Anyway, as you can tell, I'm having a little trouble inking with some of the new Memento dew-drop inks, which leads me to wonder if this is user error or if other stampers are, indeed, having the same trouble with blotchiness, and if so, what have you done about it?
Are the dew-drop pads just over-inked? Should I blot them with a paper towel until they stamp like my old Memento pads? Or would that just waste the ink? I really don't want to have to ink with VersaMark first just to use the new Memento colors. I haven't tried using them with rubber stamps yet...just clear. But one thing I love about the old Memento colors is how they work so well with clear stamps. Does anyone have some light to shed on this dilemma? 'Cause it's starting to annoy me.
Just a bit.
Especially because I love, love, love everything else about this card. So much. The right-justified sentiment makes me sooooo happy I have to put extra o's on so.
EDITED TO ADD: I should have said what I've already done to fix the problem. I've used the white eraser and emery board on the stamps that are causing problems, but even outline stamps are blotchy. The problem is definitely NOT the stamps.
Also, for those who don't know the white eraser/emery board trick...clear stamps (well, rubber ones, too) often have a film on them left over from manufacturing that will cause ink to pool on the stamp and look blotchy on paper. You can rub the stamp vigorously with a white eraser or gently with an emery board to remove this residue, and then clean the stamp thoroughly. Most dye inks will work nicely after this procedure.
Also, my apologies to my readers in Great Britain for yet another "merry" Christmas. I actually have a card JUST FOR YOU that will post later this week. But I assure you, for us Yanks, the merry of merry Christmas is entirely respectable and has no overtones of drunken debauchery.
Unfortunately, my weekend has not been very merry by anyone's definition of the word. Some sort of virus decided to attack me Friday night with headaches, chills, and general exhaustion. I never take naps, yet naps took me both days this weekend. I'm starting to feel better this evening and hope that trend continues at least through tomorrow's holiday so we can do something fun as a family.
I hope you all are healthy and happy and that my American readers are blessed with a day off tomorrow!
Supplies
stamps: Papertrey Sign Language
ink: Memento
paper: Papertrey White
accessories: dimensionals, square punch
Unfortunately, I have no new Memento Inks so I can't tell you my experience with them. I do like your card with the various green inks. Hope you feel better soon!
ReplyDeleteLove the monochronmatic (sp) color. Thanks for your sweet visit and leaving the luv. Hugs
ReplyDeleteLove the card but have no experience with the new Dew Drops. I hope somebody pops in with some insight because I am curious if there is another solution other than the Versamark first route.
ReplyDeleteIt's just these new Dew Drops that are blotchy? Have you used other Memento inks on these specific stamps and it turns out fine? Because if not maybe you need to try the white eraser trick on the stamps like PTI suggests with their sets.
I get blotchiness with PTI cubes. Some say you can use an eraser on the stamps to "cure" them but that never has helped me. I have a PTI set with solid (as opposed to lined) stamps that I never use, but love, because I can't them inked properly. Your card is awesome, BTW. I hope you are feeling better. Any mosquito bites? West Nile is going around.
ReplyDeleteHope you feel better soon! And sorry no idea on the new dew drops, I'm still to poor to afford new ink! Ahhh!
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to say I love your Merry, I always accuse my Mum of being silly when she reads 'Merry' as drunken, I reckon it's a generational issue. Happy Christmas just doesn't sound the same!
Oooooh Heather - a generational issue - certainly that I think - and I know that in the U.S. 'Merry' is entirely respectable....I absolutely adore this card Susan....you have so many inks...I don't even have three shades of one colour in any brand...think I'm going to do something about that...can't help with the ink problem but I do hate ink pads being TOO juicy...it is annoying.
ReplyDeleteI hope that by the time you waken today (we are already up and doing over here!) you will feel a lot better and ready to enjoy Labor Day. Greetings from a dull Northern Ireland where we are promised a brighter afternoon so washing machine is jugging away.....
Sorry that was meant to be 'chugging'....big senior moment Heather LOL!!!
ReplyDeleteEver so chic. And great for entering the Moxie Fab repetition challenge : here
ReplyDeleteOh wow... now I have to try my Memento Dew Drops. I have some full size Memento ink pads that I use and have never had any problems with them. But, I have some colors in the Dew Drops and I've never even tried them so far. I only have one set of 4 Dew Drops in new colors, but I have 3 sets of 4 colors each in the old colors so now you have me worried.
ReplyDeleteI've never had a problem with any of my clear stamps not stamping properly so far even though I've read about the various problems other stampers have encountered. The only thing I do is clean my clear stamps before using them when they are new. I've never had to try the eraser thing... or heaven forbid the sanding with fine sandpaper I've read that some have tried with good results.
I would hate to have to soak up ink with a paper towel from my new Dew Drops... I can't bear to feel like I'm wasting my crafting supplies! LOL!!
I really like this card! I just bought a stamp yesterday that might work well for a CASE of this one if it isn't too large. But, the question is, do I have 3 shades of the correct color of ink?
Nice card! Like the repeated images in different shades and the tiny greeting is perfect w/the tiny trees. This card would be a perfect entry for this Christmas card challenge:
ReplyDeletehttp://christmascardchallenges.blogspot.com/
I have found no alternate solution to blotchy inked, solid stamps, but to ink them first w/VersaMark. I never had much luck w/an eraser, either. Hopefully someone will have a hopeful suggestion.
Hope you feel better soon! :)
I am having the same problem with the full size pad too. Not impressed. {sigh} -- There you go with that awesome centering again! I am going to attempt centering AGAIN today. I really am hoping to persevere over my 5 weeks! :)
ReplyDeleteSometimes I have problems with the clear acrylic CTMH stamp sets. You can search on you tube for a solution. But somewhere I viewed a video to rub the stamp on your skin (inside or arm - thought it was odd), and then ink/stamp. It worked! I think you can try a very light weighted sand paper, but haven't tried the sand paper technique. I believe it's a residue on the stamp itself that creates the blotch not the ink. Hope this helps.
ReplyDeleteSorry to say I've had the same problem ..... What's the versamark trick?
ReplyDeleteI'm sad to hear you're having problems, because that surely means we'll all be having problems with new Dew Drops. My old ones work so well I've come to expect excellence. The old PTI inks drove me crazy (haven't bought any new ones, either --- went to Memento!)with blotches, and I'd hoped that problem was a thing of the past. So I'm glad you brought it up and we can get insight from each other. As for the white eraser, that's one of those invaluable tools you take for granted. I use it on every new clear stamp, as well as to perfectly erase any pencil marks I've found necessary to make on cardstock. When I DO use a solid stamp that I think might be blotchy, I use my stamp-a-ma-jig to position it, and then if it's blotchy I stamp it again. This works, but does make the color darker. I've also inked and then dragged my stamp across scrap paper, and that will clear it. But still, it sometimes occurs, and is maddening.
ReplyDeleteVersamark trick is that after fixing your stamp to your acrylic block; you ink it up with clear Versamark first then go directly to your colored ink and ink up with that as well before stamping down on paper. It's supposed to help give the colored ink something to cling to and reduce the blotchiness. This has worked for me sometimes, even on solid rubber images when I wanted to make sure to get a nice SOLID ink impression where it was supposed to be "solid".
ReplyDeleteI had the same problem. I thought it was the new stamp set, so I tried the eraser method because I had never had a problem w/y older dew drops. I wasted almost a whole sheet of my card stock before I got an image I could fancy cut.
ReplyDeleteLOVE your card, and whilst the "blotchiness" may be a source of annoyance - it does not affect the overall appearance of your wonderful card :)
ReplyDeleteFunnily enough, I have had a similar experience but not with memento dew drops - with Colorbox chalk inks :( I find "curing" my stamps doesn't really make a difference but I might try the Versamark trick!
Hope you are feeling much better to day, and have a lovely time with your family :)
Can't help you with the inks, but it's a rockin' card! Hope you just had a 24-hour bugger and have a great family day today!
ReplyDeleteIve followed your blog silently for ages,viewing all of your amazing cards,picked up hints and tips and have even attempted a few CAS and one layer cards. I'm from the UK and I only ever use "Merry" Christmas,anything else sounds entirely wrong,it hadn't entered my innocent mind ( lol!) that It implied being tipsy,that makes me like it even more! :)
ReplyDeleteI thought I just hadn't got the knack so I'm releaved to hear that others are having the same problem,I hadn't heard of the eraser trick so ill give this a try,hope it works,I'm expecting a delivery of 12 new inks any day. Thanks for sharing,Julie x
Hope you are feeling better and that you are able to do something fun with your loved ones.
ReplyDeleteCan't help you with the ink question, but, to me, it looks like you meant to have texture in the background of your blocks. Pretty cool. I know from my own experience, though, that when it doesn't turn out like you want it to, my eyes don't see it as a good thing.
ReplyDeleteHave LOVED the discussion re 'merry' - must be an English/N Ireland thing because it's never been a discussion point in Scotland, to my knowledge. I know in my Mother's childhood (only 70-ish yrs ago) Christmas in Scotland wasn't even a holiday, Hogmany and New Year were the real celebrations, and, given the Scottish reputation for liking their whisky, I suspect 'merry' was an apt description of those feast days !! I always thought a Merry Christmas meant a joyous and happy one !
ReplyDeletePersonally, I think the blotchy ink works on these cards with the texture - but I imagine it could get very frustrating. No tips beyond what you've thought of though - sorry !
First off: I hope you're feeling better. It can only compound seeming insurmountable crafting woes ;-) when you're not feeling up to snuff. I don't have any of these inks and, like someone else mentioned, I'm not sure I have 3 different shades of any one color. I think I saw on another blog (I only remember the names of yours and a couple more; the others I find by pushing buttons) that they, too, were having trouble with the new ink pads. They found if they put the ink pad face up on the table and applied their stamp to it, they were better able to control the amount of ink coverage. Your card looks just fine in the picture. I suspect, as usual, you're being too hard on yourself. It's beautiful...and right up my alley. Now, go take another nap if you feel like it. It sounds like your body needs the rest.
ReplyDeleteHi Susan, wonderful card, I love the slightly off centre stamping of the trees.
ReplyDeleteI have experienced the same thing with juicy ink pads, it's rather annoying:{ If you have some Cut and Dry foam, cut a small piece 1"x2" and then you could try blotting your ink pad on it. The foam resists the ink but it could be used to ink the stamp and saved in a plastic bag to use until the ink pad drys up a little. I use this foam all the time for my shading/sponging, it's amazing how long the ink stays wet on it. You can use it to make your own custom rainbow ink pads, so it should work for this small problem :0)
I hope you feel better soon, Gay x
p.s. Happy? Merry? people don't seem to worry either way anymore, from what I've seen but Thank You for your courtesey :0)
I got a new set of 4 green Memento from Michael's and have been having blotchy-ness also. I thought it was just me!
ReplyDeleteYou had me at green.... :)
ReplyDeleteYup - I reckon you have ink pads that are far too juicy...I've had the same problem and although it seems wasteful, blot them and fingers crossed you'll be happier with them.
No problems about the 'merry' Christmas. I must confess that my Christmas is usually very merry and I mean that in the British sense of the word! LOL!
Hope you feel better soon :)
Hugs!
x
I have no suggestions for the wetness of your ink pads, mine are usually too dry. lol.
ReplyDeleteBut I do have a suggestion for your clear stamps especially new ones with large solid areas. Instead of using a white eraser or Heaven forbid sandpaper (aaaaccckkkk), I rub the stamp against my bare arm or back of my hand. this leaves a whitish deposit on your stamp that makes the ink stick without pooling. perhaps a bit gross for some people as it's your skin oil and flakey bits that creates the film, but it works for me every time.
I'm English and don't have any problem with Merry Christmas, although I do know some strictly teetotal religious folk who will only say Happy, not Merry. I make especially sure to send them a Merry Christmas card!
ReplyDeleteHappy Holidays is another matter, though: I can't stand that sentiment. On this side of the pond, holidays means going to the seaside or abroad, usually in summer.
Love your blog and your cardmaking style.
Mitzi x