My true inspiration

Click on the images above to be directed to their Etsy listings.

This is the real inspiration for my stamp shop and something I wish to remind myself of whenever I'm at a loss for what I'm doing or why...

This shop is truly an ode to my grandmother Irma. She came from a family of Hungarian immigrants and married my grandfather who was part of a long lineage of a New England farming family. On this farm, a magical place that was the playground of my youth, she raised three daughters, canned and froze their harvest, tended to bountiful flower gardens, and in the meantime painted in her later years. She was a phenomenal painter. Not just in her still lives and landscapes, but also in her folk art applications to plates and pitchers, let alone her embroidered designs on linens. As a child, I was so enamored by her books about Hungarian folk art - they were bold, beautiful, floral designs that sang to me in a vivid color palette. This influence - the folk art of my heritage, the appreciation of gardening and art all contributed to making this shop what it is. I hope that her legacy of pure grace and simple beauty will live on through my creations in her honor.

Clear acrylic mounts for unmounted rubber stamps

Clear acrylic mounts are a great tool to compliment my unmounted floral rubber stamps. With a little double sided tape, you can adhere stamps temporarily to the mount in a set pattern to be repeated as a border or intricate pattern. The best part is that you can use and re-use the mount as much as you want. It allows for more storage space for new stamps rather than bulky mounts. Another asset of acrylic mounts is the ability to see where you are stamping.

How do you like to use rubber stamps?

Interview with Nuok

Check out my new interview with the Italian website nuok about my stamps here!

Working with unmounted stamps

Grow Your Own Flower Garden stamp set of 8

The more I learn about rubber stamping, the more I get into the usage end of things as well as the design and production. As you may know from previous posts, I've been wrestling with mounts, trying to find the perfect one and the best way to print/varnish/etc. them. I am now discovering on message boards and stamp sites how many people prefer stamps to be unmounted for easier storage, less cost and usability. One woman used unmounted face stamps to wrap around her fabric doll faces (the effect was quite beautiful!). Another stamper talked about how she liked unmounted stamps because she was very particular about her mounts - in her case, they had to all be the same exact brand of wood mount. Many others liked to use them with acrylic mounts and EZMount. Looking into this technique, I see this would be a marvelous way to use my flower garden stamp sets like the one above. You can attach several stamps on one block creating a pattern.

This makes me want to take mounts out of the equation all together. Kristin Lee's stamps were unmounted and I have sold several of the unmounted flower garden sets. (I need to make more!). Now I want to buy some acrylic blocks and play! My stamps are thicker rubber than the ones in the video and that extra thickness gives you the cushioning you need so you won't need that layer of foam. I could check out the EZMount, but I think that double sided tape will work just fine. In fact, I've got an ATG gun and that will work even better because it sticks great then rubs off like rubber cement.

Yay! So that's that. I've got some new one of a kind stamps to share and I'm going to be listing them unmounted. Some sweet stamps are coming soon - stay tuned!

Kristin Lee Cards - take two!

Blank card - Clay Pot and Abstract Design by Kristin Lee Cards

Abstract flower stamp by Green Garden Stamps

Here is another gorgeous handmade card created by Kristin of Greeting Cards by Kristin Lee made with my stamp as seen above and another stamp by a fellow Etsy carver. It's always so much fun to see what people make with my stamps!

Greeting Cards by Kristin Lee

Blank Card - Blue and Green Abstract by Kristin Lee Cards

Round abstract stamp by Green Garden Stamps

It's always such a thrill to see what people are making with my stamps! Kristin of Greeting Cards by Kristin Lee just contacted me to share this marvelous card she made with my round abstract stamp. Isn't it so lovely and fun? Be sure to visit her shop for more beautiful, handmade greeting cards for a variety of different occasions!

Green Garden Stamps Interview!

Check out this interview I did with Janelle of Nomad Craft Supplies - it's on her blog at http://anomadthatsupplies.blogspot.com/

Thanks Janelle! :)