Storing Unmounted Rubber Stamps

I've started storing my unmounted rubber stamps in a notebook - in standard plastic protective sheets.  (To see how I turned the unmounted rubber stamps into cling rubber stamps, check out this previous post.)  

The first unmounted stamps I got were those I purchased from Stampscapes. At the time, I had purchased a mix of cling rubber and unmounted stamps.  Some of the cling rubber ones were in sets that came adhered to hard white plastic sheets.  I decided not to keep them in the sets, but rearranged them so all trees were together, all animals & birds were together, etc.  In doing so, I was able to make room for the unmounted stamps too.

However, I discovered that storing them this way made it difficult to see what some of the stamps were!  So, I stamped a cover sheet that had the stamp in approximately the same place as on the white plastic.  This actually served 2 purposes.  Not only could I easily see what I had and find it, but I could also tell what stamp was missing if they weren't all back in place!  I then stored the white sheet plus the cover sheet in a standard 8 1/2" X 11" protective sleeve and put them all in a zippered binder.

Some time later I was given a bunch of other unmounted rubber stamps that I had to figure out how to store.  I didn't have any more of the white plastic sheets.  I knew I could buy some, but prefer to spend my money on stamps rather than storage! :)  Then I thought of some of the plastic packaging I had saved when I bought some of the larger Spellbinders dies.  I cut it down so it would fit in an 8 1/2" X 11" protective sleeve and stored my newly prepared stamps on this plastic sheet (inside the sleeve, inside a notebook).

I actually like this BETTER than using the white sheets because I don't have to make the cover sheet to see what I have - I can see it right through the clear plastic sheet where I stamped the fun foam as I prepared the stamp for use with a clear acrylic block!  (I expect one could use an acetate sheet for this - but it might not be as sturdy.) 

I haven't bothered, but I COULD stamp them all on a backing sheet (or trace their outlines) so I would know if one was missing.

Preparing Unmounted Rubber Stamps for use with Clear Acrylic Stamping Blocks

One of the reasons I created this blog is that it allows ME to look back and see how I did something if I want to repeat it.  Somehow, however, I didn't get a post made when I last worked with unmounted rubber stamps.  So, I have to work a bit more to remember what I did.

Supplies Needed:

• Unmounted Rubber Stamps (take them off the blocks if they're already mounted!)
• Archival Ink (I used StazOn)
• Fun foam sheets (often can get these at a dollar store)
• Double-sided adhesive sheets (I used Elizabeth Crafts 6" wide roll)
• Aleene's Tack It Over & Over liquid adhesive
• foam paint brush to apply liquid adhesive

Method:

1. Start by stamping with the rubber stamp onto the fun foam with archival ink.  This will be the image you see through the acrylic block to help you line up your stamp.
2. Cover the other side of the fun foam with double-sided adhesive, leaving the liner on the exposed side.
3. Rough cut the images from the fun foam.
4. Remove the backing paper & apply to the back of the rubber stamp, lining up the rubber stamp with the stamped image (hold up to a light source to help you do this).
5. Now, fussy cut, to ensure the cut edges are close enough to the image to not add stray marks when you stamp.
6. Paint the stamped image side of the fun foam with a very thin layer of Tack It Over and Over glue and let dry thoroughly.  When dry, this will adhere to your acrylic block and allow you to stamp easily.