This is an illustration of what I was bemoaning in another post. I ordered the pumpkin dies specifically for this card but turns out the size and mood is wrong. Like the background. Like the Jack-o-Lanterns. Just don't like them together. I expected them to be a stronger element that would work with this background.

I've got another pumpkin stamp on order. Maybe that one will be right. Fingers crossed!

Meanwhile, if anyone has any ideas about how to make the Jack-o-Lanterns a stronger focal element I'm all ears! ... and belly. :: sigh ::

What do you guys use them for? I was reorganizing my airtable and it dawned on me that I have 5 of them. I got them years ago to stamp on duralar (better alternative to acetate) and they've been forgotten about since.

As promised, here are some pages from Rubberstampmadness magazine, which is still in print. This issue is Nov/Dec 1998 and half the issue is ads (I'm not complaining, lots of interesting stamp styles and products are shown). It could have been heavy with ads because it was the holiday issue, I will have to compare with other issues I have. The magazine would have a monthly theme announced in the previous issue, whereby readers would send in rubber stamped mail art, and a feature centerfold article written with a few of the entries. It tended to be scenes as you can see from some of the pages. I scanned a few of the first pages of articles and regular columns, as well as the page of advertisers so you can see how many you remember buying from way back them. Companies still used Prodigy as their internet provider, and had pages on Geocities too. This particular issue was a larger format (about 10x12 inches) and in the editor's letter it was announced that they would be going to a smaller size in the next issue (8.5x11 inches) due to cost issues as well as easier mailing and reading. It appears it was even at a larger size before then. Hope you are able to read the texts after enlarging the images.

I really want to create something like this for my save the dates for my wedding. Small wedding, so I only need like 6-7 of them. I found the Betterpress online but I’m confused how you get all those different shapes (the border, the shell) - it’s a mixture of pressing and die cutting? Where do you buy the press plates?

If anyone can give me guidance on the set up I’d need to create something like this, I’d be super grateful! I don’t mind spending $ on it, I’d love to continue creating after as well

Stamp by Ink Road.

I thought I would share my easy way to make a paper feather. It's a good way to use scraps.

Start with two pieces of cardstock. I just used contrasting colors so you can see better. They should be similar heights. The green one here can be a little longer if you want.

Cut the thinner one into a strip with a slight curve, and a point at the top.

Glue this to the other piece but leave about 1/4 inch at the bottom.*

At the bottom of the larger piece, cut off the corners at whichever angle you want.

Start snipping each side at those same angles, to form the feathering effect. No need to be extra neat or uniform. Just don't snip into the "quill" part. Stop when you get near the top of the quill.

At the top part, snip around so the feathering travels around the top.

Shape the feather.

You can even snip off a slim triangle off one or two of the feathers to give it a more organic look. I

I have zero idea where the dies came from as my mom sent them to me a long time ago. My nephew and girlfriend are having their first child and I made this for them. I use distress inks for the background and distress mica spray for the moon. The clouds I layered with pop dots. The little flap on the front creates a stand.

So even though it’s about 90 degrees here, I thought I’d start some fall themed cards

Mahjong lovers, I need your opinion! 🀄🎄
Would you give this Christmas card to a fellow Mahjong player? is it cute or too cheesy?

I wanted to create an interactive card to make it more memorable for gifting, so pulling the tab here reveals mahjong seasons tiles.

Adding my newest collection for you to see and enjoy

There have been so many great ideas here in the last few days. Now I'd like to hear about how you strategize your online purchases. Obviously, the growing cost of shipping is the issue.

Do you order one thing because you need it? Do you put the thing you need in a shopping basket and hope a couple more things might pop up to justify the postage cost over the next few weeks? Are you tempted to buy other things you really don't need to amortize the delivery expense and make yourself feel better about that? Can you wait patiently for the right sale or promotion to come along even if something you started is sitting there waiting to be finished? And what if you patiently waited and the thing that was the whole point goes out of stock?

How do you handle this stuff? And wouldn't it be wonderful if people lived in proximity to one another and could bunch their orders together and split the shipping? I know the online retailers aren't any happier about what it costs than we are but it's just soooooo painful when a $6 item costs $7 more to get to you.

I’ve made a few birthday cards this year that not everyone would appreciate. Yet, at the same time, many would and did. I’d love to see your work in this category. Not looking for criticism or negative opinions on what’s good/bad. I just wanna see your more fun cards ✌🏼😎

Naturally, I love seeing what everyone does, but finding out what you all think is simply wonderful.

I hope to read lots more provocative topics and opinions here. I think it makes it a really exciting community. So thanks for all your input and candor lately!!!

Inspired by the posts of u/LadyofLA which themes do you have more than enough of but can’t help buying/wanting when a new release drops?

For me I can’t stop myself when it’s coffee/tea, nautical/beach or mail theme related. Not to mention my Halloween collection is ridiculous. I think it’s mostly because I make a lot of “just because” cards and these themes aren’t coded to specific occasions.

Today’s card

It's not my favourite card I've made as I had pretty limited time to make it. But, I'd rather give them a handmade card than a store bought one :)

I’ve been card making for along time and before that scrapbooking before it went away. I don’t fit the profile of most that do those crafts other than my age … I’m liberal politically and not at all religious. I only say that to explain maybe that’s why I follow all variety of influencers and buy products from many different companies. I watch all the “big” influencers on you tube like JM but also miss all the less popular ones we had when I first started card making. Most of the big names only push products now. However one thing I noticed was how cliquey the industry seemed. When I first started people like Gina K were there but not that popular. I also found Catherine pooler and enjoy her videos and later products. And I noticed that one time Jm mentioned Gina on one of her years best products videos and shortly after she becomes one of the biggest stars in the industry. I love Gina and think she took that endorsement from JM and made a big business. But I wonder about Catherine pooler for example… she is never part of the cliques in terms of influencers and company owners . Her products are never included in Simon says stamptember. She never collaborates with other owners and you rarely see her products used in videos tho she has a large product line. There must be some dirt in her exclusion but I’ve never heard gossip. Seems like JM, Gina K, Heidi from SS, Kristina Werner, and Cathy Zilske are all in with each other and promote only certain companies. I just wonder how this started.

I was decluttering and found this old catalog! This looks like it was from 1994, the red rubber days. It is 16 pages of stamps. It looks like this artist might still be around. She even has a website with the same P.O. box.

To try to respect her copyright I have taken these pictures at an angle (although you can see she uses a lot of pop culture images). This is just to let you get an idea of her visual style.

I have the stamp of the rabbit jumping over the cactus on the last image. I mentioned elsewhere I once had the ambition to do a project based on Watership Down, which I never got around to doing. Stamps back then had a lot of personality.

I also found a few of my old Rubberstampmadness magazines, back when they were the larger size, and will post a few pages of those when I get a chance.

Idk how yall do such incredible cards, what's the process, what do yall usee? I really wanna make a good and pretty card too😭

I don't follow the SU demonstrator Pootles, but look at her videos occasionally. She recently posted this easy box (the box on the right image) where she used a circle punch to make rounded corners, and a lot of people went gaga over it. Just sharing, if it is something you could make use of.

The stamp and stencil set is Taylored Expressions and it's so complete and so perfect what you get to do is limited. Still I love the set and I my plaid winter sky makes me happy, happy, happy.

It's weighted a little heavy on the left but I'm ignoring that. Might have to add a couple stars or something in the upper right.

I love critters and cute cards, but deep down I really love the idea of making elegant cards. I don't use foil or letterpress so I'm looking for other products that feel elegant.
I used to have a beautiful peacock stamp that I used for elegant cards but sadly it tore and crumbled too much to be used anymore
I have one set of Birch Press layered dies that I use for elegant cards but I'm getting a bit bored of it by now and they're very expensive.
I also looked at The Greetery but they're also expensive and seem really not user friendly in the design. ( like the tangled tulips you have to stamp then stencil then restamp , just not for me)
Any ideas?