink that you want to stamp with...this has worked for me...
good luck!
One thing I noticed with acrylic stamps (not specific to AL) is that I was putting on too much ink. I kept mashing the pad on it until I saw the ink (usually beading by this time) on the stamp; when I back off and just did a little tap, tap, the image was much crisper. Also, having a pad (I just just use a spare mouse pad, but even a stack of newspapers would work) to help cushion underneath helps. Good luck!
Definitely use a "cushion" like a thick pad of paper or mouse pad. I have used all inks with mine. The other thing I learned was that fresh out of the package that have some sort of chemical on them from the factory that interferes with the inks and you should clean them up good with the stampin scrub pad.
I bought a bunch of these stamps at Walmart.. wasn't happy with how they stamped and returned them all for a refund. Wish I had read about using an eraser before stamping. Pam
__________________ "The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him."
I have a AL flourishes set and if I want to use a dye ink I stamp it in versamark first, then into the dye ink pad. It will take awhile to dry (like a pigment ink), but you wont get the beading up of the ink. Heat set it, or emboss it if you are in a hurry.
Great tips - thank you all so much! I did take a white eraser to them before I inked them .. but I also inked until I could "see" the ink. And it was beaded up. I'm going to play with them again tomorrow. The images are so pretty that I hate to give up on them.
Thanks!!
Tashers performed a clear stamp performance test and Autumn Leaves was one of the worst.
I found it helpful.
BUMMER! I really like the images on the FOUR Autumn Leaves sets I bought but am really disappointed in the performance. I will try the versamark tip today. If that doesn't work, I'm looking for my receipts. I don't want to have to buy separate inks to use these stamps - too much of hassle for me (and expensive!)
I have 2 sets by AL and I had to take a high grit (600 grit, you can buy it at a hardware store or beauty supply store if you have a liscence) and paper to them to get them to ink well. And still after that, only some of them took ink well, the others are just garbage.
I've bought two other companies clear stamps, Papertrey and MFT.
With papertrey I had to prepare all the stamps, and it was a pain. I love the stamps but it was super time consuming rubbing them with an eraser. I still buy them, but you just have to condition them first before using them with any ink.
MFT stamps, that's a whole other story! They inked up on the first try with my SU inks! I was in stampin' heaven! LOVE the MFT stamps.
I own a bunch of Autumn Leaves and Fiskars stamps, and I never have a problem with them using ColorBox ink. I don't own a whole lot of SU! ink, and I think I'm not going to buy anymore; ColorBox ink is simply superb, and their colors are spectacular. I love SU! paper, but their ink, well, not so much. :(
__________________ Hi, my name is Molly, and I am a Designer Paper addict. My avatar is my virtual representation in Second Life.
Because AL stamps are silicone type material and not Photopolymer then dye ink beads up on them. It's my biggest issue with them and it just kills me because they have so many fantastic images. I finally got to the point that I steer away from using them because I have to work too hard to get a good result. Here are a few tips if you really need to stamp with them...
Use pigment or chalk ink or sand the images before use. Mine lost their stick also so I use foam mount tape if I really have to use an image. (trust me... I have done it all to get the stick back... no go.)
Because AL stamps are silicone type material and not Photopolymer then dye ink beads up on them. It's my biggest issue with them and it just kills me because they have so many fantastic images. I finally got to the point that I steer away from using them because I have to work too hard to get a good result. Here are a few tips if you really need to stamp with them...
Use pigment or chalk ink or sand the images before use. Mine lost their stick also so I use foam mount tape if I really have to use an image. (trust me... I have done it all to get the stick back... no go.)
I have some unopened sets - I think they are going back to the store. Bums me out but they are just too much work. Maybe I should just stick to rubber LOL!
With papertrey I had to prepare all the stamps, and it was a pain. I love the stamps but it was super time consuming rubbing them with an eraser. I still buy them, but you just have to condition them first before using them with any ink.
I have four sets from PaperTrey and haven't conditioned any of them, nor have I conditioned any of my photopolymer stamps from other companies. They stamp great with SU classic ink--and every other ink I've tried--for me. I really wonder what in the manufacturing process makes some stamps from the same company behave differently, since you clearly are having issues. Is there something in the molds that makes the first sets out in need of conditioning, but the sets that come out later work better? Inquiring minds want to know.
I have several autumn leaves sets. I've had trouble with the SU classic inks on them, but yesterday I used the versafine black ink with the Astroboy set. It stamped better than I'd ever had it stamp before. Very crisp and BLACK, not like SU Classic, which to me has a very purple quality to it, especially for a solid stamp. So that's my tip. I am going to try the versamark tip tho, cuz I have the flourishes set, and I rarely pull it out, cuz I don't want to waste my cardstock trying to get a good image. :-)
I have some unopened sets - I think they are going back to the store. Bums me out but they are just too much work. Maybe I should just stick to rubber LOL!
I wouldn't give up on clear... I personally just try to stick with Photopolymer. It's hard to know which is which but I can say that if it says "made in China" it's probably not photopolymer but silicone type material. (now I did recently get some prototypes from china that were not silicone that actually worked pretty good so maybe a change is in to horizon)
If you continue to have problems try Close to My Heart� acrylic stamps. I use them all the time and I don't have these problems. But don't give up on clear. I use both the rubber and clear and there are times when you just really need to see where you are stamping. And I've tried using those gadgets that are supposed to line your stamps up perfectly every time, what a joke. Another option if you need to see where your stamping but have better results with rubber is The Angel Company�. These are unmounted rubber stamps that you temporarily mount on clear blocks. Enables you to see where you are stamping and gives you the precision and ease of rubber. Best of both worlds, in my honest opinion and I do mean honest because I am a SU demo.
Wish I had read this thread before I bought the AL Gypsy Love set at Archiver's, although I really love the images on that set. Oh well. I will try the suggestion of using the Versafine ink with them. Thanks to all for their input.
issues with Rhonna Farrer stamps?
