How to Use Unmounted Stamps

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Please welcome our newest Feature Reporter Gina Krupsky! Gina K. has been a rubber stamping instructor, stamp designer and artist for over seven years. She began as a demonstrator for a major stamping home party company where she earned several awards and cruises. She served on design teams as a concept artist and now owns her own stamp company. Gina currently resides in the midwest with her fabulous husband and two awesome daughters. We are so happy to have Gina as a Feature Reporter on our staff. Stay tined for more informative articles from Gina! You can visit Gina on her Blog HERE.

How to Use Unmounted Stamps
Reported By Gina Krupsky

I was so excited when Sarah asked me to write an article for Craft Critique. Craft Critique is one of my favorite places to go for information and great ideas so it is such an honor to write for a site that I respect so much.

As I thought about what topic to write about, I scoped out the many threads on some of the hottest stamping forums on the web.

One common question that continues to come up is, “Thinking of going unmounted. How do I do it?”

If you are using polymer type stamps that are all clear, they are ready to go. If you purchased rubber unmounted stamps, you will need to decide what will give you the best results.

From the research I did, the best way to get the best impression is to attach that stamp to a piece of cushion that has cling vinyl on the back. Cling vinyl is similar to the window clings that you can attach to your windows but peel right off after the holiday is over with no residue left behind.

Once your stamp is attached to the cling vinyl, you will need some sort of block to attach it to temporarily while you use it. Then, it can be peeled off that block and stored for later use. Nothing is ever sticky but it’s very clingy.

As far a mounting blocks go, I searched the internet to see what was out there. I found many companies that offer acrylic blocks. Basic acrylic blocks can be purchased almost anywhere including some major craft stores both online and in your home town. The basic blocks look like these.

They come in sets and are thin, very clear and have smooth flat edges. This are a great bargain because they are not expensive- most sets run around $15.00 and they provide you with all the sizes you need. The down side of these blocks is that they are not very confortable. The flat, somewhat sharp edge can cause some fatigue after a while and make you feel the need to take a break. But don’t rule them out completely because they have their place. If you are new to unmounted stamping, this is a great way to get started for not a lot of money. If you only have a few unmounted stamps, these will work very well and you can always upgrade later.

For more comfort, many companies have come out with blocks that are shaped more like maple wood blocks. These have a beveled edge that makes it easy on your fingers and they are a bit thicker which makes them feel more like their wood counterpart.

But remember, acrylic is acrylic and it isn’t soft like wood. After long periods of stamping with any acrylic block, you will feel a bit more fatigued than you do with wood.

Now, if acrylic blocks are just not your style, you can still stamp with unmounted stamps.

The most economical way that I have seen to do this is to use a Stampin’ Up stamp that is close in size to your unmounted stamp and attach it to the sticker side of your Stampin’ Up block. The clingy side of the unmounted rubber stamp will stick to the shiny sticker.

There are those stampers who would prefer not to use a block from a stamp set so things don’t get out of order. If that sounds like you, try making your own clingy wood block like this.

Purchase some plain wood blocks. You can search maple wood mounts on the internet or try ebay. (You can even raid your kids building blocks!) When you have the sizes you need, use some packing tape and cover one side of the wood block with the tape.

Try not to overlap any of the pieces of tape to keep the block perfectly flat. Then, stick your unmounted stamp to the taped side of your wood block.

Works like magic!

With so many beautiful stamps available today in crystal clear polymers and good old fashioned rubber, your stamping dollars can go much further by going unmounted. And now, with more mounting options, it just may be your time to give it a try!