Kraftin’ Kimmie Stamps now sells clear stamps. I am not talking the cheap acrylic $1.50 (I live in canada) Michaels stamps you buy. I am talking high quality photo-polymer clear stamps.

Aren’t they just wonderful! You can see through them, no more having to buy mounting foam or taping them to a block (on that note if you want any of the rubber stamps Kimmie has produced over all these years, grab them while you can, as they are no longer in production and are ALL being retired!) That is why it is so awesome that these stamps work so well!

These photo-polymer stamps are such great quality! I can not emphasize that enough, they are nice and solid, not flimsy and rubbery. Which is great for stamping, you do not have to worry about squishing out these stamps and ending up with funny lines that are too thick in places because the actual stamp compressed too much.

When you first get these stamps there is a little bit you should do to them to get them seasoned, so that you don’t have to worry about how they will stamp. There are many different ways people get their photo-polymer stamps ready to use.

Personally I wipe my stamps with a damp rag (a cloth rag with just water on it) this will remove any slick residue from the stamp that may be left over from manufacturing. After that I sand them, now don’t get crazy here. I am a painter (residential and commercial by trade) we have sanding blocks, they are a foam block with sand paper wrapped around it basically, I use an old one that is no longer good for work, I wash all the dust off of it and then lightly rub my stamp with it to scuff up the stamp and allow the ink to stick to the stamp better (I do this with all of my stamps including rubber I personally find it gives me a way crisper image)

Other people rub the surface of their stamp with an eraser to prep, I have also seen people use Ranger archival black ink and stamp off with it till no more ink comes off the stamp in order to season it. Rubbing on jeans is something else I have heard people doing. Again, do what works for you! They are your stamps and it is your crafting.

With clear stamps, for any of you that have used rubber in cling, or wood mounted form know that something is missing with these stamps, and it is the layer of foam for cushion. When I stamp I stamp on top of a piece of craft foam, that adds that added cushion you are missing when you stamp with these stamps, you can also use an old mouse pad. I understand that companies are out to make money, but seriously do not waste you money on these “magic stamping pads” or “stampers secret weapons”. Take that extra money and buy more stamps (an extra Kraftin’ Kimmie set by chance).

The only time I actually clean my stamps is when I use Stazon, and that is because it is an alcohol based ink and it will eventually eat your stamp and could ruin it. When I use stazon ink I clean my stamps with the Stazon cleaner and then wipe them with a baby wipe. Otherwise my stamps get stamped off on scratch paper and are lucky if they get wiped with a baby wipe or a wet rag.

You will find the greatest bonus is these stamps is the ability to make sure you stamp your sentiment exactly where you want it without the use of something like a stamp positioner or guessing where it will go. It will also come in great handy when you are using multiple images together because you can see see exactly where you are going to be stamping! looking right through the block and the stamp knowing precisely where you are going to stamp is a wonderful feeling!

Kraftin’ Kimmie Stamps – Snow Days

You will not be disappointed in the new direction Kraftin’ Kimmie has gone! It’s the same great images it always has been and now they are in a great new format!

This review has not been sponsored, the clear stamps I own from Kraftin’ Kimmie stamps have been purchased by me. If you would like to see more reviews of things like this consider becoming a patreon.

Thanks for stopping by,

Hugz,

Jess