Tomorrow is the last day for the current GPP Street Team Crusade. We've been Making It Our Own and many artists have come by to share their inspiration and interpretations as we strive to add an authentic and personal touch to all that we do. Often we turn to custom tools to keep things original and unique – like carved stamps or cut stencils. There have been many times where I have created an element simply because it didn't exist and I needed/wanted it. THAT is how I began designing and selling rubber stamps. I made images I wanted to have that weren't available yet.
As you know, we are huge HIM fans in this house. I have an entire drawer of HIM shirts, at least 5 hoodies, several bags, and countless accessories with heartagrams thanks to Hot Topic, Spencers, Heartagram.com, and concerts. In the early days there was not alot of merchandise with the heartagram on it….so we had to Make Our Own.
I carved these stamps and we used them with fabric paint or even cooler: bleach, to make tshirts and stuff. I cut stencils too. And the heartagram pendant came by request of Peter and his friends (they all wanted one), made from pink wire. It's awfully primitive but pretty cool of me don't you think?
A couple summers ago I made these for my NJ/NY HIM Street Team. Super quick and easy and inexpensive. Great party favor.
The heartagram selections at Hot Topic these days are kinda scarce again until the new album comes out (too long from now!) so I may have to go back to Making My Own HIM merch. (Very closely related to Make It Your Own is Do It Yourself!) Stop in at the Street Team to see what we are doing….and then come back later in the week to see the new challenge and play along with us.