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My first stamps were outdated ones my mom brought home from her job at the post office - date stamp, postage due, hand cancel, air mail, etc. I was a little girl and loved playing with them!! I think my love for stamps stems from playing with those stamps as a little girl. My cousin, who is now a SU demonstrator, and I used to play with those stamps for hours. My first creative stamps are probably 25 years old ... a set of teddy bears. And I can still find reasons to use them. I love stamping!!
I bought my first set of stamps after hubby told me to find a hobby (LOL),
so I bought one of those foam teddy bear sets from hobby lobby (maybe joann's), along with some confetti white paper and a golden ink pad :rolleyes:
The first card I made with it was for my hubby, stamped the large bear from the set in gold, folded the pre scored cards in half and stamped a sentiment from the set. I still have that silly card.
I bought my first set of stamps after hubby told me to find a hobby (LOL),
so I bought one of those foam teddy bear sets from hobby lobby (maybe joann's), along with some confetti white paper and a golden ink pad :rolleyes:
The first card I made with it was for my hubby, stamped the large bear from the set in gold, folded the pre scored cards in half and stamped a sentiment from the set. I still have that silly card.
I didn't really get hooked to stamping and card making until I saw the holiday hedgehogs in SU's 2002 catalog.
The first stamp(s) I owned were actually given to me by a fellow worker who discovered she did not like to stamp. Can you imagine?! Anyway, they are near and dear to me and I still use them occasionally, each time remembering a dear friend I see almost never now that we are both retired. The first stamp I bought was really three stamps of pine trees from Joann's that I believe they still carry. I use them all the time and will probably have them until I die. Then, I discovered SU! Need I say more? I bought Itty Bitty Backgrounds and Lovely as a Tree and I use those often. Then came hundreds of others over the years. When you have only a few stamps, you almost remember every card you made with them. (Probably because you used them on every card you made. Ha!) Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
What an interesting read! I too remember embossing over a toaster! My friend and I saw a 'stamp shop' near work in Brisbane, she wanted a name and address stamp for the back of her envelopes for her Christmas Cards. Well, we walked in, expecting to see all these business type stamps - WRONG!! The lady showed us embossing over the toaster, with gold embossing powder, we were amazed, watching the gold popping out of the paper, we were hooked.
We booked in for classes there and then.
My first two stamps, was and Azardi Earles, little sheep on wheels, and All night Media, Rabbit in a plane - what was I going to make with these? obscure little stamps, I still have them, can't part with them.
Needless to say, we never did get that name and address stamp, that was about 14 years ago.
Each of us, in my now defunct Red Hats group, had to host a meeting, and one person nvited us all to "learn to stamp". When I got there, there was a demo from SU who taught us. Was immediately hooked. The demo suggested I start my collection with flowers and sentiments, and I also ordered a whole set of the pastel ink pads. Can't recall the names of the sets, fancy happy birthday, thinking of you etc. and some roses (which I now can't find). That was in 1999. The rest as they say, is history...
__________________ My word for the year 2024 is CLEAR
My first stamp was a SU! set called "Swags, Sprays, and Stuff" I think. I went to a friend's party in 1998, telling my husband I was just going to get a little set and 'try it out'. Well, I didn't see any 'little sets' that I loved - but I loved this 'big' set! I bought the Basic Black ink pad and got out my colored pencils, and away I went! I still have and treasure that set. 12 years and a LOT of stamps later, I'm really hooked - so much that people think I'm a demo, but have never been. I am grateful for the chances to create, get together with my stampin' buddies, and bring joy to others!
__________________ Stop in for a visit on my blog: http://clocards.blogspot.com
Find me on facebook: www.facebook.com/CLOcards May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in HIM. Romans 15:13
Wow - I've really enjoyed reading about everyone's first stamp. I think my first stamp was an artichoke. I had just taken my first workshop and had fallen completely in love with stamping. I don't have any idea what I thought I was going to make with the artichoke and I probably only used the poor artichoke stamp once or twice. I just really liked what the teacher had done with the artichoke and so I needed one too. About a year later I started Technique Tuesday and sold the artichoke at a garage sale to make room for our new stamps. And like Rebali said... the rest is history!
I bought my first stamps at a Wal Mart store in Wisconsin to use with a girl I was helping out at the local school. They ere angels. I still have them. about four years ago I brought them out of my crafts supplies and used them. Then I went to a Stampin Up party. I am hooked.
i was invited to a bunch of su parties and i never went, i thought rubber stamps?? so i finally broke down and went to a party. i had fun and my first stamp set was simple wishes. it has 4 stamps. i thought i could make quick birthday cards. i bought 2 stamp pads and some cardstock. my kids told me i would never use the stuff it would sit in the closet. well it's been 6 years and i'm still stamping. i haven't used a store bought card since.
Oh, these entries are priceless. Love all the stories.
I have a story about learning embossing. Back in the late 80s (early 90s ?) we had heard about this technique, and also heard that the new craft heat gun was really expensive! Someone suggested to go to a hardware store (Home Depot?) and purchase a heat gun...I believe to do paint stripping. I still have mine, still emboss with it, and it works perfectly. I think they are about $65 now at Home Depot. I paid $14!
Thanks everyone for sharing your stories. I have enjoyed reading all of them and it seems like, for most of us, it just took that one stamp and we were hooked. Someone mentioned in another thread that this is cheaper than therapy. Definetley more fun!!!! Happy Stamping.
Oh, these entries are priceless. Love all the stories.
I have a story about learning embossing. Back in the late 80s (early 90s ?) we had heard about this technique, and also heard that the new craft heat gun was really expensive! Someone suggested to go to a hardware store (Home Depot?) and purchase a heat gun...I believe to do paint stripping. I still have mine, still emboss with it, and it works perfectly. I think they are about $65 now at Home Depot. I paid $14!
Thank you for bringing back happy, fun memories!
I have the same type of heat gun too!!! Except mine ended up being used for paint stripping... never been the same since lol
My first stamp was a motor home stamp that I bought at a county fair in 1987. I also bought a set of 12 different colored embossing powders that would work with an ink pen and a lightbulb, and a black stamp pad. I used it a few times, then packed it away. In 1993, I went to a SU party and bought a set of stamps (don't remember which set it was) and a bottle of embossing powder. But it didn't work with my lightbulb, so I ended up purchasing a heat gun. Did it for a little while again, then put it aside again. Then about 1998, I met a girl at work who was a SU demo, and this time, it stuck. I refuse to count how many stamps I own, but let's just say that it is well more than I ever thought I would own. Plus all the assorted tools, etc. And yes, I do still have that first motorhome stamp and some of the embossing powders.
I don't remember exactly which stamp set it was but it was Close To My Heart. I had been scrapbooking for awhile and got invited to a party and fell in love with their products. The first stamp that got me into cardmaking however was a Fluffles stamp, I bought it and some gamsol to go with the dozens of Prisma pencils my ex-husband had given to our daughter to color with because he didn't need them anymore! I snatched all of them up (after promising to buy her more!) and learned how to use the Gamsol and my love for card making just exploded.
My first stamp was a unicorn with a rainbow behind it. That was over 20 years ago. I bought it to make stationery with. I still have it but I never use it any more. I outgrew unicorns and teddy bears.
Mine was a Pegasus, also over 20 years ago (and I used to put my cards on a frying pan to emboss instead of holding it over a toaster because we had a toaster oven, which set my projects aflame). I just found the Pegasus stamp the other day in a box in the garage and reluctantly added it to my current collection. I also found my second stamp, which is a cat flying away holding the string of a heart shapes balloon. I remember coveting those stamps and my one blue stamp pad. I don't think I was me back then.
Florence was the Pegasus wood mounted with the old fashion wood handle sticking out by any chance? If so, I think I had the same one. I not sure but it might have been from Inkadinkadoo. I also have the cat holding on the the heart shaped balloon.
Florence was the Pegasus wood mounted with the old fashion wood handle sticking out by any chance? If so, I think I had the same one. I not sure but it might have been from Inkadinkadoo. I also have the cat holding on the the heart shaped balloon.
Yep that was the one. I didn't know Inkadinkado was around back then.
Those were the days, eh?
Florence
What fun... reading all your terrific stories. A friend invited me to her SU party (I think in the mid 90s). The demo drew my name as the person to make a card alongside her. The set was a topiary tree. With her help I made a pretty cool card. So, of course, I had to purchase that set. I get it out now and then. In fact I may do that right now.
By the way... I went with the me friend to a rubber stamp convention at the Tacoma Dome. We bought lots of unmounted red rubber and then I was really hooked. Bought lots of grab-bags of unmounted stamps from eBay. I have not just hundreds, but thousands of stamps. It's not just a hobby. It's an obsession.
