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Miscellaneous Tips/Tools/Techniques

Source: Unknown

Here's the tip: Looking for a way to prevent a newspaper clipping from yellowing? It's the high acid content that makes newsprint turn yellow. And just as you would treat acid in your tummy, you need to soak that paper in antacid. Mix 1 quart of club soda with 2 tablespoons Milk of Magnesia and refrigerate for 8 hours before using.

Pour the solution into a shallow pan; submerge the clipping and let it soak for 1 hour outside the refrigerator.

Carefully remove the clipping and place it on several layers of white paper towel to absorb any excess moisture. Then move it to a clean, flat surface to dry completely. Be sure to test this method on a part of the newspaper you don't care to preserve just to make sure the method does not react poorly with the ink. It's unlikely, but better to be safe than sorry. Of course, always display newspaper clippings out of direct sunlight to prevent fading.

Source: Cheryl in Salmon Arm, BC

You know how hard it is sometimes to get a really clear mirror image? Even using a palette stamp - you don't always get a good image.

Try this. Stamp in a dye ink on wax paper. Now turn it over, and place it where you want it to go on the card stock. Without moving it - rub your finger over the image. It will transfer to your cardstock and the image is great!!!! Then you can come back and place the original stamp wherever you want the mirror image to appear.
Works like a charm - because you can see exactly where you are placing the image. Try it.

Source: Unknown

Here is a tip I learned along time ago. When using a photo type stamp, or any stamp that has alot of detail such as Stampscapes stamps, with EACH AND EVERY use, take a piece of packing tape, wrap it around your hand with the sticky side out and "BLOT" the stamp surface well. Now look at the tape----------you will not believe the gunk, lint and dust that the tape has pulled out of your stamp. THAT is the reason you do not get clear, clean crisp images. It only takes a minute to clean the stamp with the tape, and it makes all the difference in the world! Just my humble opinion.

Source: Kristi of "Designedly, Kristi"

Get much more mileage from your favorite handmade backgrounds. When you make your own backgrounds with acrylics, watercolors, inks etc. scan your favorites! Then you can use photo editing software to change the color scheme or just print them out again to use in other projects!

Or, even use them in digital work like I did at
www.designedlykristi.com/gallery/digital/mandalas/art3.html
This mandala was made digitally in Adobe Photoshop from a background I created using gesso and *blue* watercolors!

Source: Joyce Kitchell

To make easy, inexpensive, and light weight decorations for your cards, buy a bag of thin wood cutouts that come in different shapes. These can be found at discount stores or craft stores. Apply VersaMark or pigment ink to one side and the edges of the wood, and emboss with several coats of Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel. Then ink up a stamp with pigment ink and press into the embossing while still warm.

You can also make pins or necklaces out of these wood shapes. You can add glitter or micro beads during the embossing process. The possible color combinations are endless!

Source: Unknown

Take photographs of interesting clouds -- they make great backgrounds! You can also use "flubs" for backgrounds using your imagination and a few stamps. Treat the photo like glossy cardstock.

Source: Kathie McGuire

Faux Slide Mounts

Make your own slide mounts for use as "frames" in your paper art projects with three simple stamper's tools...scissors (or cutter of your choice), a square punch, and a corner rounder! It's fast, easy, and will save you oodles of money!

Here's how to make these little treasures:

Begin with a piece of cardstock of your choice. Punch a square out of a piece of cardstock or paper of your choice. Then, trim about ½" from the cutout area of the square on all four sides. Lastly, round off the four corners.

You now have a perfect little "faux" slide mount to use as a frame in any paper art project!

Here's a few layman's (me being the layman-LOL!) terms to eliminate some confusion with exactly what these are:

• Slide Mount: The square card stock "frame" that holds photo film. "Slides" in this application are the photos that you've taken with your camera and are then developed into slides. Those slides are then put in a projector and projected onto a screen for viewing.
• Slides: The glass objects that are used to carry or hold a miniscule object for viewing under a microscope.
• Slide Holders: These are the cardboard or cardstock holders that hold those glass slides.

The photo is an actual slide mount (first item on the left) and next to it (on the right), my cheap knock-off imitation. You may view it in my photos folder ("Creations by Kathie McGuire") on this website: groups.yahoo.com/group/Playtime_RubberStampTechniquesOnly/. You will find that it's the last photo in my folder (#32). Enjoy!

Source: Jane Stumpfel

While discussing how to make Mizuhiki cord on another group, I decided to experiment with making my own at home. I didn't get Mizuhiki, but I did get a fantastic paper crafting cord.

To make it, take a 36" or so length of crepe paper streamer in your choice of color. On the diagonal, start twirling it between your index finger and thumb. Twist tightly and try to keep the tension even so you will get a more uniform cord. Take the twisted cord and dip it into liquid laundry starch.

Stretch and smooth the cord and lay it flat to dry on a non-stick protected surface (think trash bag, freezer paper or saran).

When dry, you'll have a nice, somewhat stiff paper cord that you can knot or thread through your cards.
What's nice is now you can make it in a rainbow of your choice of colors.

Source: Kathie McGuire

Accessorized Alphabets

Embellished (or themed) alphabet stamps can get expensive if you purchase the many different ones for use in coordinating themes for your paper art projects. Save that money and make your own!! Simple, fun, and very inexpensive!! You can make the most out of alphabet stamps with one simple little tip: add a small, coordinated image to each letter. Vary the look by "attaching" each stamped image to a different spot on the selected letter. Plus, the small stamps used for this application make GREAT background paper for other paper art projects!!

Begin by collecting small image stamps for different scrapbook page themes, handmade cards, or other projects. Remember to keep things in proportion; if your alphabet stamps are large, they can support a little bigger "attached" image. Smaller alphabet stamps will of course need a little smaller "attached" image. There's no difference in how you stamp the images---just stamp your alphabet letter first, then carefully line up your small image stamp, making sure that both images connect on the paper. It's that simple!!

Here are some examples of how I've used small image stamps with alphabet stamps:

• For a flower themed card, I've attached small bumblebees to each letter. I spelled the word "Buzzzzzz". Stamping the bumblebee on each letter dramatically changed the look of the title.
• On a garden themed scrapbook page, I spelled the title "Garden" and stamped a little image of ivy on the left side of the first letter, the right side of the next letter, and so on….alternating left and right with each letter (attaching the ivy to a different area of each individual letter, so as to not crowd my images).
• For a dog themed card, I "attached" small paw prints on the side of each letter. I spelled the dog's name "Sparky". Adorable with the paw prints added to it!!
• On a ladybug themed card, I spelled the word "Lady" and attached a very small image of a ladybug to each one of the letters. Since it was an "open" image, I colored my ladybug red and made the title come alive!!

The possibilities are endless using this method of accessorizing your alphabet letters. So get out those alphabets, search for small image stamps, and start accessorizing today!

Source: Unknown

Today I was stitching on tiny buttons on a card project and it just dawned on me....put a tiny bit of glue on the thread and when the button is stitched on the glue will not only hold the button on but attach it to the center of your project. ie: I was doing a cross type stitch with tiny buttons...the thread was a darker color than the buttons so it made a center for a flower effect...

Source: Marjie Brandeen

Fresco Resist

You use the full size Fresco pad. (but I'm real curious how the cubes might work.)It's the WEAVE of the pad in combination with the ink that makes this work!

Start with a cut-to-size piece of white glossy. Using a resist ink, i.e.Versamark, stamp some stuff. A collage is lovely, or just a large image. Words are awesome! Heat set. You'll need the heat tool between EACH application here, but no need to cook it, just set each color so your next color isn't contaminated.

!!Stay away from your dark colors for the initial process!!

Start with light shades of fresco, working to medium shades, and "blot" (don't rub) the pad randomly. Do not cover, just hints of color. Heat set. Get another color, blot some more. Heat set. And another color - heat set. And another color - heat set. You can use as many colors as you like and each time you'll not cover, just randomly apply. Just be sure to heat set between each one. You should have all the white pretty much covered after all the colors are applied.

You'll wonder where the stamped images went. And that is the final step --Use a dark color now. (the deep red, navy, dark brown and my fave is the dark green. Sorry, I don't have mine in front of me to give you "official" color names here, but you get the idea.) This time you blot COLOR ALL OVER. Not heavily, per say, just all over. !!Do NOT heat set this last color (yet)!! Use a paper towel and begin buffing in a gentle, circular motion, all over the piece. You'll see the images start to pop through, you'll see those previous colors start to appear in a weave, and you'll be amazed! Keep buffing until the piece is as glossy as it was to begin with.

You can stop here or give it pizzazz: OVER stamp some images (especially words) with black permanent ink. You won't land directly on the resist image which gives you a fabulous shadow. You'll love it! Throw in some eye candy with teeny images using Brilliance! Heat set the piece and you're done.

Source: Unknown

When you're stamping on glazed tile with Staz On and make a mistake you can correct it if you act fast. On the glazed tile, the ink will take a minute or two to dry. Immediately wipe off your mistake with some rubbing alcohol. The StazOn will come right off since it is a solvent based ink.

Source: Unknown

When you are working with micro beads and sticky tape, there are often tiny gaps between the beads. If you want to fill in the spaces, sprinkle in embossing powder and heat it, or sprinkle on extra fine glitter. Both will stick to the exposed tape and fill any gaps right in!

Source: Unknown

A wonderful way to remove the stickies from your scissors after cutting UMs with adhesive foam is using GooGone. I found that having to use two hands to lift the bottle, open the screw-cap from the top, tip and pour onto a paper towel, then replace the cap (each time) was just too many extra steps. So, I transferred my GooGone into a cleaned-out pump bottle and eliminated the paper towels. I now keep a disposable foam paint brush on tinfoil underneath my pump bottle of GooGone. Then when I need to clean my scissors, with one hand I can pump a small squirt onto the foam paint brush, and wipe the scissors clean with a few strokes of the brush -- all with one hand.

The excess GooGone stays "active" on the paint brush a lot longer than it did evaporating on the paper towel, so it extends the GooGone proportionately. The roughness of the foam brush acts like a scrubber and does a fine job cleaning.

Source: Kathie McGuire

Nail polish dryer is an unlikely stamping supply, but I have found it extremely handy to keep among my stamping products.

This magic item ranges in price anywhere from 1.00 to 5.00 a bottle and can be found in beauty supply stores, discount stores, and even dollar stores. I'm a "hard core" fan, so I purchase mine from a beauty supply store at the cost of around 5.00 a bottle. (As a note, I have found that the higher quality dryers are less likely to yellow as quickly and they dry at the speed of light!! LOL!!). There are many types of nail polish dryer on the market; the type referred to in this application is the type that is purchased in a bottle. It looks like, is similar in thickness to regular nail polish, and is clear (colorless).

I recently needed to change the color of a decorative button from red to pink. The perfect paint for the job??? Nail polish!!! Never having been a patient stamper, the minutes seemed to drag by as I waited for the polish to harden. I quickly reached for my nail dryer, and voila! In less than one minute my button was freshly painted, totally dry, and ready to attach to my stamped card. And the glossy shine was fantastic!! Like clear lacquer!!

During another stamping project, I placed pre-made photo corners onto a stamped image that was then was layered onto a card. After completing the entire project, I snagged one of the photo corners and practically destroyed it. It would have done irreparable damage to remove the layer completely, so guess what I reached for? That's right---the nail dryer. Just a smidgeon on the backside of the photo corner made the perfect repair necessary that thankfully saved my project. Since it dried absolutely clear (and I used such a small amount) the repair was virtually undetectable.

I've also found it to be a fierce competitor to some of the other adhesives on the market for attaching items that need a "clear" finish to paper projects. This product doesn't work on everything, so conduct your own experiment for your particular project. I've used it for attaching small beads and other small items to paper…and I've sometimes used it to stop a fraying, runaway little fiber. And don't forget, if you want a nice glossy sealer, think nail dryer!! The best part of using this stuff?? THE BRUSH!!

One last mention is that any product that isn't specifically made for archival purposes shouldn't be used on certain projects, so be sure to take that into consideration if you decide to make use of this handy little tip.

Source: Margaret Myers

To quickly add small embellishments like bows, buttons, beads, curled wire, fibers, etc. to your projects, use super gel glue. Use the small tip of a toothpick to apply a teeny dab to the back of it where it won't show and hold it in place for a second. *Don't use a lot or your fingers will be wearing your embellishment.

Source: Kim Hannan, New Orleans LA

Just thought of another cool tip. If you're like me and like to buy your adhesive foam by the roll at the dollar store, this tip's for you!

It's very thin...which can be good, but what if you need it a bit thicker?

Cut off a piece any size you'd like and now stick it adhesive to adhesive on the foam that is still on the roll (without taking ANY of the protective paper off). You can cut it off and now you have a double layer WITH a protective paper on both sizes. (need it even thicker? peel off one piece of the adhesive and add a third layer!)

Make up several of these at a time to have on hand so you don't have to sticky up your scissors every time.

Use as a pop-dot, in shaker cards etc...

Source: Kristi of "Designedly Kristi"

If you're anything like me and love all the great fibers on the market and like to add beads to them I have a great money saving tip for you...

Instead of using a $2+ "Big Eye" needle, head to your local drug store and pick up a pack of 25 Dental Floss Threaders by Butler/GUM for $2.99 and you'll never run out of a needle for threading beads onto those gorgeous fibers. They work exactly like the Big Eye needles, but are plastic. I find they don't break as often when used with small holed beads with a tight fit.

Source: Unknown

When you create a background paper and are not sure if the stamp you want to use will look good on it, instead of ruining your background paper (don't ask) use either a stamp positioner with the clear acrylic piece or an acrylic block to stamp your image on. Then place it on top of your background paper to see how it will look. You can move it around to see where it will look best....

Source: Unknown

I don't know if this is a tip as much as it is just a cool thing to do. :-) Cut up a plain old kitchen sponge and use it to apply ink to solid stamps. Then when you stamp them, they have a kind of texture to them. I did this with a big solid flag background, applying red ink to the stripes and blue ink to the stars area.

Source: Kathie McGuire

Don't overlook this ordinary (AND OH-SO-INEXPENSIVE) object to incorporate into your paper art and stamping projects. A drinking straw!!

Plastic drinking straws come in many sizes-both in length and diameter. Select a drinking straw the size of your choice. Choose a strip of text weight paper---either background paper of your choice or stamp a piece of plain, text weight paper to coordinate with your project. Next, cut the length of the paper slightly longer than the straw and wide enough to wrap around it with a slight overlap. Paint a thin coat of glue (white glue, tacky glue, etc.) on the entire straw. Wrap the paper around the straw securing all areas to the glue and allow the glue to dry. Cut the straw into pieces the length of your choice. They are great to use in the following applications:

Cut your covered straws into ½" pieces (vary this size to suit yourself and your project). Thread ribbons or fibers through them for use on your cards or other projects! They ultimately look like a little tube bead at the end of your ribbons or fibers. Who knew???

Run a long cord through them and separate the pieces with a decorative bead. Wow!

Glue them on the top of a box for a little bit of ephemera. Perfect!!

Add them to altered books!

String them on a cord and stretch them across your card or other art project. Fun!

Let your imagination be your guide and have fun creating new and interesting projects by adding this little bit of whimsy!!

Source: Unknown

Sunday I was working on some cards with Walnut Ink and shoe polish and Alcohol Inks. It is very messy and I had tried all kinds of things to keep my workspace clean. I took the paper out of the plastic bag it comes in and realized that it was the perfect size. I placed it over my work area and what a difference!! I don't have to worry about spilling the inks and walnut ink, I can let that dry and use another area. It is large enough to use several times. I plan to save my bags from now on.

Source: Anne Smith

I have a Tuesday Tip! First time for me. I am in the process of organizing the stamping area and am using the 6 drawer(narrow drawers)iris carts. I've discovered that the Lucite Box Frames that are sold in framing areas of craft stores and other places that sell large selection of frames, are great for putting a second layer of rubber stamps in the drawers. The 9 x 12 size is perfect. You can just pick up the frame, now a tray, and see all the stamps below. They are also useful for organizing in other ways. The small sizes are neat for for other organizing uses. They come in a variety of sizes. I use the large ones to carry things around like a tray.

Source: Linda F.

I have some unmounted greeting stamps that are done in a font that makes it hard to get them straight on the acrylic block, and to tell if they will be straight on the card, even using a stamp positioner. Yesterday I had a duh moment - and came up with a solution. I used a fine tip marker & a ruler to draw a line across the base line of the letters of one line of the greeting, right on the acrylic sheet where I had stamped it. I drew the line all the way across, not just under the words. Then I had a straight line to eyeball in relation to the card's edge, rather that looking at the bottom or top of the words.

If the line is too far from the edge of the card to judge straight alignment, lay the ruler along the line or a wider strip of paper to make a straight edge nearer to the edge of the card. You can lay the ruler along the line above or below it, depending whether you are aligning it with the top or bottom edge of the card.

When you have it where you want it, remove the ruler and slide your stamp positioner in place. Then remove the acrylic sheet, position your stamp & stamp the image.

This method could be used for mounted greetings or verses, too, if you want to place them perfectly straight on your card by using a stamp positioner to do it.

Source: Unknown

I don't know how many of you have been flooded with these fake "credit cards" from credit card companies trying to extend you credit. I know I've gotten a TON of them lately!!

Here's my tip....DON'T throw them away! They make **great** spreaders for glue! I'm a fan of Aleene's Tacky Glue and I'm hoarding all these gratis pieces of plastic, cause they're the best thing I've found to spread with. Of course, once they're gunked up, you can just pitch 'em in the trash.

Used up phone cards/gift cards work just as well !

Source: Unknown

My sister and I were making clay beads one day and we needed a way to allow them to dry after coating them for shine. Don't you know it...we couldn't find any styrofoam so grabbed a handy kitchen sponge and stuck some round toothpicks in it and strung our beads on them to dry. It worked like a charm and everything was also reuseable!

Source: Unknown

Picture this: you have a roll of 1/2" foam that has adhesive on both sides... The top side has a paper covering, the bottom side is stuck to itself in the roll... Following me?

My Tuesday tip is something that just sorta came to me one day born of frustration... I was cutting some of this foam and I was at wits end because it leaves so much yucky, sticky stuff on my scissors... I tried thinking of something that I could put between this sticky foam and my scissors when I cut that prevents that from happening...So I got the backing from some sticker paper that I had saved and put the strip of foam on it... When I cut my foam into pieces, there was NOTHING left on my scissors!

You know the address labels from the post office? The backing from that works as well... Anything that has stickers on it will work...

Now I love using the adhesive foam to give my images depth on the cards!

Source: Unknown

I have 7 Pringle cans that I store my long handled paint brushes in as well as my tubes of metallic foil. I take construction paper (because it is the right width and I don't have to fuss with it...), I stamp an overall design on it, and attach it with double sided tape. I take the plastic lid, and put some glue around the inside edges and place it on the bottom of the can...I glue it because it is a little too big and it makes a more solid base, one that won't rust or scratch. HTH.

Source: Unknown

I learned a couple of tips recently that I'd like to share.

To make inserting brads easier, or for paper piercing techniques, you can make tiny holes with an extra large push pin. It makes just the right size hole. Use a piece of mouse pad or any other soft surface under your project and poke through with the push pin. A small, regular size push pin will work too, but the extra large size is easier to grip. The extra large size is about 1 1/2 inches long; the top is a little smaller than a nickel. My sister in law found some at Staples. Try cutting a scallop edge with decorative scissors, then poking hole in each scallop to look like eyelet trim.

Second tip: Sometimes when using stickers or punch out type die cuts, or when you cut out a stamped image, there is a white edge. Go over the edge with a marker, ink or chalk; it will give the piece a nice, finished look.

Source: Unknown

Ever since I was a kid I've collected pencils. So, I have a lot of them. One night I was desperate to make some multi-color dots. But, I didn't have the right nice, solid, round, dot stamp that I needed. Necessity being the mother of invention, I used one of my pencil erasers. They are rubber and round. It worked beautifully. With further experimentation, I've learned to used the sides of the erasers with the ink pads to create small leaves, buds or flower petals I've even used 1/2 the eraser off paper to make perfect scalloped borders. Pencils are cheap $.05 to $1.00. How inexpensive is that for a stamp. Pencils and their erasers come in many sizes. Mostly you'll see the standard #2. But if you look you can find a good variety of sizes. Plus it's so much fun to shop for them. You wouldn't believe how many places have souvenir pencils.

Source: Char D.

Ok this is a tip for all of you stampers that sometimes need to make several cards alike, using a repeat image. here is a way to ink your stamp the same each time.

Step one
cut a piece of felt the same size as your stamp block

Step two
cut a piece of Plastic the same size as the block I use the lids from like a Dream Whip container for this step. Using Diamond Glaze or any glue that will dry on plastic put a drop in each corner of the felt and attach to the plastic piece

Step three
Stamp the image onto the felt piece lining up the edges of the felt with the edges of the wood (use a perminit ink ) and heat set it

Step Four
using your reinkers drop ink onto the area of your new stamp pad where you want that color to stamp i.e.: A tree I would run a line of brown down the trunk of the tree and along the branches then add 3 different colors of greens to fill in the foliage areas

Step Five
Now every time I want to stamp my image on to the card face all I have to do is like up the stamp block to the inked stamp pad and my ink will be where I want it every time

No more guessing if I'm getting it in the same place any more.

After making these pads I just put them in a CD case to keep them. and on occasion have just put the felt into the case and not glued it down as I didn't have a plastic lid to use as the backing to keep the ink from leaking through.
one more thing remember you are applying ink to felt so give your self a bit of spreading room when you apply the ink I usually give a min or two between each color so it has finished going where its going before applying the next color that will be touching it.

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Site last updated December 4, 2004