Stamp and Print Workshop January 21st

These are the 3 stamps I made today.  See more of my description below.

Resource book.  You can get this used for about $2.00 on Amazon.  Traci Bunkers in the author.

Cynthia is demonstrating how to use the tools.

Cynthia Vose:  printer, stamper, book maker, and multi media specialist

We had a great workshop this morning in the art room.  Cynthia had a "bag of goodies" for each of us.   And SO much fun.  Be sure to check out that resource book I show above if you are all interested in hand made stamps.  Most of Traci's are made of buttons and paper clips and found objects galore. (not just carved ones.)  Example: she takes an old foam roller and puts rubber bands around it and uses it as a print maker. And I ALMOST threw an old sponger roller away.  OH NO!    

The class wanted to know how to carve stamps as well and so we got a demo from our fearless leader. Cynthia likes to use Blick's Easy Cut Carving block which is thick and easy to carve (on both sides).  It is somewhat flexible but she warns you need to be careful because they can break if bent too much.  She urges you to use double sided tape to tape it to a block of wood for stamping.  

She also carves using Speedball's Speedy Carve blocks (they come in pink) and Speedball's Speedy cut Easy which is blue.  You can see I tried the blue.

The roller tool was hand-made by Cynthia's husband cutting up thick dowel and putting nails and cork handles on each end. It works like a brayer.  You use  easy stick foam cut into shapes on it and then run it over paper.  I borrowed someone's crazy edge scissors and a hole punch for mine.  These will peel off and you can add different ones.

My prints were using Zentangle designs...Brabs and Jalousie.  Most people did flowers, butterflies, and geometric designs. But you know me!  :-)  Cynthia had to throw us out at noon.