Saturday, August 28, 2010

Let's Talk Stamps & Stamp Companies

After photography and scrapbooking, stamping was my next step into creating art.  That was almost ten years ago.  I started with Club Scrap stamps, which are high quality and nicely designed.  I dabbled with Stampin' Up and Close to My Heart stamps, mainly because I had friends who sold them, but neither really grabbed me.  Right now, my two current favorite stamp lines are from Stampotique (especially those designed by the Penney-Torrente) and Invoke Arts (you can see some cards I made with their stamps in this post).  Stampotique has a wonderful challenge blog and recently they were kind enough to award me a "designer's choice" badge for this brave girls graffiti wall altered book page I submitted.  "Yea me!" (oops, did I say that out loud?)  The current design challenge is to create a birthday card using a Stampotique stamp with the theme "not so sweet 16."  Snarky cards are right up my alley, so I made this super simple card. They run two challenges a month; one requires the use of their stamps but the other does not.  Thanks to Jacky for telling me about the blog.
Of course, I also love the Tim Holtz stamp line at Stampers Anonymous (except for the clowns!) and two local stamp lines (Alpha Stamps and Leavenworth Jackson). I'd love to hear about your favorite stamps and stamp companies!
at

24 comments:

  1. SandyAugust 29, 2010 at 1:35 AM

    Oh wow this is fantastic.
    Gorgeous card.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Jo Capper-SandonAugust 29, 2010 at 2:01 AM

    :0))) Made me smile...so simple yet brilliant. Love this.Thanks for joining in with us over at Stampotique Designers Challenge.

    Favourite stamp companies? Well I have a soft spot for Stampotique Originals too ;0)My favourite stamp changes with my mood, but if its a true long term fave then I've been known to buy two of the same stamp just incase I mislay one!

    ReplyDelete
  3. MargiAugust 29, 2010 at 3:33 AM

    I could easily become a stampaholic! LOL Love this one a bunch!

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousAugust 29, 2010 at 4:39 AM

    This card made me laugh---I love the sentiment and the image is so perfect with it. You and I choose such different kinds of images, but I am definitely a stampaholic! My favorite company, hands down, is Papertrey Ink. Love the versatility of their stamps, the quality, and the way they work together.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Julie ShoemakerAugust 29, 2010 at 5:12 AM

    Great card Rinda! My favorite stamp companies, ummm Stampers Anonymous, Oxford Impressions, Artistic Outpost, Club Scrap, I could go on and on, but I won't. Stampotique does not appeal to me, I think their faces are scary! LOL..

    ReplyDelete
  6. LizzieAugust 29, 2010 at 5:44 AM

    That's a fun card! I do like stamping, but haven't done so much of it lately. My favourite stamps? Hummmm.. well, I like my own -for obvious reasons! Imaginisce do some great little packs of stamps - I have a santa and a gingerbread man, that are wonderful for Christmas cards; I like Hero Arts because they do good, honest, simple stamps for good prices; my favourite clear stamps are from American Crafts, Papermania and Basic Grey; I have such a mixture of rubber/wooden stamps and couldn't really pick a favourite maker. Not sure about your Stampotique people... not quite my "thing", but I love to see what you can do with them! Tim Holtz, like many designers, are too pricey for me...

    ReplyDelete
  7. Deb @ PaperTurtleAugust 29, 2010 at 6:46 AM

    Such a fun card, Rinda. :o) Stamping was something that took a while for me to warm up to - I never thought I was much good at it but practice has definitely improved that. I have a friend who is really into Stampin'Up and have a few of their stamps. In fact, I just bought a new set called "C is for Cat" that I'm itching to use on some sort of project. Maybe I'll make a tag...

    ReplyDelete
  8. scrappyjackyAugust 29, 2010 at 8:16 AM

    You've probably noticed I'm a stampaholic....there's so many I love....from cute to vintage to edgy....following blogs like yours has really expanded my tastes [thank you].
    There's a new challenge blog I think would appeal to you...www.simonsaysstampandshow.blogspot.com...have a look.

    ReplyDelete
  9. SianAugust 29, 2010 at 9:30 AM

    Well done you!

    I love this card. I'm not a stamper at all, but thanks to you and Jacky and many others, I am starting to see the potentail and to understand that I might actually be missing out :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. humelAugust 29, 2010 at 9:45 AM

    Yea you :-)

    I like PaperArtsy stamps and have a fair few of those - Tim Holtz's are fab too - and I also like Autumn Leaves xx

    ReplyDelete
  11. KazAugust 29, 2010 at 9:54 AM

    I love this card - I seem to be stuck on 29 too!
    Thanks for joining us at SDC x

    ReplyDelete
  12. SarahLPAugust 29, 2010 at 1:52 PM

    Love your card Rinda! It took me quite a while to get into stamping.. I bought loads of stamps and was terrified to actually have a go in case I messed up (which I frequently did).. But now I've got into Stampin' Up! I'm loving it and losing the fear.. I still mess up of course but I'm not scared to have a go any more.
    I do love your grungey style but I'm not much good at it!

    ReplyDelete
  13. nancy yAugust 29, 2010 at 4:05 PM

    Terrific card! Just enough snark.
    I like Club Scrap/Stamp, Artistic Outpost, Hero Arts and Stampers Anonymous just to name a few ;-)
    I like some Stampin' Up, and find their punches and other tools really great.

    ReplyDelete
  14. melissamythAugust 29, 2010 at 8:13 PM

    Love that card. I love stamping too, but I'd go broke if I bought all the stamps I want. So I limit it and only stamp once in awhile.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Basement StamperAugust 30, 2010 at 9:36 AM

    Great card-love the sentiment. I'm into many different varieties of stamps: Stampotique, Clear & Simple Stamps, Kenny K, Verve Stamps

    Thanks for joining us at SDC!

    ReplyDelete
  16. sharyncarlsonAugust 30, 2010 at 3:54 PM

    love love the card!

    ReplyDelete
  17. ShannonAugust 30, 2010 at 11:57 PM

    I love the funny simplicity of your card. It's perfect. I made a little flag banner on my card as well (great minds think alike). I'm a huge fan of the Stampotique stamps and the Invoke Arts stamps as well, not to mention the fact that I was a Club Scrap lover/junkie for three years. I finally had to break away for awhile because I was way too addicted to spending money at Club Scrap. I love my stamps from Club Scrap so much though. It seems you and I have quite a bit in common.

    ReplyDelete
  18. AnonymousAugust 31, 2010 at 6:43 AM

    Fab!

    ReplyDelete
  19. AnonymousAugust 31, 2010 at 9:00 AM

    Brilliant card Maria! I could think of a few peeps I could send this to! Lol! x

    ReplyDelete
  20. Valerie H. MarshallAugust 31, 2010 at 12:40 PM

    Lovely work, Maria! Perhaps I'm biased but my fav stamps are Stampotique - hands down :) I'm so glad you've joined us for the SDC this week!
    Val :)

    ReplyDelete
  21. WillySeptember 1, 2010 at 3:24 AM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  22. WillySeptember 1, 2010 at 3:27 AM

    What a funny card! Thanks for joining us at Stampotique Designers Challenge. My favourite stamps: Stampotique and Art Journey!!

    ReplyDelete
  23. SueSeptember 3, 2010 at 11:52 AM

    I love your card Maria, I would be very happy to stick at 49!!. My favourite stamps change every day, but I always come back to Paper Artsy, and my lates favourite is Artistic Outpost x

    ReplyDelete
  24. KimSeptember 8, 2010 at 5:53 AM

    I love your card, love the clean look of this! Thank you for joining us over at Stampotique!
    :)
    Kim

    ReplyDelete