In an apparent effort to leave no form of art media behind, Thomas Kinkade works are now being made as rubber stamps.

Craft Critique has a review of these new stamps.

Blogger Petal Bells shows how to make a faux fresco with rubber stamps and watercolors in her blog post “Faux Fresco.” Cooll stuff.

Blogger Bo has some neat ideas for some Artist Trading Cards involving fish scenes: “Fishy Set of ATCs.”

Although some of the ideas do involve using rubber stamps, honestly, it’s “The Entertainer” playing in the background that gets her the link.

Blogger Amy Ybarra Murphy (Craft Chi) has a way to create some cool treads on your threads: “Sneaker Stamps.”

That’s right: use your sneakers for stamping. That’s one way to stomp your art out!

Combine with a stencil (as shown in her blog entry) to create patterns in different shapes. Or, use ‘em plain and let the world know you’re its stepping stone. Ask for time off because you got walked on during the commute to work. Or, just get extra use out of those overpriced shoes that didn’t last six months.

Don’t have any old shoes? Go here and buy some cheap shoes.

Rubber stamping can be great, productive fun. Once you get in “the zone,” it can even be therapeutic. Stamping Therapy, as blogger Jenn D titled her most recent blog entry.

Just don’t overdue it, or you can fall into “craft overload,” as blogger Little Ol’ Me calls it.

You’ve got to find the right balance. Rubber stamping can be something you do alone or with family or friends. Depends on what you enjoy the most, as well as whether your friends and family enjoy it too!

Either way, it can take your mind off the worries of the day. Just ink and stamp, stamp and ink. Snip, snip. Not sure what sound glue would make, but imagine that at this point. Snip, snip. Punch, punch, punch. And, at this point, I’d rather be stamping than writing…

Skye Hawk, NAR Certified REPA has a list of some creative ways to use your business card.

Of course, we like #10, which can include embellishing them with rubber stamps. Or, be hip, and say you’re pimping your cards with rubber stamps.

Kathy Cano Murillo of the Arizona Republic has a great article on decorating your luggage. In addition to rubber stamps, you can use foam stamps, paint, stencils and other materials.

It can be a great project for the whole family!

Source: “Painted-on decorations give luggage a snazzy new look”
The Honolulu Advertiser, July 7, 2007

Blogger helen7haden has an excellent post on planning and organizing your scrapbooking needs, include whether or not you want to be a “documenter” or a “scrapper.” Personally, I prefer the term “archivist” over documenter. Anyway, the post is an excellent one with a lot of useful information: “Archiving Our Families.”

My preference for scrapbooking is using standard 8-1/2″ x 11″ paper (non-U.S. readers should use the standard size in their country). You can use standard 3-ring binders and decorate them anyway you like. You can even get the ones with the see-through covers that let you slip in your own front and back covers and spine.

The advantage of using standard sized paper is that you can get copies made easily as well as scan the pages into your computer more easily. What happens when it is time to pass the scrapbook down to the next generation and more than one person wants it? (And, more than one person should have a copy in order to maintain your family memories.)

By using standard size paper, you can make extra copies or scan them into the computer and eMail or save them to CD or DVD. If you save your scrapbook in multiple ways, there are more opportunities for it to survive into the future.

Happy Fourth of July!

Here’s a great idea: “learn more about Ohio” while searching for rubber stamps. Letterboxing is a fun, and sometimes challenging!, activity that can also be an enjoyable learning experience. It began in England, and has now spread to North America.

It can be a worthwhile family activity, or something to do with a friend or by yourself.

Here’s a link to a source of all things copyright: “U.S. Copyright Office - Law and Policy” Well, maybe not all things, but pretty comprehensive regardless. And, that’s U.S. copyright; international readers, your mileage may vary.