Welcome back!  Today’s post will focus on the new design of the classic ink pads.  Like I said in Part 1, change can be a good thing and I think the ink pad redesign is a wonderful change that will make your stamping much easier. You may wonder why the new design?  The case’s manufacturing mold was about to expire and they can only be used certain number of times before it needs to be replaced.  Instead of ordering new molds of the same design, Stampin’ Up! decided to make some improvements that I know you will love!  In addition the ink has been reformulated to reduce bubbles, especially with brand new juicy pads.  This will ensure you get exceptional ink coverage on solid stamps.

Lets do a side by side comparison of the old pad versus the new pad:

The new pads are a little more square, the outer case measures 3 5/8″ x 4 1/4″, with the ink pad itself measuring 2 5/8″ x 3 1/2″ x 1/2″.  The old style is slightly narrower and longer with the outer case measuring 3 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ x 3/4″ and the pad at 2 3/4″ x 3 5/8″.

There are still grooves along the edge so you can easily grip the pad when inking larger stamps.

Now lets see the new improvements to the design:

The old style pads have a lip running around the bottom edge.  Making them a little thicker and when stacking they tend to be a bit wobbly.

The new pads are completely flat except for four tiny little “pegs” on the bottom and four little holes on the top of each pad.

This allows them to “lock” onto one another when stacking.  An added bonus the thinner design saves space!!

When the pad is open you now can add a sticker to the inside allowing you to see the color at a glance.

The label on the front has a larger color block with a small icon showing the color collection it belongs to.  While the In Colors on the old pads did show that they were in that collection the core colors did not.  I love this feature, if you are like me I keep my ink pads by collections.  Now at a glance I can make sure they are in the right grouping.

Opening your new pads:

The pads have been designed to open easier.  They also are not as loose as the old pads reducing the chance of the pad coming out of its track.  That being said here are step by step directions and tips on opening your new pads.

Step 1: Grasp the pad in your hand and place your thumb in the little groove. Then simply lift up and open as you would a compact. No more push and slide.  This may take some getting used to, but once you get the hang of it opening them is super easy!  Tip: The pad will be stiff when you first open it,  but the more you open and close the pad it will loosen and the easier it will be to open.

Step 2: Once open, slide it along the track toward you and lock in place.  Again it will be stiff the first few uses.  This is normal and will loosen the more the pad is used.  The tighter fit is part of the design so the pad portion doesn’t come off the track.  Tip:  To help “grease” the track – try rubbing a birthday candle in the groove.  The wax will act as a lubricant.

Step 3: To close the pad grasp in your hand and place your finger in the channel pull sightly to unlock and then continue pulling until fully extended. Then flip over and snap closed.

Another final note on the ink pads.  Stampin’ Up! will no longer carry Archival Basic Black and Archival Basic Gray.   The Basic Gray will be replaced with a dye based Classic ink and be included the Neutrals Collection.  Note: You cannot use the Archival reinkers on the dye based pad you must use the classic Basic Gray reinker. 

As a substitute for the Archival Basic Black you will now use Jet Black StazOn for stamping on non-porus surfaces and  watercoloring.  When using your Blends you will continue to use your Tuxedo Black Memento pad.  Tip: Remember when choosing your ink pad, you want the ink to be the opposite of the medium you are using.  For watercoloring you want a solvent based pad (StazOn) and when using the alcohol based Blends you want a dye based ink (Memento or Stampin’ Up! Classic ink).

As a special promotion, you can purchase the 2018-2020 In Colors with the new pad design along with three different bundles  ranging in price from $57.00 – $127.50 and all include a free item as part of the promotion. These bundles are a sneak pre-view of the stunning Share What You Love Suite from the new 2018- 2019 Annual catalog and this offer includes an exclusive stamp that will not be available in the catalog.  See the video below for more details.

The Gotta Have It All Bundle #149526 $127.50  The bundles includes all items pictured plus you will receive a package of Very Vanilla       8 1/2″ x 11″ cardstock, Very Vanilla Medium Envelopes and the Exclusive Statement of the Heart Single stamp for FREE.

SHOP NOW FOR ITEMS FROM THE SHARE WHAT YOU LOVE SUITE 

As always, please feel free to share any post on Pinterest or Facebook! If you are interested in attending classes or any of my all day events be sure to visit my events page for a current schedule.  I welcome your questions on any stamping technique, Stampin’ Up! products or suggestions for future posts.  Please email me anytime!!