So, you're not a millionaire and can't purchase five thousand, five hundred or even fifty stamps to start with? Start with a few stamps that will multitask for you.
Rubber stamps can add an amazing amount of detail to your scrapbook page. It is important to have the correct materials to hand before you begin stamping your scrapbook paper.
Always test your stamp and your scrapbook page ideas before applying the design to your actual project. This way if you are not happy with the result your original scrapbook page will not be ruined.
Always apply the ink to your stamp by gently but firmly taping the ink pad onto the rubber stamps as this will ensure a more even coverage. If you press the stamp onto the ink you may find unwanted ink is applied to the edges of the stamp. For best results make sure you are using a hard flat surface.
When you apply rubber stamps to the paper to create your image, be careful not to rock the stamp and keep your hand as steady as you can. Press all areas of the stamp and gently lift the stamp off in an upwards motion to avoid smearing your scrapbook page.
Do not touch the stamped image until you are sure it is dry as this will cause it to smudge. You can also emboss the image or heat it with a heat tool to speed up the drying process.
If you are new to rubber stamping, purchase rubber stamps that you can use over and over again. Alphabet and background stamps being the most common rubber stamps can be used for numerous ideas for scrapbooking pages.
Above all it is extremely important to clean your rubber stamps after each use. If you have used a fast drying permanent ink such as stazon you will need to purchase a specialist cleaning solution to remove the ink from the pad. Most standard inks can easily be removed with an alcohol free wipe.
Before you spend any money, though, determine what your style is. Will you prefer fine-art stamps, with many lines for detailed coloring? Or would you prefer a simpler graphic line-art style that you can splash a bit of watercolor on? Do some window shopping online and visit a stamp/scrap store--without your wallet--and ask for a demo with one style of stamp and then another. Try to meet people who already have stamps who will let you work with theirs to see if you like a particular type of stamp over another. Once you have a good idea what style you prefer, aim for these stamps first:
Background stamps
Solid background stamps, either plain or shadow stamps, in basic medium to large geometric shapes will stead you well, no matter what your artistic preference. These stamps make excellent background papers or backgrounds for stamps. When you have coordinated sets of stamp images, like leaves, stamping them all with each on its own background stamp can have the same affect as cutting and mounting the stamped images--without all the cutting and taping or gluing.
Flora stamps
Stamps of flowers and leaves may be used in all seasons if the correct design is selected. Just change the color and arrangement.
Alphabet or Favorite Phrase stamps
With a plain alphabet set you can spell out virtually anything for your hand-stamped projects, with the added versatility of being able to align the letters in any way. Try a spiral message or border an image with a message. For even quicker projects, the phrases "thank you" and "thinking of you" may prove to be your most frequently used stamps!
Favorite Theme
Do your creations have a recurring theme? Buy stamps that work with your recurring theme first. If most of your projects are Christmas projects, look for some versatile Christmas stamps in your preferred art style first. If you use a lot of heart images in your projects, get heart stamps first. Getting sets of themed stamps will help keep the style consistent, but there may be times when you want to mix styles (such as all hearts, but some fine art, some graphic, etc.), so do not limit yourself to buying sets only. If you end up with stamps from sets you won't ever use, you can easily find someone to swap with you. Always keep an eye out for stamps that may work in many projects.