The Pitfalls of Making Your Own Rubber Stamps

Thought this was an article on how to carve your own rubber stamps? Think again! But stick around anyway because this is still pertinent to you. If you’re busy searching DIY rubber stamps on Pinterest or craft savvy blogs and ready to give it a try yourself, there are some things you need to know.

Now I’m not about to go start bashing Pinterest. Here at SimplyStamps.com we love Pinterest! It’s a great place for neat tips and tricks to any humble do-it-yourself-er out there and is a great place for people to share ideas and projects that save time, space, money while still not skimping on how it looks. Martha Stewart and Emily Post would be proud! I’m sorry who’s Emily Post? Only the go-to queen for all things etiquette and overall feminine presentation! Without Emily Post, there would be no Martha Stewart!

Sorry- sidetracked- ranting- I’m good. Anyway, back to these oh-so-wonderful and cost efficient do it yourself rubber stamps. Yes- they are cheap. But remember, you get what you pay for. All of these tutorials may make the whole stamp making process sound like a piece of cake but it may end up being more trouble than it’s worth.

Most of the step-by-step DIY’s call for a rubber block and a carving tool at least, others go into using tools and techniques in Photoshop that not everyone may have access to or even have the knowledge required for the completion of the step in the stamp creation process. Once the image you want in stamp form is created, you need to use a pencil to trace the stamp outline on a sheet of tracing paper and then rub that penciled in image into the wooden block. As if this process wasn't tedious enough, you then have to sit with your carving tool (assuming the image did in fact transfer to the rubber block you’re using) and painstakingly carve away the excess rubber surrounding your design. Making mistakes are easy if you don’t carve the rubber just right, you’ll end up carving out chunks of rubber and messing up your design. Patience and precision are key.

And for those of us just working off of an idea and not necessarily a particular image, things can get even trickier. Let’s face it- we’re not all artists; some of us barely managed to get by in elementary school art classes with stick figures. Carving based on just an idea may not be the smartest thing unless you’re going for something abstract and decide to try to pass it off as art.

So now that we've addressed just how “easy” this particular DIY fad is, let’s move on to how cost efficient it is. Is it really all that much cheaper than just buying a stamp? Turns out, not so much. After purchasing all the materials, assuming no mistakes are made, and minus the cost of the actual Photoshop program, you’re looking to spend somewhere in the vicinity of $14+. So ultimately, by opting to create your own rubber stamp, you end up spending more money than it would cost to just buy one already made.

Like I said, I love Pinterest. But sometimes I think it’s better to just leave some things to the professionals. It will save you time, money, and headaches. Did I mention money? Because most of the allure of doing a DIY project is the notion that you’re saving money! Money that can be put towards a college fund, a vacation, a night out- anything!

The truth is, here at SimplyStamps.com headquarters, we have high quality materials, and high precision machines capable of creating even the most complex and intricate designs you can imagine. We work hard to ensure a speedy delivery and less headaches for you. If there happens to be a particular stamp design that you want made- just let us know! We will be more than willing to help make your stamping dreams a reality!

Should you decide to take us up on our offer click here- it never hurts to ask right? Don't hesitate to ask us! Our experiences and interactions with our customers are what help us get better and help us to give our customers exactly what they want!

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