Why Stamps?
When I was operating my business as Maggie Bags I came across velvet embossing and loved it. (The items I made from embossed velvet also sold quite well.) I found that there were not many makers of large and bold rubber stamp images to be found. I also wanted images that were "reverse-value" from most of the stamps on the market:
Think of using black ink for stamping on paper: the raised part of the image picks up the ink and so prints as black. Most stamps meant for paper are made up of lines or dots that offer the outline and perhaps some shading for the image. Most of the image is typically "open". For embossing on velvet, what is raised presses down the velvet fibers, resulting in a lighter area than the rest of the velvet - so you typically want the image to be made up of larger raised areas for the most dramatic effect.
Many "regular" rubber stamp images can translate to velvet, but detail can be lost and stamps that are not deeply etched result in muddied images on the velvet. I wanted a greater variety of images made specifically with velvet in mind. I looked images for use on shawls, scarves and pillows, and even as frame-able art, so I started hand-carving my own stamps. I purchased Teflon iron shoes for my iron so that I could have a larger pressing surface.
I decided that there is room out there in the "marketplace" for the kind of images I was hoping to find. I researched and started designing and creating my own stamps for sale. My partner, Loden, is also an artist and has a way with Celtic and other kinds of art which makes for wonderful images. I have wanted to turn his art into stamps for years. Currently, all artwork is by one or the two of us.
What I love about rubber stamps is their versatility and the wonderful, creative and resourceful uses they are put to by people who would not otherwise consider themselves "artistic". Some of the creations I have seen are truly jaw dropping. Designing and creating stamps allows us to get our images "out there", but with a plus - this medium makes those images practical, interactive, malleable... I love to see what others do with the stamps and look forward to seeing how this venture develops.
If you are a crafter and use our stamps - please get in touch with us. We'd love to see what you create and possibly post your images in our Gallery.