Rubber-Stamping on Wafer Paper/Wafer Paper Handling

Yes, I've done this a fair bit and it works fine. It's definitely an easier way to get stamped images on cookies if you're having trouble with stamping directly. Though to note, most wafer paper has a rough side and a smooth side, so if you want a "cleaner, crisper" stamp imprint, stamp on the smooth side. Also, wafer paper is sort of see-through in most cases, so some background color (if mounted on a colored cookie) will show through. Stamping on a frosting sheet is also an option if you want a completely opaque paper. 

FYI - Here's an example of this technique on this very site! The messages on these cookies in Pamoda's most recent blog post were stamped on wafer paper: http://cookieconnection.juliau...ixed-media-cookies-1

Dona - you have to be careful about wetting wafer paper. Too much water and it will dissolve. Best to start working with it dry if you're beginning. You can stamp on it like normal paper, cut it or punch it with paper punches. Some brands are more brittle than others when dry (Icing Images has some new relatively flexible wafer paper), but if handled carefully, they all work pretty much the same way. Best of luck with it.

 

Icing Images link: http://www.icingimages.com/wafer-paper 

Julia, I am almost in tears.  I bought Oasis (Amazon).  I didn't use a lot of water and it still wasn't doing what I wanted.  I think its me because its something new to me and I've never used it.  I don't think Icing Images is on Amazon but I'll look for it.  I don't know if the batch I got is old.  I thought of trying to steam it...  lol   Well, I plan on trying it again today.  If successful I'll post a pic.  Bug-eyed!  hahahhaaa  I don't have punches nice enough for the look I want but I think I can use my cookie cutters to get a shape.  I plan on trying that technique...  Bulging Bug-eyes!

Wafer paper doesn't really get old. It starts out dry and stays that way unless you add water. If you just want gentle curves in it, misting it can work or sponging on water with a just slightly damp sponge brush (I do the latter). You can't cut through it when dry with cookie cutters - I doubt you will be able to when wet either. It will just tear. You need scissors, decorative shears, or punches to get nice clean cuts.

Yes, that's standard looking wafer paper. Not sure what you're trying to do, but misting and moistening the paper is really only done when you want to shape it without it breaking - like into flowers. If you want to apply it perfectly flat (as it looks like from the photos), it will stick down on iced cookies with no misting using a bit of corn syrup as glue, as long as you don't use too much corn syrup. When you over-apply anything wet to the wafer paper, it tends to curl and stick less well. The paper should be barely tacky, and then you may need to run your fingers over the cut edges (repeatedly) as it's drying to make sure it stays stuck. Wafer paper likes to curl up at the edges a lot.

If you have more question about handling wafer paper, Dona, please start a new thread. As this topic is really about rubber-stamping on it.

Were you more successful on the second try? If so, yeah for you! (If not, it's entirely someone else's fault.)

Dona, it would be helpful to see photos of what went wrong, to help, and also to learn from you so I won't make the same mistake. Don't cry, you can get your revenge by eating them! To be clear, you are stamping an image on it ahead of time, because it is a curved surface you can't stamp on? Do you need to overlap the paper to get the shape, or can you cut off the extra? Does getting it wet cause problems with the stamp colors running?

I was considering doing something similar, and thought that if the royal icing is very dry and hard, I could use a handful of rice to weigh the paper down. Maybe if it dries while being held down, it will stay the correct shape even if it does not stick as well as I like, without the corners lifting? My concern is that the rice might soak up moisture and stick, or the stamped color will be absorbed into it, blurring the image. Wish there was a way to "set" the stamp... like hair spray but edible, lol!

Julia, you suggested using corn syrup as the glue. Is there any type of adhesive already on the paper that activates when wet? Does corn syrup seep through causing a problem with the stamped image? Does the paper have enough give/stretch that the stamped image might become distorted?

Also, will stamping a particularly wet image after applying it to the cookie make the edges curl up? I would like to do some where the stamp goes off the edge of the paper onto the icing surface. Do they tend to curl more towards one side (such as the shiny side), possibly making it adventageous to stamp on the other side?

Thank You Julia!  I like the example where 'Sugar Pearls' lightly coated the cookie with royal icing, smoothing it with a spatula. (letting it dry.)  Then stamping it.  I'll try that next time.  My specific plan is to use the sheet music stamp. Not something that I could pipe by hand, and it's a big stamp.

 

I've purchased pre-printed wafer papers before and put them on a cookie.  I didn't know how to do it so I just put them straight on the wet royal icing. 

You can put them on wet icing too - though I find they curl a lot more that way; it's much easier to apply them to dry icing.

Julia, is the wafer paper curl, on wet icing, small enough to cover up with a star tip border?

ps: I've recently purchased your cookie book and it's beautiful and full of ideas.

This depends on how wet you get the paper. I prefer no curl, because it's hard to pipe evenly over curled paper. Thanks for the nice words about my book! I hope you enjoy it!

Dona had photos posted, but she deleted them for some reason. The issue I saw was a lot of curling edges on the paper. The paper did not appear to be stamped.

 

Answering your stamping on wafer paper questions here. Any others should go into another forum topic.

 

1. Maybe if it dries while being held down, it will stay the correct shape even if it does not stick as well as I like, without the corners lifting?

A: There is no need to weigh down stamped or unstamped wafer paper; you're overcomplicating this, I think . . . just be sure to use a minimum of corn syrup as I explained above and press down the edges every now and then while the corn syrup dries. 

 

2. Also, will stamping a particularly wet image after applying it to the cookie make the edges curl up?

A: I don't understand this question, i.e., what you mean by a "stamping a wet image". You can't stamp a wet cookie, or the icing will get messed up. You want to stamp the paper off the cookie and then apply the stamped paper to the icing. Or wait for the icing to completely dry, apply the paper and then stamp on the paper/icing. If the paper is reasonably dry and stuck down at the edges, you should be able to stamp it just fine in the latter scenario.

 

3. Do they tend to curl more towards one side (such as the shiny side), possibly making it advantageous to stamp on the other side?

A: I don't think so. As noted above, the more important consideration is the stamp quality and cleanness. You won't get nearly as clean a looking imprint if you stamp on the rough side, because the stamp doesn't make as much contact with the low points on the paper.

 

4. Julia, you suggested using corn syrup as the glue. Is there any type of adhesive already on the paper that activates when wet?

A: No

 

5. Does corn syrup seep through causing a problem with the stamped image?

A: It can; as noted above, if the paper gets too wet from anything it will deform and even dissolve.

 

6. Does the paper have enough give/stretch that the stamped image might become distorted? 

A: No. Unless you get it so wet that the paper disintegrates.

 

 

 

Thank You Julia!  I followed the 'Sugar Pearls' example and spread the royal icing on the cookie for a flatter surface.  It took the inked stamp much better than the flood icing cookie (for me at least, being new to stamping).  It was also much easier to pipe a border on the flat top of the cookie.  I may not be needing the wafer paper to do my project for my friend.

Cheers,

mb

MBalaska, congrats on mastering your stamping project!

Julia, thank you so much for all the detailed answers! I feel much more confident about using wafer paper now.