My first stamp

Sally's post earlier today about her St. Nick stamp got me thinking about the first stamp I ever bought, back in 1992. It was the "Santa with toy sack" from Hero Arts. I was at a local Christmas craft fair and someone was demonstrating stamping and embossing. I thought the embossing was magic, and my passion for stamping was born at that moment. It was the time when art stamping was just beginning to filter over here from the USA. Basically, it was just stamp (and maybe emboss) on plain white card, colour in with pencils or felt pens and add a greeting. My very first stamped card was just that, using a toaster to heat the embossing powder! I've tried to reproduce it here, complete with wonky greeting (I never did get round to straightening the rubber on the mount). I cringe now when I think about it and compare it to the sophisticated techniques that we are now able to employ, but I was proud of it back then!

As you can see, I still have the stamp, still use it and it's still as good as new. But who would have envisaged then that stamping would take off in the way that it has, that we would have the mind-boggling wealth of tools, materials, equipment and inspiration that we enjoy today? I certainly had no idea at the time how stamping and things related were going to take over so much of my life. Not to mention my house!

Anyone else got a "My first stamp" story? If so, please share it, or better still, post it on your blog, if you have one, and leave a comment here with a link to it so that we can all come and read it!