Time to fess up!...when did you learn the dark secrets of stamping?

[Far North]

Do tell 'cause I am just curious to know how long you were stamping before you felt it was ok to allow your self to improve upon your stamping...you know those little bits of black lines that just aren't dark ennough or flecks of color that aren't suppose to be there or if only a little long line here or the bottom part of the swirl that swirl was ink better. So when did you start adding those little extra touches?

For me since I had no rule book, no stamping pals and no internet to find other kindred folks trying to learn about stamping...It was probably a good ten year before M's and J's came to town...and before the Internet and other than reading a book I was on my own. I think it was after meeting some of you rowdy ones I began learning the ways of the bigger world. How about you?

[RubberLady603]

Fun question.....My Mom introduced me by bringing me up a bunch of supplies to get started and taught me a few stamping things. It was all Stampin'Up for me at that time. I had no computer and didn't know there was a whole cool stamping world out there. I collected a bunch of stamp sets before I got a computer. Now most of those sets are pretty neglected although I go through phases when I use them a lot. I have always been aware of images that didn't stamp just right. It took me a long time to embrace imperfection on my own stuff, so it was really hard when I started in with the canvases and grungy stuff that I really love to do.
I still have zero craft stores within an hour of me. I get to M's or J's once or twice a year since they are so far out of my way. If I really need something my Mom lives near both and will send up to me but usually it's just basic supplies like canvas or paint brushes.

[Paula Carden]

When I first tried stamping, I didn't even know where to find the heavier cardstock. I had been to CrossStitch convention and was introduced to brass stencils, lightbox and chalks...from there I found other things.
I tried embossing with powder and the heat from the eye of the cookstove then found out about the heat tool. Eventually found a little local craft store that was just getting in stamps etc and took some classes. That has been so long ago now. No computer then, no anything but I knew this was something I was going to love as my eyes were getting tired from cross stitch with no place to put anything else.

[cindi]

for me I would say it started when I joined pcmb and started hearing tips from others that were learning as I was, then with a thirst for knowledge came the magazine buying, then with so many great ways to learn on thye net..it just keeps getting better and better..hopefully my stamping along with it..lol

[Christie]

mine was when i joined here. i hadn't been stamping for very long and didn't know much at all. i was given some stuff and had no idea what to do. my first card was horrible!! lol

[ccstampin12]

I had been selling my hand-painted wooden items, but when the store I was selling through stopped taking consignments, I was left pretty high and dry!
I had no outlet as everyone I knew was overloaded with small painted items!
I decided to take a rubber stamping beginners class at A. C. Moore's....that must have been around 2003 or 2004.
The rest is history....I was hooked from the moment the ink hit the paper!

[HeatherJ]

I went to my very first stampin' up party in 2000 I think. I had never heard of it or rubber stamping at all, for that matter. I was hooked, bought oodles of stuff. I think I still have that first card I made at the party. She used Tags and More and it had a bunny on it. Very simple. I always was a little anal about no ink smudges or glue blobs and of course straight cuts and even layering. Or at least to "my" eyes, it looks like that! The first one I made on my own had a button and raffia so I thought I had "really progressed" I joined a yahoo group called Canadian stampers talk (CST) and learned a lot from those ladies. I also found SCS in the early days. And Sherry Graves first site. Ink Stains. Magazines were a big lift too. Now I rarely visit SCS, never buy magazines. Its just the Shack and Pinterest!

[maxiesmom]

Compared to many stampers out there, I feel like I am still pretty simple and basic. I think I also got started around 2000, maybe a little earlier. I made the birth announcements for my niece and a coworkers little one and that was 2001 & 2002. I had a different coworker that was into scrapbooking and invited me to her SU party just to be polite and not exclude me. I just HAD to make my Christmas cards cause it would cost less than buying them! What the heck did I get myself into? I do still check in at SCS when it's too slow over here and another board as well.

I don't think I will ever be like some of the blogs I look at and I'm ok with that.

[Patty]

Many years ago, Ellie was trying to get me interested in stamping and I was trying to get her to knit. I think this was about 15 years ago cuz shortly after that she moved to NC from Ct. Soon after that I was invited to a SU party and it just clicked!! I began slowly with a million phone calls to Ellie and here we are.... ps....she's knitting now, too!!!

[penelope]

Must have been around 1990, I went to Salono Mall in Fairfield CA to look for a job -The information desk had a help wanted sign up and I kiddingly told the person, Quote" I know nothing about this mall or hardly about CA -He looked at me and said your hired, because you couldnt screw up any more than the peopleI have had here. Well I started working with him - had to take lottery monies and go to the bank with them. Jack Ford was my boss. When people would ask me directions to some place, I would tell them to come back in 10 minutes and I would have it. Then I would call my daughter have her tell me. The kiosk next to the info was a stamping one and they offered me more money after 6 months, didnt know a thing about that, only what I saw and ended up managing that stand for a few years. It was a great job and left it because I was working 12 hours a day at the Mall. People would see me and still ask for directions because they said they always got there.-Nancy