Spend $20 and get 20 percent off plus : Answers to questions about inks

Product Offer: December 1, 2008-January18, 2009

Spend $20 and get 20 percent off any stamp set from the Fall-Winter Sampler.

Item #	Description	Retail	20% Off
111564	Flight of the Butterfly	$31.95	$25.56
112911	Vuelo de la mariposa (Spanish Flight of the Butterfly)	$31.95	$25.56
111676	Puns from the Past	$27.95	$22.36
111660	Just Jawing	$25.95	$20.76
111624	Dreams du Juor	$18.95	$15.16
111700	Thank You Kindly	$13.95	$11.16
111714	Wow Flowers	$12.95	$10.36
112955	Flores llamativas (Spanish Wow Flowers)	$12.95	$10.36
111600	Bella's Bloom	$12.95	$10.36

:What is the difference between pigment ink and dye ink?

A: There are several differences. Dye ink absorbs into the paper; pigment ink sits on top of the paper and does not absorb. Pigment ink tends to be thicker than dye ink and is often preferred for scrapbooking because pigment inks are more resistant to fading than most dye inks. (However, some dye inks are specifically formulated for use in scrapbooks.) The Stampin' Memories section of the Product Guide contains a more detailed explanation of this and other archival topics.

Q: What about drying time and pigment ink?
A: Pigment ink, by nature, dries more slowly than dye inks. You can heat-set the pigment inks to speed drying time or set them aside to dry. After heat-setting, pigment inks will resist all but the most deliberate efforts to smear them (such as wetting your finger and rubbing the ink). If you live in a humid area, you will want to heat-set the inks, because air-drying time increases as humidity increases. Heat-setting and air-drying produce the same color results. When heat-setting, be careful of heating too long, which may cause a scorched look.

Q: Can I use pigment ink for embossing?

A: Because of the longer drying time noted above, you have time to apply your embossing powder without rushing; therefore, the Craft pads are an excellent choice for embossing.

Q: Can I use pigment ink on slick surfaces like tile, porcelain, and terra cotta?

A: Pigment ink will not dry on slick surfaces, even when heat-set. However, if you seal the ink with clear embossing powder, you get a delightful glossy finish. Our recommendation is that this technique be used for decorative purposes only, because the image can be scratched off with your fingernail or metal, but it doesn't rub off with just a gentle rub from your fingertip. So you could use this technique for a decorative tile to hang on a wall, but you wouldn't want to decorate the tiles on your kitchen floor this way.

Q: What about wood?

A: Pigment ink works well on smooth raw wood and on wood already painted with a water-based paint, as long as it is heat-set. After heat-setting, you may choose to spray it with a fixative to add an extra layer of protection.

Q: Can I stamp walls with pigment ink?

A: Results with pigment ink on walls vary depending on texture, finish, and previous paint on the walls. Test on a small portion of unseen wall. If the image is dry after heat-setting, it may be used on the remainder of the wall. Acrylic paints are the best choice for stamping on walls.

Q: Does pigment ink work on fabric?

A: Yes, you can use it for stamping on fabrics. However, colors are less vibrant on fabric than on paper. Also, even after heat-setting, fabric inks fade slightly. This is true not only of our Craft pads but other fabric pads available in the retail market as well. For a more vibrant image, try stamping the same image twice (one on top of the other) using the Stamp-a-ma-jig®. Here are some important tips to remember when stamping on fabric:

• Prewash the fabric.
• Tightly woven and smooth-finished fabrics work best.
• Test a small area of fabric first.
• Heat-set immediately after stamping.
• Wash as normal or hand wash, but air or line dry.
• For best results, re-ink pad frequently.