My Love/Hate Relationship with a Stamp Platform

Hello crafty friends and welcome back from the weekend!  I don't know about you, but considering I worked the past three days at the Scrapbook Expo in Marlborough, Massachusetts, I'm exhausted and need a weekend to recover from my weekend! 

 Today I'd like to talk about my love/hate relationship with a stamping platform.  There are many various types of stamping platforms on the market, from the original Misti, to the Tim Holtz Tonic Studios, Hampton Arts, etc.  All of these serve the same general idea of helping to line up your stamps for the most precise and consistent result.  This is not a review of any of these products, just a personal confession of my own struggles with mine.  I currently own the Stamparatus from Stampin' UP! simply from my former time as a demonstrator.  I say love/hate relationship, but what I really mean is that I'm just not comfortable using it yet, mostly because I just don't use it enough.  Okay, like never, really!  I like to think that I'm fairly good at lining stamps up just by "eyeballing" them, but when I used this Baby Balloon stamp set recently from Altenew, my eyeballing scenario was off.  WAY off.  So, I forced myself to bring out my stamping platform and use it.  As it turns out, if you don't really know how to use it, it doesn't work so well.

There was a lot of frustration, a lot of paper that went into the trash, a LOT of ink everywhere and a lot of time spent watching YouTube tutorials.  None of it was very fun for me!   But, after enough trial and error and ink stained fingers I did learn enough to complete my first two cards using my Stamparatus and while they are not perfect, they ARE better lined up than they would have been without it.  Essentially I learned that with practice comes a level of comfort and I need to spend significantly more time practicing.  At the very least, I would like to have a "like" relationship with my stamp platform, but I'm not there just yet. . .

Card details:

The base of this A2 sized card is made from Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock.  Using the Scalloped Stitched Rectangle Nesting dies by Gina Marie Designs, I created a frame from Lovely Lipstick cardstock.  Next I cut a 5" x 3 3/4" piece of white cardstock and layered it directly over the scalloped frame.  I stamped the balloons in Lovely Lipstick ink, Blushing Bride ink and Mango Melody ink.  I die cut the balloons using the coordinating die and adhered them to the card with 3M foam adhesive.  On a scrap sheet of white cardstock, I stamped the banner and sentiment and die cut those before adhering the banner over the balloons using more foam adhesive. 

Card details:

The base of this A2 sized card is made from Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock.  Using the Scalloped Stitched Rectangle Nesting dies by Gina Marie Designs, I created a frame from Island Indigo cardstock (retired).  Next I cut a 5" x 3 3/4" piece of white cardstock and layered it directly over the scalloped frame.  I stamped the balloons in Island Indigo ink (retired), Night of Navy ink and Pool Party ink.  I die cut the balloons using the coordinating die and adhered them to the card with 3M foam adhesive.  On a scrap sheet of white cardstock, I stamped the banner and sentiment and die cut those before adhering the banner over the balloons using more foam adhesive. 

I'd love to know YOUR thoughts on a stamping platform?  Do you use one? And, if so, how frequently
and what for?  For instance, I know that my mother uses hers just to line her sentiment stamps up straight, but for really no other reason.  What about you?

Thanks for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day!

XO, Crystal