Last week my crafty colleague Jen did her review of the La Blanche Rubber stamps- but today I’m sharing my experiences. I’ll preface my review by saying that when I saw these stamps at the booth at CHA, I literally froze in my tracks! They are amazing art stamps- beautifully incised, vintage-y images that make you just want to sit down and get crafty!
Obviously, this style of stamp is really subjective- either you like the aesthetic, or you don’t. But for the purposes of this review, I’m focusing on how the stamps are made and their use/durability.
These stamps are also unlike any on the market right now- the are silicone stamps (stamping surface) mounted on a very firm foam. This allows for very, very detailed images and also a surface that’s heat resistant. The foam base has a little “give” to it that ensures that the stamping surface receives even pressure, and unlike a wood or acrylic block, it’s very lightweight.
My first playtime with the stamp involved stamping the image (using Archival Ink) and then adding some Twinkling H20’s. Since the stamping surface is white, it’s really easy to see that the stamp is evenly inked. Nice bonus!
The surface is white- but even so, you can still see the detail!
All inked up.
Stamped image on matte cardstock.
Painted with Twinkling H20's.
With just a little watercolor paint, this stamped image becomes a work of art! So lovely, and I can’t wait to include some of these images in my mixed-media work.
So then I decided to try out the silicone surface by trying some techniques using heat. First, I used some heat-bonded films with the fish stamp. Please pardon the photos- if you’ve ever tried to photograph iridescent films, you know it’s a challenge. The technique is to ink the stamp, apply a few layers of film, cover with parchment, and then apply heat. (I used a mini craft iron.)
Stamped with Paris Trunk ink by EcoGreenCrafts.
No damage to the stamp at all.
Here you can see the image- almost like a holograph.
Next, I tried pouring UTEE (specifically Cloisonne) that I’d melting in a Ranger Melting Pot directly ON the stamp.
I pounced the stamp with the Perfect Crafting Pouch to act as a release before pouring the Embossing Enamel.
So, here’s an interesting tidbit: it took a long time for the UTEE to cool- the silicone absorbed some of the heat and took longer than expected to cool down.
It peeled off easily & all the detail was embedded in the UTEE.
I used some alcohol inks to add color & bring out the texture.
Lastly, I used the stamp to make in impression on unbaked polymer clay. (Again, I used the Perfect Crafting Pouch to act as a resist- stay tuned for that review soon.)
Nice, if shallow, detail.
Usually you need to have deeply-cut stamps to get good images on clay. Sadly, these are NOT deeply cut- but still, the detail transferred well. Here’s a pic of the same polymer clay piece after I highlighted it with some Pearl-Ex powders:
All in all, these stamps are winners. I’m already wondering if it will catch on and we’ll see a wider array of artwork. The price is reasonable, too- around $5.95-10.99, depending on the size of the stamp. I just found out that they are available at Jo-Ann.com and some are even on sale. Sweet.
I’d love to hear your opinions about La Blanche – do you have some? Pining for some? Weigh in below…
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Hi Jenny,
I am in the process of purchasing the La Blanche stamps because of their images and larger sizes.
I would like to tell you that the red rubber stamps are also heat tolerant because that is how they are made…vulcanized.
You can use them with the UTEE etc, but the mounting foam under the rubber would probably not be able to withstand heat. You can shore-up the area around stamp with clay or tape, then pour UTEE in it.
I really enjoy all of the reviews here and have become a fast fan.
ruby t
Yes, Ruby… we do know that red rubber stamps are safe with heat. The reason why we mention it in this review is that the La Blanche stamps are white silicone, and we thought perhaps folks would like to know that they are also heat-safe.