greenpepperpressblog

Tag: rubber stamps

  • crusading, cutting

    Mw_stc19

    We wrapped up the month of March with a record number of participants who shared links to their custom cut rubber stamps.  We took a vote and bumped cutting stencils to April.  Congrats to Susan Warder for being the Top Hat Pick for Crusade No. 18.  I made a little tutorial on stencil cutting over on the Street Team blog, and will continue adding to it as I did last month with the carving tips.  I’m still obsessing over roses…had to make stamps and stencils yesterday.  WARNING:  It’s Addictive.

    Mw_making_stencils_and_stamps

    Mw_using_rose_stamps

    Mw_using_rose_stencils

    The only way to know if you have cut a good and useful image is to put it to work.  These are the beginnings of journal pages using both acrylic paint and spray paint with my new stamps, stencils, and masks.  Give them a test run before cutting more because you’ll learn what you might have done differently, or what additions you’d like to have:  for instance, a solid image of your stencil to create a foundation to make it *pop*.

    Mw_using_it_grid

    I don’t often use people or faces in my work so I’ve stayed away from attempting a portrait stencil.  But I’ve been wanting to do a Valo, and a Poe, and finally starting working on them.  I had an a-ha moment when I decided to take this design which wasn’t quite working, and turn it into a half-face.  I got so excited with it I had to make a PS brush and take it for a test ride digitally.  I think I’m ready to cut HIM out now.  *grins*

    Mwvillestencildoomtext

    Mwvillestencildigitalred_3 

    Mw_ville_stencil_test_2

    Wanna join a fun community of artists?  Come see what we’re doing on the Street Team.  We have new players every month, so don’t be shy.  We have artists who share their time and talent, but most of all, their enthusiasm for making cool stuff.  Seriously, *we rock*.

  • Cut It Out – Stamps

    Gppc18banner

    This month on the GPP Street Team, our Crusade is to cut or carve your own tool – because it’s a sure way to keep your art original.  You can come see what we are up – several Crusaders have already shared their terrific carvings.  See the links posted under Crusade No. 18.  I will review making a stamp now and later this week I’ll go over stencil cutting.  My source for the carving material is from Nasco, HERE.  You can get the tools there too, but an exacto cutting blade works too.

    I just saw The Other Boleyn Girl and have medieval imagery on the brain….had to design a new stamp.  Here’s how it happened: 

    Mw_carving_a_stamp1

    Mw_carving_a_stamp2

    Mw_carving_a_stamp3a

    Mw_carving_a_stamp4

    Mw_carving_a_stamp5

    Mw_carving_a_stamp6

    Mw_carving_a_stamp7

    Mw_carving_a_stamp8b

    Mw_carving_a_stamp9a

    Mw_carving_a_stamp10

    And a while ago I told you about having stamps made of Sam’s drawings – here’s Winston:

    Mw_samstamp

    Can’t wait to see what you come up with when you carve your own stamps.  If you want to share what you’ve done come play on our street.

  • Cut It Out – Stamps

    Gppc18banner

    This month on the GPP Street Team, our Crusade is to cut or carve your own tool – because it’s a sure way to keep your art original.  You can come see what we are up – several Crusaders have already shared their terrific carvings.  See the links posted under Crusade No. 18.  I will review making a stamp now and later this week I’ll go over stencil cutting.  My source for the carving material is from Nasco, HERE.  You can get the tools there too, but an exacto cutting blade works too.

    I just saw The Other Boleyn Girl and have medieval imagery on the brain….had to design a new stamp.  Here’s how it happened: 

    Mw_carving_a_stamp1

    Mw_carving_a_stamp2

    Mw_carving_a_stamp3a

    Mw_carving_a_stamp4

    Mw_carving_a_stamp5

    Mw_carving_a_stamp6

    Mw_carving_a_stamp7

    Mw_carving_a_stamp8b

    Mw_carving_a_stamp9a

    Mw_carving_a_stamp10

    And a while ago I told you about having stamps made of Sam’s drawings – here’s Winston:

    Mw_samstamp

    Can’t wait to see what you come up with when you carve your own stamps.  If you want to share what you’ve done come play on our street.

  • Outta here

    Mwtripping_2 

    TOMORROW:  1196.62 miles to my parents house.  Then another 225 to the cabin.  25th class reunion, and visits with family and friends.  Back in 2 weeks.  No computer connections, I’ll miss it here.  Be good.

    Mwclosednotice

  • Speckled Eggs

    Mwspeck

    In the current issue of Somerset Studio I am very honored to have my Painted Ladies rubber sheet featured for the article "With One Stamp".   Thank you to the artists who made lovely things with the images.  I have had alot of questions reguarding the unmounted sheet and how to use the eggs.  I often suggest leaving one row of eggs to use lined up.  If you do cut apart the rows of eggs you can layer them in varying colors to create a speckled egg.  Be sure to label the back sides of each size of eggs to keep yourself organized.

    Mward_paintedeggs2

    Here is a sample (above) of using the layers of speckles with PAINT.

    MWspeckledeggtags  

    The above shows layering the eggs with INK.  And below shows the entire Painted Ladies 8 x 10 sheet.  For ordering information, go to the GPP site HERE.

    Mward_paintedladies

    Below shows my mess, but you can see how I mount the stamp images on foam, and store them by size in plastic bags.  I use gel formula contact cement as adhesive.  The foam base is a kneeling pag, meant for gardeners, found at this season at places like Lowes and Home Depot.  Trim rubber close to image, apply cement on the back of rubber and face of foam, let dry, adhere and cut with sharp utility knife.  Tutorial HERE.

    Mwegg3

    And finally, below shows how I store my stamps, in acrylic frames.

    Stampstorage2

  • Casting on Rubber

    Caststamp I’ve been asked how the casting on rubber turned out from one of the photos below – here it is.  Cool, huh? 

    Audrey asked me if paper casting with a blender was the same as casting with squares of toilet paper.  Yes, it is.  You set several squares of toilet paper over your mold and use a brush with water to tap the paper down into the mold.  You can repeat with layers until you reach your desired thickness. 

    The only difference with making pulp in a blender is you can get color AND you get the cool-raggedy-handmade-looking edge.  You can use this same pulp with a deckle to make paper.  I’ll try to dig up some sheets I’ve made to show you.  I think I even have some lime green casts around here somewhere.  Lime?  Must have been a project with the kids 🙂

  • Clearly Cool

    How_cool_01_lg The new clear stamps have arrived!  They are so much fun to play with.  These stamped tags are done by our own favorite Editor, and Director of Publishing at Stampington & Co., Jenny Doh!  She created some cool pieces don’t you think?

    She knows me well….look what her title is for the instruction segment for these in the Stampington online Studio, HERE.  How Cool is That?

    Shuffle over to my Street Team site and see the One Day Give-Away I announced.  Winner will receive the Rock&Roll clear set of rubber.

    Thanks Jenny, for sharing your art!

  • Carving Pumpkins

    Mwpumpkincarving1 How’s this for clever?  Next weekend we’re having a Halloween party and I thought it would be cool for my daughter and her friends to have an activity in addition to the eating and dancing, and touching up of make-up.  (They are 11, make-up is a crucial part of the costume!)  So I’ll announce we’ll be "carving pumpkins", and they won’t know what I mean until they see the tools.  (We’ll use safety-kut, I like to buy the teacher packs, pre-cut into 2" x 3" blocks.) 

    I crack myself up.  Carving Pumpkins!  Here is a paisley and a plaid pumpkin.  I suppose if you used green ink they could actually be peppers. 

    I was only going to make one or two sample pumpkins….but you can see it’s addicting.  Need to send Halloween cards?  It’s not too late to carve yourself a pumpkin.  (Supplies can be found at most craft stores.)

    Mwpumpkincarving2_1

    Cnmw2_1 p.s.  I forgot to mention – earlier this week I got to meet Celine. 

    She is lovely, full of energy (had to be after this last trip of hers) and a talented and generous soul.

  • TIP No. 2 Storage and Stuff

    Tiplabel2_1 I’ve been asked quite a few questions about unmounted stamps, storage, and ‘how do you use those big images?’ 

    Here are a few answers.  For those of you who use acrylic blocks for temporary mounting – there isn’t a block available for some of these larger images.  I suggest you get yourself an inexpensive acrylic box frame, and use that as a mount.  (As you have read, I use gardeners kneeling pads with contact cement to mount my stamps. )

    For storage – I use these same acrylic box frames – upside down they are like stackable trays.  To keep organized I lay the INDEX sheet in the bottom so I have an idea of where to sort the stamps when I’ve finished using them.  (Helps me to determine if something is missing as well).  I keep my stamps in the tray image-side-up so they are easy to find.  I also label the front of the box and keep them stacked on a shelf.  My favorite ink pads lay upside down (so ink stays on the surface) in these frames too.

    {When I used to keep my unmounteds unmounted, I adhered them to fun foam, as cushion, then I would doublestick tape them to an acrylic mount.  To store them I would slide the INDEX sheet into a page protector, then I would attach the (still sticky) images to the outside.  All my unmounteds could be stored in a 3-ring binder and the images were easy to find because of the index sheets.  I would keep my binder in a drawer or box because I never wanted to lose the rubber that might fall off the page protector. } 

    Stampstorage_2

    Gpptagsamples4

    Sample above shows how to use the plume on your Painted lady.  Don’t be afraid to use more than one ink on your stamp.  For instance, the green scrolly image on right – ink the entire image with green, then lightly tap around the edges of the stamp with a corner of your black ink pad, then stamp!  Be sure to wipe off your stamp before trying again or your ink pads will be a real mess.  Also, wipe your ink pad with a paper towel if they start to get mucky from mixing colors on a stamp.  The coolest!

    Gppstc1_1 The Crusade has started.  Check over on the Street Team link at right to see the details.  Drawing for a Halloween gift happens on October 27.  Enter by adding a comment with a link to your site.  It’s not a competition – anyone can be on the Street Team.

  • Romeo Romeo, Where for Art Thou?

    Romeo and Prague arrived!  There may have been no mail yesterday, but the man who drives the Big Brown truck pulled up and lugged boxes of rubber to my door.  Spent the day sorting and packing (until 2 am!)  As of this afternoon EVERY ORDER HAS BEEN SENT!

    The latest issue of Postscript was sent today and announced the pre-order of my new clear stamps.  These are currently 10% off  and available Nov.1  Click here for details at Stampington & Co.

    Mw_clearstamps_1