First quick impression
The package has some lovely illustrations of designs that can be created. I have used and enjoyed layered stamps like the build a flower sort before but haven’t tried any “build a …” before. This set raised my curiosity to have a go though. Once again outline dies are included but being a ScanNCut owner I just find it easier to use that. The first step as always is to see how the images stamp.
Testing the Stamps
To test out new stamps I always use my Tim Holtz Stamping Platform. I know there are other platforms available but when I came to the point that I knew I needed one I did a load of research into the different features of them all and decided this was the right one for me. You can read my post about it. Why did I need one? With the Fibromyalgia (not to mention a bonus gift of some Arthritis in my hands) I could no longer rely on my hands to get a clean even print with stamps. I was increasingly finding I was not getting good results, even with the Rocker Blockers which always guaranteed this before. The benefit of a stamping platform is that for whatever reason you do not get a clean impression you can simply re-ink and go again and you are guaranteed to be exactly in the same spot. Even the best eyes can be slightly off and then you risk shadowing.
I also always use Archival Ink to test stamps that come as free gifts with magazines. They are usually made from a different material to the one used by a lot of the major brands which means that if you use a dye based ink like Memento the ink can pool on the stamp and give a really bad impression. You can see exactly what I mean in this test of a fairy stamp. Archival Ink does not pool like this and I get to really test the stamp properly.
How did the stamps Perform
As you can see, the stamps produced a really good clean image. I was genuinely impressed. As you can see from previous reviews other stamp sets that came with magazines have not always done such a good job. These stamps feel to have been made with the same firm clear material so in the previous tests so it begs the question that when other stamps have not measured up it may not have been down to the materials…
Build the Little Bird!
Once I knew what good quality the stamps were it was time to see how I get on building a bird. The back of the packaging had a couple of suggestion for how to do this. I decided to keep using the Black Archival Ink. Although I wouldn’t use this for an actual card design I knew the stamps worked well with it and decided to just go with it for now.
The Verdict
I naturally used my stamping platform which allowed me to stand above the image, position the stamp as accurately as possible and then stamp it. As you can see I haven’t done a bad job but I’m not totally happy with my positioning which as a bit of a perfectionist frustrated me. It is often a bit of a clash being a crafter and a perfectionist. It is almost certainly the reason I do so many jaunty angles there is nothing worse than something that should be straight not being so. Far safer to be deliberately at a crooked angle!
Do I want to persevere
Given the amount of craft stash I have to go through on my big decluttering and organisation project (read about it here) I had to ask myself the question did I want to take the time working on the lining up to get this just right? I know I have got various other stamp sets with nice birds in that are already whole and ready to go so, to be honest, I had a “Konmari” moment and decided no, these stamps are great quality and I am sure they will provide joy for someone else but they didn’t spark joy for me. I will, therefore, set the Little Bird to flight. The Paper Collection from Prima though most certainly did spark joy and that is earning its place in my craft stock and I already have in mind some stamps I may use alongside it.
Until next time,
Gentle Hugs,
Susan
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