just for fun 2

[Heppner]

So, how long have you all been stamping and have you changed your style since
you first started?

Carol Heppner
http://carolheppner.gq.nu

[Pat Kight]

Heppner wrote:
> So, how long have you all been stamping and have you changed your style since
> you first started?

Oh, Carol, you come up with the best questions - thank you for
stimulating the conversation.

Let's see ... I bought a single stamp - a Unicorn - from a store called
Unicorn City in NYC back in, um ... 1972 or '73. It came with a purple
office-supply type ink pad. For the next three decades or so, I used it
often to decorate correspondence.

Then, sometime in around 1993 or '94, I went to a fund-raiser for Calyx,
a wonderful journal of women's art and writing
(http://www.proaxis.com/~calyx/), and they were having a silent auction
featuring all kinds of items and services donated by local businesses. I
started writing bids on all the items nobody else was bidding for, and
wound up winning a year's subscription to Rubberstampmadness (
http://www.rsmadness.com/ ), which is also published locally. I had no
idea what it was, but it looked cool, and when I got the first issue my
brain about exploded. It took me about five minutes of browsing through
it to pick up the phone, call their office and ask "so, where the heck
can I buy some of these stamp things around here?" The rest is history.

My style has ... evolved. I started out doing a lot of stamping with
black ink and coloring-in, moved on to masking and other techniques
picked up from RSM ... and gradually developed a loose, even sloppy
style that works well with collage, overpainting and other techniques
I've been using as a closet artist most of my adult life. Back then I
did Stamping Projects, mostly on paper. These days I consider stamps,
inks, etc. to be one more medium for making art, and I tend to do very
few "just stamping" pieces.

--
Pat Kight

[Pat Kight]

Pat Kight wrote:
> Heppner wrote:
>
>> So, how long have you all been stamping and have you changed your
>> style since
>> you first started?
>
>
> Oh, Carol, you come up with the best questions - thank you for
> stimulating the conversation.
>
> Let's see ... I bought a single stamp - a Unicorn - from a store called
> Unicorn City in NYC back in, um ... 1972 or '73. It came with a purple
> office-supply type ink pad. For the next three decades or so, I used it
> often to decorate correspondence.

Make that "two decades or so." Nubmers are not my strong suit. (-:

--
Pat

[Judy M]

I started about 7 years ago and bought my "first stamps" at Custer's Last
Stamp in Traverse City Michigan. When I got home to Cleveland, I realized
that I already had a lot of stamps I'd bought for a small decoration on an
envelope etc., but that I hadn't cleaned them or kept them properly.
I used to wonder when I saw stamp sellers at craft shows with large crowds
all around them what the big deal was.
My sister & I got started at the same time thinking that we would SAVE money
by making our own cards. I laugh now that I can't afford Hallmark because of
my rubber addiction!
My style fluctuates from season to season and I like to try out a new style
when I see it in Rubber Stamper or a stamping store. I also try to go "back
to the start" and use my older stamps in new ways or revisit a style I've
tried before.
I make all my own cards - including Christmas and I do some artwork project
too!

--
Peace,
Judy
Heppner > wrote in message
...
> So, how long have you all been stamping and have you changed your style
since
> you first started?
>
> Carol Heppner
> http://carolheppner.gq.nu

[Brandi]

I've been stamping for almost 20 years. I didn't really think about until
you posted this question. (good question btw!). I know it's been a long
time but I didn't realize how long! I bought my first stamp when I was 13 -
it was a little frog and a green stamp pad. Like Pat, I too decorated
correspondence and did little things with my one stamp. Then I discovered
AC Moore and Michaels (Craft Stores) many years later and fell in love!
There were so many stamps I was overwhelmed!

Two years ago a family member introduced me to Stampin' Up! and again, I was
hooked. Since then I've stamped cards, glass, candles, clothing, albums -
everything. I recently started scrapbooking - another awesome stamp and
paper craft. Great outlet for me. I almost like it better than stamping
cards because I get to keep the finished product!


Brandi

"Heppner" > wrote in message
...
> So, how long have you all been stamping and have you changed your style
since
> you first started?
>
> Carol Heppner
> http://carolheppner.gq.nu

[annafine]

Judy,

I'm glad to hear that someone else out there makes all their own
cards--I have been making cards using stamps for about 5 years now and
I absolutely love it! I get so many comments on my cards and things
as well.

I got married just over a year ago...I made all my own cards for the
Wedding invitations (about 130) and then I also made all my own Thank
You cards after the wedding. I also made my own Thank you cards for
gifts received at 2 separate Bridal showers.

My husband and I are expecting our first child in October 2003; I have
already had a Baby Shower and made my own Thank you cards for gifts
received at it. I've also got the Birth Announcement Postcards nearly
finished (there's only so much information I could fill in before the
Baby arrives). I'll finish these after I get home from the hospital
and then have them mailed.

I'm currently working on Fall/Winter cards because I know I won't have
much time once Baby arrives. I'm hoping that I can get a good number
of Christmas cards finished within the next month and I plan to get
all the Birthday/Anniversary cards and such finished for the rest of
the year.

I've got a lot going on right now with childbirth and preparation for
Baby classes, but I have a good process going for card making also (I
don't work right now, so I'm home most of the time).


Carol,

In response to the original question for this posting...

I've been stamping for about 5 years. I first got started when I was
Student Teaching in a Kindergarten classroom in the Fall of 1998. The
Mother of one of the boys in the class was/is a Stampin Up (SU)
demonstrator. She held a workshop at the school, after school, for
any and all teachers that were (or thought they might be) interested.
I had heard of SU before, but was not sure exactly what it was all
about, so I went to the workshop and had a lot of fun. I've been
hooked since that day!

As far as how my style has changed over the years...I've gained lots
of new ideas from this particular SU demonstrator; I've also seen
about 4-5 other SU demonstrators do workshops/parties. I've also been
to a couple of demonstrations from other stamping companies and I've
gotten some good ideas from them as well.

Mainly, I have just learned to experiment with different things...I
have been involved in a card exchange and I'm always surfing and
looking for new ideas on the web. Sometimes I'll see something I like
and try "copying" it...but I end up with something somewhat different,
though similar. Sometimes I like my new "creation" and sometimes I
don't. I've just learned that even though I may not like something,
does not necessarily mean that someone else won't like it, so I often
use it anyway.

I guess in short, my style has become more relaxed than when I first
started. I look at stamping more as "Art" now than anything else.

Anna

[Judy M]

I've done baby announcements for several friends as a baby gift. I stamp,
color & cut out all the little baby objects and then once the baby arrives,
I get the info from the parents, print it on my computer and use the stamped
images around the announcement. This is especially appreciated by parents of
second & third children as they often don't have the time (or energy) to do
announcements the way they did for the first. Also, they generally don't
need lots of new baby things like they did for the first child.
Good luck with you new one!
--
Peace,
Judy
"annafine" > wrote in message
om...
> Judy,
>
> I'm glad to hear that someone else out there makes all their own
> cards--I have been making cards using stamps for about 5 years now and
> I absolutely love it! I get so many comments on my cards and things
> as well.
>
> I got married just over a year ago...I made all my own cards for the
> Wedding invitations (about 130) and then I also made all my own Thank
> You cards after the wedding. I also made my own Thank you cards for
> gifts received at 2 separate Bridal showers.
>
> My husband and I are expecting our first child in October 2003; I have
> already had a Baby Shower and made my own Thank you cards for gifts
> received at it. I've also got the Birth Announcement Postcards nearly
> finished (there's only so much information I could fill in before the
> Baby arrives). I'll finish these after I get home from the hospital
> and then have them mailed.
>
> I'm currently working on Fall/Winter cards because I know I won't have
> much time once Baby arrives. I'm hoping that I can get a good number
> of Christmas cards finished within the next month and I plan to get
> all the Birthday/Anniversary cards and such finished for the rest of
> the year.
>
> I've got a lot going on right now with childbirth and preparation for
> Baby classes, but I have a good process going for card making also (I
> don't work right now, so I'm home most of the time).
>
>
> Carol,
>
> In response to the original question for this posting...
>
> I've been stamping for about 5 years. I first got started when I was
> Student Teaching in a Kindergarten classroom in the Fall of 1998. The
> Mother of one of the boys in the class was/is a Stampin Up (SU)
> demonstrator. She held a workshop at the school, after school, for
> any and all teachers that were (or thought they might be) interested.
> I had heard of SU before, but was not sure exactly what it was all
> about, so I went to the workshop and had a lot of fun. I've been
> hooked since that day!
>
> As far as how my style has changed over the years...I've gained lots
> of new ideas from this particular SU demonstrator; I've also seen
> about 4-5 other SU demonstrators do workshops/parties. I've also been
> to a couple of demonstrations from other stamping companies and I've
> gotten some good ideas from them as well.
>
> Mainly, I have just learned to experiment with different things...I
> have been involved in a card exchange and I'm always surfing and
> looking for new ideas on the web. Sometimes I'll see something I like
> and try "copying" it...but I end up with something somewhat different,
> though similar. Sometimes I like my new "creation" and sometimes I
> don't. I've just learned that even though I may not like something,
> does not necessarily mean that someone else won't like it, so I often
> use it anyway.
>
> I guess in short, my style has become more relaxed than when I first
> started. I look at stamping more as "Art" now than anything else.
>
> Anna

[juliasb(nospam)]

I just logged into this ng and this is the first message I am responding to.
I started rubber-stamping about 14 years ago now. I have amassed
about 3000 rubber-stamps and more supplies and goodies to adorn the art
work that I do with them. Since I am also an avid quilter and do
pergamano I am always busy with one or another of these crafts.
Today was clean up day from my last quilting project so I can get
busy designing holiday cards and gift wraps and adornments.
I love to do dimensional work and have made any number of music boxes
and even a few clocks that have embedded rubber stamp designs. I also
love stamping on fabrics to make special fabrics for quilt designs. I
have also designed and made a number of my own designs for my personal
use. I tend to have rubber pulls made if I am doing another unique
project (like wedding invatitions). Usually there is enough space on
the design pallet for another stamp or another.
My DH designed me a remarkable crafting studio with layers of drawers
designed just to hold my rubber-stamps. Unfortunately they are now full
to the brim and I am now again stacking stamps in other kinds of containers.
Most of my stamps are wood mounts, I am not crazy about acrylics and
some of the other mountings available. I have mounted the majority myself.
I have had to put a hold on my spending some time ago since I
invested so much in my stamps over the years. Now I find that I am able
to combine many different stamps to do more detailed compositions. I
have yet to find anything that cannot be rubber stamped one way or
another. However I have also learned to control this urge :).
This year for my holiday greeting cards I am planning out a
dimensional card and figure it will take me the most of this month to
complete them the way I want them done.
Needless to say my paper supply is just about as extensive since I
want and use so many different types of paper. Going to my local paper
supply warehouse is the best option for me since I am able to get so
many great sample papers for FREE.
Just a couple weeks ago I went to another open house at the paper
ware house and was delighted with the many finds that the various paper
manufactures supplied me with! This year I came home with enough
different kinds and colors of paper that I should have enough to last a
couple years! But that won't stop me from attending the next ones that
come along.
juliasb

Heppner wrote:
> So, how long have you all been stamping and have you changed your style since
> you first started?
>
> Carol Heppner
> http://carolheppner.gq.nu

--

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