Two-faced stamps? Double your pleasure, double your fun with laser-carved stamps!

Expression, Jan-Feb, 2005 by Syndee Holt

I found these stamps in a little stamp store in Santa Fe, NM. The back of the stamp is laser carved. Fortunately for us clay aficionados, this means we have TWO surfaces to use for texture! The clay will pick up the tiniest of lines and most subtle textures in the laser cut. The name of the stamp and the signature of the artist who created it is also laser etched into the sides of the stamps. They truly are works of art all by themselves!

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INSTRUCTIONS

For Black and White "Pot Shard" 1. Condition your Black Sculpey and roll out. If you are using a pasta machine, use the widest setting. If you are rolling by hand, roll to about 1/8-inch thickness. Use your craft blade to cut a random shape that will fit on the stamp. I cut mine too wide the first time! 2. Put the clay sheet on an index card and place it on a solid floor. Spray the stamp with a thin film of water and place it face down on the clay. Now step on the stamp. That's right. You heard me. Step on it. Walk around it and step on it from each side. Now you can pick the whole thing up, remove the stamp and peel the clay off the index card. You should have a nice even impression now. This is the only stamp where I actually used the rubber portion of the stamp for my finished piece! The top works really nicely also. 3. Put on your plastic gloves and squirt some White Pinata ink onto the surface, using your gloved finger to spread it. (I know you can use a brush, but it's not as fun!) Immediately put some of the Pinata Cleanup Solution on a paper towel and wipe the upper surfaces of the texture to remove the ink. (Photo 1) Yep, it's that easy. 4. I wanted a little curve to my piece so I placed three cotton balls in a clump underneath the clay on the baking tray. The clay will slump around the cotton balls. (And the cotton won't burn at the correct baking temperature for the clay.) 5. Stick two pieces of Velcro to the top and bottom of the backside of the baked, cooled clay and position onto the shadow box background. Note: I broke the glass out of the shadow box.

For Mesquite Pin 1. Mix the Gold and Green Sculpey clay together Roll the mixed clay into a 1 1/4-inch ball. Lightly spray the ball of clay with water and press the ball into the laser image, making sure that you have the entire image covered and that you have a random shape to the edges of the clay. Smooth the back edges of the clay. Remove from the stamp block. Notice how much finer detail you get from the laser cut in the clay on the left as opposed to the rubber stamp embossed into the clay on the right! (Photo 2) 2. Gently wipe the top of the image with Super Copper Pearl Ex Powder to highlight it. Bake as directed. 3. My favorite way to affix the pin back is to use a little Translucent Liquid Sculpey (TLS) to affix the metal portion of the open pin back. Then add a little "Band-Aid" of clay across the pin back and press into place. This is a perfect place for your signature also! (Photo 3) Rebake to cure the "Band-Aid" and the TLS and you're done!

For Bonsai Tree 1. Make a ball of Black Sculpey about 1 1/4 inches in diameter and brush it with the Interference Green Pearl Ex Powder. 2. Press the Pearl-Exed ball into the laser image on the back of the stamp, making sure to cover the image and to create a smooth, pleasing edge. The Pearl Ex will act as a mold release. Remove from the stamp. 3. I highlighted the tree by swiping the top edges of the image with a Gold Pearl Ex Stamp Pad. Bake as directed and add the pin back as explained in the Mesquite Pin instructions.

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For Gold Buttons Polymer clay buttons are easy to make and very durable. They are excellent on hand knits where a larger button is needed. They are machine washable--turn the garment inside out to place in the dryer. Do not dry clean polymer clay buttons. 1. Once again, roll the clay into a 1-inch ball, spray with water and press into the top of the stamp in the laser cut. Use a Super Slicer to carefully trim the back of the clay to a flat surface to help the button lay better. (Photo 4) 2. Remove the clay from the stamp and put two holes in the center of the design for the thread. Swipe the top of the textured image with the Gold Pearl Ex Stamp Pad and bake as directed.

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For Fossil Pendant

1. By now you know the drill, roll the clay into a ball, spray with water and press into the top of the stamp. Use the back of your bamboo skewer to texture around the image. (Photo 5) 2. Cut a strip of the remaining clay about 1/2-inch wide and 2-inches long. Texture both sides with the back of the bamboo skewer. Roll up and attach to the back of the pendant to create the bail for hanging. 3. Put on your gloves. Mix four drops each of the Burro Brown, Tangerine and Lime Green ink in a mixing bowl. (I use the caps to plastic water bottles or soda bottles to mix in.) Paint the ink mixture onto the clay. (Photo 6) Immediately wipe the top surfaces with a paper towel soaked with the Clean Up Solution to remove some of the ink from the upper surfaces of the texture. Bake as directed.