Rubber stamping in scrapbooking

[FantasticDisFamily]

My girlfriend has both stampin up and Close to my heart - the clear ones I believe are Close to my heart.

Deb

 

[Tiger926]

nicurn - thanks for the clarification! In regards to longevity, some of you bring up really good points about scrapbooks lasting too long and future relatives then having to store these books, but I am more concerned with my books not lasting long enough for my daughter & her kids if I put unsafe stuff into them such as eyelets or brads.

So, most of you feel that stamping is safe for your books? Which stamps or inks would you recommend? Are there any companies that extensively test their inks/stamps for archival purposes?

Great info. Thanks, Tiger

 

[wtpclc]

I don't stamp, but I have heard that some "paint" their stamps with photo safe markers to ensure that they are safe.

I tell my clients just not to touch your photos with the ink. Also, for non-CM users, if you can find buffered pages or card stock, that will help protect your photos in case the ink is not photo safe.

 

[pattyT]

of course this is just from my experiences -

I have 'scrapbooks' aka magnetic albums <gasp> from he 80's that I put EVERYTHING you can imagine in , magazine cuts out, hand written notes... etc. Only problem I have is that the things are now stuck to the pages and tear when taking them off - the inks hav not effecxted pictures (some pages have nothing but pictures and look the same)

In the mid 90's when I started REAL scrapping I stamped in albums - none of the stamps touch the pictures and there aren't page protectors in some of those (I am redoing them for that reason) and the stamped and embossed images did not effect any pictures in any way.

Late 90's I was introduced to CM and I LOVE the albums - have actually signed on as a 'hobby consultant' as I use so many of them!
They do go above and beyond to determine archival safe tot he upth degree -They also want you to spend all your scrapping money on their products now don't they!

CK magazine test products too - and stamps have passed there years ago!
And now if you want a really safe alternative - Making Memories sells paints specifically for stamps in scrapbooks they are archival safe.

well I hope this helps you at all.

Personally I scrapbook for myself - I find it fun - relaxing, and I have always been a 'mentasental' person. I love looking back at my own books from just 2 years ago and the memories that go along with it. I use fibers, ribbons, charms,washers, brads. I have used water colors with masking fluid, sheetrock tape, anything I feel like it in the moment really!

I have a big plastic bin at my mother in laws that has all my negatives and doubles in it - cuz what if there was a fire - then it wouldn't matter what the heck was in the book it would be gone!
So my advice save the negatives someplace safe and just have fun!

 

[Spinning]

Just curious.......what is the white jeeping thing on the side of the CM book made out of? Is it plastic? Metal? Just wondering. I have several CM books. If it is metal or plastic how did they make it safe? It doesn't feel like paper.

 

[pattyT]

As a matter of fact Spinning -
there is plastic jeeping and metal that the straps go through - hmmmmmmmmmmmm

 

[wtpclc]

There are photo safe plastics. Polyethylene and poly styrene. Can't remeber the other. The biggest plastic to stay away from would be a polymer. The stabilizers in those are what can cause problems.

Still trying to figure out where people heard that metal contained acids.

 

[diznygirl]

I think people would be worried about the metals rusting - I've seen that happen with old staples or paper clips - and then you end up with a rusted stain on your paper. But the brads I believe are coated, so I don't think rust would be a problem.

I don't use metals or brads or anything else lumpy cuz I don't want to create indentations in my pictures (unless it's a pic of someone I don't like! LOL!) I saw the most beautiful creation of paper doors that open up and show a wedding photo - and they used metal brads for door knobs - now those things are denting and scratching someone's wedding photo!

The CM philosophy is that scrapping is all about the pictures. It's not about the arts and crafts - it's about getting your photos into a safe environment for viewing. If you are scrapping for yourself, and you don't care what your embellishments are doing to your photos, then CM felt you were wasting your time. But lately they have noticed how popular embellishing is, and they are starting to get into the act by selling papers that fit on their 12x12 pages. Maybe they are planning on adding stamps and brads to their inventory as well - who knows?

 

[grover]

The CM philosophy is that scrapping is all about the pictures. It's not about the arts and crafts - it's about getting your photos into a safe environment for viewing. If you are scrapping for yourself, and you don't care what your embellishments are doing to your photos, then CM felt you were wasting your time.

Really...wow I didn't know that CM felt that way! I know it is about preserving your photos but why would it ever be a waste of time to have a hobby you enjoy!!! ...'spose if you are not picasso and you try to paint then that would be a waste of time toooo ..just kidding--I just can't believe CM would have that viewpoint..do any other scrapping companies have that point of view? Boyyy my albums would drive some cm's nuts then if this was the line of thinking . I am happy to hear they are coming around to realize scrapping should not be limiting but a expession of ones self --what ever that may be!
Ohh and I dont' hate cm products...I will use anything that suits my purpose
Grover in Winnipeg

 

[diznygirl]

Not that you are wasting your time doing a hobby that you enjoy - just wasting actual time spent per page wen you could be getting more in the album. Quantity not quality. The focus was not on creating works of art - like Picasso - it was to just do it and get it done and be personally and uniquely your own - like kindergarten artwork. A true masterpiece.

I didn't mean to offend!

 

[grover]

Thanks for clarifying that
I personally perfer quality of a page over quantity..if my page doesn't look good I would rather spend more time on it making it wonderful
LOL-I still manage to get plenty done though...I am at 31 pages completed for 2005 already!
Vanessa

 

[nicki dahling]

We could debate forever the safety of non CM products in scrapbooks. As a former CMC I don't knock CM stuff ( and still love and use pretty much all of their products ), but I love all of the other non cm stuff available and think they really add to my pages.

Frankly I'm not as concerned about them lasting a lifetime. In the end it really is up to us to decide as indivicials what to do with our albums. Havin said that those of you who know me know that I am pretty anal about my pages. I will work on a two page spread for days , sometimes leaving it and coming back to it weeks later. ( as a matter of fact I have one sitting on my desk right now, because I want it to be done right-well at least according to Cyndi ). This was one of the few things that bothered me about some cm pages. At times it seemed as if people just slapped a bunch of pictures down for the sake of getting them done. My cousin who was a cmc ( and who introduced me to cm ) was this way. It seemed to physically hurt me when watching her scrap ( lol ). She felt the same about my work, but over time we learned to respect the fact that we each had different taste ( just like clothes, shoes, and the way we decorate our homes ).

In just the last few months I have noticed a change in the way strickly cm scrappers do their pages ( sizzix and quickutz is being used by a lot of cm users, and also the BH sketches ). Some pages I have seen are pretty awesome. Now my pages have become a combination of cm stuff and all of the great non cm items I love. I have even done a few albums right on the page refills ( saved me some money too ). I'm not big on white pages , but the black and natural have become my fav. background. Can't wait to try out the new Spargo. I love the clean and simple lines of CM mixed with my favorite MM, Anna Griffin, Jollee's Boutique and DCWV products ( not to mention all of the great Disney items available now ). I feel like I have the best of both worlds.

I say do what you won't to do in your books, and respect those who may do different. Frankly it would be a better world if we did this in life in general.

Cyndi

 

[BethanyF]

So, most of you feel that stamping is safe for your books? Which stamps or inks would you recommend? Are there any companies that extensively test their inks/stamps for archival purposes?

Dye inks are water based and can run if subjected to water or excessive humidity.
Pigment inks are thicker pigment based inks, usually need heat setting and are permanent.
There is a brand of ink called "Archival'. It is water proof, light-fast and permanent. It will stain the rubber on your stamps, but it will last forever in your books.
There is no reason to question if a stamp is safe...the stamp is not going in your book.
Oh, and ink is not generally acidic. 'acid free' is what scrappers look for, so pen and ink manufacturers have started labeling their products.
Saying ink is acid free is like saying water is fat free.

 

[Tiger926]

Thanks for the info. As points of clarfication (perhaps for others as well) - I know that I don't need to worry about the actual 'stamp' itself being acid free, but in regards to being archival, in photography this is used in reference to fading as well isn't it? I guess that's why you mentioned "acid free," but I've been doing extensive research on this for 7 months now (contacting companies, Internet, etc...) and have discovered that "acid free" and "photo safe" are two separate issues as they don't mean the same thing. Since there is no industry standard or regulations regarding the fact that items must be acid free, I've discovered that many products that say "acid free" are in fact not safe for photos. They technically can be called "acid free" because they fall close to the safe PH range used for acidity, but there are no regulations governing the fact that they must do so (even within the ISO standards used for this purpose, it uses words like "should" or "may be.") This leaves room for interpretation & that is why I am so concerned with using the best products for my books. I haven't been able to find tons of info on what exactly is in ink pads, but you seem to know this, and mention that they don't contain acid, but what about other chemicals that may be harmful, are we to only use inks that say "acid free," "photo safe," or "archival"? Your analogy with acid free and fat free water is a point well taken, then why does my ink pad say "acid free"? It's confusing for us newbies to say the least!

By the way, here are my ink pads:

1) 'Memories' - acid free, dye ink pad, fade resistant for archival use, no smear

2) 'Color Box' - pigment stamp pad, highest quality archival ink, non toxic

Do these sound ok for scrapping? Basically I asked the question because I am concerned about the archival or photo safe classification, as well as bleeding & fading as I don't want to re-do my books - I want them to last a long time (I am quickly learning that scrappers have many different styles, & since I'm fairly new to this world, I assumed that all scrappers shared my view, but as a member of several other scrapper message boards, I've quickly discovered this is not the case!) I don't put stickers on my photos, so I won't do the same with stamps, but do you suggest putting the stamps right onto pages, or do you always mat them? I am sorry for all of the questions, but I love stamping, and I want to make sure that I mix my love of stamping with scrapping in the safest way possible!

Thanks, Tiger

 

[nicurn]

tiger926 in response to your ink question, I don't know the answer. I don't use the dye in pads because I like to emboss and that's easier with the pigment inks. I have a bunch of the color box inks and have not had any problems with them. I also buy the non descript $1 ink from ac moore (pigment) because I like the colours.... (and the price). I do stamp right onto the page that I'm doing. I have also stamped the title onto a different strip of paper and then put that on the page, especially if I am matting the pictures with the same colour as the title mat.... maggie

http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/pg.asp?cmd=display&layout_id=321627

ps: so I guess what I'm trying to say is I have no idea what the "correct" answer is, but I stamp with pigment inks (or the mm paints) and stamp both onto the page or a mat... (clear as mud right? ) In any case, I have not had any problems and some of my pages with stamps are 5-6 yrs old.

 

[BethanyF]

then why does my ink pad say "acid free"? It's confusing for us newbies to say the least!

Because scrappers are conditioned to look for the words 'acid free'.

Both of the brands you have are fine. If you are overly concerned about longevity I would only use the Colorbox pigment ink. HOWEVER....it may not dry on certain papers without heat setting.
The Memories pads are dye based....which means there is a potential for them to run if exposed to moisture. Other than that, they are completely safe. I use dye inks all the time. I figure if my pages get wet enough to run the ink, there are bigger worries than losing an image; mainly the photos would also be ruined in that much moisture.

Stamp and have fun, dont lose sleep over it
<a href='http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb008_ZSYYYYYY68US' target='_blank'><img src='http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/7/7_20_4.gif' alt='Card Making' border=0></a>

 

[Spinning]

If I were you I think I would mat everything that way you have an extra buffer. Plus if you are using CM their pages are suppose to be buffered so if you do put something on a page that isn't "their product" it isn't suppose to leach over.
What does CM say about memorbilia? Ticket stubs? etc.

 

[JudithM]

...Do these sound ok for scrapping? Basically I asked the question because I am concerned about the archival or photo safe classification, as well as bleeding & fading as I don't want to re-do my books - I want them to last a long time...

Personally if I were concerned & was not sure about putting something on my sb pages, then I would not use that item/product ... simple as that !

 

[Tiger926]

Bethany F - thanks so much for the awesome info and suggestions. I am finding that my pigment ink takes a long time to dry, but the scrapper/stamper store didn't tell me that it had to be heat set. How do you do this? I have an embossing gun?

Also, good point Bethany about the "acid free" issue. I am finding that some of the products that say "acid free" aren't very acid free at all. From my research I've discovered that products should say "photo safe" as this has specific parameters around it (PAT test for instance). I am very anal about this stuff (but I am like this with all aspects of my life - when I do something, I want to make sure I do it right!), but I am finding limitations with many of the products out there, except I've had great luck with CM products as they do an amazing job on testing & research. From my other scrapbook message boards I am finding that there are other comparable scrapping companies in the US (I haven't found any yet, so suggestions would be appreciated), but where I live, CM stuff is the best for scrapping, and we have a few LSS stores that have an incredible selection of stamps and beautiful papers as well. I do worry about this stuff and I do lose sleep over it because I am a very thorough person (as a special education teacher I am a master researcher and so I really am strict about what I put in my books based on how good the product is) who likes to always give my best, but I am finding that this is difficult due to product limitations.

JudithM - good point about not putting stuff in books that I am suspect on, problem is, I don't trust a lot of what is out there (especially some of the stuff at Michael's), so I am very picky about what I use. Since I am a newbie scrapper, and have only stamped on my cards, I needed to ask specific questions about inks, so I'm glad that I did, because based on what everyone has said here, stamping seems to be safe - especially if I get the right ink and use mats on my pages (if not a CM book) for extra buffering.

Thanks for all of your awesome help. As usual, the DIS is the best, Tiger

 

[crazyforpooh]

If I were you I think I would mat everything that way you have an extra buffer. Plus if you are using CM their pages are suppose to be buffered so if you do put something on a page that isn't "their product" it isn't suppose to leach over.
What does CM say about memorbilia? Ticket stubs? etc.

Spinning - for my bigger pieces of memorbilia I use the portrait sleeve in my Cm albums but I do put tickets stubs and other smaller things on my pages. In fact my LeNouba pages are all memorbilia because you can't take pictures at the show but I did want to caputure the wonderful time we had and didn't want to forget so I scrapped a few of the brochures and added our feelings and mounted our tickets and the letter received from Disney with our reseveration and cost.

I agree with Cyndi - too bad everyone can't just get along with what ever your style is - but, this has been an ongoing issue in this country we all like to call the "Land of the FREE" for alot of different issues. So lets all agree to disagree and be done with it all.

Laura
A scrapaholic