Unsung Hero - Stamp-A-Ma-Jig
This is a product that I love to use but I think is greatly under-rated. It is a product that was basically created for exact placement of stamps next to each other, but honestly I have never used it for that purpose because I just don't worry that much about exact placement of stamps. It has so many other purposes.
Intended purpose - exact placement of stamps
The description on the Stampin' Up website states that this product is:
"Must-have for any stamper. Helps you position stamp image exactly where you want, every time. Instructions included. Perfect for alphabet sets."
Now don't get me wrong, you can use it for this purpose that is what it was made for. Let me give you some examples of what is meant by this.
Step 1: Line the imaging sheet up to the handle, making sure that the imaging sheet is pushed hard up against the corner. Ink up your chosen stamp and stamp the imaging sheet, also making sure that the stamp is pushed hard up against the corner.
Step 2: Now you have the image on the imaging sheet. Line up the imaging sheet so that the stamp is where you want your image to be on your card stock.
Step 3: Put the handle hard up against the imaging sheet, so that the imaging sheet is pressed hard up against the corner of the handle but your stamp is still where you want it to be. Now, holding the handle firmly with your left hand, remove the imaging sheet.
Step 4: Use your right hand to stamp the image, making sure that the stamp is pressed hard up against the corner of the handle. In the photo my left hand is holding both because I don't have a third hand to take the photo with. Now you have an image stamped exactly where you want it on your piece of card stock or paper.
If you wanted to stamp a further image next to it you could just lay down the imagine sheet where you want it, and repeat steps 3 and 4 again.
Correcting mistakes - incomplete image
Sometimes we stamp and the whole image doesn't stamp out cleanly. What do you do?
Firstly, remember my rule that paper is double sided, flip the paper over and stamp on the other side. However if you can't do that for some reason, then the Stamp-a-ma-jig can save you.
Step 1: As you did above, ink up your stamp, place the stamp on your imaging sheet making sure the imagine sheet and the stamp are hard up against the corner of your handle, and then align the imagine sheet over your cardstock.
Step 2: Line up the handle to the imagine sheet, making sure that the imaging sheet is hard up against the corner while the stamped image on the sheet is still where you want it to be, and then remove the imaging sheet.
Step 3: Ink up your stamp again and stamp it using the handle, making sure that your stamp is pressed hard up into the corner.
If you are worried about that shading difference because part of the stamp has now been stamped twice (which I never do because no one except me is looking that close), you could ink up just part of your stamp like this.
Stamping in a straight line
Now maybe some of you are talented enough to do this, I am not. This is actually my most common use for this stamp set, stamping in a straight line. I don't use the imaging sheet, I just use the arm.
I haven't exactly spaced the greetings, to do that I would need to use the imagine sheet and re-position it every time, but I think it looks quite effective without worrying about exactly correct spacing.
Stamping the same image multiple times
This is probably my most common use of this product. When I am stamping an image and I either want it to really stand out, or I am using an ink that isn't particularly dark, I use my Stamp-a-ma-jig to stamp the image repeatedly, re-inking in between, to get a darker impression.
For instance, I love the new Lemon Lime Twist but I often feel it needs to be done twice.
Again I don't use the imaging sheet for this, once I have placed the stamp on the paper I don't lift it until I grab the arm of my Stamp-a-ma-jig and line it up. Then I can re-stamp the image as many times as I like.
Now because I was in a rush I didn't push the stamp into the corner of the arm and it is slightly out of line. If you are worried about this, you could follow the instructions below.
Correcting a mistake - covering a mistake
Sometimes you accidentally ruin a nearly completed card, for instance by dropping something on it or by rocking your stamp or pressing it too hard so that the edge of your stamp leaves ink on the page.
You might look at it and think, can I cover it up with something? With the Stamp-a-ma-jig you can try before you buy.
I decided to fix the above mistake by stamping some Emerald Envy over the top of the pot.
Then I left the arm just where it was so I could add some more layers. I added another layer of Emerald Envy to the pot, and then I added some Emerald Envy watered down with my Aqua Painter to the leaves.
Then I wanted to add some flowers using my Fresh Fig Stampin' Write marker, so again without removing the arm you can add even more layers. If you remove the arm, and decide you want to add more layers, just use your imaging sheet.
All of this results in a very different look to simply stamping once, and has covered up my initial mistake (which was the failure to properly put the stamp into the corner of the arm before stamping a second time.)
