Cling Mounted Stamps:
These can be tricky because you can't see through them and they are not always cut very close to the stamp. The best way to get absolutely precise stamping with these is with a hinged letterpress style stamp positioning tool (listed at the bottom of the post) AND a piece of acetate.
First, you need to remove the foam layer from the stamping tool since the cling stamps are usually much thicker than clear stamps. Then add your piece of paper and tape down or use magnets if your tool allows. Then place your stamp in approximately the place you will want to stamp it and pick it up with the lid. Now put your piece of acetate on top of the paper. Tape it to create a hinge where you are still able to move the paper underneath. Ink up the stamp and stamp onto the plastic. Lift the lid and see if it has stamped where you want. If it hasn't then move the paper underneath until the image lines up where you want. Now all you have to do is take the plastic sheet out and ink up the stamp again and stamp it perfectly where you wanted. I use the Little B perfect positioner sheet for this since it has a helpful grid. Sometimes I use the plastic sheet that came with my stamp-a-ma-jig tool.
Clear Stamps:
A lot of times you can get away with using just an acrylic block with clear stamps. I've been able to get some pretty precise stamping done with one. However, when you have a sentiment that you would like to be perfectly straight it can be very hard to do with just a block. In this case you will do something similar as above but with less steps (if you want ultra precise stamping then do exactly as above except leave the foam pad in the tool).
First, add your piece of paper and tape down or use magnets if your tool allows. Now put a plastic grid sheet over the paper to give you a guide to have a straight line. You can also use this to find the center if you are stamping a different image and want it perfectly centered. Put your stamp on the grid sheet where you want it and close the lid to pick it up. Then open the lid, remove the grid sheet and ink up the stamp. Close the lid to stamp and it will be in the perfect spot!
Unmounted Stamps:
These are really flat red rubber stamps that you may have bought at a rubber stamp show or really cheap on e-bay. I'm talking about stamps that don't even have a foam cushion of any kind. The best way I have found to stamp these in the right spot is with the Stamp-a-ma-jig and a square acrylic block. The stamp-a-ma-jig was made for use with wood stamps but you can certainly use it this way. There's a video on Amazon that shows how to use it, I recommend using blocks without the etched guides for this technique since we don't want adhesive getting stuck in the lines. These one's are smooth and have no lines. You can actually dedicate an acrylic block for use with your unmounted stamps and add a piece of Tack N Peel to it if you desire. The other option is adding Aleene's Tack it Over and Over to the back of the stamp. You will want to let this "dry" and then stick it onto your acrylic block. I say "dry" because this interesting glue is sticky when dry and that's why you can tack it over and over. You can wash it off the stamp when you are done or find a place to store it where it won't stick to something. (Extra Bonus! I use this glue to make my own glue dots!).
Another option is simply turning these into Cling mount stamps by attaching them to some EZ Mount Cling Foam.
Wood Block Stamps:
To date the best tool I've found for these is the Stamp-a-ma-jig. However, there's a new tool called the Position It Tool and it's a leterpress style stamping tool that allows the use of woodblock stamps! Pretty Impressive.
Here are your options for letterpress style Stamp Positioning Tools
:
RESERVE Tim Holtz Tonic Craft STAMP PLATFORM 1708E - $39.99
from: Simon Says Stamp
I hope this has helped you in some way. If you need more information on the stamping tools, please leave a comment and I will be happy to help!
