Stamping "Scratchpad"

[CitizenKate]

I just found a really slick way to play with new stamping designs that I thought some of you might be interested in. This method lets you play with your stamps all day long without sacrificing any leather, and without spending time rummaging through your scrap bin and casing leather for your stamping experiments.

Take some polymer clay, a sheet of glass, a rolling pin, and your stamps.

Roll some of the polymer clay flat on the glass.

Press your stamps into the soft polymer clay to make your stamping patterns.

If you don't like what you got, just wad up the clay, roll it back out flat, and start again. The clay stays soft indefinitely, so you can just keep using it over and over again until you have what you like.

If you like it, you can just stick it in the oven for a few minutes to harden it, making a permanent stamping pattern sample.

This really lets you see your ideas and work out layout issues before having to commit them to leather.

Hope some of you find this as useful as I have.

Kate

[Suze]

just be SURE to use glass to roll it out on if you are going to leave it for any length of time.

If you use a plastic anything and leave the clay sit on it for awhile it will "eat" right into it.

(don't ask how I know - says the woman with a cutting board with a hole in it)

and don't use that rolling pin for food anymore -- poly clay can leave toxic stuff behind.

a nice thick glass bottle works well too. (like a beer bottle)

Edited December 13, 2009 by Suze

[pete]

I made the same post a few months ago and got no response. I STILL think that it is a great idea. Use it a lot myself for intricate things.

What I posted was using it for basket stamp practice when someone wrote in that he was having trouble keeping them lined up and even.

I'll go one better- TAKE SOME PLAYDOUGH OR CLAY TO TANDY, SPRINGFIELD LEATHER, ETC AND COMPARE STAMPS BEFORE YOU BUY!.

pete

[CitizenKate]

and don't use that rolling pin for food anymore -- poly clay can leave toxic stuff behind.

a nice thick glass bottle works well too. (like a beer bottle)

Good point, Suze. It's supposed to be "non-toxic" but that doesn't mean you can eat it. As it happens, I've never used a rolling pin to prepare food, anyway. Not much into baking.

I made the same post a few months ago and got no response. I STILL think that it is a great idea. Use it a lot myself for intricate things.

What I posted was using it for basket stamp practice when someone wrote in that he was having trouble keeping them lined up and even.

I'm sorry, Pete, I didn't see your earlier post... but that's true. This makes it very easy to fine-tune exactly where you want everything to go. "Hmmmm... that tool didn't work out to well in that spot, maybe this one will work better."

Kate

[Des804]

I did use some of my Leather Tools on a flat Sculpy Piece so yeah it makes sense that you can use it.

[abn]

Brilliant idea! Thanks for the tip, Kate and Pete.

[rcsaddles]

Ever wonder "Why didn't I think of that?" That is a great idea. Now i have to take all the clay and play dough away from the kids. This will be me when they ask what happened to all their stuff.

Keep up the ideas. Someone should post this in the Carving and stamping hints and tips thread.

[rodeomic]

I just found a really slick way to play with new stamping designs that I thought some of you might be interested in. This method lets you play with your stamps all day long without sacrificing any leather, and without spending time rummaging through your scrap bin and casing leather for your stamping experiments.

Take some polymer clay, a sheet of glass, a rolling pin, and your stamps.

Roll some of the polymer clay flat on the glass.

Press your stamps into the soft polymer clay to make your stamping patterns.

If you don't like what you got, just wad up the clay, roll it back out flat, and start again. The clay stays soft indefinitely, so you can just keep using it over and over again until you have what you like.

If you like it, you can just stick it in the oven for a few minutes to harden it, making a permanent stamping pattern sample.

This really lets you see your ideas and work out layout issues before having to commit them to leather.

Hope some of you find this as useful as I have.

Kate

Well Holy Cow!!!!! That was my first response----then, why the heck haven't I thought of that? Coming from one that spends alot of time rummaging through the scrap bin for "practice" pieces, I am putting this idea to good use. Thanks!

[Bob Blea]

Thanks, this is a great idea. I have tried stamping out test designs but have never found I like my first effort. This is a great way to play around with the tools till I like the result. And I even have the modeling clay you show in your picture at home!

Bob

[CowboyDon]

Thanks for the great tip

[LilRay]

Great idea!

Thanks!

God Bless, Ray

[Johnny B]

Good idea Thanks

[Jacobite]

That has to be one of the best money saving ideas I've heard in a long time! I'm always loath to use "scraps" to practice on, thinking they could come in handy somewhere

until they are so small you can't really do anything with them.

In fact I should be going past our local craft store later on so I'm going to swing by and pick myself up a slab. I wonder if they do it in a sort of veg tanned shade.

[Harag]

WOW this is a great idea, is this topic pinned? it should be. I came here via a link in another topic. Anyway, I'm just starting out leather working and carving and bought myself some tools and polymer clay, though I'm waiting for the tools to be delivered.

I've also bought a Granite chopping board you use in Kitchens (3/4 inch thick) - I've read above to use GLASS for the clay - will the granite board be OK ??? or should I get some glass as well. I've seen small table top glass mats I could get. The granite board I was planning to use on the table to do my carving and stamping on.

Thanks all