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First, I should mention that I am background stamp challenged. I've tried using them mounted on the wood blocks, cling mounted on acrylic blocks, turning the stamp upside down and laying the cardstock on it and brayering, but I rarely get a complete unsmeared image. And this ticks me off, because I have 9 or 10 backgrounders from Cornish Heritage Farms that I would really like to use more, but it's just not worth the feelings of inadequacy they cause
So, this past weekend I was at Joann's and in a MOOD, if you get what I mean, and I threw the Fiskars Stamp Press in my basket. Because it was 40% off and that made it less than $10 and, well, MOOD.
It's supposed to be for arranging multiple clear stamps and only having to stamp once. I never would have purchased it for that purpose, because I don't care for clear stamps much and I never understood how to work around the fact that not all clear stamps are the same height.
What it does work really, REALLY well for is stamping with cling-mounted background stamps. Perfect, even, unsmudged backgrounds - aligned properly and not at a wonky angle. I use it on top of the printed side of my Scor-Mat, which helps with the alignment.
The only thing I would change about it (and this would make it more expensive) is I would add a baseplate with indents that the foam feet could be set in, so you would know the press was lined up the same way every time. But really, the Scor Mat accomplishes the same thing just fine.
Like I said earlier, with the 40% off it was less than $10 - which is less than the cost of an acrylic block big enough to fit these backgrounders. I only wish I had discovered this early enough to order more of the CHF backgrounders before the company shut down
I love mine too!! I don't know why I didn't think of it for my large backgrounds - I have a pretty Impression Obsession tree background that's too large for my blocks and that's perfect! Thanks for the aha moment!
I use it all the time for large background stamps and unmounted wheels. It's also great for lining up unmounted clear letter stamps. I wrote a whole article about it for Scrapjazz, which should be posted soon.
I have one of these, too, and hadn't really been impressed with it. I think I'll pull out some of my background stamps and try them. Maybe I'll fall in love with them all over again.
I have been looking at these every time I have been in Joanns for several monthes now, but kept putting off buying one, because I wasn't sure if it would work on the background stamps.
Does anyone know where you can buy them in Canada? I tried one for the first time at a 'make and take' but the LSS where I was, didn't actually sell them. We don't have Joanne's here and I didn't see them at Michael's
I love both of mine. I have a big and little size. They were hard to find, ordered one on line, and found the other one at TARGET. They are super for all stamps that you have. I had read bad things about them, but used one on a make and take for CHA and loved it so much. Everyone would love them.
You wouldn't be able to use it with those. I don't think it sits high enough off the surface for a wooden stamp to fit, and you'd want the stamp to actually stick to the press.
Oh, well, that just saves me some money. Thanks for answering me so quickly, gale! I am thinking just maybe I have seen one hanging near the acryllic stamps. I just didn't pay any attention to it because I didn't know what it was!
I think there's only two sizes so if you want to do background stamps, you'll probably want the bigger one. If I remember correctly, the smaller one is not as big as a standard size card.
My Joann's only had the one size, but the stamping plate area on it is about 5x7. To use it for background stamps, you wouldn't want anything much smaller than that. The press itself is about the size of an 8-1/2 x 11 sheet of paper.
I got one a couple of days ago-they were 40% off. But then I opened it today and realized that all of my stamps need something sticky (I usually use tack n peel) so I need to get something to put on the plate to get my stamps to stick, but I have to be able to remove it in case I use clear stamps. Also I was surprised that the feet are made of sponges. I wonder how long it'll take for those to wear out.
Gale - try some Scotch Poster tape. It's what I use when I have new stamps that I want to try and can't bear to wait until I have EZ mount or Tack It Over & Over on them. If you need it to peel off the plate, it comes off easily. (Supposedly, you could also get a spare plate and put Tack N Peel on one and leave the other bare, but I haven't actually seen the spare plates anywhere).
I was kind of surprised about the sponge feet, too, but I think that anything more substantial would kind of force back against you when you press down. I'm being careful about not storing it where the feet will get squished; I'm betting that they'll last long enough that I'll feel I got my money's worth when they do wear out.
Fiskars Stamp Press - Happy Surprise!
