Rubber Stamp Convention 2009

This past weekend was such a blast! My friend and I look forward to the local rubber stamp convention, every year. We have been there faithfully every year since it started, about 10-15 years ago. It is so much fun, there are many vendors with products for sale, and most of them either do demo’s, or make and takes. (I will show our make and takes, in another post.) I have pictures in this post, of the things I brought home.

This convention has been through about 3 or 4 different companies since it started, and has been held in the “war memorial coliseum”, most of the time. And more often than not, they have had a “stamp party”, with make and takes, most of those years. It is usually either on Friday, or Saturday night. We went to the one this year, held on Friday night, it was called “Design and Treasure”, and we all made 4 projects. I will do a separate post for these projects, as well.

 These first 2 pictures show everything grouped together.  Following is all of the individual items.

 

 

 

 

 I have been dying to try out the Copic markers, and finally got my chance.  My friend and I both got some!  I did find out that you cannot use the airbrush with the Ciao ones, but they were so inexpensive at the Marcos booth, that we couldn’t resist.  I guess they all color the same, anyway, and I know I will get more to add to the collection.

 Copic blender, Triart markers, and white gel pens!  The Triart markers are alcohol based, like the Copics, but they have 3 different tips, and are only $3.99 apiece.  The lady at the booth showed us a comparison between the two, and you could not tell the difference.

 Here are some pictures of my new stainless steel Copic holder.  When I get too many to fit in here, I will use it for my most used items on the craft table.

 

 

 We were also tickled pink, to finally get to try out “Flowersoft”.  I recommend it, if you are on the fence.  So easy to use, and it really gives your projects some added bling.  My only regret is not getting a jar of the Christmas Green, for my card trees.

 This is the “Gary Burlin” brand of Stickles.  They have a little bit of everything in their booth, and always have discounted items in big totes.  These little bottles were only $1.25 apiece.  I tried to get all of the colors they had.

 The next four stamps are the only ones I bought.  (I already have hundreds!)  They are by “Heartfelt Creations”, located in Nappannee, Indiana.  I thought they would make wonderful Christmas cards.

 

 The last three stamps on here, are combined into a card sample my friend got a picture of, as we both bought the stamps to make it.  I will include the picture of the sample card below, so you can see what it looks like.

 I also want to go to Hobby Lobby, and find a Linus (Peanuts by Charles Shultz,) stamp, to use with the one above.  (My friend confirmed that it was what he says, in the Christmas special.)

 

Above is the picture that shows the card, that we bought the stamps, to make.

Another sample, using the stamps!

 BIA wires in white, pink, blue, and (plain).

 We got to try out the “Glue Glider Pro”, as well.  We loved it, and had to buy.  I get tired of buying adhesive so often, and hope this one lasts much longer than the little ones do.  With the refill, I think it will be a great money saver.

 We used these flat glue dots, with the dew drops on a sample card.  They were inexpensive, and I needed these.  The only ones I have right now are the “Zots”, and they are big and fat.  You can’t use them for everything you need to.  My friend said she had some flat ones already, in a different brand, and I remembered I did too, but haven’t been able to find them in years.  I really have looked for them alot, but never did find, I think they are lost forever, so for two bucks, I got these to replace them.

 I got this “Shapabilities” die, to make 3-D snowflakes.  The demonstrator had a snowflake, and a pumpkin, using the “Renaissance Hearts” die.  I will post pictures of these, so you can see what I’m talking about.

Three pictures above shows how to use the Shapeabilities dies, to make snowflakes, and pumpkins.  I need to get the one to make the pumpkins, I love it!

 The heart punch is a “3-D” punch, I’ve never seen before the stamp party.  We used this punch, to make pop-up hearts, in the center of the card.  (You will see this, when I post the projects we made.)

 I love waterbrushes for “Twinkling H2o’s”, and other things.  But mine were getting pretty ratty, and needed to be replaced.

 Was also searching for better quality brushes to use, in my stamping projects.  I think these will work well.

 Seen these before, but never knew quite what they were.  It’s a glue pen, with a very fine tip.  It writes just like a ballpoint pen, only it’s filled with glue!  Got to try them out at a make and take,  in our LSS,  convention weekend.  Just what you need to apply glitter in a small line, or area.  One lady said they always write smooth, and don’t get clogged.

 Gamsol is something I had heard of before, when watching a Prismacolor video, showing how to blend the Prismacolor pencils.  The artist said you could also use alcohol and a Q-tip, but I found that the Gamsol with a blending stump lets you get into small areas very well.  (Also tried at the make and take, at LSS.)  So even though I wasn’t going to buy this, since learning you could use alcohol, I knew this technique was easy, and worked well, for what I wanted to do.

 Been wanting this punch, since I don’t have a picket fence image, on any of my current Cricut cartridges.  (I don’t yet have either SCAL, or DS.)  I think it will be great for my cards.

 The Tattered Angels embossed tiles was used in one of our make and takes.  The demonstrator cut a piece in half, for our project.  I wanted to get some, so I could make more, as it was a very fun project.

 I needed this, as one of my stamps is still black with “Stazon” ink.  Thought I already had some, but cannot find it, if I do.  Been holding off on using Stazon, until I got this.

 This bad picture, is a bottle of “Stamp Zia” brand clear laquer coating.  It looks like milk, and is supposed to be non-smearing, if you use it over ink.  We used it, on a make and take project.

 Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist.  I’ve been hearing about this stuff all over the place.  Never tried it, until now.  We used it on the Tattered Angels tiles, and I went back 3 times, and kept getting more colors.  I like using the color sprays on my projects.  I have some currently, but they are Walnut inks, and come out very dark.  I wanted to get some that were brighter, and these are perfect.

 I tried to get the back of the Glimmer Mist, so you could see the colors.  The one on the very left is hard to read, and it is “Haunted Shadow”.

 I love the Cuttlebug folders, and only have two.  Since they are so inexpensive now, I bought eight, at convention.  Individual shots of them are below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 This was what I was most excited to go to convention to get, a Bind-it-all machine!  Been wanting one for awhile, and picked up the bag, too.  I love making little books, and journals.  I need to watch the DVD, before I use it, because I have no idea how it works completely.  I got the machine, wires, and bag, all half off, since I got the Marco’s email.  What a deal!