Stamping on Scrapbook Pages (s/o Note to Self: Stop Buying)

I like to stamp on white cardstock and heat emboss, and then cut out the images to use just as if they were die cut images. There have been a few recent collections with die cuts that look just like stamped images. Maggie Holmes comes to mind.

Do you use ephemera or stickers, titles or embellishments? Make your own with stamps.
Having the stamp on a separate element means it'll be easier to test before you commit. If you have a particular theme or collection you're working with currently, try making some matching elements with your stamp collection and see if that helps.

I use my smallish stamp collection on nearly every layout.

I have a whole sandwich zip lock bag of journaling spots that I made by stamping onto scraps of light colored cardstock and pattern paper. Easy to pull from.

I have three circle punches of varying sizes that I use to punch out around stamped images. Makes a more polished embellishment.

I fussy cut around stamped images.

When I start a layout, I pull the stamps for that theme. Right now I'm working on birthday layouts. I have "wish big" stamp, "eat cake" stamp, and a medium sized camera stamp on my desk. I will stamp them on coordinating paper (to the paper I use on the layout) and then use the stamped images in clusters, tucked next to a stamped & cut out journaling spot, pop-dotted for dimension, etc.

this is pretty much how I use stamps on my scrapbook pages, too.  I'm typically too much of a chicken to stamp directly onto my pages.  I don't like the look of 'messy' stamping that some people do--  like when someone stamps a date stamp three times right next to each other, etc.  I know it's a particular look that they're going for; it's just not my style.  

I have two different *types* of stamps in my collection, basically: 

1)  image stamps that would work best for a focal image on a card, and
2)  *smaller* stamps that would work for how I stamp on my SB pages. 

A lot of the stamps I use (or would use, if I actually stamped them and used them, lol) on SB pages are small words, phrases, or icons that I add into my embellishment clusters.  Words like: details, remember, you & me, adventure, etc. and images like a small camera, tiny stamped hearts, etc.  I do have a CTMH set of stamps that is all images like ink splats or misting dots-- those I would probably stamp on the background underneath where I was going to put an embellishment cluster.  

One particular stamp set I bought at the Expo last year is four round SW pottery designs; my plan for using those on my SB pages is to stamp them and cut them out, cut the circles in half, and use them to make a scalloped border. I a

But whatever the stamp is, I typically stamp it onto a separate piece of paper, cut it out, and add it to my page like it was a sticker or die cut. 


I have one Heidi Swapp stamp set I use a lot on my SB pages, and just recently bought a couple more at TM that I hope to use in a similar fashion...  

I've had this one for years:  Heidi Swapp Memory File Collection  and use it a lot.

I recently got this one at TM:  Heidi Swapp Planner Stamp Set  and also (I think) this one:  Hawthorne Collection phrase stamps

It depends a lot on what your scrapping style is and what kind of stamps you have. Some definitely work as die cut elements, some just to add layers to an already layered and embellished page, but back when I did scrapping instead of cardmaking I discovered that my style was mostly incompatible with stamping. I just didn't need it.

Shimelle sometimes uses her stamps directly on pages as an extra textural layers in clusters of embellishments - a subtle ink color, small stamps, added to an area where a lot of other stuff is going on. Easy to cover up if you screw up the stamping, although she also has a higher tolerance for screw-ups than I do.

I learned from watching Kelly Purkey back when she used to share PL pages that it's not necessary to actually stamp well - she stamped on scraps of paper, and often had to do it over many times to get a couple she was happy with, then she'd cut them down and add it to her page. Stamping on printable or stamped labels, that kind of thing.

Not a cardmaker or multi-media artist, I only incorporate stamping into scrapbooking. My layouts are simple, linear, & story focused with cardstock backgrounds. I gravitate toward stamps/sets with words, numbers, &/or outline images, usually stamp directly onto the background or journaling card, & occasionally heat emboss. Since I'm generally theme-challenged & prefer classic patterned papers, a single phrase stamp &/or image subtly supports the story. Note I also use stencils & embossing folders similarly & for the same purpose as stamps. 

I use the stamp/die sets for images, i love these because I can color the image to match my layout. I have a lot of little image and symbol stamps (the clear stamp sets always seem to have a few) and sometimes stamp those onto my layouts instead of using a sticker. I like to use little word and phrase stamps too. Since I use layers or multiple large pieces of paper I can stamp directly on these using a stamping platform which minimizes my chance of messing it up.

I mostly use word or phrase stamps and stamp them either onto labels, or directly onto my pages.

Debbi Tehrani has been trying to use some of her stamps so a lot of the layouts she's been posting have some form of stamping on them. Even if her pages don't suit your style you might find some inspiration in her pages. You can find her insta here

Thanks for starting this thread scrapbookwriter. I will be following it. I too have too many stamps that I NEVER use. 

How did you adhere your die cuts? I can't remember if you mentioned it or not. I read your post a while back and I've been doing the same thing with stickers!

sorry for the slight hijack:  for refugeepea:  info about sticking my diecuts to the pages in my sticker binders:

I just stick my die cuts to card stock with a VERY tiny amount of ATG adhesive; the diecuts pull off of the page okay when I want to use them. I don't care about any small amount of ripping of the card stock in the binder if that does happen; that card stock is the cheap stuff from WalMart, and it's only ever going to be used in those binders.

So if I stamped examples of my stamps, I would cut them out and include them in these binders in the appropriate section.  If I pre-stamped any images, I'd probably stick them into the binders, too-  that way everything would be in one place.  If I don't know where it is, I won't look for it.  (actually, the more I think about it, the better I like this idea.  I don't have very many Southwest stickers, but I do have SW themed stamps I can use on my pages--  if I put examples of them into the sticker binder, I'll remind myself about the fact that they exist, lol.)

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Here's a few videos that show Janet's explanation of how she does her sticker/die cut binders (although she separates her inventory by colors and I separate mine by themes).   She uses photo mounting squares to stick down her die cuts, but the only ones I have are reaaaallly old and didn't stick very well-- plus, my photo mounting squares are the kind with the paper you need to peel off- too much work!  ATG adhesive was quicker. 

Organizing Die cuts and Ephemera in binders  about 19:00 minutes into the video is where she shows her 3-ring binder with die cuts in.

Organizing Stickers-- Color Binders   about 42 minutes in is where she explains how to cut the waxed paper and make the sheets for the binder.

Flip Thru- Stickers, Diecuts, and Chipboard  This video is a fun flip-thru video of some of her different binders and notebooks. She's also put diecuts onto the pages of a composition notebook (she keeps certain mfrs separate like that).   She puts her adhesive chipboard onto the waxed paper sheets (cut down a little bit to accommodate the bulk from the chipboard; these sheets are then put individually into page protectors to make sure nothing gets lost if they fall off the sheet.)

thanks for reminding me I have some of these from my (quickly gone) fascination with pocket letters! I'll have to dig them up for this. The example stamp images can go in the pockets!

I don't usually put stuff inside the pages unless it's completely adhesive free. If you're using them the same way as wax paper sheets, then just stick your stickers and other things to the clear top layer.