The unique qualities of clear acrylic stamps make them a perfect choice for scrapbooking. Stamping on scrapbook pages has always been a challenge. Placing the stamp and avoiding excess ink are a few of the concerns that keep most scrapbookers from trying stamping techniques on their page layouts, but now with the availability of clear acrylic stamps, anyone can get fantastic results from stamps on their scrapbooking pages.

Clear acrylic stamps, also called polymer stamps, are different from traditional wood block or foam-backed rubber stamps. They are more economical because they are not pre-mounted. Clear stamps are naturally tacky and stick to an acrylic block. They are easily removed allowing you to reuse the block again and again. You simply purchase unmounted clear stamps from any manufacturer, and these work with any clear acrylic mount. Buy a larger mount first that can be used with both small and large stamps. These stamps are also much easier to store, and because they are acrylic, they are lightweight and easy to transport to scrapbooking crops or classes.

Using clear stamps with scrapbooking couldn’t be easier. Choose from words, designs and image clear stamps, and peel and stick them to an acrylic block. Now you’re ready to start stamping. Because the block and stamp are transparent, you can see exactly where you want to place the imprint. No more misaligned prints! You will have precise placement every time and no more guesswork or stamping mistakes.

Another unique feature of clear acrylic stamps is the ability to mix and match them. With wood and rubber stamps you have to realign your stamps to use more than one stamp together. It takes at least 2 stamping imprints to achieve the same results with one acrylic block. While you can use your clear art stamps individually, the ability to peel and stick to a large acrylic block makes it easy to stamp entire phrases or scenes with one stamp. Just choose your stamps and arrange them all on one clear mount. They can even be from different stamp manufacturers. It’s even possible to cut portions of one stamp apart and arrange them in a different pattern for stamping or use only a part of the stamp. Clear art stamps offer much more versatility and functionality than rubber stamps.

Because new stamps tend to resist ink, many scrapbookers recommend conditioning your clear stamps before you use them the first time. Some use a fine grit sandpaper and others prefer a pink eraser. Simply, scuff

the surface of a brand new stamp. This will help it to hold ink more effectively. After stamping with ink, clean it with mild soap and water or rubbing alcohol. Avoid oil-based cleaners, acetone and bleach because these can damage and break down your stamp. Some scrapbookers have difficulty getting a crisp image from clear polymer stamps. To improve the quality of the ink impression, try using a cushioned-surface under your scrapbooking paper. A soft mouse pad works well for this purpose. Using this cushioning effect may take a bit of practice, but the results will be worth it.

Be sure to store your clear stamps in a dark place away from sunlight or indoor lighting. Light can discolor and harden them prematurely. Some inks can stain them, but this won’t affect their use. Because they are polymer based, one downside is that they do not last as long as rubber stamps will, but with proper care and storage, you will get years of scrapbooking with quality images from your clear stamps.



Thanks to Christine Perry for contributing this article to our Scrapbooking blog:

Cricut Personal Electronic Cutter

With the fast popularity of memory scrapbook scrapbooking increasing daily, more resources are available to an amateur and professional scrapbooking hobbyist alike. Memory scrapbook scrapbooking doesn’t have to be too much of a challenge for anyone who wants to attempt the craft. Lignin-free and acid-free products are encouraged to keep the pictures from becoming discolored, or even turning brown. Digital scrapbooking is still basically in its infancy, but certainly shows great promise as the medium of the future in memory scrapbook scrapbooking.

Scrapbooking Art Ideas for Hobbyists

Memory scrapbook scrapbooking doesn’t contain hard rules in its art form. Some hobbyists prefer scrapbook pages where the photograph is the main element and embellishments are applied to a minimum. Several others may even include an array of embellishments to add to the scrapbook design. This can be a personal choice in memory scrapbook scrapbooking; each can be lucrative and create stunning layout designs. The scrapbook embellishments may even include small, two-dimensional items such as newspaper clippings, theater ticket stubs, or love notes from that special someone. Memory scrapbook scrapbooking have items such as eyelets or brads, which can be used instead of glue or tape to stick papers or pictures, and be used decoratively. Additional elements of memory scrapbook scrapbooking include quilling, stickers, flowers and decorated die-cuts.

Sketching New Scrapbook Layouts

Normally, the memory scrapbook scrapbooking focuses on a photograph or photographs. It is best to adhere with one to three good, clean photographs when starting out. The scrapbook page is then embellished and decorated with items limited by the scrapbooking creator’s imagination. Sketching for memory scrapbook scrapbooking is an optional step in which the scrapbooking hobbyist will create a scrapbook layout of what the scrapbook page can look like after completion.



Thanks to John Foster for contributing this article to our Scrapbooking blog:

Cheap Scrapbooking Supplies

Can you answer SleepingBeauty’s question about Scrapbooking?:

I search the internet and find out printing out 12×12 digital scrapbook pages on some sites are not cheap. If doing it at home, you may need to purchase a wide format printer and ink cartridges. Compare to traditional scrapbooking, will digital scrapbooking really cheaper in the long run?

Scrapbook Layout Kits

Scrapbooking is one of the most popular hobbies around these days. Scrappers are well-acquainted with the craft, working with the materials and tools like pros. Combining cutting lots of paper shapes, gluing photos, and sticking a collection of ribbons, die-cuts, and stamps on each page is their passion. It’s hard for an experienced scrapper to imagine doing it any other way.

But computers can invade anything - even scrapbooking. Modern technology introduces a whole new approach to scrapbooking that uses grahics programs to create the basic scrapbook elements and page layouts. Using a computer to create scrapbooks, known as digital scrapbooking, involves creating page layouts with the help of computer software that edits photos, creates graphics, inserts borders and text, and allows you to “paste in” digital embellishments.

Using high-quality paper, you print your scrapbook pages on a high-resolution printer and then attach your traditional scrapbook materials. More tech-savvy scrappers can even save elements and pages on the hard drive or store them to DVD or CD to share with others electronically. These days, several websites give you the ability to create an online scrapbook by uploading your photos and images to their prepared digital scrapbook albums.

There are several computer programs that are great for scrapbooking. Most popular are Adobe PhotoShop Elements 2.0 and CS, Microsoft Picture It!, Lumapix, and JASC’s Paint Shop Pro. They are all effective for manipulating designs. The features that scrappers will appreciate include cropping photos, replacing backgrounds and colors, adding text, and inserting borders and graphics.

The programs we’ve mentioned weren’t created for scrapbooking, but they offer many features scrapbookers will find useful. It’s easy to isolate and “cut out” specific images from a photo. You can apply color schemes to your designs. Cropping photos and trimming page elements is easy and quick, and the programs allow you to create your own design elements.

The major obstacle to applying these high-end programs to scrapbooking is in learning how to use the software. For people who haven’t used graphics programs, there can be a steep learning curve, and becoming adept may take some time. They’re expensive too. You can expect to pay several hundred dollars for one of these software packages.

Once you are familiar with the programs, though, using the software for other projects is interesting and fun. Their great value for scrapbooking lies in their versatility. You’re only limited by your imagination in what you can create to make a super scrapbook. You can blend your own colors, create your own borders, and add texture digitally. These programs offer a variety of virtual textures: marble, canvass, cobblestone, leather, silk, and a range of natural color-texture combinations.

Easier programs dedicated to scrapbooking are also available. They include Hallmark, CK, Scrapbook Studio, and Scrapbook Assistants. Designed specifically for digital scrapbooking, they’re easier and faster to learn and much less expensive. However, they are not as flexible as the high-end programs, and your options can be limited to a prescribed set of colors, pre-set page settings, and canned layouts. But they do make the job easy, and you won’t spend weeks to months trying to figure out how they work.

An in-between solution might be a program like Microsoft Digital Image Pro. Less expensive than Adobe PhotoShop, it’s easier to learn and has more features than the digital scrapbooking programs.

If you’re not sure whether you want to try digital scrapbooking, you can try it out by downloading free digital scrapbooking programs from the Internet. Be aware, though, that these programs may not be as effective as those you purchase. That’s because free downloads are often used as product samples, and not all menu features are turned on in the free trial offers and downloads. They will give you a sense of what the software can do, and trying out free digital scrapbooking software may help you make your decision.

Most programs come with tutorials and help features that teach you how to do major tasks. The step-by-step instructions allow you to explore features and sharpen techniques as you learn the software. You can also probably get online help through blogs and forums run by scrapbooking websites.



Thanks to Abhishek Agarwal for contributing this article to our Scrapbooking blog:

Memories Scrapbook Album

Can you answer shee23’s question about Scrapbooking?:

I’d like to use buttons in my scrapbooking pages, but I don’t want to pay the price for what they sell in craft stores. What materials are generally safe (acid/lingin-free) to use on scrapbook pages?

Scrapbook Supplies Online