Storing Clarity Stamps

After my last post, I decided to send an email to Clarity Stamps to ask if they had any suggestions on how to store their stamps.  The ones without the handles are easy, just put them on laminated card and store in a ring file.  Those that come on mounts are harder to store sensibly.  

Anyway, I had an answer from Clarity today saying that this is an area they are looking at now, and hope to come up with a good idea very soon.  It is good to know that they are on the case and are so good at customer relations, getting back to me so fast.

I shall be glad to find a good storage system, especially as I have just put in an order for another batch of mounted stamps.  I am dying to get hold of them and get playing.  I am just sorting out a new birthday and Christmas list of all the things I really, really need.  One of those is membership of Barbara Gray's two clubs - more stamps and more ideas.  I also would like to collect her DVD's ...... and most of her stamps, of course.

By the way, on the subject of printers and card, which has bee a real problem for me in the past, this new printer will print beautifully on Barbara Gray's silk card, which I believe is 350gsm.  I cannot see me needing to print on anything thicker than that, so that is a real achievement.  I now need to experiment with print settings to see if it is possible to print a sentiment and then emboss it with powder instantly it comes out of the printer.  I will let you know how or if it works.

Brayering

This is my first attempt at using the brayer, together with the Big and Juicy Foliage ink pad.  My very first go, ended up as the backing layer,  The second real go did not turn out too badly, having sat and watched Barbara Gray for 2 hours this morning.  Then I had to find a suitable stamp to use this background on.  I had intended to use one of my Pilkington countryside scenes, but I could not find them to begin with - not surprising as I am working in what amounts to a corridor while my craft room is redecorated.  I did come across this stamp, which was at the top of the pile as it was a new one, and it seemed to fit the bill nicely.  The result was trimmed and mounted on another of the silk cards, also trimmed and mounted on the previously created backing layer.  As usual, I now have to make a suitable envelope to fit the trimmed down cardstock - I never work to the size I have.  It may not be a complicated card, but then I am only following Barbara Gray, who did say that if you need to produce a lot of cards in a hurry, this is the style to choose (I wish I were half as good as she is).  I do need a lot of cards in a hurry this month and next month, so I think my brayering technique will get a lot of practice.