June 2003 -- Yvonne J.
"Study in Mixed Asian Media"

USA

(Click on picture for instructions)

How long have you been stamping?
I’ve been stamping for 12 years, after attending my first rubber stamp show in the San Francisco Bay Area. Anyone remember Stampa Barbara? It was at this show I first experienced their popularity.

What is your favorite technique?
I’ve always enjoyed using vellum and treasure any cards I receive using this media. And I’ve always enjoyed watercolor, although I’ve not yet mastered this beautiful technique.

Favorite stamp company?
I’ve always purchased from A Stamp In The Hand. I appreciate their quality and designs. They always have great projects demonstrated at the rubber stamp conventions. I’ve learned a lot from their demonstrators.

Favorite Asian stamps?
I would say for now it would be Geishas. The rubber stamp designs can be very simple or very involved.

Favorite stamping accessory?
Does foam tape qualify? I love 3-D and buy large rolls and must have it in my stock at all times.

What is the one tool you couldn’t live without?
It has to be my heat gun. I’m always thinking I need to have a second one on hand just in case my current gun stops working in the middle of a project!

Favorite colors?
I love magenta and aquamarine. I use black on all my Asian designs. Blue and Purple are colors I’ve always liked also.

Your favorite embellishment to finish a card?
For now it would be charms. I’m always checking out what’s available and how I can use them to complete a card.

Any helpful tips for the group?
I’ll share a tip another OSA member gave me when I found myself in a
stamping slump: Oriental cards can be very simple. Although I enjoy
adding charms, ribbons or other embellishments, sometimes, you just don’t need all those items. KISS (know what I mean?)

Is there one place or city you’d like to visit to find rubberstamps, supplies or Asian art elements?
I would love to visit Japan. I’m not sure what I would find in rubber stamps, but I love the food and would enjoy the new sights. And if I don’t find rubber stamps, I know I would find accessories to use on my creations.

What other stamping lists or clubs do you belong to?
I belong to Bay Area Rubber Stampers, Midwest Stampers, Gingerwood, and StampTalk.

What favorite Stamping Magazine would you recommend?
Although I subscribe to many great publications, I would recommend Vamp Stamp News. They always have articles introducing something new and articles that are very informative. This publication is the responsibility of one person and she does an excellent job in getting the issue together each month.

Published in any magazines? If yes, please list.
No, I have not been published as I’ve never submitted my work. I couldn’t take the rejection.

Any other hobbies, talents or craft interests?
I’ve been fascinated with Parchment Craft (Pergamano) for a long time. I have all the supplies and tools needed to get started but I’ve not taken the time to practice. I love the beauty of this craft and appreciate the designs created by others.

What inspires you to be creative? i.e., do you listen to music while you stamp or watch TV, keep an art journal?
I stamp with the TV on and for a long time I stamped on a TV tray! Projects I see in stamp magazines, samples shown at stamp conventions or rubber stamp stores always gets my creativity going. I do keep photo albums of all my card and project creations.

Any art background?
No. When I was younger, I did like making paper flowers, decoupage
projects, taking black and white photos.

Have you used any unusual item in your stamping that wasn’t necessarily meant for stamping? i.e. found items or household items
No I haven’t, yet. I guess I haven’t ventured “outside the box” much.

Any books on stamping or art that you would recommend? Any on Asian arts & crafts?
I love Stampington & Co.’s issue of Return to Asian. I find this very
inspiring and the art projects are beautiful.

As a member of the Oriental Stamp Art group on Yahoo, why do you like stamping in the Oriental theme?
It is hard to describe but I’ve always had a fondness for Oriental Art (in
food, clothing design, gardens, cultural).

Do you have a day job when you’re not stamping?
Just this year, I celebrated my 30th year with Levi Strauss & Co. in San Francisco.

Tell us about your family and where you live.
I’m a native Californian and live in Daly City with my husband and our two grown children. My husband and I have been married for 26 years. My husband has always supported my rubber stamp hobby and whenever we travel, he asks if I’ve checked locations for rubber stamp stores. I attend approximately 5 rubber stamp conventions a year and I never have to sneak in my purchases!

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INSTRUCTIONS FOR "Geisha in a Mini-Book"

This is one example of a mini paper mache book purchased from A Stamp in the Hand for $2.00. This one measures 3 1/2" x 4 1/2". The set includes a 2 1/4" x 3 3/4" book and a 1 1/4" x 1 3/4" book. I cut and placed handmade paper on the front and both sides of the booklet. The booklet closes nicely, however, you do have the option of using ribbon on both sides to tie it together.

The front and inside of the book are covered by handmade paper that is simply cut to size. The left side cover is an Oriental handmade paper that is also cut to size. I used double stick tape to glue the paper to the paper mache book. The edges of the book were not covered.

The bamboo design is by Stamp Francisco. Marvy brush markers were used to ink the stamp. I layered the image onto a second cardstock. I used a gold Krylon pen to edge the sides in gold. The Geisha is by Art Accents and stamped with Colorbox black ink on regular cardstock. Embossed with clear embossing powder and colored the image with brush markers. Mini domino was purchased as a set form Studio Balckbird. Asian characters were stamped on the surface with black Brilliance ink pad and set with a heat gun. I like using Brilliance ink because if a mistake occurs, you can wash off the image and start again. The design doesn't become permanent until heat set.

As you can tell, this is a very simply-designed book. You can use your imagination and talents to design other books.

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