FROM THE MAILBAG:  Q. I cannot buy only discontinued stamps?  This is the craziest thing I have ever heard!!!  I buy from many online companies and have never encountered this before!!  Take me off your newsletter list please.  - Mona A. I guess this is more of a comment than a question, but the answer is: No, we are not able to fill orders for just discontinued stamps.  Fortunately we have only had one reaction like Mona's, however, we have had a number of people asking us to forego our minimum order requirement and ship them just one stamp.  So, I thought I would take this opportunity to explain the rational behind our ordering restrictions.  We have set the minimum order at $25 Canadian or $20 (US), because we estimate that is our breakeven point.  On orders less than that, we begin to pay more in wages to process an order than we make from selling our stamps.  This is likewise true with regards to filling an order for just discontinued stamps; we cannot pay someone to process small orders of stamps that are discounted by 50% without losing money on the transaction.  It really is just that simple.   Q. I am new to stamping.  Do I want mounted or unmounted stamps?  What is the difference?   A. This is a question I get quite often from people new to stamping, but it is a good question in general.  What are the advantages of each and which is right for you?  Mounted stamps are the stamps you see in stores.  The rubber stamp is mounted on a hard maple block of wood.  A cushion with adhesive on both sides is used to secure the rubber to the wooden block.  The cushion compensates for any imperfections in the stamp and/or the stamping surface you are working on.   When you purchase Unmounted stamps, you buy just the rubber stamp image.  When you want to stamp with it, you temporarily 'mount' it to a clear acrylic block (plastic).  When you first get your unmounted stamps you need to prepare them for temporary mounting.  You prepare them by sticking them on adhesive cushion and cutting them out with a pair of scissors.  Then you just stick them on cling vinyl and they are ready to use.  The static electricity of the cling vinyl is what holds the stamp to the clear block each time you stamp.  The advantages of the system are:  Your stamps cost less than half to buy,  You can see through the clear block to place your image exactly where you want it,  You can store your stamps in notebooks on sheets of plastic, which takes up much less space and "travel" very well, and  It is more environmentally friendly.  Mature Eastern Maple, which is the standard in the stamp industry is not a renewable resource at the pace we are currently using it up.   (Click here for a more thorough explanation of the Cling System) So, if you are ordering one or two stamps and do not see yourself getting into the hobby, I would advise sticking with mounted stamps.  However, if you have a number of stamps already or see yourself getting into stamping or scrapbooking, I would recommend trying the unmounted system.  If you buy about three stamps your purchase will be about the same cost for either mounted or unmounted and the materials to get you started.  However, after that with the system, all your stamps will be less than half price.  It is not for everybody, and occasionally we will have someone who goes go back to mounted stamps.  However, our typical response is like Marguerite: Dear Steve        Hi there !    Just a note to let you know how pleased I am with all the new stamps I purchased on Saturday. It took such a short time to mount them on to the cling vinyl and it really was easy to cushion and trim the others. I have already made several new cards with the stamps. I would also like to thank you for showing us your workshop we found it very interesting. I can hardly wait to make future purchases.        Marguerite     p.s. Everyone has always said "There is nothing like holding a wooden stamp in your hand but I must tell you how enjoyable it is to be able to see where I'm REALLY placing my stamps...Love the acrylic blocks !

ASK EMILY: Many stampers play around with trying to sell their cards as a small business venture.   Emily Hull is one of the few that I have seen who has been very successful at it.   She is also the artist behind many of the original images in our line.  You are welcome to direct questions to her.  She will not be able to answer each one personally, however, she will pick one and address it here.  So, just Ask Emily! A Tribute to Green Last Friday, Trudy and I enjoyed a beautiful, sunny spring afternoon in downtown Victoria. We shopped all afternoon, dawdling in and out of little clothing boutiques, card shops, funky home décor stores, and a major department store. Whenever Trudy and I have the opportunity to visit, we make an effort not to talk business. However, it inevitably comes up. We’re constantly looking to see what’s happening in the world of design, and how we can apply it to the business. On this particular outing, we were struck by the color Green. It’s popping up everywhere, in every imaginable shade…lime, aquamarine, apple, mint, pea, seafoam, olive, and our favorite, chartreuse. When we finally found a quaint little coffeehouse, we sat in the sun enjoying our lattes and reflected on the color green. This month, I’ve decided to showcase our latest stamps. I’m really excited about our new stamps, and definitely digging the green! All of these cards have been created using collage techniques. I picked a color scheme (greens, purples, and some red) and then glued a variety of elements onto cardstock. I’ve stamped the new stamps in Moss Green, Eggplant, Velvet and Cranberry Color Box ink. I didn’t emboss anything this time around, as I think the images look great on there own. I created the background in this card by using acrylic paint, scraped lightly across watercolor paper. Once dried, I stamped the Bloom in cranberry. Life is green…it symbolizes nature, growth, renewal & health. Enjoy Spring! -Emily If you have a question for Emily, email her at oldisland@saltspring.com.

 

THE WEBSITE:  I have added 14 'new' stamps to the Latest Images page.  The three engraved blooms and the definition stamps make for a completely new look that Emily has come up with.  I know I am bias, but the cards that she and Trudy have made with them are really impressive.  There are also a number of Emily Hull originals like her Tall Cat and Beach Scene.  We are very pleased to have four new Salt Spring Island artists join us this year.  Bert Small's Choo Choo Train is the first of three of his images we are developing.  I will be adding to the Latest Images page over the coming weeks, so do check back to have a look at more fresh art!  On the Drawing Board I have put three more of Bert's drawings for you to have a look at.  Bert has worked and painted all over North America.  Regional influences are very evident in his work.  Have a look and don't forget to let use know what you think...we want to hear from you. I have up-dated the downloadable catalogue.  I have taken out all of the discontinued stamps.  So, if you are interested in them, you will have to view them on-line.  Half of the very latest images are in the new catalogue, and I will provide an update to download soon.  Also, I guess no one has been reading back issues of the newsletter, because I had forgotten to put the links to the last three issues.  Those are in place now.   Happy Stamping!  - Steve Mueller