To all of you experienced stampers out there – do you use clear-mount, wood-mount or photopolymer stamps? Each has its advantages and disadvantages and I like each for different situations. Well, if you use clear-mount stamps and you’ve ever been frustrated with getting them to stick to your blocks, this post is for you. I have three suggestions for getting your clear mount stamps to stick using no additional materials besides scissors and a hole punch. Here they are.
Tip #1 – Don’t mount the sticker labels that come with your stamps. This is the “guaranteed to stick, really well, every time” suggestion. Some people have a hard time with the fact that you can’t see exactly what you’re stamping, since you’re looking at a blank stamp instead of an image of what’s on the stamp. I’ll admit, I have a hard time with this sometimes. With certain stamps it can be difficult to tell which direction you need to orient the stamp, or which direction is ‘level.’ If it’s a greeting stamp, getting it straight is pretty important! Regardless, leaving the labels off is the best way to get your stamps to stick really, really well.
Tip #2 – Before mounting the labels to your stamps, use scissors to trim 1/8″ or more off of the edges.
This allows the super-clingy foam on the stamp to come in contact with your block just around the edges, which is usually enough to keep it attached. If you look carefully in the photo below, you can see that the label does not go all the way to the edge of the stamp. The outer portion will cling really well to the block, helping keep the rest of it ‘stuck.’
Tip #3 – Before mounting the label to your stamp, use a hole punch to punch out some holes from the label.
Just like with tip #2, these areas will allow contact to be made between the super sticky foam and the block. If you look carefully in the photo below, you can see where I punched holes out of the label. I would suggest using a 1/4″ standard hole punch instead of a 1/8″ punch, like the one I used. It will allow more area for the foam to cling to the block.
Are your sticker labels already mounted to the stamps and you want to try one of the ideas mentioned above? You can peel the labels off and alter them as you desire, then remount them. They will still stick after removing them, I promise. My daughter has an obsession with stickers, and it’s not unusual for me to find her peeling the stickers off of my stamps. I really can’t blame her for loving stamps. I just can’t.
Try this yourself and let me know if it’s helpful, or if you have other suggestions!
Product List
love these ideas