Stamps are incredibly useful for a large assortment of tasks. Lots of stamps are used in offices, but rubber stamps hold a special spot in the crafting community. Their versatility and reusability provide fantastic resources when creating items like cards.

Beyond card making, there are plenty of uses for stamps in crafting. Using these stamps allows you to replicate a specific pattern multiple times or cover an area more efficiently. Stamps can also provide a much neater lettering option.

How to Use Rubber Stamps for Card Making

The versatility of rubber stamps makes for some great cards. Best part? You can make something that you would never see in the card section of a store. With a little bit of practice and by following these steps, you can ensure the quality is just as good.

One of the most helpful tips is marking out your plan ahead of time. Especially when using a repeated pattern, it’s super helpful to have an idea before you place the first ink. This tip is also great for initial concept work.

Finally, make sure to clean up when you’re done. A simple damp cloth can keep your stamp chugging for a long time to come. If you use your stamps a lot, you may want to invest in a cleaning kit.

When you’re done, you can tap the stamp with a paper towel to get any of the remaining ink off and fully dry it off.

Types of Cards

There are so many different types of cards you can use stamps for - birthday cards, invitations, thank you cards, even baby showers and save-the-dates. Here are two examples of how to design your own card, using a little creativity and a personally designed stamp.

How to Make a Baby Shower Card

How to Make a Save the Date

Both cards layered patterned and plain paper to create a sophisticated border effect. For topics like these, it’s also really helpful to have personalized stamps. These allow you to keep fantastic designs while conveying pertinent information. Make your own custom rubber stamp using our Stamp Designer.

The entire body text of the card can be stamped, maintaining that personal, homemade feel, while saving your hand from writing the same thing dozens of times.

Stickers are also a valuable tool. They share the ability of stamps to place a pattern wherever is most appropriate on a card. Colored pencils add that final pop of color and personalization that makes these cards so unique.

Stamping Tips and Techniques to Use

To get your stamping game to the next level, there are a lot of different techniques that you can apply. To get you started, here are three examples:

Stamp masking

Stamp masking is the use of something to protect certain areas of your card. For example, if you wanted a clean border around the edge, then you could lay down some masking tape where you want the edge to be. This way the ink from your stamps won’t accidentally bleed into the section.

This technique can also be used to ensure that you only use the part of the design on the stamp that you want to.

Layered stamping

Layered stamping is the use of multiple stamps to create one visual effect. You can use a layered stamping kit to get this effect or the collection of stamps at home.

Quick note: Lining up the stamps properly can be difficult, so keep that in mind when planning your project.

Kiss stamping

Kiss stamping is the next level of layered stamping. You start by inking a shape with a light color. Then, you ink a background pattern with a dark color.

Finally, you stamp the shape onto the background and then transfer the image to the paper. Doing this keeps the pattern entirely within the shape and can create some fascinating effects. To clean it up, you can then stamp the outline with the same dark color.

With stamps, the possibilities are endless.

Different Types Of Stamps

There are different kinds of stamps. Knowing which are which will allow you to maximize their potential.

Cling Stamps

The first type is cling stamps. These come in two varieties: photopolymer and rubber. These stamps derive their name from the fact that, in order to be used, they need to cling to an acrylic block. These blocks can be reused when the stamp is done. For this reason, it may be best to purchase a larger one to fit a wider variety of stamps.

Wood Mounted Stamps

The next type of stamp is the wood mounted stamp. In contrast to cling stamps, these are already attached to a wooden block. These stamps will last you a very long time. Consider them an investment in your crafting future.

We have many wood handle stamp sizes and designs to choose from. Browse around and see what you like! You can also use our stamp designer to make your vision come to life.

Choosing the Ink

Now that you’ve chosen some amazing designs to stamp onto your cards, it’s time to choose the color palate. The key here is to view the card as a cohesive whole instead of a collection of stamps. To do this, choose colors that complement each other.

It’s also worth noting what kind of ink is best for your stamping needs. Different kinds perform different tasks. The most common ink is your basic dye-based ink that works well. Other inks prioritize smudge resistance or heat embossing.

Apart from altering the more physical properties, inks can also just be used for the looks. Distress inks provide a great vintage look that would be difficult to achieve with a basic ink. Consider your use case before choosing the type.

How To Make a Crisp Impression

After you’ve picked your inks, you have the essential task of transferring it to the stamp. To get the best possible impression, there are a few tips that are worth noting. First, don’t press the stamp into the ink pad. Roll it around a bit. If you push too hard, then the ink will oversaturate the stamp and make for a sloppy image. If you do end up with too much ink, just do a couple pre-stamps on a scrap sheet of paper to get that off. Too much ink mixed with too much pressure will ruin the impression. You want firm, even pressure.

Using a rubber stamp requires a different stamping technique than other stamps. If you’re struggling to get a crisp, clear impression, check out our guide on How to Make a Quality Stamp Impression. It’s short, sweet, and to the point, so you’ll be stamping like a pro in no time.

Conclusion

You’ve made it this far, and you’ve read a lot of technical tips about how to make the best card with stamps. Now, it's time to put this knowledge to good use. So, find what you like, choose inks that make you excited and patterns you love, and go make that card!