Stamp!

I don’t know how it happened, but somehow we all became addicted to stamps and stamping around this house. I have always wanted to try stamp carving and I think after seeing tutorials like this here, and stamps like these for sale here, and more recently an inspiring collection of handmade stamps here, it just sort of happened. I bought a Speedball Lino Cutter Assortment — a really cool carving tool with different carving attachments that can be stored in the handle — and some of the plastic stuff to carve (I really have no idea what it is exactly). And, I must say that it is such fun. It is quick to carve small stamps (for the instant gratification fix) and always fun to see how it comes out when you press the stamp to the ink pad pad and then to the paper. The next step in the process is to try letterboxing, a fun adventure in treasure hunting I learned about from my friends Brad and Tia. So, anyway, here are a few from the growing collection in our home…

Three banded armadillo carved for my own little armadillo. (I used this picture here as inspiration, also check out the other picture of the armadillo uncurling — it is amazing, I just didn’t think it would make a good stamp.):