Starting with the 2010 Autumn-Winter Mini Catalogue, Stampin' Up! now offers, for most new stamps, the option of purchasing your stamps as either a wood-mount or clear-mount option.  The benefit is that you will be able to choose the medium that works best for you.  One option is not better than the other; it all comes down to your personal preference.

Wood-Mount Stamps

Traditional wood-mount stamps are where you have a foam and rubber stamp adhered to a wooden block.  Stampin' Up! wood-mount stamps are made out of high-quality rubber and the images are deeply etched.

When you purchase Stampin' Up! wood-mount stamps, they come in their own container.  Inside you will find rubber images (with adhesive on the back), a wooden block for each stamp, and a clear label for the box and for the top of each stamp block.  Purchasing your stamps unmounted reduces the cost plus it give you the advantage of mounting them how you want to.

Choose wood-mount stamps if you prefer stamping with wood blocks and you like your images permanently mounted for quick stamping.

• Click HERE for further information about assembling wood-mount stamp sets.

Clear-Mount Stamps

Clear-mount stamps are an option that offers a compact storage solution and is great for those who prefer repositionable stamps with fewer blocks.

Traditionally clear-mount stamps have been see-through photopolymer stamps on acrylic blocks.  These do not offer the same image quality that you get with rubber stamps, and are prone to stretching and tearing.  Stampin' Up! clear-mount rubber stamps are not see-through photopolymer-type stamps.  Their clear-mount stamps are made of the same high-quality red rubber as the wood-mount stamps and the foam is the same thickness and density as the wood-mount foam.  However instead of an adhesive to stick the rubber onto the wooden block, the rubber has a cling property on the back so it can cling to clear acrylic blocks.  When you use the clear-mount stamps with clear blocks you can see through the block and see die-cut stamp for placement.  There is also an image label for the back of the stamp (for the back of the rubber) that will help you position the stamp on the paper.  So now you get the benefit of repositionable clear-mount rubber stamps, along with clearly superior Stampin' Up! image quality and durability.

When you purchase Stampin' Up! clear-mount stamps, they come in a DVD-sized container.  Inside you will get die-cut rubber images (with a cling property on the back) and labels for the back of the images (again with a cling property).

Choose clear-mount stamps if your storage is limited or you want to reposition or combine images on blocks.

• Click HERE for further information about assembling clear-mount stamp sets.

To use clear-mount stamps you will need the clear-mount blocks, which are sold separately.  The Stampin' Up! clear-mount blocks have grooves on all four sides; the grooves in the block will feel the same in your hand as a wood-mount stamp.  These come in many sizes and so you can choose the size to fit the stamp image.

• Click HERE to view a template for each of the clear block sizes offered from Stampin' Up!.

All you need to do to use a clear-mount stamp is to position the stamp image of your choice on a clear block.  Press and hold it for a few seconds, then use it as you would any wood- or clear-mount stamp.  To stamp you can use any ink of your choice.  Please note that thicker inks such as VersaMark or Craft ink may tug at your stamp.  These inks work well with your clear-mount stamps if you ensure that you have a strong cling between the stamp and clear block prior to stamping.  To clean your clear-mount stamps use Stampin’ Mist and Stampin’ Scrub.

The cling for clear-mount stamps is a static cling and will not wear out.  However, you do need to keep both your blocks and stamps clean in order for the cling to function properly.