Little Known Fact...

Acrylic stamps are all the rage these days - and with good reason! They allow you to SEE where you are stamping, they are less expensive than wood-mounted stamps, they are easier to store, and so much more!

But did you know that they should be "seasoned" before you use them? Yes, this is the "Cooking with Crafts" blog, so we are seasoning our stamps - but not with salt & pepper. What I mean is that when you first open a package of acrylic stamps, there is a build-up of chemicals across the top of the stamps from the processing used to create them. This "film" can cause your stamped images to be blotchy and uneven as in the image below:

There are several ways to season your stamps - or remove the film from them. You can mount your stamp on an acrylic block and scrub it really hard across your ink pad using back & forth and circular motions. Stamp your image a few times on a scrap piece of paper for best results. I've heard you can also scrub the stamp on your upper arm or thigh - but that can be painful! A third way to season your stamps, and my personal favorite (because I get the best and most consistent results) is to "erase" the film with a white eraser. White erasers are available at art supply/craft stores, as well as office-supply stores. They are softer than pink erasers. Just run the eraser over the surface of the stamp, first going horizontally, then vertically, until you've really given the stamp a good scrub. I then use a stiff paintbrush to get all the "eraser flakes" off, as well as wiping it on an alcohol-free baby wipe (the means by which I clean my stamps). The next image was stamped after "erasing" the stamp:

Try each method to see which works best for you. In addition, not all acrylic stamps will need to be seasoned in order to give a nice, clean impression. I find that mainly just the solid images, especially larger ones, need to be seasoned before being able to use them properly. I hope this allows you to get more from your stamps!

Happy Stamping!