Rubber Stamping Supply

Rubber stamping is a simple sounding name for the great variety of stamps, inks, powders and other gadgets that are involved in this craft today. Knowing what options are out there can help a crafter by eliminating confusion and overwhelm at the craft store. This article should serve as an overview of rubber stamping supplies and sources.

Rubber Stamping Supply: The Stamps

Of course the craft is called rubber stamping for a reason, and the vast majority of stamps available both in stores and online are still made of rubber, mounted either to plastic or wood.

Other possibilities include foam-mounted foam stamps. These are usually cheaper than the rubber stamps but are also less durable. They can be cleaned with soapy water but you have to let them dry before you can stamp with them again, so if you’re working on a series of cards in different colors, this can slow the process down a bit.

There are some pre-inked stamps on the market (envision those stamps you use in an office setting that have your address or other information on them). These stamps usually have individual words on them, and while they’re not the most handsome stamps on the block, they can be very useful if you find a set you like.

For a huge selection of rubber stamps and accessories, check out Addicted to Rubber Stamps.

And you can make your own stamps. Most kids remember making stamps out of potatoes in elementary school. Just carve away the parts you don’t want to show up, ink the rest and stamp as usual.

You can also make stamps out of household sponges, old T-shirts (for texture more than an image) erasers (carve a flat eraser or use a pencil eraser to make dots). Use your imagination and you will see all sorts of things you can stamp with.

Rubber Stamping Supply: The Ink

There are two main kinds of ink used by rubber stampers: pigment ink and dye-based ink. Dye-based ink tends to come in vibrant colors and is not very thick. it dries quickly, is inexpensive and easy to clean up with soap and water.

Pigment ink is thicker, takes longer to dry and is often found in more muted colors. Both are available in a range of colors in pre-inked felt pads. Look for permanent inks for things you want to last, or archival, acid-free inks for use in scrapbooking.

You can also buy unlinked pads and but liquid dye to mix your own custom color or special sized inking pad.

There are all sorts of specialty inks available now, from markers you can use to color your stamps to inks that produce a weathered look, can stamp on ceramics, shine with metallic additives, look like chalk or pastels, or are washable for young stampers.

And then of course there’s embossing ink, a special thick, slow-drying ink used in combination with embossing powder and heat to make a raised surface. For more on embossing, read Embossing and Rubber Stamping.

To see a wide variety of stamping inks, visit Blockhead Stamps.

Other Rubber Stamping Supplies

If you’re going to be embossing, you need embossing powder and a heat gun or some other heat source. Embossing powder comes in all sorts of colors (or clear) to make for a bunch of unique looks.

And of course you’re going to need paper or something like it to stamp on. The designs for paper and card stock are almost endless these days, so you are sure to be able to find something you love (or more than one something you love) at your local craft shop. If not, visit a site like Paper.com, where you can purchase handmade paper, card stock and more.

There may come a time in your stamping life when you want to make your own stamps. To do this, you will need foam, acrylic mounts, maybe even handles for small stamps, and more. It takes a lot of skill and patience to carve your own stamps, but if you’re an artist you might enjoy it.

To find all sorts of stamping accessories, visit Wilde Ideas.

Related articles

Embossing and Rubber Stamping

Rubber Stamping Ideas

Rubber Stamping Technique

Rubber Stamping Card Ideas

Rubber Stamping Project