Stamping Secrets

A few tips and tricks to extend the life of your Stampin Up products.

-Dilute your Stampin Mist to 20% mist to 80% water. When I refill my spray bottle I put about 1/5 th of the cleaning solution in and fill the rest with water.

-Clean your Stampin Scrub by rubbing dish soap into each side under water until the water runs clear.

-Keep your punches sharp by punching tinfoil on a regular basis. Punching wax paper will prevent them from sticking.

-Save all your excess rubber from trimming stamps to pop up elements. Peel the rubber off first and make sure there is some adhesive left on the foam. Place on the back of your piece, peel off the paper and stick to your project.

-Use the same corner of the pastels each time to pick up colour with a blender pen. This prevents the blender pen sealing in the whole pastel and you will still be able to use other applicators.

-Clean your sponge daubers under the tap with a little bit of dish soap. They wont be as plush as before but you will be able to use them with a new pastel colour.

-Store your markers horizontally instead of vertically so that the ink doesn't sit at one end only.

-If a new stamp set isn't picking up ink properly try sanding it by rubbing it on a pair of jeans. This will scuff up the surface just enough to take the ink better without damaging the rubber.

-Trim any stray fibers on the edges of your ink pads (from rubbing the ink pad onto background stamps etc.) with a pair of paper snips to keep your ink pads and your hands less inky.

-Clean your scissors with 'goo gone' (especially the rubber scissors), to keep them from getting sticky.

-Before assembling the clear mount stamps trim the sticker as close to the image as possible. This allows more of the 'cling' from the foam to stick to the clear block and will give a better hold.