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What are your favorite stamping magazines and books?
I noticed a post mentioning Papercrafts magazine, which made me start wondering which magazines you find the most useful and the most inspiring? I want to be sure to try to see those you suggest! The same goes for books. Are there any exceptional books on stamping and paper crafts you can recommend? Thank you! I would love to hear your ideas and suggestions!
Mary
I love Stamper's Sampler...many artistic cards that can be labor intensive but very few ads cluttering all the samples. Great contests to enter but the only reward is a free copy of the issue in which your card/project appears. A bit pricy but well worth it.
Stamper's Sampler, Rubber Stamper, Paper Crafts, Paper Works, BHG's Scrapbooks Etc., (I don't scrap, so I prefer stamping related or inclusive, or those that cater to paper crafting in general, but not exclusively scrapbooking)--oh, and ANY BHG Paper Ideas special issue is WELL worth the $$$ and they are usually only about $5.95!!!
--Somerset Studio, stunning art and photography, but the techniques got so over-board that I finally quit subscribing . . . they had gone beyond art-stamping and were doing all the mixed media, heavy into altered art, and well beyond what the "average" stamper probably would want to invest time or money into, as far as expensive equipment and supplies/materials. . . . JMHO--no flames, please!--I'm a SIMPLE stamper, most of the time, and have done my share of exploring EVERY new technique that came out there, believe me!
Stampington's special issue Take Ten I was impressive; Take Ten II, not so much, but am hopeful Vol. III of the same will pick up the slack of II.
Every once in a while Design Originals produces a worthwhile book that features art-stamping, card-making, paper crafting projects rolled into one nice little book . . . be choosy, tho! Sometimes, while the cover looks great, you find the contents to be lacking if you don't really examine it well.
Hot Off the Press never makes any book I'd ever buy--they are way too busy for my taste with overkill on the patterned papers and fru fru embellishments to the point of being unable to focus the eye on anything in particular . . . ! Again, IMHO.
I cannot claim a particular favorite book, but I greatly enjoy Becky Higgins' Creative Cards special issue, published by Creating Keepsakes (a scrapbooking magazine), which ran about $14.95, despite being a magazine style publication, as opposed to an actual "book" and I hear another is coming out soon, but don't know exactly when. I find this is one I refer to quite often, probably because it combined art-stamping and the popular use of scrapbooking materials to create card (altho, I am more likely to adapt a card I like by using stamps to duplicate the look, than rely on scrapbooking materials, based on my own personal taste).
I invest probably as much in printed matter catering to art-stamping/paper crafting as I do in the rubber stamps themselves . . . sad, but true! I just love looking at all the art work and find the color combinations helpful.
HTH,
__________________ Julie Ebersole (JulieHRR once upon a time . . . )julieebersole.com"So shines a good deed in a weary world." -Willy Wonka
Well, I used to LOVE Stampers Sampler--until I got a subscription to it last fall for a b-day present. Seems like it's gotten more artsy to me. That may be okay for some, but not my style.
I like Rubber Stamper-most of the time. I LOVE Papercraft mag. Not a ton of stamping, but a lot that I can change to stamping and they have different ideas and also have the last page with inside of the card verses.
I loved the Stampin' It card magazine==can't remember if that is the correct title or not-doesn't sound right.
I like Stampers Sampler as well, but I agree sometimes is gets a little artsy. I didn't want to commit to a subscription because some of them I see and I only like one or two ideas and others I love 10-20. I picked up the lasted Take Ten one...at least I think that is what it is called and it had LOTS of ideas in it. Plus, they have lots of Stampin' Up examples.
I was given a three year subscription to Stamper's Sampler and, for the most part, I have been unimpressed. Most of the cards are too busy, too muddy-colored and gloomy, and way too 'artsy' for my taste. When I recieve a card, I want it to be bright and cheerful. Few of the cards in that publication fit that description. I do like Paper Crafts. I have yet to copy a card exactly (I rarely do!), but there are lots of usable ideas, and I'm always inspired by something I see there.
Rubber Stamper - a good all around magazine for any stamper; they have a nice mix of tastes and good technique articles. Lots of ads, but if you like to shop for images, you will enjoy that.
Stampers Sampler - the issues can vary as to whether I will find anything I want to CASE. The last one I got in the mail yesterday...eh...I didn't find anything in there, but it was all palm trees and tropical themes and I don't have any stamps like that, so that's just me. The take ten section and publications of the same name are always worth buying, since Take Ten means cards that take ten minutes to make.
Papercrafts - Great variety of projects, I like this. Call to get a subscription because their website is not well maintained as far as customer service goes. I tried to subscribe when they announced it, but it never went through. Sent an email to their customer service department and got no reply.
Stamp It! - A special issue magazine from Papercrafts. This one is smaller than Rubber Stamper, but has a lot fewer ads too.
I agree with the assessment of Somerset Studio. Used to love it until they went over the edge! I now buy only if I see an article I want to read and refer to later. Rubberstampmadness is a bit on the quirky side, if you like that sort of thing. VP Stamp News...I haven't bought that in a long time. There are a few Australian publications that I've bought from time to time.
As far as books, there are a few I really like:
Paper Engineering Secrets - this is a Hot Off the Press book, so yes the cards are really busy looking, but you can copy just the base design of the cards and ignore the rest. There are some wonderful folds in that one. This one you can buy at Michael's.
Paper for All Seasons by Sandra Lounsbury Foose. I LOVE this one, tons of really cute projects in it, including the hat box in my gallery that I adapted. I found this one at Barnes & Nobles.
Creative Paper Folding - a lot of tea bag folding and origami...I like this one a lot. I got it at Joanne's.
I also like the Creative Cards books by Becky Higgins. She has a nice minimalist style that is very appealing. This is really a Papercrafts publication and has their look and feel in the whole thing.
Otherwise, go to Michael's and flip through the ones on the rack. If there are projects in there that are appealing and you have your 40% coupon in hand, you can get some bargains! Most books like this cost at least $14.95 or more!
I too agree. Stampers Sampler is too artsy. The Rubber Stamper I like a lot. I got one of my samples in the April issue. And, Paper Crafts has some good ideas. The best place ever though is right here!!!
What are your favorite stamping magazines and books?
I also subscribe to Rubber Stamper and Stampers Sampler. Although they are full of many adds, the ideas usually interest me. I like the fact that I see many SU products.
Regarding the too artsy, it's true but I guess they need to attract all types of stampers.
I also by the Stamp It magazine when I find it.
All of you that have posted have given me more items to look for. Thanks for your feedback to this post. I has been helpful!
I just wanted to remind people about the great resource that is on the Stampin' Up! website. Not the demonstrator site, but the one for all to see.
If you click on "Company Profile" , then go to "News", then scroll the page down to "In the News"....there you will find the listing of all the publications that have layouts using SU products. And they include pictures!!!!! They have archived about 2 years worth. I love this!
Of course I still buy the magazines too! My fave is the Papercrafts...Ijust wish it was a monthly!
My favorite by far is Stamp It. I like it because the projects are simple, the way I like to stamp. They use a lot of Su products too, which I love. It is a quarterly magazine, and right now you can't subscribe, so you have to find it on the shelf. But I love it!
What are your favorite stamping magazines and books?
I find that you can see just as many and often times better samples here online. 
