I’ve had a lot of people ask me questions about Stampin’ Up!’s Clear-Mount stamps so I thought I should do an FAQ blog post to answer questions and explain what they look like and how they work. Also at the end of the post are some tips and hints on using the clear-mount stamps.
Many people hear ‘clear mount’ and think that Stampin’ Up!’s Clear Mount stamps are ‘clear’ like acrylic or polymer stamps. However they’re not, they are the usual high quality red rubber that Stampin’ Up! use on their woodmount stamps and they are mounted on the same foam as the woodmount stamps. The difference is that they are used with clear blocks – hence the name ‘clear mount’.
Here’s a photo of Stampin’ Up!’s clear mount stamps in their case. The front of the case shows the stamp images at 100% size
Here’s the side view. The side of the case shows the stamp images in a smaller size so that when you store them you can quickly see what images you have.
Here’s what the inside of a Clear Mount set looks like (I’ve used a different set which I haven’t opened as yet so you can see what it looks like new).
Inside the cover of the case are instructions on using the stamps. The stamps come in rubber already mounted onto foam and are die cut. You also get a set of matching stickers to use on the back of the stamps if you want to use them.
So to use your stamps simply pop out your die-cut stamps
Next, peel off the protective layer from the matching sticker. There’s a ‘split’ in the middle of the protective sheet so that you can peel it off easily.
Next, peel off the protective layer off the back of the rubber stamp.
Of course if you want, you could use your stamp as it is without the sticker – and some people do, but I prefer to have the sticker on the back of the stamp so that I can see my image when I stamp which helps me position it more accurately.
Next place the back of your stamp onto the matching sticker
Your stamp is now ready to use! Just choose a clear block that will fit the size of your rubber stamp
Now here’s the way to put your clear mount stamp onto your clear block. Some people say that their clear mount stamps fall off their blocks but mine always stay stuck all the way through stamping and cleaning and they don’t come off until I peel them off – every time. The easy trick to do this is to place your stamp onto your table, rubber side down. Then firmly press your clear block onto the back of your stamp. You’ll know that it’s stuck down well because you’ll see (as shown in the photo below) that there are ‘clear spaces’ between the block and your stamp… this shows that the stamp is suctioned well onto the clear block and it will stay put.
A few other tips to keep your clear mount stamps stuck firmly onto your clear block:
* Make sure you haven’t put any hand creme or lotion on your hands in the last few minutes. This is leaves slippery finger prints on your clear blocks and your stamp won’t be able to grip.
* Make sure your clear block is clean. If you have ink, glitter, greasy finger prints, etc., on the block then you’ll need to clean your clear block. Clean it using your stamp cleaner or just clean it under the kitchen tap with a little dishwashing liquid.
* When cleaning your stamps, spray some Stampin’ Mist onto your Stampin’ Scrub then clean the stamp gently in a circular motion. You don’t need to scrub hard anyway even if your stamp is woodmounted.
Here’s some benefits of using Clear-Mount stamps:
* As opposed to acrylic or polymer stamps, these stamps are rubber and so the ink sits on the rubber beautifully – it doesn’t pool – and will give you a perfect image every time.
* You can clean your stamps with StazOn Cleaner if you wish and they won’t erode with time as ‘clear’ stamps do.
* Because they mount onto clear blocks, you can position your image easier as you can see where you are stamping.
* They store in their own DVD case and so they take up a lot less space.
* Because there’s no wooden blocks, they are cheaper to buy. Simply buy some clear blocks in a variety of sizes to use over and over with all your clear-mount stamps.
I hope this FAQ on using Clear-Mount stamps has answered your questions. Please feel free to comment I’ve missed something or you would like to ask a different question or if you just want to leave a comment.
). Here’s the card that I came up with:
