I want to begin by saying Congrats to the Pats (New England Patriots). They are going to the Super Bowl. In case you missed it, or live elsewhere, the two teams were tied at the end of the fourth quarter. Overtime started with the luck of a coin toss, but was won by the Pats when they made all those big plays as they marched down the field. The Chiefs didn't even get their offense on the field in overtime. It was all Patriots because, unlike some other sports, in the NFL (football, not soccer), the first team to score in overtime, wins!
Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day. It is a federal holiday in the states. Too bad all the federal employees have been furloughed and are already not working. 
I found this quote on the internet and it verifies how I feel.Now I would love for you, my friends, readers, followers, and even lurkers to take an informal poll. Why do I call it informal?
As a rule, polls have A, B, C, and sometimes D responses that you can use. The responses have already been given to you and you pick the best response to the question asked.
Also, polls are anonymous. You don't share your name or any information about yourself.
However, recently my friend Dianne asked me this question:
Don't you think that rubber stamping is on a downward track, though? It doesn't seem quite as popular as it used to be...I told her I'm probably not the right person to ask,
because I'm not very good at stamping, no matter how much I practice. This one took me three tries before I got it presentable.
My "thing" is collage.However, I did tell Dianne I must visit different blogs than she visits, because I have seen no decrease whatsoever in stamping, although stamping is often paired with die cuts, stencils, and texture. I even see stamps used in calendar and planner pages. This is my observation and I hope you'll supply your own in the comments below.
It's now time to ask, is Dianne's observation and question valid? Is stamping less popular than before (after all, many stamp stores have closed their brick and mortar or internet stores in the past year or two) or is stamping still as vital as it's always been? Do you still buy stamps, rubber or acrylic, or have you found other media to take their place? Are digital stamps the new stamps of choice, do you like to combine them with rubber and acrylic, or do you still prefer the real deal? Please offer your opinion on the subject, but be aware everyone will know who you are, since my blog doesn't allow anonymous comments.
For those of you who live in the states, happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day. For those of you who live outside the states, have a great Monday and I'll see you later for T Tuesday.
Thanks in advance for responding to these questions and taking this informal poll.
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31 thoughtful remarks:
Martin Luther King was a great man, and I'm happy to see him being remembered on this day. Have a great week, Valerie
Hi Elizbeth, in the UK I do think that stamping is now taking second place to die-cutting, especially at shows, where die-cutting machines and dies are what most of the stands are selling. I think this is because there is a certain amount of skill needed to stamp. But, having said that, stamping is still popular here. As I paint now, rather than papercrafting, I am slowly letting go of my stamps and there are always takers for them! K.
Now you have posed a leading question one I haven't an easy answer for.
I do love stamps and use them in some way on nearly all of my hands on projects. As time has gone by I've been inspired by blog friends to try different things.
I've never had easy access to stores and most of my craft purchases have been via the internet or at an occasional craft fair .
So for me if I had to choose and had a choices of papers, stamps, inks, dies etc with a limited amount to spend , it would be that stamps that would be my first choice to buy.
It was good to read that Martin Luther King is remembered with a special day.
Yvonne xx
I can't believe it, but something we disagree on(lol) I love Tom Brady, and he's a great athlete, but I really wanted to see that young kid Patrick Mahomes get a shot at the Superbowl. He had so many firsts throughout the year. I also hear that he may be the NFL's 1st person to get a $200 million contract! So I wanted New Orleans and Kansas City to win, both of who fell short. That quote from the great MLK is pretty phenomenal and very much true. I don't use stamps, but I see so many people that do, and they look pretty cool. Sure hope your day is fantastic! Hugs...RO
Happy Martin Luther King Day dear ELizabeth!
I am also more keen on Collage and painting meanwhile.
But I can tell you that the stamping hobby opened my door to creativity and to drawing and painting.And so I will always be thankful that I started this hobby. I decided to use stamps in combination with Mixed Media more often this year as I should use my many stamps and not just have them in their folders.But I will definitely not buy more. I didn't buy stamps since 5 years. But there are always new folk and I think stamps will not get out of fashion and the industry always finds new ways to get our money. First stamps, then we had to buy stencils.... they always come with new and to buy things for us!
Hugs, Susi
I did see that the Pats got through and thought of you and the Chiefs.
I didn't know there was a Martin Luther King Day so thank you for sharing that.
Ask for Rubber stamps I have bought, or been given loads, in my time but I was never very good with them at all. I still have quite a few and lots of inks that my daughter passed on to me. I thought I would try some dying with the inks and follow your example as your materials always look spectacular and very different.
Have a great day
Love Chrissie xx
Great quote that I didn't know. Happy Martin Luther King day and hopefully the federal employees will go back to work soon.
Can't participate in your poll as I don't know much about rubber stamping.
I want to begin by saying that it was a great game for both teams last night. Either team could have won. Luck, some ref calls, fabulous football, there was a lot going on on both sides. It was a stressful game though wasn't it? But that is what makes GREaT football (the stress and all the things going on), and I would say that even if the Pats lost. Mahone is a great quarterback and you know that we'll all be hearing about him again. This game is for sure to be have been a better game than any superbowl game could be.
It was fun having this little rivalry with you also my friend.
Now for the poll. I think rubber stamping has hit rock bottom. At least in the US. And I guess in Europe stamping is still quite vibrant, at least what I see my European blog friends stamping and what is available for stamps coming from Europe. Since I have time I will babble for a moment. Hope you don't mind. And this is my own opinion which is only based on what I see so who knows how true it is. The problem here in the US is that so many store have closed down and even internet stores have closed down and the choices of stamps and opportunities to learn about stamping have dropped off so many people who are casual stampers find something else. It seems like a lot of good stamp making companies have closed down too and our choices left, although good, are just not as broad. I personally think the best stamp shopping is for used ones on eBay because that's where you can find a better variety. Plus scrapbooking has all but died off so those people who start as scrappers and then who moved into stamping aren't around anymore because only the die hard scrappers are left. And I agree, stamping looks a lot different now than it did 15-20 years ago which is a good thing. So maybe it is comparing apples to oranges as they say.
And lastly, (as I jump off my stamping soapbox) I do love today's art, both the stamping and the collages. You are the collage queen!
Sorry for the long winded babble. I need to go back next to wood stove to warm up as the living room, where my computer is, is pretty cold. (Not as cold as your house sounded like it was though.) Hope its a good Martin Luther King day for you and you have warmed up in Wichita too.
Hugs-Erika
Ok I’ll bite. I still see quite a lot of stamping in the blogs I visit, but I know that some former avid stampers have moved on to other media (usually digital, or cases like mine, painting and collage, both of which sometimes involve stamps). For my own practice I’ve gotten rid of a lot of my focal image stamps but still use background stamps quite regularly in my journals and cards. I echo others’ comments about availability, and I can only assume that new stamps are becoming scarcer in response to lower demand.
For me stamping was what led to me getting back into creative pursuits. I can still remember the thrill of seeing my first embossing powder demo (gold of course) and thinking - I need to do that!. I think that many people can relate to that; but at some point I said I need to do something else, and that’s what I’m doing today.
Thanks for this interesting poll, and happy MLK Day.
I never really got into rubber stamping. I own a few, but not many. Seems like Michael's used to have a large and varied supply of rubber stamps, but now, not so many and not many designs to choose from. I didn't really get into stamping because I couldn't find designs I wanted to use or would rather draw my own design. And then the issue of where to store all the rubber stamps in the dollhouse. I think with any art form, the novelty of it waxes and wanes. You just have to wait a bit until a new generation "discovers" it.
PS - I liked both your collage and stamped piece today! And thanks for suggesting I put my painting in for AJJ. I would be happy to do that if I had time to visit all of the other participants. I don’t like to participate in challenges without visiting each and every person who posts as I think that’s the point. I can keep up with Sunday Postcard Art and that’s about it.
I like your use of stamps on this piece. I expect you know I'm not a big time stamper. I have several stamps and a few ink pads (probably dry) I carved a few rubber stamps with my own design and that was fun. Like others, I think trends come and go. I was looking through some of my photo's and realize I've been painting or doing collage almost all this past ear.
I don't watch football as a general rule and hadn't even realized there was a game on. You're right that it's a shame the federal workers are furloughed. I can't help but wonder what King would say if he could see us today :(
I don't stamp. It's not that I haven't tried. When the kids were little and I was actively involved in various creative endeavors I kept a wide variety of stamps available. I never could make them look like much, and even when I did I didn't like what I ended up with as well as I liked collage and water colors. So here's me not caring if stamps fade away ;) People who like it will keep it alive, I'm sure, so that it'll come back into wider use.
It was nail biting football game for sure!
Interesting questions your poll asks, I've wonder the same things. Die cuts have definitely evolved into the lime light. I think the real question is do people send as many cards as they used to? They would rather fill your in-box, than your mail box, and I find that really sad. My family still expects hand made cards and I still obliged them. I have gotten into painting and painting my cards, but I still use stamps from time to time. I have incorporated them into our Bible art journaling, and the gals love to use them because they say they can't draw...LOL! I made the mistake, years ago, of letting go of my stamps and lived to regret that decision.......ended up replacing a lot of them. I doubt I'll let go of them again, I do still love to make Christmas cards for family and friends. I still enjoy surprising people with a card in the mail. Now that I've said a whole lot of nothing I'll stop LOL!
Good question -- I really don't stamp anymore, but then I never did much, except as embellishment. So I guess I"m a bad person to ask, too!
A Nice tribute to Dr King-a great human being.
I watched the game with the Chiefs a very exciting game-Brady is just such a pro-so difficult to beat-and the Chiefs qb well I think he did an outstanding job considering this is his first year in pro football he can be proud. They will learn from this game and be more mentally ready next time
I think as crafts go stamping is still popular. those of us that buy online there are lots and lots of stamps available still. I think with the internet the smaller more specialized stores can't make it unless they also sell online. places like Marshalls and Joannes seem to still carry allot of stamps too
hard to say, as i live in germany and stamping in general was not that popular here like in the usa. we have some quite small "communities", only very few "real" shops and the online shops we have are concentrating on american stamps mostly.
i started with stamping more than two decades ago - and back then there was not all the stuff we have now. i´m glad about some things (esp stencils), but i rarely use stuff like eyelets or charms these days. i like to keep it more flat meanwhile, no dimensional flowers or such.
i never ever will give up stamping, though i´m more into mixed media and collaging now, so stamps are ONE of more tools i use.
Elizabeth, I think you know where I stand on Stamping! I have hundreds of sets, and still am getting more! Most of the blogs and sites I am active on are stampers! I haven’t seen any decline in the circles ?I move in. Nice post.
I'm not the right person to answer your poll, however, I will say this: I used to buy rubber stamps (years ago), and I still have every single one of them. It's been awhile since I've used any of them, but I have kept them. I've seen other people use stamps in their artwork, and I think they look fantastic. I hope their use doesn't go into decline. It would be a shame to see another great thing go by the wayside.
Personally, I do NOT see stamping or the manufacturing of new stamps decreasing! Companies are just smarting up to what styles and images are trending and more innovative in my opinion. I have been card making and stamping since about 1989 (?) and yes, will still buy stamps although I am a bit more picky:) I will say that I have seen companies come and go over the years for a variety of reasons but love seeing the best of the best thriving!
If by rubber stamping, Dianne meant the inflexible stamps mounted on wood, I agree they are going the way of the dinosaur. However, clear cling stamps are going very strong. There are new releases, by Tim Holtz and Altenew among others, every week. Gorgeous, flexible, versatile new designs that are hard to resist. Mixed media, journaling and card making immediately come to mind.
I do not follow sports at all. Sorry.
As far as rubber stamping, I assume you mean stamping in general and not only the red rubber stamps. I am mostly a card maker and stamps have never gone out of style for card makers. Cling stamps are more popular than the red rubber stamps now and are going strong as far as I can tell. Personally, I think the invention of the MISTI changed stamping tremendously. Intricate, complicated stamps that were so difficult to get a good print with can be used in the MISTI (or similar devices that have come out since) and will come out beautifully because you can stamp them more than once. Something else new because of the MISTI are the new turnabout stamps! So cool!
When coloring became so popular there were a ton of stamps that came out meant to be colored. And stamps with sentiments or various greetings have never gone out of style for card makers--from small sayings to greetings that cover the better part of a card front.
Die cutting has become very popular the last few years but, even then,the majority of those are paired with stamps. You stamp and then die cut around the stamp. The stamps and dies are often sold as sets.
All I can say is that in the card making world they are going strong. I am not as familiar with the world of collage. But when I was doing more mixed media and art journaling I used to see stamps used quite often, but I've been away from it for a few years. :)
It's good to celebrate Martin Luther King, he was a great man.
I love your collage art here Elizabeth, a great selection of elements.
I don't buy many stamps now, but I have a lot of them, and I still use them occasionally. You definitely need good hands and wrists to stamp successfully, but the popular stamping platforms make it easier.
Alison xox
Hi ELizabeth,
First off, I am probably not the best person to ask since I don't get around much but I will still weigh in with my opinion. I think stamping is still a big thing. As mixed media is my first love, I always use stamping somewhere on my project, usually in my backgrounds. And I love using them as the focal image and coloring them in. There are so many possibilities with stamps. One stamp can be used so many different ways. And it is so economical. Out of all the different crafting products on the market, stamps and die cuts are reusable.
So there is my two cents. I am sure you can tell I am a fan of rubber stamping.
Kate
Good question, Elizabeth. I also started with stamping and embossing more than 25 years ago. I gradually moved from just cards to altered books and then to art journaling and free-standing art. I just "cleaned out" a large portion of my rubber stamps to big plastic bins and I can hardly stomach reselling them to make room for my other passions that now revolve around paints of all kinds, stenciling and even drawing and sketching now. I will likely sit on them for a while before I decide their fate. However, I kept nearly half of my stash--some just because I liked their company designs (even though they no longer match my work style), all of my sentiment stamps and anything that I might find useful as a background or even gel printing tool. I really tried to move away from stamps as more and more copyright issues came to the forefront several years ago. I still have hopes of having a website that I will sustain with blurbs about my art work and such and I don't want he hassle of wondering if any of it might trigger some person with a copyright issue. Thus, I find it easier to sleep at night by just not dealing with anything "recognizable" in my art that could present this issue. Focal rubberstamps fit this category and thus had to be removed from my primary work. Many are "angel" stamps but it was too much of an annoyance to determine which were and which weren't so I nixed them all.
My local stamp store is still going strong. She has done a great job of satisfying all of the local card makers and other artistic ventures. It is good to see that some are still able to make it in this online, competitive world.
What an interesting poll! It's a difficult question to answer as I think stamps are still very popular although their usage has diversified e.g. they are used with embossing powders, foils, to add texture rather than being the focal point, alongside die sets etc. They also seem to be being used more for other artwork besides card making or scrapbooking, such as mail art, ATC and ATCoins which are growing in popularity as well as Mixed Media. They have become cheaper in price with the introduction of photopolymer or clear acrylic stamps and then there's Digi stamps, so it depends on how you define stamps these days too. So I think it looks like their usage is being diluted especially with all the other mediums that are now available to crafter's e.g. gelli plates, die cuts, collage papers, decoupage etc, but in the end they play a fundamental part still as they have diversified so much. Hope my opinion helps. Thanks J 😁 x
It's complicated, isn't it? What interesting and thoughtful responses. I agree with lots of what has been said... I think stamps are being used in far more versatile ways, as part of mixed media and journalling, rather than necessarily being centre-stage. That's certainly true of my own work, but I definitely wouldn't be without them. I love their versatility and the detail they can bring to any project. There's no sign of me stopping buying them any time soon!
Digi stamps are no good to me, because very often I want to emboss the stamping, or to stamp it onto layers of paint or texture. And I have to say I strongly prefer rubber stamps to clear. I don't enjoy using the clear stamps - I find them very sticky and icky, and also some of my earliest clear stamps have decayed quite badly over the years, and are no longer useable. Maybe the new formulation clear stamps won't do that, but I'm wary of them nonetheless.
Alison x
As to Dianne's observation... she might be right that in the US stamp stores have closed and people have concentrated on other things. But here in Spain crafting is getting more and more popular and many art suppliers now also sell craft supplies.
I am not very good at stamping myself, but I have a few stamps which I use for card making. In fact I am just about to order some word stamps from Ranger. My favorite Christmas card this year was Shaz's three baubles which I am sure are stamped and embossed. So much for embossing being out of fashion. I thought it was gorgeous!
Of course Spain is very much behind in all the trends around crafting. I have been scrapbooking on and off for years and will continue to do so as I think it is a nice way to keep memories and photos. I don't see the point of art journaling and getting messy is not my thing. (Although I love what Kathy Ozarks and Johanna are doing with their squares, depicting things they have done).
Finally I would like to say that people should do what they find the most satisfying and not blindly follow trends (which are usually created by manufacturers to promote their new products).
OK that is my opinion, for what it's worth.
Happy T-Day,
Lisca
Your informal poll has been very informative! and while many have been noncommital in their response, I think more believe stamping is alive and well than those who think it's declining. Certainly it is evolving in its uses, as being included in mixed media. I guess I was thinking of the pink rubber and wood stamps in my local Hobby Lobby, that seems to be carrying less stamps and seemingly less variety. It is a point well taken that there are SO MANY stamp retailers online now. i have never been drawn to 'focal point images' as some have referred to them, probably because I would rather draw my own images. And I always thought, "I've used it once on this card/in my journal, now what?" Versatility is important and I wouldn't want to use the same stamp over and over without a significant change in the look/lots of possibilities. The competition for our spending dollars is intense, and there are so many products coming out all the time. Great discussion! Not sure I am convinced that I need to design my own stamp line, though...winking and smiling. hugs!
It's stamps and stencils all the way for me...grin..you knew that already!!! The two craft shows I attend in the UK, Happy Stampers, are all mainly stamp based although there are a few other stands with a mixture of other items.
I have stopped going to the big shows nearest home as they are heading down the fabric route and at the moment this seems to be popular with a lot of folks - I know of a few stampers whose main love is sewing based.
I prefer rubber stamps but have found that some companies..AAll and Create, Woodware, Visible Image have good quality polymer or acrylic stamps but must say, Crafty Individuals, Paper Artsy, Carabelle Studios, Indigoblu and many others have such good quality rubber, that they make up the majority of my stamps.
Of the folk I know stamping is still number one in their choice of crafting and is often combined with stencilling, using die cuts and is also used for more than just cards...art journals, Mixed Media or 3D projects, Art coins or ATCs.
I think the closure of bricks and mortar craft shops is sad but it seems to be the trend generally at the moment, we see folk taking photos of things in shops presumably so that can look for them on line!!!
Sorry for the ramble! Hugs, Chrisxx
He sure was a man before his time was Martin Luther King, great to see he has his own special day but i'm not sure he would have appreciated it as he was a very humble man. If only he could see the world today!!
I have to apologise Elizabeth as I had answered the quest regarding stamps but had forgot to press enter with my comment, just found this in another browser tab open in a different page. So Today i'm re-writing it.
I have not seen a decline in people stamping as the blogs I follow and creatives I know use a mixture of mediums so like me they are not every day stampers. I LOVE stamps and have an addiction to collecting them, treating them as mini works of art.
The problem I see now is the designs of stamps, there are few that I have not seen before many that are literally a carbon copy of another, I honestly cringe at some of the designs as they have obviously been taken from the hard design work of another. Makes me feel guilty to purchase them. At the moment there is little that really floats my boat so I tend to buy older sets that I have not got in my collection.
The closure of bricks and mortar shops I do not think is the issue regarding the decline, it's much cheaper for shop owners to trade online, sadly it has also made it easier for the buyer to shop around to find the cheapest deal something which we are all guilty of... It's a dog eat dog world sadly but like all trends they will have their day again, just like Fashion, Vinyl records etc.. Maybe even stores will be part of that equation in years to come with the decline of everything online..??
Thanks for this very thought provoking question Elizabeth, sorry it's taken me so long to press enter.
Have a super Sunday Hugs Tracey xx
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