Hello friend!

What a perfect fall Sunday afternoon.  I’m not quite sure how two people can make so much laundry, but we manage!  I got lots accomplished today and it felt great!

I’m in bible study class for the first time in my young life.  It’s been pretty fascinating!  If I don’t get my studies done, when free time is available, I regret it.  So, I made a deal with myself that if I got a good chunk of this week’s studies finished, I could have some play time. 🙂

Having attended  Iron Orchid Designs retailers’ training conference, this past week, I wanted to put some of what I learned to work!  As you can imagine, a large portion of time was devoted to stamping and the benefits of using IOD’s inks and ink pads, as opposed to Fusion Mineral Paint, or other paint lines commonly used.

In the past, I found myself using the Fusion Mineral Paint, because

a) It was handy

b)  It’s half the price of IOD inks

At training, I was forced to use loaded ink pads, and was pleasantly surprised!

a). Inks are lighter and show off the fine details of the stamps better than paint.

b) I found it to be easier to apply ink where it was supposed to go, compared to applying paint with a foam roller or brayer.  I hate the clean up involved when using paint.  The mess is everywhere.  On my hands which sometimes causes a mess on my project piece or material.

I started with an ironed tea towel.  I placed a clear plastic sheet underneath the fabric, in case there was bleed through, which there wasn’t.  Working on a hard surface is ideal, for creating a crisp image.

Create a work space, where there’s plenty of room to ink your stamp, while keeping your project clean. Use the ink pads upside down, to keep the ink pad surface  fully loaded.   It’s also a good idea to keep a damp paper towel or baby wipe handy, just in case!

We learned in class that it is most efficient to cut out the stamp, while on the plastic backing, leaving as much room as possible around the stamp’s image, for easy handling.  This frees you from having to use a thin mount or other applicator.

Once you have applied ink to the stamp, rubbing the loaded pad over the stamp, carefully place it, face down.  Avoid movement.  Hold the stamp in place with one hand, while pressing the back of the stamp with the other hand.  Once done, lift the stamp straight up, to avoid dragging.

The IOD inks are water-proof, but it’s still a good idea to heat-set the ink, when dry, with a hot iron.

By the way, another IOD fan referred me to a great resource for cotton tea towels.  What a great holiday stocking stuffer or gift!

So there you have it!  I hope this helps!  Do you have any other helpful tips to share?

Safe travels!