CarvedStamps Blog

It’s actually Freecycle that I thank. I recently saw a posting from someone who was giving away craft magazines and thought it would be great to pick them up and add them to an Iraq package.   When I arrived at the home to collect them it ended up being someone I knew but hadn’t seen for quite some time.   We sat on her porch, watched the sunset, and talked politics.  Without “Freecycle” I would have missed some great magazines and an enjoyable evening with an old friend.

Remember when I suggested that sending craft supplies to Iraq would add “color” to the lives of our soldiers?  I really didn’t expect it to happen quite so literally……..look at the photograph I just received! Apparently everything turned ORANGE during a sand storm!!!!!

Dust storm turns Iraq red

Hi Everybody!!

BE SURE TO SEE THE PICTURES AT THE END OF THIS MESSAGE!!   Since my last entry I’ve met ( in person and virtually) some really generous and kind-hearted crafters who have opened their hearts and craft drawers in support of “Art in Iraq”!!!.  THANK YOU!!!!!!!  I will be sending FOUR parcels to Iraq today!!!!!!!!!!!!!  They are FILLED with so many wonderful supplies.  When I was putting them together I couldn’t help but compare the stark gray sandy landscape of Iraq with all those vivid colors and textures I was putting in the boxes.  I have to think that it must be like a breath of fresh air when they arrive!! I’ve never thought of sharing love, caring and support in the giving of color before today.  However, all I did was package wonderful things, go to the post office, and feel good.  Here are the people who provided the colors with their time and money.

Most recent donors:

Don Zimmer - friend, Seattle art instructor

Karen Kincaid - friend

Clive Woodhouse - husband and volunteer in shipping and handling

Shelley Burnett - friend

Margaret Dessell - friend, Artist Trading Card hostess and supporter of the arts

Elizabeth Freitas and her California crafters group - Nancy Whitney, Suzi Davey, Ann Mueller and Peggy Perry - Friends and supporters thanks to the internet and e-mail

Supplies shipped include:

19 rubber stamps

stickers

48 sharpies

glue sticks

ribbon

adhesive tape

4 watercolor “How to” books/kits

4lbs watercolor paper

36 tubes watercolor paint

184 colored pencils

12 wooden craft pieces

stencils

10lbs decorative card, papers, envelopes

paper cutter/blades

25 paint brushes

6 bottles acrylic paint

pencil sharpeners

4lbs modellng clay

Thanks to Debbie who called Tsukineko  to asked about how their inks tolerate extreme heat.   I think we can go ahead and send Versafine ink pads.  Debbie however suggested we also send pre-stamped images so if stamping is something you enjoy, I would be happy to forward them.

Hi Everyone

As well as providing a list of donated supplies, I wanted to show you what was shipped to Stacey and her fellow soldiers at the beginning of this week.  I have already received 2 more donations, one craft items, the other to cover the cost of shipping.  I suspect I will be ready to ship again mid- October.  If you would like to contribute to that shipment please contact me via this blog or e-mail,  and I’ll be sure to get back to you.  Love Elaine.

I shipped our first 3 packages to Iraq yesterday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you to the following people for their donations.

Doris Goulet. Friend and owner of “Friends & Company” rubber stamp store, Seattle WA

Lindy Combs. Long time friend and and partner in crafts!!

Barbara McBrien.  A new on-line friend who responded to my mass e-mail

Carvedstamps.com

KEEP DONATIONS COMING…We haven’t finished yet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here is a list of the goodies that were sent…………..

21 lbs card stock/decorative paper/envelopes

8 glue sticks

18 gel pens

Assorted stickers

16 oil pastels

110 colored pencils

2 Sharpie pens

corner punch

32 markers

41 rubber art stamps

2 ink pads

1 ink refill

1lb blank pre-cut ATCs

10 decorative scissors

3 binders with ATC protective sleeves and 9 completed ATCs

This is something I should have shared a long time ago. Early last year a friend showed me an ad in Somerset Studio magazine that she thought I would be interested in. It was a “Show us your bra” contest sponsored by the Breast Form Fund. Here is some information about the organization taken from their web-site.

The Breast Form Fund, a non-profit organization, helps uninsured and under-insured breast cancer survivors cope with restoring their physical health and dignity. The Fund provides money for a breast prosthesis and post mastectomy bras. Founded in1995, the fund has assisted hundreds of women living in western Massachusetts.The Breast Form Fund was founded by Judith Fine, owner of Gazebo, a lingerie store in Downtown Northampton.

The Contest is for artists and non-artists (or “Bratistes” as we call them) who construct three-dimensional art bras from a great variety of materials. At the close of the contest a panel of respected art professionals select the winning bra creations. Winning “Bratistes” receive cash and prizes and their creations are showcased in The Calendar. All submitted bra creations and the new calendar are unveiled at The Auction & Gala where the bra creations are celebrated and auctioned. Show Us Your BRA! is generously sponsored by area businesses, which allows all proceeds from auction and calendar sales to go directly to The Breast Form Fund 501(c)(3).

I entered with “ABRAham Lincoln” which was chosen to be in the “Show us your bra” 2009 calendar. The calendar is going to print soon and will be available for sale on The Breast Form Fund” web-site very soon. It sells for $20.00. As far as I know my bra is featured in the month of July. The competition is only held once every 2 years so keep checking their web-site if you are interested in submitting a piece of work.

Here is a picture of my entry. I painted President Lincoln with acrylic paints and added some chalks for highlights.

I wasn’t either until a few weeks ago when I was introduced to them by a student in one of my classes.  This is how it works.

Person #1 starts the process by making the BEGINNINGS of 3 identical ATCs  (maybe just the background or a stamped image etc). They then put their name and address on the backs of the cards and mail all 3 cards to person #2 ( hopefully they’ve agreed to join in!!!). Person #2 adds their own creations to the cards and mails them on to person #3.  It’s now up to this person to finish off the cards, keep one for themselves and mail the other 2 cards back to person #1 ( are you keeping up with me?!?) Person #1 then keeps one and mails the other to #2.  The person who starts the JAM sends the cards in a small envelope with instructions.

SO HERE IS MY IDEA………………….If this sounds good to you e-mail me ( carvedstamps@onebox.com) your name and address and I will be your PERSON #1 and get the JAM going.  I will stamp one of my Carvedstamps images on the cards and lets see what happens.  When the cards finally make their way back to me I’ll post them on this blog.  It really is FUN!!  I’ve received ATCs and sometimes notes from people across country that I’ve never met.

*A WORD OF WARNING!!!!!! Only get involved if you’re willing to receive an increasing number of JAMS in the mail.  Your name gets out there and artists start adding you to their lists and soon your mailman is having to wear a back brace!!

READY. STEADY. GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I haven’t written for a while because I thought I’d wait until I had news to report re: ATCs and Soldiers. The good news is I guess I didn’t sign-up for active duty after-all because I’m not in Afghanistan, the bad news is I still haven’t heard back from anyone about the ATCs.

I wanted to remind everyone that I love seeing what you’re creating with metal foils, inchies etc. Send me a picture of your project and I’ll put it in the web-site gallery. Here is a wonderful copper embossed card that MJ was kind enough to share. She told me that she’s been practicing with the micro-torch to achieve different colors and effects. It has definitely paid off!!! She’s succeeded in highlighting specific areas of the stamped image by applying more or less heat. According to MJ this stamp is no longer available - sorry! I was also impressed with how well it photographed. Reflective surfaces like metal foils can be difficult to capture.

When photographing metal…………Do NOT use a flash. Photograph in daylight, preferably at noon when the sun is directly overhead. Avoid a very sunny day, overcast is better.

THANKS MJ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, all my After-School programs are now over for the summer. I’m going to miss all my elementary school traders! I’m offering a summer program so hopefully I’ll be seeing some of them again!! I had requests to post a few of their ATCs on my blog so here they are…………..

For those of you who are following my “ATCs For Soldiers” quest, I have e-mails out there to Fort Lewis but haven’t received any replies yet. I have contacted someone at an elementary school on base volunteering classes and supplies. I will let you know if/when I hear something. The person I spoke with at the Family Services office who gave me the contact information was VERY positive and helpful. If I don’t receive a response soon I think my next step will be to call her back for more suggestions.

Thank you for your encouragement and support about my idea of ATC’s for soldiers.   I want to let you know how things are going.  A couple of days ago I  discovered a web-site for a volunteer organization (www.uso.org).  I sent the following e-mail message to their Sea-tac and Fort Lewis offices.  If, or when I receive a reply I’ll post it.

“My name is Elaine Woodhouse and I am an art instructor living and working in Seattle. For the past few years I have been teaching an art form called “Artist Trading Cards” I teach children and adult classes. I recently had the idea of introducing ATC’s, as they are often called, to our service personnel overseas and their families. I am contacting you because I am CERTAIN that this is an activity/program that would be received well, and would benefit our soldiers on so many levels. It would provide them with a form of expression, relieve stress during “down time” and be a new and fun way of staying in touch with family and friends. I am willing to volunteer my time and resources (instruction, craft materials etc) to organize and implement this program - I just don’t know who I should contact or where I should start.

Basically, this is how it works…People of all ages use available materials to express themselves by creating a card that measures the same as a commercial sports card, 21/2” X 31/2”. In fact, ATCs are collected in the same plastic sleeves and binders as sports cards. They are then traded between each other, in groups, or by mail. One idea I had was to offer my ATC teaching services, free of charge, to the families on base. I am also active in the crafting community so I could procure basic art materials to send overseas.

I would love to discuss this with someone in your office if you could please e-mail me at carvedstamps@onebox.com. If you would like to visit my web-site go to www.carvedstamps.com.”

Looking forward to hearing from you………..Elaine

To date, the only patina I’ve experimented with on my metal foils is produced by applying intense heat (which works on the copper, brass but NOT aluminum) Here’s another one I plan on trying.

A customer at the Puyallup stamp show shared this technique with me  Thanks to her I’m passing it on to you.  LET ME KNOW HOW IT WORKS FOR YOU.   MAYBE SEND A PHOTO If it doesn’t work let me know that too!!

First you need REAL brass, which is what brought her to our booth.  She told me that a colored tin look-a-like will not work.  You cover the surface of the brass with ammonia, place a  piece of saran wrap over the top and scrunch it up to form interesting creases.  I didn’t ask her how much ammonia but I think I’m going to use a spray bottle to apply a thin layer.  Wait for it to dry and then remove the wrap and you’re left with a beautiful patina * remember to do this in a well ventilated room!*

I have yet to try it, but she was REALLY enthusiastic about the results she’d been getting!!!!! If the “mystery” customer is reading this maybe you could post more details…..thanks!

Good Luck!!………….Elaine