Your first stamp

[Cindy Littler]

I have been un-mounting my hundreds of stamps and sets and came across the first 2 stamps I bought and it got me to thinking. Do you remember your "first" and how you came to be so hooked on stamping?

Mine was from DOTS (now CTMH) and was "Hugs and Kisses" and the lips. A friend invited me to a stamp party. I told her I didn't think I was interested because I was not a stamp collector. She looked at me kind of funny and told me she wasn't talking about postage stamps. She said they are rubber stamps that you make cards with. Well, that intrigued me, so I went and was totally hooked, altho it was quite a few years later that I really got into it and started collecting more and more tools and supplies. I was even a demo-er for a while and that helped jump-start my collection. This was about 15 years ago.

Would love to hear more stories and memories of how everyone got started. Also proud to say I am almost done un-mounting. LOVE IT!!!!

[UnderstandBlue]

Great story! Isn't that funny how those things are sentimental? My first stamps were ones I got when I was little but the first stamp that gave me the "stamping rabies" was the DD Daisy stamp at the first SU workshop I went to in 2001.. I SO didn't want to go and only went to be nice, and I was only gonna stay an hour, and I was just gonna place a pity order, and $350 later.............

Never looked back. I've never met a stamp I didn't like since!

[mcfly_junior_88]

Can't remember the very first, since my first experience was at a SU demo's workshop and I placed an insane order... But I know that two from around that time that are long-time favorites are The Fine Print and Heartfelt Thanks. Ah, the memories!

[lovemycards]

I totally remember my first and how I started stamping. A coworker's then-8yr old daughter made me a birthday card that I thought was to-die-for adorable. After inquiring how that was done, I thought if an 8-yr old could do it, so could I. Then I was invited to an SU! party... don't even want to remember how big my 1st order was. I just remember the demo and my friend/hostess dropping their jaws.

Although my DH claims credit for getting me started on stamping. I held a very stressful position at work at the time, and he recommended that I find a creative outlet to relieve my stress. Then came stamping. Well, that's his version and we'll let him live in his imaginary world, so that he can't complain when I spend $$$ on this hobby.

And that was nearly 12 years ago! Wow.

[Kathnan]

My first stamp was a unicorn with a rainbow behind it. That was over 20 years ago. I bought it to make stationery with. I still have it but I never use it any more. I outgrew unicorns and teddy bears.

[MaryEileen]

I was looking for a hobby to do when I went on vacations, and my DH was fishing. I wanted something that would fit in a shoebox and very portable. I went to Michael's or AC Moore, and saw a PSX stamp of a birdbath. I still have the stamp and still like it. I use it occasionally. My first demo was DOTS, also. My collection now takes up every available space, including my own sunroom for stamping. DH asked if he can't have just one closet that is all his. My xyron refills are in the top of his closet. I've promised to find another home for them.

[superjen]

My first was a pig with wings. It is so old that it has one of those black handles on the wood block. I had a thing for pigs back then and used it in 7th grade sewing. One class requirement was to write out name on every piece (tedious) so I stamped mine with the pig instead! Still have it, even used it recently.

[kitkat55]

My first stamps were the old S/U foam mounted kind...I don't remember the name of the set now, but it had little boy toys on it....Tonka-like trucks and tractors. As many others have shared, I went to keep peace with a friend and got totally hooked! I was the 'non-creative' person in my entire family growing up, so I couldn't believe that these little squares of rubber could turn me into a quasi-artist!! I was AMAZED!

But even then, I guess I didn't have much of a discretionary budget; thus the foam mounted stamps. I seem to recall they were less expensive than the wood mounted sets. For good reason! The images weren't cut out - the rubber fit the entire stamp mount, which made for bad impressions. But I must've liked them enough....I have several other foam mounted sets from wayyyyyyy back. Most very cutsey/country. Don't use them very often at all, but for sentimental purposes, I keep them.

At the time, I was going to use it (somehow) for my son - who was a toddler then but is now almost 19! I even used that silly truck set not long ago on a scrapbook page for my grandson!!

Thanks for this thread and a little walk down Memory Lane....

Blessings,
Kat

[4Laura]

My 1st stamp was from SU.
Five to 10 years ago.
A large 4 or 5 inch square - Heart Swirls, I think is the name.
The plan was to use it for our wedding invites.
Great idea, but didn't happen.
Yes, we got married, I just didn't use the stamp!

[scraptigerlily]

My first stamp was the Chinese love symbol. We used it on my daughter's wedding invitations, programs, Thank You cards, favor boxes (which were Chinese take out boxes) and anything else we could stamp and emboss. We had stamping and embossing parties to get them all done. I was hooked. That was 2001. Still have it and use it when I send things to my daughter.
Like Kat, Thanks for the walk down memory lane

[Moosekrazy]

My mother tried to get my DD interested in stamping. She gave DD two stamps by Stamps Happen. One was a unicorn and princess. The other was a dragon. I still have them. And that was back in 1997.

[stampkinz]

My first stamps were from a SU workshop I went to. I got "Love Ya Bunches". Here is my first card made with this set:
Love Ya Bunches by stampkinz - Cards and Paper Crafts at Splitcoaststampers

Ugh. I thought is was hot stampin' stuff back then. LOL!

[Curly Chick]

The first stamp I ever owned was SU's Smile set. I bought it for my kids to play with (I had no intention of making cards!). I also bought YoYo Yellow and Basic Black stamp pads. I only did it to help a friend who was having a party. It took a couple more years before I started stamping myself, and the rest is $$$$$$$ history!

Pamela

[smhtwin]

I got hooked on stamping about 13 years ago when a CTMH (then called DOTS) demo came and did a presentation at a hospital volunteer luncheon I was at. I immediately booked a party with "Kay" and she became like one of the family :p

My twin and I still order from Kay and we go to her workshops.

I think my first stamps were from CTMH and was a birthday set. I still have them today ;)

Great thread!

[nancystamps]

My first stamp was of a little girl in a hat, holding a watering can. I think it was a PSX. I knew pretty much zero about stamping at that point. I bought it to make birth announcements for my daughter back in '94, embossed the image in gold OVER MY TOASTER. I don't think I'd heard of an embossing heat gun at that point (or maybe they didn't make them yet?) I think that was what the embossing powder instructions said to do! LOL

[Minders]

Ok, don't laugh...my first stamp was a set....a Lisa Frank set. LOL! Anyone remember that stuff, like really funky bright colored folders and school supplies??? It was the early nineties and I was a kid, probably 10 or so and they were foam stamps and came with super neon stamp pads, hahahaha! So I guess I loved to stamp from and early age!!!!! No idea what my first "adult" stamp was but I'll never forget that set, I loved it!!!!

[texan947]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nancystamps

My first stamp was of a little girl in a hat, holding a watering can. I think it was a PSX. I knew pretty much zero about stamping at that point. I bought it to make birth announcements for my daughter back in '94, embossed the image in gold OVER MY TOASTER. I don't think I'd heard of an embossing heat gun at that point (or maybe they didn't make them yet?) I think that was what the embossing powder instructions said to do! LOL

I remember embossing over a toaster. I started stamping mid nineties, when I was 13. I had spent a week with cousing over the summer and they had cardmaking stuff and I really got into it, so for my birthday they got me a stamp, an inkpad, embossing powder, cards and envelopes. The stamps was a bear and rabbit holding hands, like they were playing ring around the rosie or something, and it had a little sentiment on it, can't for the life of me remember what or who made it. I still have it someplace. I have never figured out why they didn't include a heat gun with the rest of the stuff, I remember them having one and my family lived in a little town with a Ben Franklin Crafts that didn't have stamping stuff...so it was quite some time before we made the 3 hour drive to go to a place with bigger craft stores and got one. Ahh, how my collection of stamps and tools has grown in 15 years.

[texan947]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nancystamps

My first stamp was of a little girl in a hat, holding a watering can. I think it was a PSX. I knew pretty much zero about stamping at that point. I bought it to make birth announcements for my daughter back in '94, embossed the image in gold OVER MY TOASTER. I don't think I'd heard of an embossing heat gun at that point (or maybe they didn't make them yet?) I think that was what the embossing powder instructions said to do! LOL

I remember embossing over a toaster. I started stamping mid nineties, when I was 13. I had spent a week with cousing over the summer and they had cardmaking stuff and I really got into it, so for my birthday they got me a stamp, an inkpad, embossing powder, cards and envelopes. The stamps was a bear and rabbit holding hands, like they were playing ring around the rosie or something, and it had a little sentiment on it, can't for the life of me remember what or who made it. I still have it someplace. I have never figured out why it didn't include a heat gun, I remember them having one and my family lived in a little town with a Ben Franklin Crafts that didn't have stamping stuff...so it was quite some time before we made the 3 hour drive to go to a place with bigger craft stores and got one. I still have my first SU sets I talked my mother into buying and still use them occasionally, but my collection of stamps and tools has grown considerably since then.

[texan947]

sorry about the double post, my computer does not like me today

[peebsmama]

I still have my first stamp. It's a whimsical beehive with a flower garden around it. I bought it at AC Moore. It must have been around 1996. I was into other crafts then and while shopping for those items, I just happened to walk down the stamping aisle. In the past, I had admired the designs but had no idea what people did with these things (rubber stamps). But that beehive caught my eye and, since it was on sale, I bought it. I only had an office style blank ink pad and kid's type magic markers. After I stamped it, the markers made a mess of the ink. Besides, even if it looked great when it was done, I had no idea what I would do with my stamped image. So the stamp went in a drawer.

It was 2004 when I was watching an episode of the DIY channel's "Scrapbooking" show that I saw a segment with Shelly Gardner (SU founder) and I thought "I want to do that". So I signed up for an SU workshop, and as they say, the rest is history. Now I have at least 700 stamps plus every color of cardstock, marker and ink that SU has ever made and all the other stamping accessories. I make over 300 cards a year (many of which I donate) and yes... every once in a while I pull out that first stamp and make something with it.

Here is a card I made using that image.

[taniwolf]

My first stamp was a arabian horse in a garden purchased in a flea market in Florida in the 1980's. I still have it too. Love all my woodern stamps from that time period.

[Kharmagirl]

This is SO fun! I stamped in high school and still have alot of the stamps I bought back then, but when I re-entered the stamping world, my first set was Cool Cat from SU! I still have it and won't be selling it..it still makes me smile!

[53queenbee]

My first stamp was a teacher thing and only used to grade papers...but my first really fun stamp was 'Best of Cluck" and I actually got to buy 2 here recently for less than the $65 on Ebay!! anyway and 500 stamps later....

[Clownmom]

My first stamp/stamp set was Fishy Friends that I bought at a SU workshop that my best friend had. She asked me to come to the workshop as a "warm body" -- just to help fill up the room, said I didn't have to buy anything. Yeah, right! I'm sure I looked like a deer in the headlights because I didn't have a clue! But . . . as with so many of us . . . the rest is history. Five years and thousands of dollars later, I'm hooked!

[SophieLaFontaine]

My first stamps were a foam-backed set by Stampendous (I think). I used them to decorate the margins of letters (real letters, on real paper) that I used to write. I found them in the college bookstore, of all places. Email wasn't very widespread yet, back then (oops, just dated myself). I also still have them!

[DerbyLea]

Im not sure about my first stamp, but the one that hooked me was Snowflake Serenade from PTI

[!Allison!]

I think it was in the early 1980's and I was in to everything strawberry. My Mom and I were on a shopping spree and she bought me a strawberry wood stamp and some red ink.

[basketostamps]

The first stamp I ever bought was a really cute teddy bear from PSX. I still have it and will never part with it!

[lisha_1988]

I think the first two stamps I brought were a worn bear and bear foot print from what used to be Crafty kids (now called something else with MUCH cheaper and poorer quality products :( ) that was back when I was 15. I think that stamp has gone to our crafting groups pool but my stamps have multiplied MANY a time since then

[princessmeshelle]

My first stamps were bought in my early teens, maybe as a tween... For what I have no clue. My first scrapbook was my wedding album. It took me 7 years to finish that thing. There was only 1 roll of film, I just kept putting the project down. About 2 years ago a friend of mine had a SU! party After looking at the catty I knew I could put their products to work for scrapping so I bought what I figured would need to start, cleaning products, 2 inkpads, and a small set I can't remember. But I told my friend since she was starting her buisness I would be buying from her and would have a show for her. The rest is pretty much history. I wish I could remember the set. I just know I fell head over heels in love with Deer Friends, Batty for you, and Flight of the Butterfly! Still love all 3... I loved Deer Friends enought to pay a rediculous price on ebay for it. But it is mine now and it will be a long time for me to even consider parting with it!

[kittie747]

Several years ago a friend invited me to an all day Stamp Camp. I had never heard of any kind of rubber stamp other than business stamps like "For Deposit Only" that I stamped on the back of payments collected where I worked. A friend who had become a new SU demo invited me to an all day stamp camp and I really had no clue what I was going to. I was totally hooked and my first order was for a couple hundred dollars. The second order a couple of weeks later was for lots more. One of the very first stamp sets purchased was Watercolor Minis. The small mini fern stamp in the set became so important to me as I developed my interest in creating scenes that I eventually purchased two more of the sets over time as I kept wearing the fern stamp out. This led me to create my own version of the fern stamp along with other outdoor images that I included in my Kittie Kits "Cause a Scene" Outdoor Master.

[bradley's_mom]

Mine was an ivy stamp that I bought at JoAnn's on a whim. I decided that I wanted to stamp my bridesmaids gift bags. I still have that stamp in fact I think they still have it there.

[lylacfey]

That's an easy question. It was House Mouse.

I used to be a big PaintShop Pro girl. I designed a lot of Incredimail letter using House Mouse. House Mouse was/is a popular category for Incredimail. I collected House Mouse graphics, Incredimail stationery, & tubes. I was obsessed.

One day I was given a House Mouse decorator box. Inside it was a lot of House Mouse crafting items. I squealed and hugged that box to me. I didn't know there was a craft line.

DH took me to Hobby Lobby and I bought two House Mouse stamps. That's how it started.

I don't use Incredimail any more since I got into stamping. Still dabble in PaintShop Pro. I do have one decorator box full of unmounted HM, Happy Hoppy and Gruffies stamps. I have over one hundred of them.

[fionna51]

Boy, I don't even remember which stamp was my first. I started stamping waaaaaay back (in the time of the dinosaurs) and I'm sure that the first stamps were ones from PSX. I have some very pretty ones that I don't use much now, or didn't until I used one this week on a card in my gallery. Then I kind of drifted into other hobbies and returned to stamping when a friend had some DOTS shows. She also started making her own line of stamps and there's a card in my gallery that is from there. At that time I also started attending classes at Uptown Rubber Stamps, a local store that isn't here any more but is still in business online...as one of the Addicted to Rubber Stamps brands.

I didn't really pursue stamping with a passion until about 10+ years ago when my then-supervisor at work invited me to a Stampin Up workshop. Well, the rest is history, so they say!

[MariLynn]

In 1984 my mom bought me a cat stamp. I too remember embossing over a toaster!

[airbornewife]

The first stamp set I ever bought I bought from a lady who lived two doors down from me in MO, she was a SU demo and I ordered a patriotic set, along with a red and blue ink pads.. I stamped all the labels that I put on my ebay packages.. I never had a thought then about making cards, I just wanted something to dress up the labels.

fun thread.


~ Pam

[InkyFairy]

okay so this is sooo embarrassing, but my very first stamp was a Winnie the Pooh and Piglet stamp that I bought right after my son was born (11 years ago!! eeek!) and it had a "It's a boy" sentiment, and I bought that along with blue embossing powder and some totally non-embossing ink. OF COURSE, I had NO idea what I was supposed to do but I happily started to make my son's birth announcements using my new supplies and my HAIR DRYER. I then tried to melt the powder by heating the backs of the cards with my iron! sigh, needless to say they were all spotty and gross, and I couldn't imagine why people would "stamp" willingly. That was it until about 5 years later when I found my SU! demo and fell in love (...and I finally learned how to emboss!! :mrgreen

[roxy64]

My first stamp was a ballerina. I used it to make dance recital invitations when my daughter was 5. She'll be 22 next month. My next stamp was bought 4 years later. It was an ornament stamp that I used to make 3D ornaments to give as favors when we renewed our wedding vows.

[shirolives]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kathnan

My first stamp was a unicorn with a rainbow behind it. That was over 20 years ago. I bought it to make stationery with. I still have it but I never use it any more. I outgrew unicorns and teddy bears.

You are so cute!!! I love this post--you made me smile and thanks so much for that!

t

[staceylovespaper]

I had received some cards from friend of my mom who had stamped them herself. I thought that was really cool and a nice hobby to get into. So my husband bought me some foam stamps from Michaels for my birthday so I could try it out. After that I took a class at Michaels and met a SU demo and then I was completely hooked!!