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Do you girls have any other favorite stamp companies? I love SU and am totally addicted, but have seen other websites listed in various posts for other neat sites with unusual sets.
What other companies do you love?
Thanks,
Alison
__________________ ~Alison
Raising children is like being pecked to death by a chicken.
Before I discovered SU even existed, I used to buy rubber stamps from my local stamp store. I found that most of the time I would buy stamps from Hero Arts and PSX, and like some images from other companies. I still have a bunch of stamps that now I never use!! I use SU stuff 99% of the time now!!
Gretchen in SC
I really like Close To My Heart too--just don't like the way they do their stamps now. They don't use woodmounts anymore. They are all acrylic and peel and stick. I haven't bought any of this new style, but have read mixed reviews.
I know! I was thinking more for alpha stamps for scrapbooking...larger letters. I think I only own about 5-6 stamps that aren't SU. I also fear the unmounted!
A.
__________________ ~Alison
Raising children is like being pecked to death by a chicken.
Anna Griffin designs are really a favorite of mine; however, I do NOT like her ink pads, and the punches never seem to work as well as SU! In other words, SU has far the superior stamps and supplies, but I love Anna Griffin ideas......which can be incorparated with SU materials.
I have a real "assortment" of non-SU! stamps, but a couple not mentioned so far that have nice designs are Art Impressions and The Artful Stamper. Linda
__________________ Linda Art is the only way to run away without leaving home. -Twyla Tharp
My tastes have changed over the years, although I wish all companies had the same quality of SU! I have recently moved toward unmounted stamps, and photostamps. A few of my favorite companies are listed below:
__________________ You can always tell a real friend; When you've made a fool of yourself, he doesn't think you've done a permanent job.
- Lawrence J. Peter http://community.webshots.com/user/neighbor_nancy
I agree with Jodi, I buy many non-SU phrase stamps, I wish they would come out with more sayings, phrases & quotes etc. Like a good "just a note" stamp or one that says "think spring"!
My very first stamps were a couple of alphabet sets by Hero Arts. Then I expanded to some of their Real Flowers and other Hero Arts stamps. I *love* their sentiment stamps and wish SU had some similar ones. I have 2 Iris Carts full of stuff and probably 3/4 of each Iris Cart is filled with Hero Arts stamps. They're very neglected now... Hero Arts also has some new stamps out for 2005 that are way cool, but being a demo, I feel kinda funny getting them. I said I'd never be a purist - I know a Creative Memories gal who thinks that if you put anything in your scrapbook besides CM stuff, it will fall apart, get ruined, or be unsafe (not trying to start a discussion about this - it's just shaped my ideas).
But since I'm a demo, I don't use my Hero Arts stamps much anymore, since making samples with my SU stamps (and being on SCS!) keeps me plenty busy. And if I do use my Hero Arts stamps, I'd probably want to keep the samples separate so as keep things simple for me and not confuse my customers.
Other stamps I love - Purple Onion Designs has awesome unmounted stamps. They have great alphabets, definitions (kinda like Lexicon of Love), single word stamps, and sentiments. Michele (owner of POD) has a lot of cool samples on her website. She has alphabets ranging from very large to very small and her prices are very good, I think! You don't need cushion with Purple Onion stamps - just put them on a acrylic block with 2-sided Poster Tape.
These stamps are VERY reasonably priced. They are SO cute and very clever. They are mostly outline/coloring book style stamps that you color in with whatever you want to use. Eat Cake stamps are very thin, so I did put them on cushion. POD carries some very nice red cushion that I like better than the EZMount stuff.
I guess I am a little different because I LOVE the unmounted system! It saves so much room and you can mix stamps from several sets onto one acrylic block to stamp at the same time. I recently joined TAC due to the unmounted and mostly due to being able to sell my creations whenever and wherever I want to. I really don't stick to one company though....never have with any of my creative processes...painting in oils, acrylics, water colors, pastels, chalks,etc and yarns for crochet...every brand under the sun. I do have preferences for certain projects but have never noticed any company that paid for your loyalty so have went with the best from each one!
I have to say that Hero Arts are the second best. Their website is so inspiring and has way more samples than SU. I always look at their stamps in the store and can't think of what to do but when I see them online I have a huge ah-ha! Check out their website at www.heroarts.com and you'll get ideas for SU stamps as well.
Lynn
Wow, this is a fun subject. I have a rather eclectic taste when it comes to stamping. A majority of my collection is SU of course, but I also have stamps from:
Personal Stamp Exchange
Circus, Circus
SonLight Impressions
Azadi Earles
Hero Arts
Hot Potatoes
Rubber Poet and When Pigs Can Fly (love their art deco designs)
All Night Media
Stamp of Excellence
Annticipations
Biblical Impressions
Posh
and especially Clearsnap's wheels, love wheels.
I have some from other companies, but these are the majority that I buy from.
Cynthia
I only stamp on days that end with "Y"
The Angel Company hands down is my fav. Then CTMH. Bit then again I buy stamps where ever I can get my hand on them . I see something I like and I get it. I do however un-mount all the stamps I get.
In HIm,
Shawna
Most of the stamps I use are SU. I too am becoming a Demo in Jan. That being said I still like stamps from Hero Arts, PSX, Stampscapes and my other favourite Magenta. Fortunatly for us Canadians Magenta are available locally and not too expensive. I understand for those of you down south they may not be so available.
Sandy
Here are my favorites - I love Outline stamps which someone posted earlier but here are some others
http://www.acountrywelcome.com/ - they have great specials if you sign up for their newsletter and she sells a variety of different companies including Wordsworth and Penny Black.
I really like the Hero Arts stamps. I have entered two of their contests and just won 3rd place in the Winter Messages contest. Now I get $75 worth of additional Hero Arts stamps! I find using my other stamps a nice creative diversion from SU! - don't get me wrong, I love my SU! sets!
I LOVE Magenta and Morningstar stamps. I feel like SU is making more Magenta-like images that appeal to my taste! Can't beat the quality of SU stamps and pads.
I love Hero Arts. I just went to the stamp store today to take advantage of their Hero Arts preview: buy $50 in preview stamps and get the catalog for free. Who could resist? Besides, since some of their stamps are similar to SU!, I can use the ideas in their catalog for our stamps...right? (warning: incredible attempt at stamp purchase justification going on here!)
The other companies I like are Uptown and Penny Black (especially the brushstroke...it's da bomb!)
I will say I'm more likely to spring for word stamps when the company is not SU! and that Hero Arts has some cute small sayings that I love and I also like bible verses, which we have a limited number of, so Uptown is good for that.
I love my Stampin Up stamps but I am wild about the new acrylic stamps from Close to My Heart. I just feel like I have so much control with them. Particularly for the 2 step stamping images and the alphabets.
I love Hero Arts. I just went to the stamp store today to take advantage of their Hero Arts preview: buy $50 in preview stamps and get the catalog for free. Who could resist? Besides, since some of their stamps are similar to SU!, I can use the ideas in their catalog for our stamps...right? (warning: incredible attempt at stamp purchase justification going on here!)
Justification?!?!? is that what you were doing? I thought it was a logical, thoughtful explanation.
Hero Arts is also my favorite (er, I mean, my old favorite). Who was having a preview? Hero Arts or local store?? My local stamp store closed this month (owner retired) and now I don't know what's going on!!
After SU, I have to tout a great little shop called Peddler's Pack in Beaverton, Oregon. They have a line of their own original stamps (usually backgrounds) that are remarkable. They sell other stamps beside their own designs as well. www.peddlerspack.com
Well, I just had to go to Jody Poesy today after reading an earlier post about the gorgeous ribbons. Not only are the ribbons beautiful, but there are some awesome samples and some really neat words and phrases and her stamps are good quality. They are unmounted, which is fine with me (take up less room). I, too, love Impress and Savvy (same family) for their elegant simplicity, Hero, Penny Black, Postmodern Design, etc.....
My favorites are Amuse, Impress, Savvy, and HeroArts next to SU! of course--how funny that someone else (tmarie) posted the same favorites. Now I'll have to go check out her gallery!
(However, don't check mine for non-SU! stamps. I haven't posted any here yet!)
Kelle
Oh Gee Whiz!!! I'm afraid to read this topic....I am questioning my own ability to control my stamp purchasing power....or not!!! You ladies are great fun!!
__________________ Nancy Peplau
Rubber Neckin' in Haddam Neck,CT
I really think clear stamps are the way of the future. I LOVE my alphabets to be clear. They are a slight bit more fuss to work with, but the pay off in being able to stamp EXACTLY where I want, and the fact that they cost less.... this is a big inducement since it means I can buy more stamps. I just bought a set from QVC-- 181 pieces for 37, including shipping and tax. It had 2 full alphabets, with numbers and punctuation, about 20 different phrases for scrapbooking, and about 20 different little images. And they store easily. I believe hero arts is producing the stamps that QVC is putting out. They are slightly cloudy, but easily seen through, and a bit less sticky than Stampedous Perfectly clear, but they clean up more easily. If you haven't tried at least one clear set, give it a whirl. I just hope that Stampin' UP! will move this way in the future. Perhaps not a complete switch over like CTMH, but offering some or all in both, so that everyone can get what they like.
I love Magenta stamps. They are hard to find but worth it when I do. I also like retro stamps and found The Cat's Pajamas and Paper Candy to have great stuff.
I agree with all of you on the OTHER stamps out there. I just recently became a demo and haven't touched my many stamps that are lined up on the wall looking lonely. I am trying to get my stamp samples together.
Anyway, one company that you haven't mentioned is A Stamp in the Hand. They have some wonderful fruit stamps that can be used for most occasions.
Wynona
__________________ My newest toy- Harley Softtail Deluxe
Other favorite Stamp Companies...
