Why Stamp? |
This section serves as an introduction to the fun and functionality of rubber stamping.
Okay, seriously...rubber stamping is one of the fastest growing crafts in the nation. UGH--the "C" word...CRAFT! You can stop shuddering, rubber stamping is TOO easy. And fast! It has to be fast and easy for me to appreciate it. (I probably have adult ADD!.) Yes, we're talking instant gratification here...slap an image down, add a little color, embellish with buttons, bows or what-have-you and VOILA! An instant objet d'art. Because you don't have a set pattern to follow in making creations with rubber stamps, you can spend as little or as much time as you would like in developing your masterpiece. By the time you get the beginnings of stamping down (which I hope can be accomplished by viewing the rest of my web site), you will probably be addicted. Don't feel bad, you'll have many comrades in your dependency! The wonderful thing about stamping addiction is that it is HEALTHY! Stamping can be a great stress release...as you turn pent-up energy into a beautiful creation.
Stamping has been called "Art Without Anxiety" and "Drawing for the Drawing Impaired"--mainly because the framework of art has already been completed on the rubber stamp. All you have to do is put that art where you want it, and add the color and style that you prefer. The brilliant thing about stamping is that if you change your mind and want a different color or pattern next time, you just pull out that same image and try another combination! If you haven't stamped before, please read below about all the uses to which you can put rubber stamps and then just dive right in. Whether you choose to stay in the shallow end and play it safe, or roam out to the deep waters, you will always have a rubber raft unique to your character that will guide you to your own stamping pleasure!
There is a popular stamping t-shirt that goes something like this: " If it doesn't move, stamp it...If it does move, hold it down and THEN stamp it". That's pretty true to life, actually. You can stamp anything from your own body to the kitchen sink! Rubber stamps are so versatile that a variety of mediums can be used on them without ever harming the basic image. Below is a just a sample of some of the items being stamped every day in our country.
Browse and be amazed:
CARDS: birthday cards, greeting cards, announcements, invitations, water cards, "explosion" cards, tri-fold cards, pop-up cards, shaker cards, placecards
CLOTHING: T-shirts, dresses, canvas shoes, leather shoes, sweatshirts, sweatpants, onesies, baseball caps, cloth diapers, bibs, aprons
JEWELRY: earrings, necklaces, charm bracelets, button covers, pins, hairpieces
HOUSEHOLD: magnets, clocks and clock faces, walls, furniture, throw rugs, curtains, placemats, napkins, quilts, bedding, mugs, porcelain, dinnerware
FOOD: chocolate, easter eggs, cookies
PHOTOS: picture frames, photo albums, scrapbooks, photo embellishment
GIFTS: recipes, mixes, wood boxes, gift bags, gift wrap, potpourri bags, candles
MORE DECORATIVE USES: wall hangings, ornaments, lamp shades, book covers, personal checks, stationery, notepads, business cards, velvet imprinting, vinyl cling embellishment, calendars, recipe cards, labels, cork stamping, lunch bags, tote bags, nametags, stickers
TEACHING WITH STAMPS: flash cards, rebus puzzles, story starters, charts & graphs, counting, set association, memory games, matching, non-competitive art opportunities
This is really a list that never ends. Stampers come up with new ideas every day. Thanks to snail mail and the internet, we can share all those ideas with each other. So grab your stamps, climb aboard your rubber raft and set sail with the rest of us for Stamper's Paradise...