The Zodiac? Here in Sacramento??? Yay, I can't wait! :-D

I think we finally found our set of carving tools at the Folsom
Michael's, after an extensive tour (though not quite as much as
yours). Used to be that you could just order stuff on their website,
but they've removed the shopability (dumb move, you ask me).

--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, Doublesaj@a... wrote:
> After much searching, I've finally found the tools of the trade
(evidently
> California is NOT the rubber stamp carving capitol of America).
Michael's
> reportedly had the carving tools but I'd been to at least 12
Michael's stores
> before I found a store that carried them (don't give up!) Also,
since I'm a
> quilter and am always in a fabric store, I tried the gray "fabric
eraser"
> which worked beautifully!!
>
> With very little artistic skill, I mustered my courage last night
and began
> what I hoped would be a series of Lb's I intend to plant in the
Sacramento
> area: 12 Letterboxes of the Zodiac.
>
> So, starting with Aries the Ram, I began to carve the gray mound
like buhtta.
> I have to say, carving is even more ADDICTIVE than Letterboxing
itself!! It
> turned out SOOO much better than I expected that I carved a
Taurus, then a
> Gemini--at which point I stopped not wanting to burn myself out!
My family
> have always said I'm just easily entertained but I'm telling you,
if anything
> has been keeping you from trying to carve your own stamp, Just Do
It!! It's
> practically instant gratification and at worst, even if your
stamps aren't
> suitable for the Smithsonian (!) you'll want to plant them
somewhere
> wonderful for us to find.
>
> Woo-Hoo!!
> ~~Doublesaj & Old Blue~~
> P3 F14 V5 A7
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Jennie and Doublesaj (& Old Blue),

I also found my first stamp carving materials at the local Michael's
in Pasadena (CA), and carved my first stamp. But I found materials I
liked better at The Art Store. They not only had various Speedball
cutters, but also a carving material called SPEEDY-CUT carving block
(by Speedball), which, though more delicate than the "pink stuff," is
much easier to carve. Carving is a breeze with this stuff; you just
need to glue it to a wood backing, since it's more delicate.

--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "Jennie" wrote:
>
> The Zodiac? Here in Sacramento??? Yay, I can't wait! :-D
>
> I think we finally found our set of carving tools at the Folsom
> Michael's, after an extensive tour (though not quite as much as
> yours). Used to be that you could just order stuff on their
website,
> but they've removed the shopability (dumb move, you ask me).
>
> --- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, Doublesaj@a... wrote:
> > After much searching, I've finally found the tools of the trade
> (evidently
> > California is NOT the rubber stamp carving capitol of America).
> Michael's
> > reportedly had the carving tools but I'd been to at least 12
> Michael's stores
> > before I found a store that carried them (don't give up!) Also,
> since I'm a
> > quilter and am always in a fabric store, I tried the gray "fabric
> eraser"
> > which worked beautifully!!
> >
> > With very little artistic skill, I mustered my courage last night
> and began
> > what I hoped would be a series of Lb's I intend to plant in the
> Sacramento
> > area: 12 Letterboxes of the Zodiac.
> >
> > So, starting with Aries the Ram, I began to carve the gray mound
> like buhtta.
> > I have to say, carving is even more ADDICTIVE than Letterboxing
> itself!! It
> > turned out SOOO much better than I expected that I carved a
> Taurus, then a
> > Gemini--at which point I stopped not wanting to burn myself out!
> My family
> > have always said I'm just easily entertained but I'm telling you,
> if anything
> > has been keeping you from trying to carve your own stamp, Just Do
> It!! It's
> > practically instant gratification and at worst, even if your
> stamps aren't
> > suitable for the Smithsonian (!) you'll want to plant them
> somewhere
> > wonderful for us to find.
> >
> > Woo-Hoo!!
> > ~~Doublesaj & Old Blue~~
> > P3 F14 V5 A7
> >
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I had such a difficult time trying to finding carving material in
the Bay Area. After weeks of searching, I just order from Blick
Studio.

Monica

"Jennie" wrote:
>
> The Zodiac? Here in Sacramento??? Yay, I can't wait! :-D
>
> I think we finally found our set of carving tools at the Folsom
> Michael's, after an extensive tour (though not quite as much as
> yours). Used to be that you could just order stuff on their
website,
> but they've removed the shopability (dumb move, you ask me).
>
> --- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, Doublesaj@a... wrote:
> > After much searching, I've finally found the tools of the trade
> (evidently
> > California is NOT the rubber stamp carving capitol of America).
> Michael's
> > reportedly had the carving tools but I'd been to at least 12
> Michael's stores
> > before I found a store that carried them (don't give up!) Also,
> since I'm a
> > quilter and am always in a fabric store, I tried the
gray "fabric
> eraser"
> > which worked beautifully!!
> >
> > With very little artistic skill, I mustered my courage last
night
> and began
> > what I hoped would be a series of Lb's I intend to plant in the
> Sacramento
> > area: 12 Letterboxes of the Zodiac.
> >
> > So, starting with Aries the Ram, I began to carve the gray mound
> like buhtta.
> > I have to say, carving is even more ADDICTIVE than Letterboxing
> itself!! It
> > turned out SOOO much better than I expected that I carved a
> Taurus, then a
> > Gemini--at which point I stopped not wanting to burn myself out!
> My family
> > have always said I'm just easily entertained but I'm telling
you,
> if anything
> > has been keeping you from trying to carve your own stamp, Just
Do
> It!! It's
> > practically instant gratification and at worst, even if your
> stamps aren't
> > suitable for the Smithsonian (!) you'll want to plant them
> somewhere
> > wonderful for us to find.
> >
> > Woo-Hoo!!
> > ~~Doublesaj & Old Blue~~
> > P3 F14 V5 A7
> >
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]