Randi's Review	Sarah's Review	Rachel's Review	Cathy's Review	Kathleen's Review

Review by Guest Artist, Melanie

The HALOS System comes with everything you need to get started using unmounted stamps. It contains 4 acrylic blocks and several sheets of adhesive backed tape (the hook and loops). There is also an insert that tells about unmounted stamps and mounting them the HALOS way. The acrylic mounts have recessed grooves on the bottom that hold the hook tape, which is what holds your stamps while you use them.

After I cut several unmounted stamps, I adhered the tape to the backs of them. I used the largest acrylic block for my images. I originally wanted to place three words on the block, but the tape on the block was spaced out too far for the image I wanted to create, so I had to stamp in three separate steps. The tape system worked well. The unmounted stamp clung well to the system, and the stamping process worked like it should. The blocks are nice. They are smooth on the reverse side, which can also be used with vinyl cling stamps.

I tried both the HALOS Original System, and the HALOS II System. There were only slight differences between the two. The HALOS Original system uses a black tape for holding your stamps in place. When cutting this material for use, it leaves black “fuzz”, which is unpleasant. The original system has more cushion while stamping. The HALOS II system used clear tape for the stamps. I found that if you need extra cushion, you can place a mouse pad or a foam pad under your images.

What I do not like about either system is the lack of ability to place your stamps exactly where you want them on the block. I use mostly words, phrases and alphabet letter stamps. With this system you are limited to placing your stamps only where the tape is. If you wanted to stagger your letters, or put one line of letters directly under another (like a first name, last name), you are not able to do that. The other downside to this system is the velcro tape noise you hear when you pull your stamps off. That can be annoying if you are spelling out several words with alphabet stamps, and can disturb others (especially if you are stamping while others are sleeping).

In summary, the HALOS contains everything you need to get started with unmounted stamps. The package contains enough blocks and adhesive tape for a variety of stamps. My opinion is that these stamps will work best with larger images, and not as well for alphabets or smaller words and phrases because of the positioning limitations.

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Review by Randi

One option for mounting your unmounted rubber stamps is using the HALOS System. HALOS stands for Hooked And Looped On Stamps. It is basically a velcro-type attachment where the hook is on the stamp and the loop is on the acrylic block. It provides a dependable hold while stamping.

HALOS has two systems. The Original does not require any additional cushioning but alas, does leave little black fuzzies when you cut it out. It isn't a big deal really, but if you object strongly to the fuzzies then try the HALOS 2.

HALOS 2 is a clean cut with no fuzzies, but in order to get the clearest image from your stamps a foam pad may be required on your stamping surface.

It is handy to store your stamps in a three-ring binder. I didn't feel that the thin strips sent to customize my storage were sufficient to hold my small word stamps securely, touch points on at least two strips seemed to be needed. I used larger pieces of the backing in my notebook. If you are using larger images it likely won't be an issue.

To use HALOS you simply peel the backing from your "hook" piece and apply your sheet of stamps to the sticky side. Use your Kai scissors to carefully cut out your stamps. The HALOS is easier to cut (without as much risk for undercutting) than the EZ Mount System if you are comparing the two. I didn't experience any severe stickiness when using VersaMark on my scissors before cutting into the tape.

As for my preference of one HALOS system over the other, I don't have a strong opinion either way. Remembering to use the foam cushion for HALOS 2 is somewhat of a nuisance, but the little fuzzies and the strong odor of the black HALOS Original system is a negative. Both systems have good and bad points and I would suggest trying them to see which meets your own needs the best.

The one recommendation I have would be for some clearly illustrated instructions on the packaging, Aside from that it is an affordable and easy to use system. You can get a trial kit that includes 1"x1" mount, 10 small stamps, appropriate Hook and Loop for only $5.00 which, according to their website includes the shipping! At a price like that, you should give it a try for yourself.

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Review by Sarah

HALOS Original and HALOS II: Balancing Pros and Cons

This week I evaluated the two mounting systems offered by HALOS (Hooked And Looped On Stamps). Both of these systems use sticky-backed, hook-and-loop fabric tape exactly like Velcro – one piece is fuzzy for the “hold” and the other piece is “grabby” with tiny little hook projections.

HALOS come in a great little zipper pouch that contains different pieces of hook and loop tapes, four acrylic blocks, a piece of foam, and an information sheet. The set also arrived with an 8.5” x 11” sheet of “grabby” hook “paper” with holes punched for a 3-ring binder, as well as several strips of “fuzzy” loop tape.

The information sheet is, in brief, incomplete. It contains several grammatical errors in spelling and sentence structure, making it less comprehensible than it could be. However, my main complaint is that this information sheet fails to explain that the package contained not one, but two varieties of the HALOS mounting system; and did not explain which pieces were intended for which purpose. It also does not explain the presence of the sheet of foam or the reason for using foam with Unmounted Stamps. (The reason is this: when rubber stamps are mounted without a foam cushion between the rubber and the block, there may not be enough padding to produce an optimal image when stamping. Placing foam *under* the paper that you are stamping on adds the “give” that is needed to allow for best possible image results). With some prior knowledge of using Unmounted Stamps, a little bit of trial-and-error in looking at the supplies provided and figuring it out for yourself, it is possible to decide how to use Original HALOS and HALOS II. Unfortunately, the directions will not be a tremendous amount of assistance, particularly to beginners.

HALOS II, the current version of HALOS, works by attaching an adhesive-backed piece of hook fabric to the rubber stamps. Corresponding acrylic blocks come with black, fuzzy “holding” fabric tape attached in strips. Once the rubber has been covered with hook fabric and cut out, you may stick the rubber images right onto the acrylic block. The “grabby” on the stamp will hold on to the “fuzzy” of the block. Although it looks like it will not hold very well, the bond is secure enough for stamping use.

The information sheet included with HALOS suggests cutting out the stamps, then placing them on the sticky-backed hook fabric and cutting out again. This is supposed to save space. Particularly in working with Leave Memories stamps, the images are poured so close together on the rubber that it really doesn’t save a significant amount of space to cut using this method. Also, it wastes time in having to cut everything out twice, and it gums up the scissors very quickly. I suggest applying uncut rubber directly to the sticky-backed hook fabric and cutting as one. It is easier to hold, faster to complete, and the scissors remain gummy-free much longer. I do wish that the actual sheets of sticky-backed hook fabric tape were larger so that more raw rubber could be applied at once.

It is easier to cut around tight spaces and curved areas when cutting rubber/HALOS hook tape fabric as one than it is to cut rubber/foam mounting together. Hook tape fabric is thinner than foam and thus it is easier to maneuver scissors in a tight space. For this reason, I chose to mount a script-type font by Wordsworth with HALOS II and I was satisfied with the cutting experience and the end results. On the down side, sometimes the little hooks on the tape fabric do force KAI scissors to wobble a bit to one side or the other. This sometimes makes the cut slightly wider or thinner than what you intended, as the scissors are not strong enough to just blow through the tiny “grabby” hooks of the tape fabric.

Hook fabric tape does not provide very much cushioning to the rubber. While a nice stamped image will result when a stamp is used mounted directly to the acrylic block with HALOS II, a darker and more complete image will result if a piece of foam is placed underneath the paper you are stamping on.

Original HALOS differ from HALOS II in that they are the virtual opposite. With Original HALOS, you mount black, fuzzy loop fabric tape to the stamps, while the acrylic blocks come with strips of “grabby” hook fabric tape. The hooks still latch on to the fuzzy and hold well for stamping. Again, I do wish that the actual pieces of sticky backed, fuzzy fabric tape were larger.

In several ways, I like Original HALOS better. Because the rubber stamp is backed completely with a fuzzy loop fabric tape sheet, this gives a good amount of padding when stamping. You do not need to use additional foam beneath the paper, as it makes no difference in image quality.

The black, fuzzy fabric tape of Original HALOS is very easy to cut through. It is easier to cut through than HALOS II. It is also very easy to maneuver scissors in tight areas – easier than both HALOS II and foam mounting systems. I also think that Original HALOS adhere better to the blocks than HALOS II and thus the overall performance of Original HALOS is better.

So why not stick with Original HALOS? There are two negatives that you will have to decide if you want to live with. One is that when you cut through the black, fuzzy, loop fabric tape, it leaves little black fuzzies all over your scissors. If you remember to wipe your scissors frequently, this is not a big deal – but if you forget and go to reapply a VersaMark coating to the scissors, you will mess up the watermark pad like I did!

The other negative to Original HALOS is that the adhesive on the fuzzy fabric tape smells completely horrible. It smelled so bad, I could only mount two small stamps on it before having to put it away, and this was the main reason why I would choose to work with HALOS II.

For both systems, the acrylic blocks come with the appropriate tape already mounted. Furthermore, the fuzzy or hook tapes are mounted inside special grooves cut into the blocks. This allows for a nice, flat block surface while still allowing for adhesion between hook tape and fuzzy tape. Unfortunately, the HALOS system limits placement of font letters, because you have to make sure each letter is at least partially stuck to the ¼” strip in the mount. HALOS blocks may be used with other systems by sticking the stamps to the top side of the mount (which does not have any hook or loop tape). I think that the acrylic blocks overall are of lesser quality than I am accustomed to seeing, though they still are fully sufficient for their job.

Both systems may also be stored easily by applying provided strips of hook tape or fuzzy loop tape to page protectors, shelf ledges, or whatever is convenient, and sticking mounted rubber to these strips.

In Summary: HALOS -- Hooked And Looped On Stamps, Original and II -- have pros and cons each user must utilize to make the right decision for their stamps and situation. The most positive characteristic of HALOS is the ease of cutting rubber and tape already stuck together. The biggest negative is being limited to one or two ¼” strips on an entire block which letter fonts must be stuck onto. I personally would not use either HALOS system as my total mounting system, but I will use it from time to time depending on the particular rubber set I am cutting.

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Review by Rachel

Our review team was sent both systems of HALOS. There is the original HALOS system and then there is HALOS II. They both make use of hook and loop tape. This tape is designed to stick for over 10,000 pulls. We also received two acrylic blocks with the recessed lines and tape in them. Both systems retail for about $20.

The Original HALOS system uses black loop tape that you attach to your stamps. It is thick so it provides a good amount of padding when you are stamping your image. This results in a very clear image! When you cut the black loop tape it does leave black shavings wherever you are cutting it. I found that the KAI scissors were an absolute must have for cutting this system. It made the cutting of the loop tape so much smoother. I however, did not like how bad my scissors gunked up while cutting the tape. I even made sure to coat well with embossing ink. My scissors were black from the tape and a mess when finished cutting the stamps. It did come right off with the use of Un-du adhesive remover. Once you have the black loop tape attached to your stamp; you can then use the acrylic block with the white hook tape attached to it.

To store your images, the company provides a sheet of white hook tape for you to attach your stamps. You can still use it in a notebook with a page protector. This is not my favorite way of storage because it is very bulky! This system is not very conducive to other storage systems at all.

The HALOS II system uses white hook tape that you attach to your stamps. This system does not have a good padding to it. You may need to use a foam pad or your mouse pad to get a clear image. This system tends to be even worse when cutting. I coated my scissors with embossing ink and started cutting. My KAI scissors actually got stuck in the adhesive and my husband had to help me get them unstuck. I wasn’t thrilled with the mess the Original system made and was even less thrilled with this mess. It took me several wipes of Un-du adhesive remover to get the stickiness off the scissors. Once the hook tape is attached to the stamp you can then use it with the acrylic block that has the black loop tape attached to it. On smaller images you might not need to use padding but on the larger images you definitely need to use padding under your paper.

The company provides strips of loop tape to store your stamps. You can attach these strips to any kind of paper and then slide it into a page protector and store in a notebook. These strips allow you to attach them to shelves or even CD cases for storage. You do have other storage options with this system.

In conclusion, if I had to choose between the Original HALOS system and HALOS II; I personally would choose HALOS II. I really found both systems to be quite bulky and time consuming to figure out! If you have lots of storage space and don’t mind bulky storage then this system is for you. I, however, live in a tiny apartment and storage is a big issue. If you have my dream scrap room with lots of storage and wide open spaces then this system is for you!

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Review by Cathy

Unmounted stamps come in sheets and you need to use a mounting system. Mounting stamps with HALOS Rubber Stamp Mounting System is easy. There are two systems: the Original HALOS and HALOS II. The HALOS System uses self-adhesive Velcro with clear acrylic blocks.

In the original Halos System, the black loop tape is attached to the back of the rubber stamp. The black loop tape provides a little more of a cushion when stamping an image. It is pretty easy to cut around most stamps. Once the rubber stamp is adhered to the self adhesive black loop tape, it can be used with the HALOS Original acrylic block with the corresponding white loop tape. It is possible to line word or image stamps in a row to make a straight line of images. It is also very easy to store the stamps as the white hook tape can be attached to a sturdy page in a binder, or plastic case or even vertically on a wall. The photo below demonstrates the HALOS Original System.

1. The black loop tape comes in a large sheet. (It is under the scissors);
2. The acrylic blocks come with strips of white hook tape. (See large and small blocks);
3. The Leave Memories Ribbon Stamp was attached to the black hook tape.
4. I cut it out with the scissors.
5. I mounted it on the acrylic block.
6. I inked the stamp.
7. I stamped the image without using a cushion.
8. To clean the stamp, I used a baby wipe. The resulting stamped image was clear:

HALOS II is simply the reverse of HALOS Original. In HALOS II the white or clear loop tape adheres to the back of the rubber stamp and the black hook tape is on the acrylic blocks and the storage systems. The photo below has the unmounted Leave Memories stamps; the white HALOS (clear) hook tape (with unmounted stamps attached to the sticky side of the HALOS clear hook tape; and the acrylic blocks with strips of black hook tape. I stamped the top image without a cushion and some of the images did not stamp completely. The green foam pad was placed underneath the paper for the second image. The resulting image is much more complete.

For unmounted stamps I have used two sided tape with acrylic blocks, magnetic tape with a magnet handle and the HALOS Original and System II. I really like the HALOS system for unmounted stamps. I think I prefer the HALOS II because I can clean the stamps by soaking them in water. The HALOS Original system takes too long to dry.

The storage of stamps with the HALOS system is also easy. One advantage of the HALOS System is that you can store rubber stamps on a wall or vertical surface. Frequently used stamps could be right at your desk top but off your work surface.

I think the HALOS System is better than the Magnetic Tape or the double-sided tape technique. I think this system is a good system for using and organizing unmounted rubber stamps. If you purchase the HALOS Original System, then use a baby wipe to clean your stamps. If you purchase the HALOS System II, then make sure to use a cushion underneath the paper to insure a complete stamped image.

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Review by Kathleen

Mounting Stamps with HALOS™

I received two systems for mounting rubber stamps from HALOS (Hooked And Looped On Stamps), the original system and HALOS II. These systems are comprised of clear acrylic mounts with 1/8 inch wide grooves with a recessed strip of either hook or loop strips and sheeting of either hook or loop tape for mounting your stamps. This system works very much like a super strong Velcro™. I will discuss both systems in the following paragraphs.

The original HALOS system uses black loop tape that you adhere to your stamp. The acrylic mounts have strips of clear hook tape which hold your stamp to the mount. The black loop tape provides adequate cushioning for you while you stamp. The adhesive on the sheet of black loop tape is very strong and I recommend coating your scissors with glycerin or embossing fluid prior to cutting. The manufacturer also recommends using Skin-So-Soft by Avon. This will make the cutting process much easier. I personally used glycerin and found that cutting was a breeze.

When cutting the black loop tape, you may get some black lint; this can be brushed away and should have no effect on the use of the system . When using this system, you should not need any extra cushioning.

The newer system, HALOS II, is basically the opposite of the original system. The recessed grooves of the mounts have black loop tape strips and you mount your stamps to the clear hook tape. Again, the adhesive is very strong and I recommend you follow the guidelines in the above paragraph. I used this system on some of my foam alphabet stamps. While I liked the fact that the system does quite well at holding the stamp to the mount, I did not like cutting through the clear hook tape. It seemed awkward to me for some reason, but I think much of that is attributed to the fact that I did not know what I was doing. Also, if I were to do it over again, I would only cover the center portion of the stamp with the clear hook tape because with the alphabet stamps, I am most likely to use a long acrylic mount, and the mount that comes with the HALOS I I system, has only one strip of black loop tape. With this system, there is less cushioning and you may need to place some type of cushion underneath the paper you are working with. If you are mounting foam stamps, extra cushioning is not necessary.

Both HALOS systems can be used on any type of mount. If you choose to mount to a wooden block , mount your stamp with either the clear hook tape or the black loop tape and then use the opposite on the wooden block. This is true for any other type of mount you may use. The acrylic blocks that come with the system are versatile because you can use the HALOS side (that which contains the recessed strips) with the HALOS system and the opposite side with any other type of static, acrylic, or low tack adhesive system.

The systems also come with long strips of white loop tape for mounting onto cardboard, page protectors, or file folders. These are used for storing your stamps mounted with the HALOS system. You are also provided with a cushion to use if needed for stamping.

My feelings are mixed when it comes to either of the HALOS systems. I like the way both systems hold the stamps to the mount. They are secure and I know the stamp will not fall off the mount if the stamp touches at least two of the recessed strips. However , I would prefer a wider strip on any mount that has only one strip because this would give more security while stamping. I found when using my alphabet stamps that only one strip gave too much "wiggle" room to my stamp and the chances of smudges was increased.

Another feature I like is the thin layering of the hook and loop tape you apply to the stamp. While it can be cumbersome to cut through due to the adhesive, it is thin so you can cut a straight line. The con to this feature is the lack of cushioning and remembering to use an extra cushion is a bother .

In summary, this is decent system and with some getting used to, one that I do like. It is not as well known as other systems, but definitely has potential. A set of four varying sizes of mounts retails for around $20.00 and the hook and loop tapes retails for around $6.00 per yard so it is not an outrageous cost. You can also find a trial version online for as little as $5.00 if you want to try the system out first.

For more information visit HALOS website