All You Need is EVOL

March 21, 2007 in Uncategorized

Or, “Stamp Carving For Dummies”, written by the dummy herself.

One morning I woke up and decided I was going to TAKE OVER THE WORLD! But then I heard that g was doing that , and I knew she would probably be just fine on her own, so I decided I would just carve some stamps instead. So I went down to my “studio” , aka the basement or as my sh likes to call it, The Dump, and I got out the carving tools that I just HAD to have. Of course, they had been languishing in the dump for a few months by now. I got out the cute white erasers that I HAD to have, said erasers also languishing in the basement longer than the aforementioned tools. I thought a cool “LOVE ” stamp would be fun, so I sketched it out on top of my eraser and then went to work with the carving tools.

VOILA! My very first hand-carved stamp! I was so proud of myself!

How cool is that!

Then, I got out an inkpad and stamped it!

You idiot!!!! You have to carve it backwards!!! So, I got out another eraser (yes, I hoard erasers too), and went to work with my tools.

Ok, looks good so far. So I inked it up and….

I did it! Boy, just think of all the money i’m going to save! So I immediately went out and spent $14.00 on carving blocks to go with my $20.00 tools.

It says on the package that they cut “like Butter”. Well, I wouldn’t know because my tools are lost somewhere in The Dump.

So now with all this talk of sardine stamping and cork-carving, I’ve got the itch to carve some more, but I still can’t find the Damn Tools. I’m sure you’re all thinking (especially g), “why doesn’t she just use an x-acto knife?” Well, after my little incident last fall with an x-acto knife and a cowboy boot, I try to limit my x-acto knife use to PAPER ONLY. See picture below:

And that is my stamp-carving story. Any questions?

27 comments

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March 21, 2007 at 10:27 pm

jan

great story……too funny, well, except for the stitches! O.K. That is totally funny, too!!!

March 21, 2007 at 10:28 pm

jan

p.s. great dump!

March 21, 2007 at 11:19 pm

hey, i posted a really LONG comment that didn’t take!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

anyhoo, i’ll try to remember what I said…NOPE. can’t.

so, which part of the cowboy boot caused that kind of a cut? the heel or toe?

great job on the stamp R. EVOL can be your pet name for people you can’t stand. Call them the “evol” ones. you can stamp their mail with that stamp…that would be just too funny. they would spend days trying to figure out what it means and why you stamped that word backwards. Just a thought. I know that’s what I would do!

I agree with Jan. Funny story, except the stitches. AND i agree with her again, that that is totally funny too! sorry. you don’t seem to be getting ANY sympathy!! what kind of beeatch gp’s are we Jan???????????

March 21, 2007 at 11:41 pm

mistygold33

hey r great job!
One night a lonnng time ago. I was at what g had at her store called “studio night”
Where you would just go and scrzp all night. Well she did a demo on carving stamps. So as you know what g does we all want to do. So everyone at that evening goes and picks up the carving tools and carving blocks and we precede to make a stamp. Mine was so fing pathetic I threw it out!
I still have the tools in my “dump”
I ythink I will have to dig them out as your stamp turned out awesome!!!!
I probably would have done it backwards the first time too!

By the way…
Just for you R my new post is up!
later,
t
Oh ya and I have tons of stitch photos also! sad hey!
Yours looks owwie!
later gps!
t
🙂

March 21, 2007 at 11:50 pm

Tammy, was that the “breathe” stamP????? you didn’t throw it out!!!!! everyone’s turned out GREAT! You are just too hard on yourself. remember the night I carved a stamp at another studio night when i tried to convince everyone to stand around watching? everyone bailed and the only one left was Martina? She got the stamp. I LOVED the way it turned out. it was a flourish in about a 4×4 size. took me an hour so it was quite detailed.

don’t know if you were there that night. it was hilarious because when I gave Martina the stamp, everyone starting complaining that “had they known they had a chance to get the stamp…blah blah blah”

i’m off to check out your blog now.

March 22, 2007 at 12:21 am

mistygold33

Ha Ha that is the stamp! mine was so friggin ugly!!!
I was not there the night Martina got your stamp. I can just imagine that it was beautiful!!!
I still havent used those tools or carved my block!
t

March 22, 2007 at 1:15 am

jan

hmmmmmmm…….I am so totally lost…what is a block? is it what you make the stamp out of?

Now g, I think we better be really nice….we don’t want to get EVOL stamped on our mail!!!!!!!
🙂

March 22, 2007 at 9:10 am

vintagegirlmodernworld

You are all EVOL beeatch’s for laughing at me! 😉 Just kidding! Altering a cowboy boot with an x-acto knife is dangerous enough, but doing it and talking on the cell phone at the same time is the epitome of STUPID. I guess I’m just not good at multi-tasking, ha ha.

Yes Jan, the block is actually what you carve your stamp out of. Thanks for your compliment on The Dump. My wallet and I have worked very hard on that. I feel that I have achieved crafting feng shui perfection. NOT.

hmm g, sounds like you had some “whiners” at the sj that night. Maybe we should send them some EVOL mail.

t, love the new post!

Who’s had the most stitches? I am currently at seven, but the doctor that took them out said I could have used a few more.

March 22, 2007 at 11:50 am

mistygold33

Oh bd,
Thanks for the compliment!
I would EVOL to see the cowboy boot! Got a pic????
Stitches…
Ive had…
4 in my toe, 8stitches and 15 staples on my stomach, 8 in my knee, 2 in my nose, 2 in my hand, 6 in my mouth, oh no 1ve had more in my mouth..at least 6 more then my 6 for my surgery. Do I win??????

Ha ha I never realized I had that many! I sound like a wreck!!!
Iam going to have to do a page! Ha ha ha!!!

Hope everyone has a great day!
t

March 22, 2007 at 12:53 pm

margot

That is exactly the kind of crap I do every day…we are so kindred it’s scary.
I made a purse for my last book that took two days…then I realized as I bent my last rhinestong prong down that I had spelled Mistress as Misstress…which my husband said stood for Miss Stress. Ergh.

I want an EVOL stamp! Maybe your tools are buried with Jimmy Hoffa. My kid says I forget everything which is why I bought discount Gingko Biloba last night. Now if I could just remember where the hell I put it…

Maggie McSpazmuffin.

March 22, 2007 at 2:06 pm

lisam in spain

so just so everybody knows, I am still down at the last post talking to myself!!!

******
great story, rebecca! and love your Dump!!!!
I wish I had a Dump. Hell, I wish I had a basement.
I could try to dig one, but I don’t think the elderly couple who live below us would appreciate that.
Only the filthy rich in Spain have basements, and the house that goes with them. And actually most of them are where they park their cars…so not evey THEY have basements. We are a basementless country. Just think–all those teenagers that have nowhere to go and hang out and watch movies and do naughty things with their dates…it’s a sad thing. Alot of teenage frustration could probably be channeled if they just built some basements into these apartment complexes…I tell ya!!
Then again, might not be good for the baby boom. anyho.

That Mastercarve stuff looks so COOL–gonna try and track me some down here at the craft store…

I love this homemade stamp stuff.
HEY r-BD, we could even include homemade stamps as part of our library card SWAP project…it could include a stamp of some form that we make ourselves.
Don’t want to put any pressure on anyone, just thinking it would be good motivation for us to do some…BUT wear CHAIN MAIL GLOVES, everybody okay?

Heh heh, I’m cracking up here cuz JUST TODAY at the dollar store, I bought two more big Milan white erasers, to add to the other medium sized Milan erasers I had already bought at another dollar store and have done nothing with yet…but I JUST HAD TO HAVE THEM there and ready in case I all of the sudden had this huge URGE to carve a stamp and godforbid not having a stamp there ready when that happens!!

T, that’s a funny story, about g’s store…
I love your ironic sense of humour, g.
I can see how some people would get their panties in a knot, but I can totally relate to it.
Makes life more interesting!
Makes people PAY ATTENTION!! 😉
I can just see g there, for an HOUR, carving away some amazing work of art stamp!

T, you totally win with the skin sewing.
you SHOULD do a page! that would be so funny.

r, I love that EVOL expression. We should follow up with something on that…t-shirts or something. That’s so funny. It’s totally obvious if you know what it represents, and yet totally encoded if you don’t:
Maybe we should have the “EVOL SCRAPPERS CLUB, for “directionally challenged crafty people”!!!
I see a logo!!

okay, gotta go, Annie is ranting for me to come put on some video…Cheers, everyone!!

March 22, 2007 at 9:52 pm

vintagegirlmodernworld

t,
I think you’ve got the “most stitches” contest all sewn up, ha ha ha ha (c’mon, that was really funny).

Mags,
If I go out and rub myself with some gingko leaves , do you think I ‘ll remember where my carving tools are? At this point I think that would be easier than cleaning up the dump. That is funny about the purse, I always wonder if I should tell people when they misspell something. I hope you guys would tell me (g, I know you would)!

I forgot to tell you guys, there was one good thing about the EVOL stamp. I used it to stamp the second eraser, so I could carve the new one without resketching it! So, who wants an EVOL stamp.

Lisam,
I cannot believe there aren’t any basements in Spain. Where do you put all of your stuff???

March 22, 2007 at 11:50 pm

hey all.
I listened to a couple of the phone calls to the hall of fame winners. they were so nice and polite and deservedly sooooo happy!

so i say to my SH, i say” hey if that Lisa chic called me, how do you think I would repsond if i won the Hall of Fame?”

SH says, “how could you win if you didn’t enter?”

I say, “no IF i did enter and IF i won how do you think i’ld react?”

SH says, “well, you would probably say, “yah, right. WHO the FUCK IS THIS!! FUCK OFF and don’t bother me again you fucking jerk.” and then you would hang up and go change the flat tire on your semi.”

It’s no wonder i don’t enter.

March 23, 2007 at 2:09 am

mistygold33

Just a little fact for ya’ll
G never ever said Fuck the whole time I took classes from her!!!
t

March 23, 2007 at 7:14 am

lisam in spain

Hi, evereebuddeh! TFGIFF!!! (that added emphasis was for g ;))

So I was a lookielooer over on Margot’s blog (wow!) and I just have to invite you all to take a look-listen to her video “musical interlude” from yesterday. I immediately bonded to Margot, after her confessional there at the beginning, as it’s totally “welcome to my world” as well.
Also, her rendition of one of Ernie’s old standards is puuuure genius. I’ll never be able to listen to the song the same way ever again. So talented!

r, “where do we put all our stuff???” …WHAT stuff!?!?!?
Does that explain it? Having STUFF is a luxury of countries with ample living space and who consume lots of products. That’s one thing about North America. Lots of space; lots of stuff. We happen to have a larger apt. and have quite a bit of storage space, but the average family living in a flat has “dick on toast” for extra space.
That’s one thing somebody commented to me about the scrapbooking craze coming into Spain. It may just not ever spread here like in NA cuz people just don’t have ROOM to buy and hord the STUFF and supplies for scrapbooking. The physical space to do it in just isn’t there in people’s lives. Like I see all these people with photos of their “scraping rooms”, and I just laugh to myself…

g, I listened to a few of the calls too, and I had exactly the SAME thought as you–as I listened to L.B. call these women, and their immediate reactions, I was cracking up imagining myself, because I would totally be all “NO FUCKIN WAY!!! FUCK OFF!!!, are you fucking with me!?!?! I am so fucking floored!! THIs is so fuckin amazing!!!…and she would have hung up on me already.
There would be no way in hell that I would be able to curb my language in such a moment as that…Impossible.
That’s so funny, how your SH responded, so dead on!

Kristina Contes’ reaction was pretty funny. Hey, I noticed she’s coming to Edmonton for Crop for Kids in October, right?
I am not familiar with all the names and people’s work, however I was really happy for Mou Saha. I had dog-eared her stuff awhile ago. A lot of talent there, and plus, to me it just plain feels nice when its someone who’s emigrated from another country, particularly India, is able to have such a great opportunity and have their talent recognized…She sounds like a very genuine person as well.

So what’s everybody up to this weekend?
We’ve got to bbsit my 1 yr old niece tomorrow during the day. it’s so funny to see my 2-yr old with her younger cousin, all these behaviours come out that I’ve never seen before when she becomes the elder one. And she kisses her all the time and brings her toys and uses this funny little voice with her. So sweet. (that innocent phase, before they start pummeling the crap out of one another with barbie dolls)
And Sunday, what else could it be? a Team Handball game…But my SH always good out there on the court and all us “handball wives” hang out, gossip and eat junkfood, or stuff with chocolate or both (gotta love THAT), and we usually go out for a meal after, so I can’t complain…!!

Have a good one, everybody!

ps. g, you SHOULD enter sometime.
(you could just have a G-rated script ready by the phone in case the call ever comes, you know)

March 23, 2007 at 10:18 am

T, that is sooooo nice of you to tell everyone that!! SERIOUSLY, i do not swear in public NOR around my children. I refrain myself to only those that won’t mind!(or those that i think won’t mind!!!)

I think it all the time when in public and around my children, but i have TONS of personal self control, so, no student of mine will ever hear those bad words in a classroom.

LISA, there is NOT a snowballs chance in hell i would EVER enter that contest. I did once a few years back. i just don’t care that much about those things. IF it was my life, my livelihood, then MAYBE. BUT, i have a successful career FAR FAR removed from scrapbooking and the chances of ME EVER being a HoF’r is SLIM to absolutely NONE!!

I just gotta make some mula (money) so i can retire in Spain and live in a dinky apt. :0)

i won’t be around all weekend. Will be off creating and chumming with my BD’s b/c SH and PITAS gone on a hockey tourney.

have a good one everyone!

March 23, 2007 at 1:26 pm

mistygold33

Hey all,
Iam going to the States this weekend to shop! Yah!!1 Any places I shouldnt miss?

Hey g or lisa could you post a link to the calls? Thanks!
Hope everyone has a great day!
T

March 23, 2007 at 1:26 pm

mistygold33

hEY R,
R U GOING TO POST THAT BOOT?
hI jANASS!
T

March 23, 2007 at 3:02 pm

lisam in spain

sounds like a blast, g! have fun with your girls…!

yah, having had my daughter has really put a lid on my potty mouth. the only time I have a hard time restraining myself is when I drop stuff out of the fridge, or mame and burn myself while cooking etc. I’ve already heard her say “OH SIT!!!” a couple of times, and the equivalent of the f-word in Spanish a couple of times too!!

ps. yah, come retire to Spain and we can sit on the beach every day and drink champagne sangria and talk like sailors…Harrrrrr! ANyone else who’d like to is welcome!

Have a good weekend, all! 🙂

March 23, 2007 at 3:19 pm

lisam in spain

here ya go, T:
http://www.creatingkeepsakes.com/contests/hall_of_fame/

just click on the name and it opens into a new Quicktime window-takes a couple secs to load…

Have fun in the States! Don’t buy anything I wouldn’t buy! 😉 heh heh

March 23, 2007 at 3:22 pm

lisam in spain

HEy, I almost FORGOT!
I made a STAMP this afternoon!!
Used a Milan white eraser–wooow, there’s something really addictive about using the exacto knife and cutting into that buttery eraser!!

Nothing really intricate yet: I made a couple of “boot prints” cuz I want to do some on my SH’s bday invitations I have to send out next week.
I think I might do a tree stamp too…we’ll see.
If it looks good, I’ll share.
If it sucks, I WONT 😉 har har!!!

ciao for now, gps!!

March 23, 2007 at 9:59 pm

vintagegirlmodernworld

Lisam, I want to see that stamp immediately! Email and I will post a pic so we can ooo and aah. Then we can all toast your artistic genius with some champagne sangria.
g, sounds like a fun weekend. I have to make 14 ATC’s to take to Ranger next week and I just haven’t had any inspiration yet. Hopefully something will hit me over the weekend! Preferably not a tractor trailer driven by a cussing attorney, bah ha ha! 😉
t, what did you buy???

March 24, 2007 at 12:05 am

mistygold33

Hey r,
Iam going tomorrow! Any suggestions?
t

March 24, 2007 at 11:41 am

vintagegirlmodernworld

just don’t buy anything yummy!

March 24, 2007 at 12:50 pm

jan

ha ha ha ha……r……..you totally make me laugh!

March 26, 2007 at 9:00 pm

margert