| As a rubber stamper, unmounted rubber stamps | | | | Another popular option that I use is vinyl cling, |
| may have caught your eye at some point. As | | | | which works with acrylic mounts. Using static |
| their name suggests, these are stamp images | | | | electricity, the vinyl cling material acts as its own |
| only, that need to be placed on a holder before | | | | kind of sticky cushion, which attaches the block |
| you can stamp the image. If you are planning to | | | | and rubber stamp together. Yet another popular |
| build a rubber stamp collection, you may want to | | | | system is a hook and loop system called the |
| try out unmounted rubber stamps. They are less | | | | HALOS system, which requires special materials. |
| expensive, and do not take up nearly as much | | | | Before you get started, you'll want to trim your |
| space as traditional mounted stamps. You can | | | | stamp with scissors, being careful not to cut into |
| store them in a flat surface, such as in a | | | | the stamp image. If using foam, you'll also want |
| protective sheet in a three ring binder, and | | | | to trim the foam before mounting it to the block, |
| numerous other storage options. | | | | making sure the foam edges match the block |
| Unmounted rubber stamps consist of the stamp | | | | edges. If the foam edges are peaking out of the |
| artwork, sometimes with a bit of a cushion | | | | block, the edges of the foam may pick up ink and |
| underneath. The stamp is then mounted on a | | | | spoil your image. Once everything is trimmed, |
| block, either wooden, or what I prefer, the clear | | | | place the foam on the block, and then the stamp |
| acrylic blocks for temporary mounting. When | | | | image on the foam, and you are ready to ink and |
| finished using the stamp, you can easily take the | | | | stamp. |
| stamp off the mount and store it again. I'll be | | | | Its important to clean your stamps before putting |
| discussing temporary mounting options, as they | | | | them away. The best way is with a bottle of |
| let you take advantage of the ease and | | | | specialty stamp cleaner with a roll-on applicator. |
| convenience of flat storage. | | | | You can just roll it onto the stamp and wipe |
| The supplies for mounting a stamp are relatively | | | | away. Another option is to wipe the stamp with a |
| simple. You'll need some type of adhesive, a block | | | | damp cellulose sponge. Do not soak the stamp in |
| that fits the size of your image, and your | | | | any type of oil-based cleaner, as this will weaken |
| stamping supplies. Repositional glue, such as a | | | | the rubber. For creativity, and ease of storage |
| re-tacking glue you can use over and over is | | | | and use, give unmounted rubber stamps a try. |
| popular, and can be purchased at craft stores. | | | | |