In mid-2013, Stampin' Up! upgraded their stamp pads to change your stamping experience for the better. Their stamp pads still have the same patented flip-top design that stores the inking surface upside down (so the pad surface stays moist), but now they have a firm foam pad, replacing the felt pad.

A few features of the Firm Foam Stampin' Pads:

• The Firm Foam Stampin' Pads release more ink onto your rubber stamp than the felt pad. Light-tap stamping produces crisp, complete coverage on both line and solid stamps. You will definitely notice the difference, especially on solid stamps.
• The pads are juicier and are designed to stay juicy longer. However, if you are using the Firm Foam Stampin' Pad frequently, you may need to re-ink more often.
• No more "dip" in the middle of the pad!
• They have a crisply printed, glossy label on the top of the pad that is easier to read and that will not fade or chip off! Plus they come with colour name labels in four languages - just choose your language, peel it off the back, and add it to the side of the pad for easy identification!
• Are available in all colours, including our exclusive In Colors!

As a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator, I use these firm foam pads a lot and found, in the beginning, there was a small learning curve to using them. Instead of the "twist" and "thump" I used with the felt pads, I now need to "tap" instead. If you are heavy-handed with these new pads, you will get too much ink on the stamp. However, once you master this lighter touch, you will find that the Firm Foam Stampin' Pads are a large step forward, producing a better stamping experience.

Shannon West of Stampin' Up! demonstrates the new Firm Foam Stampin' Pads*...

*This video was produced for the US Stampin' Up! market and may have products that are not available in New Zealand.

Please note: Five ink colours have undergone formula changes to improve functionality and colour stability with the new firm foam pads:

• Basic Black
• Basic Gray
• Tempting Turquoise
• Marina Mist
• Perfect Plum

All five colours of the reformulated inks have been fully tested and approved. While using the new ink formula in the old Stampin' Pads is fine, Stampin' Up! does not recommend using the old ink formula in the new firm foam pads in the five colours listed above.

Stampin' Up! do not recommend using the Basic Black Classic Stampin' Pad on Whisper White or Very Vanilla Card Stock. Instead, they recommend using the Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad.