Back when I first started buying unmounted rubber stamp sheets I wondered what could be done with all the leftover scraps. And now that I manufacture rubber stamps I sometimes feel buried in the scraps of rubber left from cutting out stamps to send to my customers. I have tried to find some outlet for recycling this rubber (once it has been pressed it cannot be pressed and baked again) but to no avail. So I decided that maybe it could be used for making stamps designed from pieces of the rubber. After a bit of experimenting this is the method I have come up with. The stamps you can make this way will probably have a homespun character to them, but that will add to their charm. And you may find that you can make stamps of things you've wanted but haven't been able to find anywhere. Don't we all go around commenting on how this or that would make a great stamp? Well, now you may just be able to do that. This method will never replace the fine art stamps available from all the stamp companies out there, but will allow you to add some special accessories to your stamping kit. I have also found that the edges of this rubber tend to curl up a bit after glue is applied--so when stamping with these home-made stamps you will have to check that the entire surface has received a coating of whatever ink you are using. In addition, it seems to work best to place your paper on a hard surface and press really hard to flatten out any warping that has resulted from this process.

The first step it to collect all the required materials as shown in the following photo.

The materials and tools I have found to be useful are as follows:

Rubber Scraps

When you cut out rubber stamps from a sheet of stamps you have purchased, save the scraps. It is a good idea to save the scraps from each sheet in separate baggies. There will be slight variations in the depth of the rubber, even from the same company, and it is best if all the pieces used on one stamp are at least close to the same depth. By adding cling vinyl mounting foam under the base of your stamp you can correct for some variation in depth. If you don't have any scraps to use, just ask when ordering stamps if any scraps could be included with your order. Depending on the process the stamp company uses and whether or not they cut individual images they may be happy to send you some (I know I will be--I hate seeing anything go to waste!) Keep scraps of all sizes, even itty bitty ones as you will find you can use them in lots of ways if you experiment a little bit.

Scissors

You will need scissors that can cut rubber and plastic sheeting or transparencies. I use Chinese kitchen shears and then a pair of Fiskars for fine tuning.

Adhesives

For this method you will need a temporary glue that will adhere your transparency or clear plastic sheeting to a copy of the graphic you are using for your stamp design, and that will adhere cut paper sections of a copy of your graphic to the top of the rubber scraps while you are cutting (or tracing, if you prefer) your pieces. I like using spray on stencil adhesive, the can I have used here is from Delta. (I also discovered quite by chance that if you are being harassed by yellowjackets while working outside, one puff of this glue and the yellow jackets are old news. I have no sympathy for these creatures after having been stung by one recently while minding my own business walking down a trail with my granddaugher!) You will also need a permanent glue that will hold the rubber to the transparency or whatever clear plastic scrap material you use for the base of your rubber. (Rubber Cement will NOT work.) I find the E6000 craft glue works well. You can always experiment with other glues you have on hand, and if you find one that doesn't make the edges of your rubber pieces curl up a little, please pass on the information to me.

Graphics for your stamp design

You can use any graphic as long as the parts/pieces of the graphic are not smaller than you can cut the rubber or larger than the pieces of scrap rubber you have, and as long as you are not violating any artist or company copyrights. The graphic can be scanned and resized in any image editing program if you have one like Photoshop, or Paintshop or GIMP. The easiest thing is to use copyright-free clipart. If you are lucky enough to be able to draw, you can just use your own original artwork. If possible, the graphics you use should be reversed for this process If you don't have a way to do that, you can still use this process with a modification I will explain at the proper place. You will need two copies of each graphic you plan to use, and I recommend you have a third on hand in case of mishaps. (Like if you are trying to do this outside in order to get good photos and the breeze picks up one of your pieces and blows it onto the deck, where it slips through a crack and disappears.) Number the first two as Copy 1 and Copy 2

Material for base of stamps

You are going to be putting unconnected pieces of rubber together into a design, so you will need some type of base to adhere these pieces onto. While you could stick the pieces directly onto cling vinyl mounting foam, that would result in adhesive exposed in the blank areas of the stamp and you might not be able to place the pieces together with a good result. So I use either an acetate transparency or cut, flat pieces of the clear plastic used for packaging. The clamshell boxes take-away food comes in or any other stiff, flat, clear plastic packaging that you are able to cut with scissors will work for your stamp base.

Static Cling Mounting Foam (optional)

I like using this material because it is convenient and I don't have to permanently mount any of my stamps. If you prefer to have your stamps mounted on wood or some other system, you can still do that, but you should use some type of foam to provide a cushion between the stamp and the hard base to get a better impression from your stamps. If you choose to modify this method by using permanent mounts or a different foam, you will need to find an adhesives that will work with the materials you choose.

Miscellaneous items to make life easier

Tweezers, cotton balls, Q-tips, nail polish remover, rubbing alcohol, colored markers, Sharpie permanent marker, straightedge.

Okay, if you have your materials together, it is time to start making stamps!