Pam Strobel Creates

Five Tips Every Stamper Should Know

Five Tips Every Stamper Should Know

Most people are familiar with the phrase “Tricks of the Trade”. In the world of stamping and card making this also applies. Using simple tricks to make stamping cards easier is something you gain with experience. Or, you can check out tips given to you by more experienced stampers. Regardless of who you are, in this short article I will present you with five simple tips/tricks you can try to improve your stamping experience.

1) Score your paper before you cut it to easily create two card bases

This tip is all about efficiency. Normally, you might be tempted to cut a full-size piece of paper in half to create two sheets for card bases, then score and fold each piece when you are ready to use them. Rather than cutting a full sheet of paper in half to create two cards, it is better if you first score the entire sheet and then cut it. This ensures that when you make your cut that you have two card bases which are already scored and ready to fold! Simple but effective.

2) Precut your card layers/inside panels

There are several benefits to creating precut card layers. To begin, it decreases your cutting time by not having to guess measurements. It also makes organization easier and prevents card stock waste. Using just one piece of normal sized paper, you can create NINE useful pieces to use in your projects. Below is a list and diagram of all the pieces you can get out of one piece of paper. I normally use Basic White or Very Vanilla.



2 pieces of 5 1/4" x 4" ➜ This is often used as the inside layer to write your personal message. It can also be used as a first layer on the outside of your card.


3 pieces of 3 1/4" x 3 1/4" ➜ This is a great size to stamp an image or sentiment, then punch or die cut.


1 piece of 3 1/4" x 1 1/4" ➜ This size is a perfect size for a larger sentiment and easy to put another color layer behind of 3 1/2” x 1 1/2”.


1 piece of 2 3/4" x 2" ➜ This is the size of some stamps and punches.


1 piece of 2 1/2" x 2" ➜ This is the size of some stamps and punches.


1 piece of 1” x 5 1/4” ➜ This skinny strip is perfect for a long sentiment. Easy to slide into a punch to create a flag tip.


3) Use dental floss to remove card layers

It can be a real challenge to separate different card layers without serious damage. Most of us may be inclined to throw away a project when we realize we’ve put pieces together incorrectly. If you need to remove a card layer you’ve just attached then try using dental floss. Gently slide a piece of dental floss back and forth between the two layers to separate them. Depending on the circumstances the effectiveness of this method can vary but the extra effort is worth it to save your project or materials.

4) Purchase matching ink refills at the same time you purchase your ink pads

To begin, you never want your ink pads to dry out. If you try to stamp with an ink pad which is drying out then your images are not going to be crisp and clean. Juicy ink pads insure clean stamped images with little or no blank areas. Secondly, you never want to be in the middle of stamping only to find you don’t have enough ink to finish your projects! My advice is to have that refill at your fingertips when your ink pad needs refreshing and purchase it at the same time you purchase your ink pad. I’ve made it super easy to do this in the Quick Color Shop.

5) Keep your photopolymer stamps stain free

Let’s face it, when we use ink, it might stay in places we don’t want. We use it on our stamps and when done, want them to be clean and tidy. Generally, you can clean your stamps after stamping with water or specific ink solvents. However, photopolymer clear stamps are a little different. They are porous and can stain when used with some ink colors. Red based inks are a common culprit. One way to keep them free of ink stain is to wash them immediately with water and a cleaning shammy . Another way is to create a protective coating over the image. You can do this by first stamping on a clear Versamark Ink Pad and then on the ink color of your choice. Clean as usual with water and cleaning shammy . This should help those clear stamps stay clear just like when you first purchased them.

Closing Thoughts

I hope you enjoyed this quick overview of some of my favorite stamping tips. Utilize them as often as needed to create a better stamping experience for yourself. If you are interested in more useful articles, please check out my Articles page. And if you haven't already, explore some more of my website, such as the Designer Series Paper (DSP) Shop, the Quick Color Shop, the Mini Store, the Quick Order feature, the Value Stamp Sets page, and of course my Tutorials section.

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