I use Clear Acrylic Blocks in almost all of my stamping projects. Whether they are holding a stamp, acting as a painter's palette for ink refills, or for weighing down two pieces of cardstock when gluing, they are my most used stamping tools!
Stampin' Up! carries a multitude of Clear Acrylic Block sizes! They come in 9 different sizes, ranging from 1-3/16" to 6". They are named A through I.
Item #
|
Block Letter
|
Dimensions
|
Retail (USD)
|
|
|
A Block
|
1-3/16"
x 1-1/4" (3 x 3.2 cm)
|
$4.00
|
|
|
B Block
|
1-5/8"
x 1-15/16" (4.1 x 4.9 cm)
|
$6.00
|
|
|
C Block
|
2" x
2-1/4" (5.1 x 5.7 cm)
|
$7.00
|
|
|
D Block
|
2-7/8"
x 2-11/16" (7.3 x 6.8 cm)
|
$8.50
|
|
|
E Block
|
3-7/16"
x 4-7/16" (8.7 x 11.3 cm)
|
$12.00
|
|
|
F Block
|
4-7/8"
x 6" (12.4 x 15.2 cm)
|
$17.00
|
|
|
G Block
|
2-1/2"
x 3/4" (6.4 x 1.9 cm)
|
$4.50
|
|
|
H Block
|
4-7/16"
x 1-5/8" (11.3 x 4.1 cm)
|
$8.50
|
|
|
I Block
|
5-7/8"
x 2-1/4" (14.9 x 5.7 cm)
|
$12.00
|
With all of these choices, how do I know which blocks are best for me? Think about how you stamp. Do you use one stamp at a time or do you like to use several all at once? Do you craft for a particular project or do you allow for creative play or both?
When
I sit down to craft, I like to put all of the stamps that I will be
using on their own Clear Acrylic Blocks. That way everything is set
up and ready to go. I don't have to wait to clean the stamp before
continuing with my project. If the stamps are attached to their own
blocks, I am less likely to misplace a stamp on my work surface or on
the floor.
Two-step stamping is more efficient with each
stamp on its own block! I don't have to repeatedly clean the same stamp if I want to try many layering combinations. If I am playing and testing color palettes, I
may try several stamps in the same color before settling on a design
choice.
Also,
once I am finishing stamping for the day, I can clean all of the stamps
at once, put them away, and know that all of my stamps are put back in
their cases. No stamps are stuck on the lamp or my pencil caddy waiting to be cleaned three weeks later.
What are your stamping needs? Are you a hobbyist, a craft fair vendor, a demonstrator, a combination of all three? I am both a hobbyist and a demonstrator. I teach a lot of classes, private lessons,
retreat days, and workshops, so it is also very helpful for each
stamp to have its own block for the duration of the lesson or event!
I have collected many of each size over the last six years. I have 4 A Blocks, 4 B Blocks, 3 C Blocks, 4 D Blocks, 2 E Blocks, 2 F Blocks, 4 G Blocks, 3 H Blocks, and 2 I Blocks.
How do I choose which size block is suitable for my needs? The more I use each stamp set, the more I identified which blocks fit my stamps and which were helpful for the techniques that I like to do. My favorites are B, C, and D because the majority of my stamps fit on them. Many sentiment stamps fit perfectly on a G Block, so I have several on hand for each of the projects in my classes. A Blocks are perfect for little flowers, the fox and cat face stamps, and little doodads to embellish a project. I have two F Blocks for background stamps and for painting techniques. I hope to add a few more B, C, and G Blocks soon!
If you subscribe to
Paper Pumpkin, a
D Block is fantastic to have
because all of the
Paper Pumpkin stamps will fit on a
D Block size or
smaller.
If you are not sure which Clear Blocks to purchase, look at the sizes of your stamps. What size block do most of your stamps fit on?
Download and print this
clear block size template to help you determine which size works best for your stamps. Lay the stamp on top of each of the blocks until the desired block size is identified. It is ok if the block is somewhat bigger than the stamp just be sure not to put the stamp on a block that is too big or too small, so that you stamped images are crisp and clear and not pick up extra ink on the clear block itself. You can also print this on a clear acetate sheet, so that you can determine which clear block sizes work best for the stamps in the catalog.
How do you want to store your clear blocks? Do you want a single block of each size or wish to carry one of each block to a scrapbook retreat or vacation? If so, than Stampin' Up!'s
Clear Block Storage Caddy may be the perfect solution for you! The
Clear Block Storage Caddy holds one of each of the nine clear block sizes nestled in a piece of protective foam and ready for home or on the go stamping! It also fits perfectly inside of a desk drawer!
I keep my Clear Acrylic Blocks in a small plastic storage bin that can be found at many office supply stores. I keep this bin on my desk in my craft room. I can see and reach for what I need quickly. The bin is very portable. I can bring it to the classes I teach, to another room in my house, or even to a friend's house. If I ever don't want the bin on my desk, I can store it in a drawer.
Each of my blocks have a little clear plastic label with my initials to identify my blocks when I go to OnStage, a friend's house, hold a workshop, or a stamping retreat. I used my label maker to print tiny labels that fit in the grooves of each block. One of my dear customers shared this helpful tip with me!
I built my Clear Acrylic Block collection over a period of a
few years, adapting as I grew in my stamping as a demonstrator. The more
I stamped, the more I found my personal style and what worked best
for me.
How do you store your Clear Acrylic Blocks? Do you have one of each block or several? I would like to hear how you organize your stamping supplies! Leave me a comment below or post a photo of your stamping organization on my
Facebook page today!
Thanks for stopping by!
Beth
++++++++++++++++++
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