Pros & Cons of Digital, 6 New Digital Stamp Set Giveaway and Cool Samples!

Hello to Our New and Old Subscribers,

I've wanted to do a post listing the Pros, the Myths and Cons of using Digital Stamps and Printables because I'm convinced the Pros out weigh the Cons and there are too many negative myths.  Digital Paper Crafting has earned a right along side traditional stamps and paper as a valuable creative art tool.  I would love to hear what you think and if you know any advantages or disadvantages I may have missed?  Leave a comment and tell me which sets you like and I will announce a random.org Winner - Friday 1 pm PST, Aug 30/13 to receive all 6 Digital Art Stamp Sets below (or pick others).

This digital poppy embroidery tutorial by Vicki shows a creative way you can use a digital image.     

 Also, scroll down to see samples of our 6 Clear Art Stamp Sets that have sold out or are low in stock and have been turned into Digital Art Stamp Downloads with Bathing Beauties, Fairies,  Costume Cuties,   Winter Wishes,   Snow Globes and Christmas Express all available to download now!

Digital paper crafting is fantastic in that it can can be enjoyed from a very novice technical level of simply learning how to click on an image and print it to extremely sophisticated level of creating digital art  


Pros and Advantages of Digital Stamps & Printables
Versatility - You can re-size digital images to fit different size projects, or a punch, die, etc you own . You can also flip the direction, edit and change an image by erasing, copying, layering, pasting and print designs in any color.

Freedom to Choose - you can go 100% digital just using your computer and not even print anything – just email or add projects to an online album or gallery, which is a great way to email invitations or share a scrapbook album with relatives.  You can also do a mix (hybrid), which is popular and perfect for card making, paper crafts and home décor projects – as you print digital stamps and images and then add 3D layers, ink edges, add ribbon, glitter or any embellishments.  

Convenience – you can shop anytime and anywhere in the world, you don’t have to pay any shipping or wait for an order to arrive. You can download what you buy right away. Plus the files are easily portable if you want to transfer images to a CD or flash drive, or maybe print a bunch to color at your leisure anywhere you might be. 

Digital Stamps and Printables Take Less Space  - Way less space, plus you can easily organize them into themes so it's easy to find everything. 
 
Digital Stamps and Image Printables Save Money as they cost less than traditional stamps or printed paper and you don’t pay any shipping. You can also change the color of stamps without buying numerous pads of expensive ink (some ink pads dry out so fast). With digital papers, I love that you can crop and print just what you want and re-print a favorite image over and over. Plus – you can print on different mediums to suit your project, so print a paper design on card stock for a card then on light weight paper for a decoupage project.

Longer Shelf Life and Less Messy - as long as your digital stamp and image files are safely stored on a computer, you can use them over and over for years and they will print just as clear and crisp as day one.  You won’t have to clean dirty stamps or battle with clear stamps that have lost their cling. Plus – if you make a change you don’t like to a digital file just click your ‘Back Button’ to take a step back. 

It’s Way Easier to Print Large Size Designs and as you know if can take several stamping attempts to get a large size design to stamp evenly but you can print a huge digital design crystal clear over and over no problem.

Digital Stamps and Printables are Eco Friendly and don’t waste any packaging or the expense of shipping

Some Myths About Digital Stamps and Printables

You Need Expensive Software to Use Digital Stamps Myth - Nope, today with all of the free and low cost programs available you don’t need to shell out a pile of money.  I have a Printable List of Free Image Editing Programs with links for low cost ink and tips, plus many people simply use Microsoft Word or Paint – 2 programs often pre-installed on computers. The most popular digital program is Photoshop Elements and I saw a new #10 edition (as good as 11) for $39.95 on Ebay today with free shipping, or if you have a Mac computer Gimp is a free program or – check out this cool Pixelmator editing software Apple released for Mac computers for a intro price of $14.99.

You Need to Be a Computer Whiz to Use Digital Images Myth –  I use to feel intimidated technically until I saw how easy it was to re-size and print a image. Digital paper crafting is fantastic in that it can can be enjoyed from a very novice technical level of simply learning how to click on an image and print it to extremely sophisticated level of  creating digital art. We have a wide range of free and easy to follow Tutorials on Pintrest  and the internet is filled with information. 

Digital Stamps are Low Quality Clip Art Myth –  Like every industry there is good and bad quality but today there is a vast and varied selection of fabulous artwork styles and themes available in digital stamps and printables. Clip Art tends to be lower resolution. Digital Stamps and images should be 300 dpi or ppi (dots per inch or pixels per inch). Our Clear Art Stamps were known for their high quality detailed vintage designs and we have found as they continue to sell out the images are bigger as new Digital Art Stamp Sets – often twice the size with the same vintage detail people love.

Digital Paper Crafting Stifles Creativity Myth   Some people believe if they use digital images they can't get all inky and alter or distress their creations but you can use a printed image many ways you would a stamped image - except embossing isn't as easy. Once you learn how to layer stamps you can create a fabulous 'hand stamped look'. Digital images and paper opens up all sorts of creative options!

Cons and Disadvantages of Digital Stamps and Printables?

You Need a Computer and Printer - but prices have dropped, quality has improved and both are so multi useful most households have a computer and printer or have access.  I love my Cannon IX6520 Printer which prints up to 13" x 17", allows me to print on canvas, and various card stocks and the price fluctuates but is usually less than $135.00 

Ink Can be Expensive – but you don’t need to use expensive name brand ink.  You can order quality  ‘Compatible ink’ specifically made for your printer and saved $$. We have been using compatible ink from the Ink Farm and Ink Grabber for years to print all our samples and 1,000's have switched and saved a bundle on printing. Just be sure to use a reputable provider who sells compatible ink for your printer model. Ink Grabber has free shipping or 20% off and order until the end of the month if you use the codes below.  
*** UPDATE - I'm back to add this great news - Matt from Ink Farm just offered all Crafty Secrets Customers 15% off and Free S&H Forever! Just use code: craftyink

Ink Can Bleed if You Have a Inkjet Printer - but there are several ways to stop this. 

You can heat seal the printed image with a heat tool, hair dryer, or cover with paper and use your iron to set the ink.  Some people find letting the ink set for just a day also works or you can give it a spray with Krylon Matte Finish (I also read hairspray?) to seal and start coloring right away. Printing on quality matte card stock also helps.

You Can't 'Stamp' Using Ink or Use Embossing Powder  - True but you can change your digital stamp to 1000's of colors and use an embossing pen.  Of course there are times when actual stamps are the perfect choice.

Digital Stamps remind me of Kindle Books. I would never give up some of my books but I sure adore my Kindle and love the way it's expanded my reading options! 

I love the Inktense Water color Pencils DT Member Michele Kovack used on these 3 cards she made with our Vegetable Garden Digital Stamp Set. It would be difficult to have clear stamps this large stamp as nicely or include the amazing variety of 40 designs we included on the set for $9.95. 

Here's our Bathing Beauty Digital Art Stamp Set. The original clear set has sold out.

 DT Member Kathy Clement just starting using our CD's, Digital Stamps and Printables this year and she still loves regular stamping but say's she loves all the creative flexibility digital offers. Check out this cool folding card and altered gift box she created using Bathing Beauty and Seaside Digital Stamps and Papers with our Travel Scraps.

 Here's our Fairies Digital Stamp Set which is only $5.95

 Here's a sample inspiration page included with the Fairies Download. Our Design Team are just receiving these new digital sets so watch for cool new samples I will post on the Blog.

 I love how big and cute the images are in this digital version of Costume Cuties for $9.95! We still have a few Clear Sets left marked down to $12.50 but they won't display right now for some reason so email me if you want one at sandy@craftysecrets.com .

Here's a inspiration sample page included in the Costume Cuties Digital Download. Our Design Team are just receiving these new digital sets so watch for cool new samples I will post on the Blog.

Winter Wishes is one of my most favorite sets.  The children's and snowman's faces are so adorably sweet!

 Here's a inspiration sample page included in the Winter Wishes Digital Download. Our Design Team are just receiving these new digital sets so watch for cool new samples I will post on the Blog.

 Here is the new Snow Globes Digital Stamp Set .  The Clear Set is sold out.

Here's a inspiring Sample Idea Page included in the download. Our Design Team are just receiving these new digital sets so watch for cool new samples I will post on the Blog. 

Lastly, our Christmas Express Digital Stamp Set   for only $5.95 is filled with cool mail art style designs and the ticket strip is 7" long now! We need to do a tutorial showing how you can layer the mail art stamps and create a beautiful vintage Christmas postcard. 

I hope you found this post helpful and maybe had some questions answered about using digital stamps and printables.  I would love to hear any feedback and ideas you have! Leave any comment here to be entered to WIN all 6 Digital Stamp Sets shown and I will announce a winner this Friday, Aug 30/13

PS - Did you know all our Clear Art Stamp Sets and printed items such as Vintage Stickers,  Image Booklets, Cotton Scraps, Creative Scraps and Cuts have all been marked down further? Often when having items printed I had to get 3000 to 5000 of each design printed and have a bunch of stock and need to sell it all - so check out our great sale pricing!

Wishing you joy and creativity

Sandy Redburn Owner  

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