Tuesday's {Tip} Stamp Conditioning

If you have any clear stamps at all, you know that they bead up sometimes. People think it could be the ink or the stamp, and a lot of people don't know that there is a simple fix. Today, I am going to show you how to condition your clear stamps so that they don't bead up, and that you can get a clear, crisp image when you stamp.

For my sample today, I used Memento dye ink and the Layers of Color Architectural Block stamp set. I love this set, and to be honest, the Layers of Colors stamps are not the best to do this example with. Why you ask? Because the product is SO good, that they really don't bead up nearly as much as the $1 Michael's stamps and stamps from other manufacturers. Stamps made in the U.S. such as the Layers of Color stamps are much better than the acrylic stamps made off-shore. So, sometimes even after conditioning, the acrylic stamps made off-shore may still not stamp as perfectly as you would like.

First, let me share with you a picture of the stamp inked up BEFORE conditioning. A sample of this stamped image will be at the end of my post.Not too much beading but for those of you that have other manufacturer's stamps, you know just how bad the beading can get. There is also beading on the veins of the leaves but it is hard to see in the photo.

So, what do I do to fix this and condition the stamp? To begin, I put my stamp on my acrylic block. Then I take my favorite Staedtler eraser, and "erase" over the entire stamp. It will leave a bit of a white film on your stamp. No worries though! To get the white film off, I take a baby wipe and clean the stamp off. Now you are ready to use your clear stamp! So easy, and so fast to condition a clear stamp! Yes, your stamp is now conditioned and ready to use. Such a simple fix! In the image below you can see the stamped image BEFORE conditioning and AFTER conditioning. The image is SO much more crisp in the bottom image. Everything about it looks better. Even the ink looks darker and almost like a different color. Wow!I hope you will try this next time you have a new clear stamp to use! Enjoy, and I pray this was helpful to many of you. Have a blessed Tuesday!