Tutorial Anyone?

One of the things I wanted to do on this blog is offer a lot of information.  I learned almost everything I know about stamping from the internet.  I wasn't someone who was introduced to stamping by a friend or a home stamping party. I stumbled across this art form kind of by accident.  I became intrigued (which lead to obsessed...lol) and continued to find as much information online as I could.  The following is a tutorial I wrote up a few years ago on using a stamp positioner called a Stamp-a-ma-jig.

Since the stamps are unmounted it is not often I need to use a stamp positioner.  I am able to see through the acrylic block for 99% of my projects.  I usually eyeball everything but once in awhile I need something 100% perfect.  The example I used below is a rare event but I wanted to show you why I would need a stamp positioner. 

I am not sure how many of you are familiar with stamp positioners. It is a handy little device if you need exact placement of an image. The majority of us stamp by eyeballing where we want an image. Sometimes you need an image to be in an exact spot and you can’t afford to goof. A stamp positioner is your answer. It is also a good tool for those who are nervous to put a stamp to paper. The one that I use is called a Stamp-a-ma-jig by EK Success. It can be found at most major craft stores. A real cheapy item when bought with a 40% off coupon. So here is how it works:

The Stamp-a-ma-jig comes with a purple plastic handle and a square piece of plastic as seen below. The handle has two right angles at the bottom of it. This is where you place the plastic sheet.

1. Place the Stamp-a-ma-jig on your work table with the plastic butted up against the right angle corner of the handle. 

2. Ink up your stamp and stamp the image on the plastic by butting the stamp into the right angle of the handle. Make sure you use a non permanent ink on the plastic sheet. This way you can wipe away the image from the plastic. You can use a permanent – waterproof ink on your actual project.

3. Now remove the stamp and take the plastic with the stamp image to your project. Position the stamped image exactly where you would want it on your project. In my example below I was trying to perfectly align the “t” & “h” from the Pink Flamingo alphabet set. These two letters are designed to be joined when typed together. It would be hard for me to get the exact placement on this if I did not use the positioner.

4. Carefully butt the positioner up against the sheet of plastic once you have it in the location you would like. You want to make sure you do not shift the plastic.

5. Now carefully remove the plastic so your handle is not moved. Ink up your stamp. You can now use whatever type of ink you like.

   

6. Take your inked stamp and butt it up into the right angle of the handle (just like you did to stamp your image on the plastic) and stamp your image.

7. Now lift your stamp away, move the handle & viola!

 

You now have a perfectly positioned stamped image. Now you can easily wipe away the ink from the plastic sheet and it is ready to be used again. Here is what the finished card looks like:

Comments

[Andi Sexton (RrlScrapGal)]

Yes! Post tutorials! Love them, especially as another internet learner (mostly)...

PS.. My RAK of stamps arrived!! Thank you so much! I am looking forward to playing and will share later!

[Tracy]

now thats just spooky! someone gave me a stampamajig a few years back and i've never used it. And last nite i pulled it out cos i was trying to line up two images (one on top of the other) and i knew my normal method of hit or miss wasn't gonna cut it. It worked beautifully. And then i come here and you're stampamajiggin it! ;-) great minds? LOL Great tutorial (even if its after the fact LOL!)

[Barbara]

I have one of those babies and I really need to pull it out for alphas. I always struggle to get my letter nice and straight and the spacing correct. Thanks for the great tutorial!!!

[vee]

that is sooo cool, thanks for the tip!!