February is carving month!

It's February! This month I decided I wanted to work on a new project, rubber stamp carving. Which is funny because I have a TON of stamp sets I want to sell on ebay!! I will be working on that this month too... promise.

In the meantime, I want to do a little bit of stamp carving this month. I have been seeing classes offered online, but I already know the basics (and have the tools) - I just need to get in and give it a go!  I'm going to aim for one new stamp a day (*cough*) and will post at the end of the week what I have done. :0)

So, here we go.... Day 1

Here is the picture of my tools: I don't like having to change out my blades so instead of having just one handle, with interchangeable blades, I have a few and only change them when I really really need to.

These are the blocks I'll be using. I had some of the 'pink stuff' a long time ago - but it seems more crumbly and didn't hold up well, so it's worth it to me to pay a little bit more for these brands.

Next, finding a design. I don't want anything so intricate that I make myself insane. Geometric designs are always good, curves are hard and thin lines are hard to work with as well.

I like this one, I probably won't keep the little dot in the center though. (yea, I know what I said above about curves and thin lines... I don't care, I like this one!) Now to transfer the pattern. I don't mind that the design ends up being reversed, so I copy it as I see it. If you want it to print like you see it, then you need to transfer it backwards onto your block. I lightly pencil it on with a dull but dark graphite pencil, you don't want to make grooves in the rubber yet...

Carve it out! Keep the black and cut away everything else. 

The last step is to make a test print and then cut away anything you don't like. I actually love it on the very first print. I'm afraid if I try and correct anything too small, I'll end up making it worse. I keep reminding myself, this is a handmade stamp!! It needs to look handmade, not perfect like it was manufactured- because then, what's the point?!

Yea! High Five!! The first one is done :0) Does this look like something you'd like to try?