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Please don't flame me... I'm NOT putting down SU! or even thinking of leaving them as a demo... but I met with a rep from The Angel Company last night. I'm thinking of using some of their images to make cards that can be sold in my friend's friend's florist shop. They have MANY images that are very similar to SU! Turns out, TAC was started by a former SU! demonstrator.
The only thing I saw that was really better than SU! (other than the Angel Policy) is their mounting system. All the stamps can be purchased in an "unmounted" version. These stamps have a rubber surface that "clings" to an acrylic mount. You can line up 2 or more stamps on the same mount to be certain it is correct before you stamp it. Same with the alphabets.
But the BEST part is... after you stamp with them, you remove them from the acrylic mount and slap them in a cd jewel case and store them on the shelf.... just like a cd! How cool is that? And how much space would YOU save if your stamp sets took up now more room than a cd? I'm telling you, I see SU! converting to this system next week! lol And if they don't, they certainly should!
Just MHO.
__________________ RT - In-house Bunny Chaser "It takes a lot of money to look this cheap."- Dolly Parton
First of all, thanks for the names of the SF area stores to check out. I'll PM you when I get out there and see what my sister has in store for me. Hopefully a nice long day sampling wine in Sonoma.
Second, on this subject, there are SCSrs who take the foam off their SU stamps and do stuff to them so they can be stored and used just the way you were talking about. The other stamping company, Close to my Heart, unveiled their new catty with that same idea too. There was a bunch of chatter on SCS about it. You might want to search for the threads. They were pretty interesting. I've never seen a TAC or CTMH catalog myself, but I'd be interested even though I'm a demo myself. It pays to keep up with what else is going on in the world of stamping.
I too was very impressed with their angel policy! I have looked into them before. Seemed nice and I was thinking I would like to see some of their stuff in person! Did you get to use the stamps? What did you think? Did you see what their colors and papers are? Do they compare to SU!? I would like to know!
I've tried unmounted...and I really don't like them. I ended up buying wooden blocks for all of my unmounted stamps. I'm glad SU sells their stamps with the blocks included
I've seen wooden block lots up for sale on eBay...that's certainly one way you could easily make back the difference in price.
Thanks for the info... I will look up those threads. The only "problem" is buying all those CD jewel boxes! lol Of course, I COULD sell some of my bookshelves at the garage sale on Saturday in order to raise money for the cd boxes... hmmmmmm!
I went to their website and did a locater search for a demo... and lo and behold someone actually responded the same day! Wow! She came to my house last night and brought me a lot of goodies.
Their catalogs cost $10 and come spiralbound. They are interesting, but not as many samples as SU!'s. Their papers and their inks are not their own brand. They have nice colors, but they are not coordinated in the way that SU!'s are. And I think they were more expensive on their supplies than SU. But their stamps are WAY cheaper and comparable quality.
She did bring me a stamp and a mount so that I could experience it myself. She brought a few samples of things she has made. If you would like to check out her website (she has quite a few beautiful samples on it) it's www.stampheaven.com.
I was very impressed with their incentives, both for demos and hostesses. Even if you just place a $30 order, you get to choose a stamp from a collection of 16.
As I said, I'm not leaving SU!, but I think there are good things in this program, too.
__________________ RT - In-house Bunny Chaser "It takes a lot of money to look this cheap."- Dolly Parton
Last year at a craft fair, I met a TAC rep. and spent a lo-o-ong time looking thru one of her catalogs. I loved the acrylic mounting system also, but, their images in no way compare to SU's!!! The rep said that a stamp designer need only change their design by 10% before they are free to sell it to another company. (I had mentioned that their hedgehog looked VERY similar to SU's.) They have the same image in different sizes which I would suppose would be nice once in a while, but SU's stamps are well balanced in size whether you use a quarter size or half sized card. And the more I looked, the more I realized that SU's stamps just have a look that says QUALITY!! Their first impression was very good, but when all was said and done, SU really outshines The ANGEL COMPANY.
RT--I have a friend who is a TAC demo'r; also a friend who is CTMH demo'r!
I must confess: I'm a die-hard real rubber and wood mount fan. If SU! ever switched over, I would be utterly miserable. I could TRY to adapt if they switched just to clear mounts, but if they made the total conversion to polymer + clear mounts, I would most likely quit. I hate to say "definitely" quit, but, I dislike the extra time it takes working with UMs so intensely that I'd say I'm 99% sure I'd quite SU!. :shock:
I know there are advantages to clear mounts. But, I don't like polymer for a # of reasons, but won't delve into ALL of that here and now.
I just love that my stamps, once mounted, are ready to go all the time without fumbling around or taking an extra step EVERY time I wanna use them. I also found the clear mounts a royal pain to keep clean when using polymer because the image sits so close to the mount, that it's nearly impossible for me to NOT get the mount accidentally inked up and then I gotta sit there and wipe it clean ... I am the laziest stamper ...sigh
BUT, this is JMHO and personal preference. For me, it is comforting to know that not ALL the home party stamp companies have jumped on the clear mount band-wagon--I love my wood! I like the feel of it!
I still don't care for the art styles of TAC, altho they do have similar sets. I fell in love with some of the latest CTMH sets, altho I refuse to buy 'em because I don't like polymer . . . :(
All that said, I think both those companies have a LOT to offer the "world of stamping" and I do find it awesome that there are companies that meet different stampers' needs? Variety is the spice of life!
__________________ Julie Ebersole (JulieHRR once upon a time . . . )julieebersole.com"So shines a good deed in a weary world." -Willy Wonka
Rubberness... one of the cool things about TAC is that most of their sets are available unmounted or wood mounted. You can have them either way. I agree with you that there are a lot of their designs that don't appeal to me, but that's true of SU! as well... what is that saying from AA? Take the best, and leave the rest! lol
I can't imagine SU! ever switching over to acrylic mounts completely, but I'd love to convert my SU! stamps to this system, if only for the storage it would save! lol
I must admit, I haven't looked all that closely at CTMH stamps. The few I did see didn't appeal to me, but that's not a fair assessment. I will check them out. Do you know their Angel Policy? Similar to SU!? The ONLY reason I am looking at other companies is to make stuff for sale without compromising my SU! standing. I have SU! DNA, I swear! lol
__________________ RT - In-house Bunny Chaser "It takes a lot of money to look this cheap."- Dolly Parton
Definitely interesting! Some of the images are very familiar, but overall, I don't think the artwork is quite up to SU! Then again, it may have been the samples themselves that were lacking.
I do love the idea of being able to sell my cards wherever I want to, though, so I might look into purchasing some of their stamps.
I really wish that SU! would relax their policies, then I wouldn't even be considering going over to the enemy! :lol:
RT, You can sometimes find cd jewel cases at dollar stores for very little $$!
JulieHRR, I, too like the feel and ease of wood mounted stamps.
__________________ "Life is much too important to be taken seriously." Oscar Wilde Proud to be a member of Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge DT! My BlogMy Gallery
Yeah, I don't feel a lot of guilt about buying stamps I can use to sell cards. Just means I have more money to spend on SU! lol
I kind of liked their samples. Different strokes...
But I don't find as many of TAC's as stamps as interesting as SU!'s... and those I do like are SO similar to SU!'s that ya gotta wonder! lol But there are enough to consider using for cards to be sold.
__________________ RT - In-house Bunny Chaser "It takes a lot of money to look this cheap."- Dolly Parton
I have a rubber alphabet on the EZ mount system (static cling, acrylic blocks). It's a pain and I find myself thinking of using it but then deciding to use my wood mounted because they are so much easier. I stamped a bunch of gift bags with my friends names only to find out that I had mistaken the brushstroke "v" for an "r'. It sounds stupid but it's not that hard to do when you are looking at them backwards on red rubber :oops: I like the thickness of the wood better than the skinny acrylic mounts, too.
I decided to search the site for the previously mentioned threads about converting SU! stamps to unmounted... still haven't found exactly what I'm looking for. However, in the process, I read a few threads about the CTMH catalog. I decided to see what all the fuss is about. Went to their site and discovered that all the comments about not liking acrylic stamps were about a whole different animal than TAC stamps. TAC actually has rubber stamps that adhere to the acrylic mount. True, there is still the issue of having to "mount" the stamp everytime you use it. But I'm still thinking the storage issue is a winner for me. Can anyone lead me to the previous threads about converting the SU stamps to unmounted? I would really appreciate being able to read some of the feedback on that.
__________________ RT - In-house Bunny Chaser "It takes a lot of money to look this cheap."- Dolly Parton
You are a girl after my own heart...I LOVE SU, but I unmount all my stamps for the EZMount foam..I love the way TAC offers the choice..and I was soo hoping SU would do the same...it saves a TON of space, not to mention weight (an issue for military moving around the world) I have probably 200-250 stamp sets in 24 in. space on the bookshelf. I switched over 2 years ago and haven't thought twice about it. I have also talked over 5 people into the same thing and not one has ever said I wish I wouldn't have!!
I'm assuming you used the EZ Mounts in notebooks? I really like the cd jewel cases... but I'm having trouble finding them without the little thing you pop the cd onto... I think the space I save will be worth it!
__________________ RT - In-house Bunny Chaser "It takes a lot of money to look this cheap."- Dolly Parton
I actually have about 150 sets, but I think some of the larger sets will require more than one case. I can get 200 for about $21 on eBay... not too bad... but then I have to buy enough EZ Mount for all of them... Maybe I should rethink this... lol
I've been stamping for about 3-1/2 years.
__________________ RT - In-house Bunny Chaser "It takes a lot of money to look this cheap."- Dolly Parton
Can anyone lead me to the previous threads about converting the SU stamps to unmounted? I would really appreciate being able to read some of the feedback on that.
I can't lead you to a specific thread...I remember reading about it on an email list, but...
You can easily take the rubber off of the wood by putting it in the microwave for a handful of seconds (start with 5), then just peel them off.
Here's a link to a place where I've gotten wood mounts in the past. I can only assume they'd have an unmounted system, too: http://www.stampola.com/
I do like some of thier stamp sets but I think the mounted price for some of the sets are way way to high - it looks to me the same stamp set for SU (# of stamps) would be $10 cheaper.
I have seen a bunch of really cute 4-5 peice sets for $6-8 unmounted - I could totally see myself buying those because it wouldn't be that much of a pain to use those few stamps unmounted...
But the alphabets - no way mount me baby....
As for storage a friend of mine has her unmounted stamps on a really heavy piece of plastic which she slips into a page protector and she keeps them all in a binder
__________________ Jenni -Happy SU Demo - MY GALLERY & MY CHAOTIC LIFE One kid makes you a Parent - Two makes you a Referee
Yes, I have my stamps in the folders..I joined the rewards club at sunday and it really has saved alot of money for me..I do put my mini stamp sets (mini mates, good times) and alphabet sets in CD cases...I thought about putting them all in there, but then DH would know how many sets I actually have!
You might try watching the office supply store ads. I have been able to get jewel cases for free or next to nothing after rebates before.
Vanessa
Vanessa, thanks for the heads up. I looked up Office Max, Office Depot and Staples online. Office Max has 100 for $9.98, after a $10 instant rebate. Granted, the eBay one is about the same price, but the shipping was excessive. This way, no shipping! lol So I'll pick some up there.
Now, if I can just find someone who bought a ton of EZ Mount adhesive who changed their mind about using it and wants to sell it cheap... yeah, dream on, girl! lol
__________________ RT - In-house Bunny Chaser "It takes a lot of money to look this cheap."- Dolly Parton
The Wave of the Future...
