If you love stamping as much as we do (A LOT!), then you know that you can literally never have enough stamping tools and supplies. Of course, they are really just three essentials: you need the stamps, the ink, and the paper you're going to be stamping on - and that's about all that you absolutely need.
However, as technology advances, the creative industry evolves with it and new ideas, commodities, and resources become available to us. There are a variety of very useful and helpful tools for stampers everywhere, and a ton of options, like domed applicators for smooth blending. We're going to go through a few of them.
Whether you're a wood mounted rubber stamp enthusiast or a connoisseur of cling, this article will show you the handiest must-have tools for stampers.
1. The Water Media Mat
Waffle Flower Crafts is branching into the world of craft tools to go with their amazing, inventive stamps and dies. Their Water Media Mat has burst onto the scene as a true game changer to avid stampers and crafters.
Working with inks and stamps is only a small part of the magic with the Water Media Mat, but if you're a stamper, you're going to want this in your craft room! The mat is made out of 100% silicone, which makes it super easy for ink blending, ink transfers onto card fronts or backgrounds, faux-watercolor stamping, and even mirrored effect stamping.
There are 12 one inch palette squares built into the mat that are the absolute perfect size for your one-inch ink pads. It also has a suction back which means no slipping and sliding on your table.
This great new tool was even designed with photography and videography in mind for social media sharing! And it's also super easy to clean up when you're done.
You're definitely going to want one of these for stamping, as well as painting, heat embossing and more!
2. The ColorCase
A seasoned stamper knows when it's time to refresh a well-loved ink pad. A true stamper knows that the best place to store 0.5 oz reinker bottles is the exclusive Scrapbook.com ColorCase. You'll never have to rummage through a drawer or craft tote again when all of your favorite reinkers are lined up brilliantly in the ColorCase, just waiting to be used.
Not only can this 0.5 oz ColorCase hold your favorite Scrapbook.com, Ranger, Lawn Fawn and other reinkers, but it's compatible with a wide variety of other fun products to accent your stamping masterpieces.
It's perfect for Stickles, Liquid Pearls, and Alcohol Pearls as well! These perfectly clear, stackable organizers are just waiting to be filled with all of your favorite stamping products!
3. Stamping Presses
This utilitarian tool has revolutionized the crafting industry, and we're not the only ones feeling impressed. Celebrity stampers, love them and use them to get the cleanest stamp impressions.
So... what is a stamping press, exactly? A stamping press, or stamp positioner, is a tool that ensures your stamps are always lined up in the perfect spot, so your image is stamped exactly where you intended it to be. They're very easy to use and fairly inexpensive, ranging from around $20.00 to $100.00, depending on brand, model, and size.
The fan-favorite MISTI (Most Incredible Stamp Tool Invented) by My Sweet Petunia is a frontrunner in stamping tools. This stamping press in fun and funky pink also comes in a variety of sizes based on your stamping needs. Another fun option is the We R Memory Keepers Precision Press Advanced that uses a peg board press function to align stamps every time!
Once you try a stamping press, you'll wonder how you ever stamped without it! It is also an absolute wonder on popular layering stamps. They ensure that each and every layer of ink in coordinating tones is exactly where it needs to be with no guesswork, eyeballing, or hoping it comes out correct.
4. The Stamp Shammy
What if we told you that you never had to buy baby wipes for stamp clean-up again? Well... hold onto your seats, because this is the kind of invention that seems like a simple idea, but ends up totally changing your life.
Meet the Stamp Shammy created by Lawn Fawn. As stampers, we grow accustomed to buying baby wipes in bulk and keeping them within arms reach while we craft, but this innovation has given us the serious upgrade that we didn't even know we were waiting for.
This convenient cloth cleans your stamps every time and all you need is water. That means no purchasing cleaners, using questionable chemicals, soaps, or an endless supply of baby wipes. This cloth is a bit like a sponge, in that it hardens as it dries. Ready to reuse? Simply add water and the cloth will dampen for another round of cleaning.
Put your baby wipes away, fellow stampers - there is a better way!
Ok, so we can't promise that the Stamp Shammy will change every aspect of your life for the better, but we can tell you that it will change your everyday stamping experience.
5. Daubers
Beautiful ombre and pastel background effects are all the rage when it comes to stamping and ink. We love the messy, painted look that develops from saturating our projects in a rainbow of hues.
But sometimes ink can be a bit messy. Hey, true art takes a toll on our fingers and clothes from time to time. Wouldn't it be nice if the ink only wound up on our projects and not ourselves? That's where these magical little creations come in to play.
They fit cozily on your fingers as you rub, dab, press, and smear all of the ink you want. You have total control since you're using your fingers, but you're left with none of the mess! Plus, if you use the same color every time for each individual dauber, you can reuse them over and over without having to clean them out between colors.
While we can't help but love our original daubers, our clear stackable daubers also hold a very special place in our hearts. Available starting in sets of three, all the way up to storage containers of 30 and boxes of 40, these helpful little tools are everything that the originals are and more.
Stack them up on your workspace, or when you're storing them in your craft drawers. These clear little tools are clearly a must-have for your craft bag!
And we can't talk about our daubers without mentioning the jumbo sponge dauber that's making some beautiful and brilliant blended projects!
This large, domed dauber with rounded edges is an absolute dream for blending inks, paints, and other mediums without harsh lines on your project. It creates a wonderful, seamless blend for ombre effects, stencil work, and unbelievable blended patterns.
6. Glass Media Mat
The Tim Holtz for Tonic Studios Glass Media Mat is another unbelievable workspace for all your crafting. Make a mess and make a masterpiece, all on the surface of your Glass Media Mat. This tempered glass wonder is ideal for working with water-based stamp ink (since it doesn't dry on the surface), blending, ink transfers, faux-watercoloring and so much more.
The Glass Media Mat is so full of fun features and possibilities for crafting, that you really need to experience them to believe it.
One of the best parts about this space is the non-stick mat and 25-square palette grid beneath it. Use your 1" ink cubes to dab your own palette to work with as you create something brilliant. Put your stamps into the ink, create custom colors, or do some magic with ink and water before stamping away!
7. EZ Mount Stamp N Store
Calling all wood mounted rubber stampers and stamp makers! This one goes out to you!
If you've ever thought about, or attempted to, detach your stamp from its wood mount to make it less bulky, easier to store, or to be functional with acrylic blocks, but found that the rubber doesn't exactly adhere to your block - or you create your own stamps and they just don't stay attached - here's your solution. Sunday International created a product called Static Cling Mounting Foam that adheres to the back of your stamps and turns them into acrylic-block-friendly stamps in just minutes.
Attach a little bit of this to the back of your unmounted stamp and it will be acrylic block compatible. Genius. Red rubber stamps - meet your new best friend. 
8. Rotary Stamps
Ok, ok. This one isn't exactly a tool, but we love it and had to add it to the list. Rotary stamps come in a variety of sizes, colors, and designs with all sorts of phrases and dates. The great thing about rotary stamps is they fit neatly in your hand and give you a ton of options in one. Because it's like having multiple stamps in one, they save room and time.
Some rotary stamps have adjustable dates, which is great for layouts about specific events and memories, or planners. They're easy to use, cute, and create tiny text - which is totally adorable and totally in.
Watch this video about rotary stamps now to get a better understanding of how they look and work.
9. Acrylic Blocks
If you are a cling stamp user, you know about these valuable tools. Acrylic blocks come in a variety of sizes, shapes, widths, and cuts. Some have smooth edges; some have rippled. Some are big; some are little!
Some of our most popular acrylic blocks are the Perfect Clear Acrylic Stamp Blocks. They have a scalloped edge for easy gripping, etched lines for accurate placement and they are the thickest blocks on the market. The extra thickness ensures that your fingers - which can sometimes have ink or glue on them - don't touch the project below.
Acrylic blocks are an absolute must for stampers.
Watch this video to learn more about acrylic blocks.
10. Ink Blending Tool
If you love daubers and the fun, smeary effects that you get with their sponge tips, you'll love the Scrapbook.com Ink Blending Tool with Domed Foam Applicators. These tools were made with a spongy domed foam specifically designed for blending, so you can create soft backgrounds that fade, are super subtle, have ombre effects, and more.
Unlike daubers, these nifty little tools have a handle that you hold and their foam applicators are replaceable, so you can switch colors out with the same handle - pretty cool. Think of it like a rotary stamp for blending. Lots of blending of lots of colors - all in one.
11. Detail Blending Tool
If you're already a fan of Ranger's Blending Tool, then these little Detail Blending Tools should also be in your craft stash! Just like its predecessor, the Detail Blending Tool is an absolute wonder for blending, shading, and stenciling, but its small stature allows for even the smallest of areas of your project to be worked on.
Get some unbelievable shading or ombre details on the edges of flower petals, or stencil in multiple different ink colors when you're utilizing these tiny, magical sticks!
12. Stamp Mat and Paper Piercer
There's a reason celebrity stamper Stephanie Barnard calls the Stamp Mat & Paper Piercer a "Stamper's Secret Weapon." This mat ensures clean and smooth impressions every time by creating a firm cushion between the table and your stamp. This allows a little bit of room for give, creating a smoother, cleaner image every time.
The reverse side of the mat is more coarse, perfect for piercing. On the top of the mat, there is a coarse bar section for paper piercing, setting a brad, etc.
If you often worry about getting a clean impression, this mat will put you at ease. It's like a sleep number for stamps!
To learn more about this secret weapon, watch this video where Stephanie Barnard tells you (and demonstrates) exactly how the stamp mat and paper piercer works.
13. Mint Tape
Occasionally, after stamping an image, we decide that we wanted the background to have a splatter effect, but we don't want the splatter to get on our stamped image. A situation like this is where low-tack Mint Tape comes into play.
It's quite simple, but Mint Tape acts like masking tape when painting the walls of your home. You cover up anything you don't want to get paint on, paint the areas you do want to get paint on, then remove the mask to reveal a clean, untouched, unpainted surface underneath.
Just look at that cool effect from masking off the piece with the sentiment! It really creates a professional-looking background, and the end result looks like it took much more work than it really did!
14. Laser Square and Mat
This tool is perfect for stamp placement and alignment. It is not your regular mat - it's a mat that has two adjustable laser lights that create straight lines for you to follow. With this mat, there is no more ruler measuring, pencil marking, or constantly checking to make sure your stamp is still positioned where you want it.
All you do is adjust the lasers on the side to where you want them and, voila, you have a continuous stream of light to keep you in check while you're stamping.
Not only is this idea revolutionary - it also takes up minimal space. The entire mat comes apart and folds up for super convenient storage and safe-keeping. The Laser Square & Mat is a must-have for the self-proclaimed perfectionist.
Curious about seeing exactly how this tool works? Watch the Laser Square & Mat video to learn the ins, outs, whats, and abouts. Warning: you might fall in love!
15. Craft Tweezers
If you're a card maker, you know how frustrating all of the tiny pieces can be. From picking up small beads, sequins, and rhinestones to trying to peel off pesky adhesive backings or stickers, we've probably all ruined a nail or two in these attempts. Craft Tweezers are an absolute must for stampers.
Not only do they grab tiny things and keep your fingers clean, but they can also be used to save your fingers from your heat tool. All in all, Craft Tweezers are a handy little tool that every stamper needs.
Which tool do you like the most? Which tool do you think is an absolute must-have? Leave a comment below the article so others can learn from you!
Don't forget to add your stamping projects in our online gallery, where others can see your creativity in action! Check out what fellow stampers are making here.
Looking for additional stamping resources? Check out these informative and fun resources below to continue your stamping education!
Popular Stamping Questions and Answers
Top Craft Inks and Their Properties
Cardmaking 101 with Stephanie Barnard
