I love my Stamp-a-ma-jig! It’s one of the tools that hangs next to my work area. With it, I can stamp with precision and while I don’t always care about precise positioning, sometimes it’s needed. Clear-mount stamps have reduced the cases where I need my Stamp-a-ma-jig, but even still there are times I really do need to place an image or greeting exactly where I want it.
The critical part of a Stamp-a-ma-jig is an inside corner and a transparent sheet. You place the sheet in the corner, stamp on the sheet with the block exactly in that corner, move the image on the sheet to where you want it, place the inside corner at the same position around the clear sheet, remove the sheet, and stamp in the corner on the card, right where you want it. It sounds complicated and there are a bunch of steps, but once you get the hang of it, it’s like magic!
So I’ve been working on my Getting Started Challenge where I talk about working with minimal supplies. A Stamp-a-ma-jig isn’t going to make that cut. There are a lot of tool I would buy before I spent $11.95 for one. So I’ve been looking for a substitute when getting started and this morning, as I was using the last cotton swab, I saw it! A home-made Stamp-a-ma-jig!
It has an inside corner and a flat piece of clear plastic! You could do the same thing with an old frame. I’m sure there are many substitutes. Keep your eyes open!
So I got to work. I separated the backing and the plastic. I used the square hole to trace the rectangle with precise right angles and cut it with a blade and ruler.
And here is my new tool!
I used it to place this bird so it sits on a branch and can be viewed in the punched window. In fact, I placed the stamp, took the photo, and forgot to press down on the stamp. I was able to precisely reposition the stamp and I have to look close to see I stamped twice.
I’ll be making a video for this card soon, but I was so excited I just had to share this right away!
Don’t get me wrong! I still recommend a “real” Stamp-a-ma-jig. It has a nice long handle. The bottom has a surface that doesn’t slide too much. The frame part is nice and high and easy to get the stamp block in just the right place. It’s way easier to use than my home-made version. And really, $11.95 is not a high price for such a useful tool. You will want to get one when you can. But if you are trying to get started with minimal supplies, try making your own.
