How did you get so good?
 

...at stamping that is?

I have been stamping for a little over a year now, and I was just thinking to myself...How did everyone else get so good? Is it years of practice, did you take classes, or are you a natural born stamper?

I was wondering the same thing - there are so many wonderful stampers - where did you guys get all your talent??

hmmmm....I don't consider myself that good, so I'm not sure that I'm the person to answer this but I will jump in and say that I find this site so helpful and inspiring. I find that my work has gotten 100% better since starting the weekly challenges last March and I can't wait to see what it will look like another year from now. I think most of it is practise and experience...so good luck and keep stamping!

HTH,

Now, Julia, you are an awesome stamper!

I must agree with Julia that participating in the weekly challenges is an excellent way to improve your stampin' skills. Simply by stamping more! The challenges are a great way to narrow the options of "what to stamp" and make it seem less overwhelming...at least to me. I am the hostess of the TLC (technique lovers challenge) and Julia is the hostess of the WT (ways to use it challenge). I know Julia would agree with me in inviting all of you to play along with our challenges and the rest of them too! It is not a private party....we love to see new stampers playing along! :)

Another thing I do is when I see a card that knocks my socks off, I start to really look at it and 'pick it apart'...what is it that makes it so cool? Is it the layout? the color scheme? the technique? the way the ribbon was tied or the way the hardware was used? I do the same thing analysis when I see a card that is good but not great; I look at it and think...what would I do to make this pop? does it need a background stamp? what if the layout was rearranged even slightly? what if they had used color x instead of color y?

Is that helpful?

Case, case, case! (Copy and share everything!) Used to take me a whole day to do one card. I just kept at it. Copied cards I liked from my SU upline. Made time to stamp. And like Beth said, analyze cards that appeal to me.

Keep at it. If you stamp, it will come!

Kathy

I couldn't agree more! :) Love, love, love the challenges.

Hey mmferg!
I believe that I saw you stampin away at VSN and you won something! How did YOU get so good:)?

Beth it's funny that you mention challenges because today I took the leap and did my first weekly challenge. :) I can totally see how they can improve your stampin' 'skillz' ;), and I plan on doing the color challenge tomorrow. Gotta take baby steps.

Anna you are right I did take part in VSN, for the every first time (sooo much fun) and to my absolute shock I won in two categories. Must of just been a good stamping night.

I do not consider myself a skilled stamper, by any means. Yes, it's true I can ink a stamp and put it to the paper...but it feels like that is where it all ends.

So I will keep plucking away at the challenges, pick a part my favorites, and try new things. We'll see how things go from there :)

Thank you for all your advice!

I am no where near good but I have gotten SO much better then when I first started. I think I learned a lot from this site... also from friends and suggestions! Also I learned mainly you can not be cheap! You need to buy good stuff I was using cheap cardstock not SU and I can see the difference in the supplies!!

Challenges and practice, practice, practice. Try everything even if you don't think you'll like it.

Hmm....I don't know what constitutes a good stamper, but I'll tell you my story! I have been stamping for 2 years now. I have gotten 100 times better since I got my own space and don't have to get it all out every time. I learned all I know from mamak and here. I've been to one SU workshop in my life. I spend a LOT of time in the gallery. I copy things I like. Then eventually those things become something I just start to do on my own or add to a card on my own. I try to semi-case something I like, then try to do whatever it was I liked about it on another card on my own. Also the weekly challenges have REALLY helped me grow as a stamper. It forces you to step outside of your box and try new things. Sometimes they become your new favorite!

oh....and I think you have some really great stuff in your gallery so I think you are already a "good" stamper. Now it's about learning new stuff....again, the challenges are awesome for that!

I can not believe you've only been stamping two years! Very fast learner!

Also, I think some people like Emily must just have good insticnts about what looks good together. Me, I have to try everything and make 4 mistakes to get 1 decent card. But I agree, that you do learn a LOT from this site. But sometimes I feel like I can't come up with anything original after looking through the gallery, so I have to shut off SCS for awhile and let my own brain start ticking again. ;)

There is a thread right now called 'do you dare?' where you can post a link to a card in your gallery and ask for 'brutally honest' suggestions on how to make it better. If you look at the card and then the suggestions (some are in the thread, other suggestions are in the comments), you can learn a lot.

//www.splitcoaststampers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=109477

This is exactly what I try to do. I think by studying different people's styles, you learn more about what looks good and what doesn't.

How to get good
 

Hi All- I too love this website and have learned alot- But I got to tell you the best place to learn is at your Uplines- or Stampinup demonstrator- If you could get her to have a Monthly Stampers club- where say 6-7 women commit to 1 saturday a month- and are obligated to spend just 25 dollars and each month a different lady is hostess- but it is in the same place- The upline plans projects and provides drinks- the hostess of month brings snacks- also all of the ladies do a swap every month- you get such cute samples plus the projects you make every month. I was in one of these for 3 years- my last one was in October- I sure miss it! I am a demonstrator and joined just for what I learned- I did not get my discount for the stuff I bought- but I got so much more- Ideas, Ideas- plus I got to be with some incredible women once a month! We all learned from each other! I really wish I could get my cistomers to commit to one of these, I realize it is alot of work for me but it really gives you some great stuff! d