Crab Manor

All stamps - A Muse; Inks - Memento, Colorbox, CTMH; Copics & Spicas; Marvy Punch; Sponge Dauber - CTMH

Ok, I admit it - I'm partial to A Muse Art Stamps.........I can't help it, they're so darned cute, I love the sentiments and they compliment other stamps so well. I am an A Muse Addict (yes, I've joined THAT group too). But I like to think that more than anything, I APPRECIATE stamps - I understand the power that I hold in my hand in what non-stampers see as just a block of wood and some etched rubber (or a block of acrylic and some clear photopolymer). But we stampers....WE know and are awed by the power of the simple rubber stamp and we embrace the challenge of harnessing that massively powerful energy and responsibility. In our hands, we hold the key to happiness - both our own and for others....whew - WOW, things got a little foggy there for a minute and I think I heard a swelling of very intense music in the background - did anyone else get goosebumps??? YIKES, the power of stamps!!

Anyhow, getting back to my original point (yes, I did have one).....I like several stamp companies, to name a few: A Muse Art Stamps, The Cat's Pajamas, CTMH, Hero Arts, Impression Obsession, Memory Box, Papertrey Ink, Savvy, Stampin' Up - I would consider these my favorites and aside from Papertrey (they're relatively new on the scene), most have been around for a while. They have definitely created their own little fan-bases for sure.

Change - how open to it are we? I have to admit, when the first "clear" stamps came down the pike (and I'm not talking about the thin clear stamps that would tear if you looked at them too hard), I was NOT impressed. Yuck - I have to "semi-assemble" them EVERY time I want to stamp? I have to keep track of CLEAR blocks and CLEAR stamps - has anyone seen my mountain of chaos that I laughingly call my desk??? Puuuhleeeease - I am SO sure - this is NOT going to happen - and then it did because CTMH came out with only clear stamps. Dang, what was I to do? Abandon the company that I been intensely involved in for nearly 10 years?? So I did what nearly any stamper woud do - I purchased the new clear-clingy-no-cushion-no-where stamps and had them neatly organized in containers....and never used them. Because they scared me......... A LOT. Ok, ok, NOW it seems silly - being scared of a little stamp (geez, I out-weigh it by.....well, by a lot - you get the point). But it was such a different way to stamp and there was a very definitely different feel to it and now there was at least another step to do before I could get the image onto paper and blah, blah, blah.

Now? Now I LOVE clear stamps, I'm begging all of the companies to go clear.....I snatch up nearly every clear set that the above-mentioned companies offer and I want MORE - MORE I TELL YOU!!

So Kath - what WAS the point anyway? My point is this: while I've showcased mostly A Muse Art Stamps, I love others too and in the stamping world, I know that we're all on the same page (actually cardstock...but let's not get technical), and we can all appreciate what so many different companies have to offer.....that's all - really....

Enjoy the VARIETY - cheers!!