How to make a rubber stamp?

Max with my matrix boards>

Raw rubber on a matrix board...and Max>

Raw rubber and Max>

This is the vulcanizer with Max>

Okay, here is a little info on how rubber stamps are made...a little simplified....of course....I am leaving out the blood, sweat, and tears....I do not want to give you nightmares. I start with the images I like and the ones that speak to me. Some of these images are pre-1920ish images, some are sketched by friends and customers....and me. We have some carved images and some are from my travels. I take them, all arranged on a 7x11 sheet of paper, to a place in the city (OKC). They make me a matrix board...a mold see photo above. After a nifty phone call and a 12 mile trek...Yes.... I have my boards!( It's a lot like Christmas every time I get new boards.) I rush to the vulcanizer ( an oven with a car jack) flip the on button and wait patiently for it to warm up to nearly 300 degrees. When it is ready I grab some raw rubber (photo above) and lay it out on top on the board and pop it into the vulcanizer.

Blogging...100 posts

This is a photo I took the other day in my backyard.

So I visited a random blogspot earlier...I do like to surf.....anyway, she was celebrating her 100th post....well....I am not there yet. I am working on some new things...classes, samples, polymer clay objects, zines, and a supplement....busy, busy, busy. The last few days I have been doing some orrrr..., orrrrr...., organizing...shwoooo.... I typed it....the "O" word.

Take a look at my post tomorrow, I have something planned....It should be good....and interesting....to some.

Branching out

Well, it's time to make some new art and create some new classes. I've got eight or so new ideas rolling around in my mind. ( They are making lots of clacking and buzzing noises so I ought to do something about it.;) So soon I will be posting new samples....yippy!

Demo at Stampaway 2009!

Ashley "The Demo Queen" hard at work! She rocked! You go girly! Thanks a bunch Sweet!

Stamp Your Art Out

Some photos from Stamp Your Art Out! in Blue Ash, Ohio. Oh, and that is Max....my traveling buddy.

Here are some photos from Stampaway 2009.

This is our booth. The samples this year totally rocked

Stampaway 2009....The fun never ended!

Stampaway was a blast!

We started our adventure on Tuesday night at the wine and cheese fund raiser at the store (Stamp Your Art Out! ) , Fun was had by all. There were prizes, wine cheese, fruit and fun! We taught the class on Thursday. It was a card blitz class. Eight cards in 3 hours....everyone seem to enjoy the class. The students were awesome!

Friday night was "wear your art out" night. We had made shirts and wore them. We spent the day setting up. And then, before we knew it, the adventure started at 7:45pm. There was a rush of people, and excitement was in the air. The gentleman they had singing this year was really great! The food they served was good, as well. We were busy, busy, busy! It was non stop until 11pm. Wow what a night! I got to see student and former customers, which is always so much fun. We were back to the convention center bright and early Saturday morning to restock and get ready for the new day. If you have not attended this show....mark your calendars for next year! Thank you to all of you who stopped by. We had such a great time!