By Sirena Van Schaik
When it comes to invitations there really is no limit to the designs you can find, the quality of paper or the images that you can flood them with. There are hundreds of card companies out there with thousands of invitations to choose from. You can go with time honoured designs or branch out into a new area and use a card that is designed for anything, from blank note cards to children’s birthdays.
But one type of invitation that has become a popular choice for many crafty hostesses out there is the hand stamped invitation.
When I was 16, a close friend of mine raved about rubber stamping and how she wanted to create a business completely around them. I have to admit that I looked at her with a peculiar tint to my eye and wondered how on earth you could start a business with rubber stamps. On top of that, I stared at her embossed images and could see absolutely no use for them so when it came to crafts, we both went our separate ways.
Fast forward 12 years and you would have found me happily stamping the birth announcements for my second son. I realized something much later than my friend had, stamping can be an enjoyable endeavour and there is a strong sense of pride when you create a card that has everyone gasping over how exquisite it is.
Stamping has come a long way from the closely guarded secret to being a very popular and mainstream craft that is enjoyed by everyone of all ages. It is easy to do and you don’t need a degree in art to create some beautiful masterpieces, all you need are the proper supplies and a little bit of know how. In this article, I hope to give you that know-how but it will be up to you to get the supplies.
What you will need:
- Several sheets of different colored card stock, 8.5” x 11”.
- A straight edged cutter
- Stamp ink
- Stamps
- Embellishments (these can be a anything from ribbons to brads to stickers, check out the scrapbooking aisle in your local craft store)
- Glue stick or double sided tape
- Envelopes
A few tips before we begin:
When it comes to choosing your supplies there are a few tips that I felt I should share. First, you will want to purchase glue that is acid free, glue stick is great for some things while double sided tape is excellent for making assembly of the layered paper much faster. I use both and it really depends upon the weight of the paper or if I am using heavy embellishments.
In regards to the quality of the glue stick, don’t feel like you have to purchase the expensive craft glue stick that you find in craft stores. The best glue stick I have ever used is the no name brand that comes 2 in a pack for $1.29. I had my doubts originally but the other glue sticks were just not holding properly so I gave the no name brand a chance. I prefer it for making cards although I will go back to the crafters glue stick when mounting photos. |