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it takes all but 2 seconds to put the unmounted stamp on a block same method as wood you stamp it in ink stamp on CS. THEN CLEAN ON PAD. once done put back in case same as you would with a wood mount you put back in the clear box. No science here. plus you save tons of room.
when you buy it add to foam cut same as with once you get your SU stamps.
__________________ WHAT IS A STAMPPIN ADDICT!
It's someone who buys stamps they didn't normally like at first,only to see it in Split Coast Stampers gallery in a different perspective.
I don't think this has been mentioned but I have another disadvantage --
Seeing words backwards is hard for me --
I have a 30-piece word set that I got from TAC and they are all little pieces that I just know I would lose if I kept them unmounted. I am mounting them on little wooden blocks and stamping the name with stazon on the other side so I can read it!
Little pieces being lost and words trying to see them backwards is a very big disadvantage for the unmounted for me.
I store my UMs on the OUTSIDE of 8 1/2 x 11 page protectors. On the INSIDE of the page protectors I have a piece of CS stamped with all of the images I am storing on that particular page protector. That way I know exactly where the image gets returned to after I use it, AND I can flip through my binder and "browse" through all my stamps easily.
I'll go against the popular opinion I have mostly wood mounted SU sets, but also have a number of unmounted sets. I find that I RARELY pull out my unmounteds. It's just too much of a pain for me to put them on the acrylic blocks, stamp, clean, peel off & apply the next stamp. I don't need the space savings & just find wood mount easier to use.
I'm in the same boat. I do like the storage of unmounted.....but they don't get used like my wood mounted stamps. It's just a matter of that extra step of finding the block.
Also I mounted some on cling vinyl.....not happy with those. I much prefer the feel of the ones that are mounted on EZ Mount.
__________________ Jeanne S - Inky Paws SCS Moderator
Some people use empty cd cases. I have my blocks and stamps stored on 8x11 panels that go into a regular 3 ring binder. I bought mine here:
Ahhhh I think I figured it out now. As someone who uses UM stamps where the rubber itself is sticky in some way, I *always* forget that the "other" kind of UM users (who use sticky blocks and sticky cd cases or binders) have their own intuitive ways of storing unsticky rubber dies or rubber on unsticky foam.
I am really glad that I unmounted all of my stamps. The storage is so fantastic...especially since I live in a smallish apartment.
Really, for me, it's so simple to stick the stamp to the block (which I keep in a basket right there in front of me), stamp, clean, and plop it back in the case. I have cases all over my table while I'm working, then just put them all away when I'm finished...just like with the WM sets I used to deal with. ;)
I love UM!! Another advantage- you can place more than one stamp on a block at a time!!! (Spacing is the same when you stamp over and over-say for borders)
Another thing is that the block can also be used as a palette when using blenders. I either rub it on my ink pads or scribble on it with my markers-ink wipes right off when done.
__________________ Lisa -
Married my sweetheart 1-26-02 Mommy to Hunter 9-3-04 & Hailey 7-26-06
I have about 40% um and 60% mounted. I usually leave my SU sets on the wood as it hurts the value when I try to sell or trade them if I um them.
For other brands of stamps, I have 4 binders organized by stamp company and theme for my um stamps. They have coated pages that the ez mount cushion clings to. The pages have tabs on the ends so I can find what I want easily.
I think the um have more advantages than wood mounts as I use a stamp cleaner with a scrubber top then run them under the water in my kitchen sink to clean. Also, they take up much less storage space so DH really doesn't know how many I have. I like the ease of placement too. I use um for most of my saying stamps. They cost about 1/2 to buy so I can get more stamps for the dollars I have to spend on my hobby.
I am going to keep all my alphas unmounted. I mounted Big Deal, stamped six crooked letters and unmounted them. Easier to place and I get to put multiple letters on one block. I am probably not going to go back and unmount any image sets I already have wood mounted - my trusty Stampamajig helps me with my crooked problem. I really like being able to do multiple letters, rather than getting to the 4th letter and accidently placing it wrong and having to start over. Words are too laborious for the Stampamajig.
The mounting disadvantages? I like having the images on the back of the stamp - I miss that when they are unmounted. Everything is backwards but you get used to it. You can't be as rough when you clean them but that's fine with me.
HTH!
__________________ Lauren
Obsessed with all consumables, but mostly paper groppi girl blogs
I don't think this has been mentioned but I have another disadvantage --
Seeing words backwards is hard for me --
I have a 30-piece word set that I got from TAC and they are all little pieces that I just know I would lose if I kept them unmounted. I am mounting them on little wooden blocks and stamping the name with stazon on the other side so I can read it!
Little pieces being lost and words trying to see them backwards is a very big disadvantage for the unmounted for me.
I do what KimberlyinMN does (see post #29) and my words are all visible now on the back of the ez mount - I love that I can now see the image or word.
Do you unmount stamps that you purchase mounted as well? I am also curious what you do with your large background stamps as they don't seem like they would fit in the CD cases.
I have both wood mounts & unmounted with EZCling. The unmounted are so much easier to use! I stamp on the back of the EZCling first with StazOn, let it dry, then line up my stamp & cut it out to match - now I can see what I'm stamping since the image faces me!
I have even unmounted the wheels. Never could get the hang of using those - always looked awful. Now I use them on one of the longer acrylic blocks & there is no problem.
I have the sets in CD cases on a small shelf just above my desk. The SU label is put on the end of the CD case, then backed with a small piece of white paper inside the case - makes the label really easy to read. I keep my acrylic blocks on my desk in one place & it's so simple to find one the right size. Love how you can place alphabets: Letters all lined up on an acrylic block that has grid lines - now I can stamp a whole sentence! I'm like others who have posted above - when I use the wood blocks, 9 times out of 10 my stamp will be crooked! Now I don't have that problem. Everyone who has used my acrylic blocks & my unmounted SU sets are amazed at how much easier they are to use. I am slowly but surely unmounting all my SU sets (except for the background stamps).
Peggy
Do you unmount stamps that you purchase mounted as well? I am also curious what you do with your large background stamps as they don't seem like they would fit in the CD cases.
I have all my UM backgrounds (SU and other companies) filed in a little box, with the clingy foam adhered to one side of the packaging that the bg stamps I buy unmounted come in. If I didn't buy UM bg stamps and have a collection of them already, I probably would not keep any of my SU bgs UM either.
I spent last evening teaching a group of 5 women how to unmount. Baby powder everywhere! They just could not believe how many stamps one CD case would hold especially when the half moons were popped out. What used to take 8 iris carts now takes up one 3 foot wide book case!
I spent last evening teaching a group of 5 women how to unmount. Baby powder everywhere! They just could not believe how many stamps one CD case would hold especially when the half moons were popped out. What used to take 8 iris carts now takes up one 3 foot wide book case!
Hmmmm...what half moons are you talking about? The little tabs that hold the cd cover in place?
I'll go against the popular opinion I have mostly wood mounted SU sets, but also have a number of unmounted sets. I find that I RARELY pull out my unmounteds. It's just too much of a pain for me to put them on the acrylic blocks, stamp, clean, peel off & apply the next stamp. I don't need the space savings & just find wood mount easier to use.
Ditto this....I think it depends on the type of stamper you are - personally i am a messy stamper - I like to grab and stamp and go - half the time I throw the stamp back into the box without cleaning it...
I have both wood and UM stamps...I find I really have to hunt for my UM stamps and slap them on my acrylic block...while I love the images - sometimes it takes me a little while to see what it says (I have a bunch of UM word stamps) because I have to look (it is not on the back of the block because there is no block). I actually mounted a few of my TAC ones I was using alot - for the grab and go convience
If you are unsure I would go about unmounting only a few sets to begin with and see how you like it if you are used to Wood
__________________ Jenni -Happy SU Demo - MY GALLERY & MY CHAOTIC LIFE One kid makes you a Parent - Two makes you a Referee
I have a stamped index in the front of each CD case so I know exactly what the images look like, so on the words/phrases I use a sharpie and just write the word(s) on the cling to find it faster.
__________________ Sally Taylor, Fun Stampers Journey Coach #1118
......
And last but not least, you can use plain old double stick tape. Apply the tape directly on to an acrylic block. Stick the rubber to it and stamp away. The tape will loose it's sticky after awhile; just apply new tape and you're good to go.
I have hundreds... ( maybe a thousand) UM stamps. I find myself using Double Stick Tape more and more lately. It stays on the acrylic block for a really long time. When it losses its sticky, it's just a half a minute to put on a new strip or two.
About storage: My stamps are all (or almost all, since I procrastinate quite well) in 3-ring binders. If all the books are on the shelf where they belong, I can just go to the book I want: Animals and Bugs; or Flowers; or Bible Verses; Words. The categories that don't fill a whole book are in alphabetized books Angels to Borders; Cars to Hearts; Kids to Windows.
I also have one Index Book that is simply stamped paper with dividers that match the other books. When I don't really know which stamp I want to use, when I'm just hoping for inspiration, I flip through that Index Book. Helps me remember to use stamps that have been around for a long time.
If you go to youtube.com and do a search on Pinkcatstudio you will find a very informative way to unmount your stamps and how to store them in either CD cases or the 3-ring binders. Take the time to watch these videos, I'm glad I did and now I'm off to buy the "clingy stuff"!!!!!
If you go to youtube.com and do a search on Pinkcatstudio you will find a very informative way to unmount your stamps and how to store them in either CD cases or the 3-ring binders. Take the time to watch these videos, I'm glad I did and now I'm off to buy the "clingy stuff"!!!!!
-no 'grab and stamp' anymore - now every time you want to stamp an image, it's a process! find image, find mount, mount, stamp, clean stamp, remove from mount, re-file...
That's exactly my reason for staying with wood mounted. It's my style. I love to stamp and run then clean up later. I could never keep my images clean and put back! I tried a couple clear stamps and they didn't clean easily, if I peeled them off and set them down then ink got everywhere. I still have some stuck to the only clear block I have just bc I hate cleaning and putting them back. With my wood ones I just throw them in the box face up and that's my signal to clean later.
I'm a messy cluttered stamper and that's...o.k.!
If you go to youtube.com and do a search on Pinkcatstudio you will find a very informative way to unmount your stamps and how to store them in either CD cases or the 3-ring binders. Take the time to watch these videos, I'm glad I did and now I'm off to buy the "clingy stuff"!!!!!
I have both mounted and UM -- to me, by far and away the biggest advantage of UM is the space that's saved. If space is a big issue, go for UM. If not, I tend to like my wood mounted stamps better -- I love the solid feel of the wood, I like the little pictures on the back and they're easier to use with my Stamp-a-Ma-Jig (I haven't been stamping all that long, and I am completely dependent on that little thing. The idea of stamping w/o it makes me panicky!). If I keep buying stamps at my current rate, I can see that one day space may become an issue, and I'll have to reconsider my stance.
I guess stamping is just another area in which I would be considered old school -- for example, I still buy CDs even though I could just download them from iTunes.
Robyn,
How do you store your Background stamps? CD cases are too small & I don't see any SU "clamshell" boxes. Any advise would be greatly appreciated
Sorry I didn't answer sooner. I store my backgrounds in a Stampin' Up! large container. I can fit five in there on top of each other. I hope this helps!
This is wonderful. I here a lot of talk about the EZ mount, the tack over and over, the vinyl cling, and toher methonds of "clinging". What is the method that most of you are finding gives the best image when stamped.
I love all the tips here, especially the one to use Staz-on on the EZ Mount. Thanks for sharing everyone, keep the tips coming
__________________ Sunny
Also a Pure RomanceConsultant
Say you saw it on SCS and get one item at a 10% discount!
New info on EZ mount from a vendor of mine in Alberta -
Hi Everyone,
Sunday International has out done themselves! As you all know I'm a fan of their EZ mount...They've added a NEW Thin EZ mount to their product line! This cushion is 1/16" thick...or should I say thin...
Perfect for placing on top of cushion already on stamps! This will work perfectly for those of you who have been taking the cushion off your Stampin' Up sets....You don't need to anymore!! Just place the stamp with cushion on the thin EZ Mount, cut around & You're DONE!
Now, in no time, you'll have your stamps mounted on EZ mount cling and in your binder!
This is the same high quality cushion, with adhesive on one side and 'cling' on the other....Just thinner.
According to Sunday International, this is also perfect for Small Stamps, (under 1" in size)...To be absolutely honest with you....I had no problem with their regular EZ mount and small stamps, so I'm not sure how this would be better...I will try it, and find out if there is a difference between the two thicknesses on small stamps and let you know what I find
I received an email from Sunday International late Friday, informing me of the new product and that there were only a limited number of sheets available now, (what was left over from CHA show) and that they are expecting a shipment of a limited amount on April 15. I will be placing a pre-orderwithin a couple of days to make sure I can get some here in Canada without any delays.
This is wonderful. I here a lot of talk about the EZ mount, the tack over and over, the vinyl cling, and toher methonds of "clinging". What is the method that most of you are finding gives the best image when stamped.
I love all the tips here, especially the one to use Staz-on on the EZ Mount. Thanks for sharing everyone, keep the tips coming
I prefer the EZ Mount (or TAC's Creative Cling which is probably the exact same thing) over the Grafix vinyl cling sheets. I first tried the vinyl cling sheets and find that they don't stick nearly as well as the EZ Mount stuff. (At least not for me.) I don't think there's much of a difference as far as which gives the best stamped image -- although with the Grafix vinyl cling, my rubber was falling off the acrylic block (sometimes inked) so that might make a difference as far as WHERE you stamp the image! ;) (Like on the desk, the edge of the card, the carpet, my pants.....)
Kimberly
__________________ "There is a very fine line between hobby and mental illness." -- Dave Barry
I"m wondering if anyone can comment on what they do with *really tiny* stamps when they unmount them. I just ordered Fancy Flexible Phrases ~ do I still trim them really close to the image, even though they are so small, or should I leave a larger border of rubber around them?
Thanks for all the info ~ this thread has been amazingly helpful to me!
How do you go about unmounting a su stamp without ruining it?
A lot of people will heat it in the microwave for about 10seconds. I found out, accidentally, that if the stamps are really cold (like leaving them in my car overnight) the foam peels over way better.
I"m wondering if anyone can comment on what they do with *really tiny* stamps when they unmount them. I just ordered Fancy Flexible Phrases ~ do I still trim them really close to the image, even though they are so small, or should I leave a larger border of rubber around them?
Thanks for all the info ~ this thread has been amazingly helpful to me!
For the really small stamps, I like to use just the rubber no foam. Because they are so small, it seems like the foam will make it wobble more.
The only downside that I see is when you want to do a swap or class you could be limited on the number of blocks you have. When I'm by myself I don't care too much I use both sides of the block.
