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Welcome back! In part one of this three-part series, the advantages and disadvantages of laser-engraved rubber stamps were discussed. As discussed in the first article, although laser engraving has a high start-up cost, its quality and efficiency are second to none. In this segment, you will learn the benefit and fallbacks of a photoengraving stamp-making method.

Making a rubber stamp through a chemical or photopolymer process will also require significant start-up costs. Depending on the equipment capabilities, quality, or size, a photopolymer stamp-making kit may cost anywhere from $400-$4000. This process requires a significant amount of labor and tends to have a higher turnaround time.

The first step of the photopolymer process involves creating a negative of the image to be engraved. To begin, create or obtain a completely black graphic on a completely white background. If the graphic has colors, save or convert it to a monochrome or two-color format. A simple graphics...

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Whether you

You know the feeling. The kids have tons of demands, vacation is just around the corner, that big project at work is eating all of your free time. How will you ever make those handmade cards for the big party, or mail the invitations for the guests at the big wedding? What started out as a great idea for some very special cards has turned into a stressful project. These ten simple steps will maximize your time and free up your creativity when making multiple cards for any size project.

1. Determine and plan your cardmaking schedule. Do you want to set aside a few hours or just 30 minutes at a time? Pick a design suitable for the available time. Make a simple “assembly line” schedule to maximize the time you have to spend on the project.

2. Work on individual elements, individually. It may sound silly, but working on one element of the cards will retain the “look” of the cards while creating a “unity” among them. Start by stamping all...

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by: Rachel Paxton

There is nothing as special or personal as a homemade Valentine’s Day card. Surprise your friends and family with your handmade creations. Here are some ideas to get you started. The link at the end of the article shows photographs of the finished cards.

Materials:

Four blank greeting cards (available at craft stores), dark red piece of scrapbooking paper, white piece of cardstock, cream colored piece of cardstock, red and white gingham piece of scrapbooking paper, paper cutter, scissors, glue stick, computer, printer, sewing machine.

Card #1

For this card you will need a dark red piece of scrapbooking paper, a red and white gingham piece of scrapbooking paper (or other coordinating piece of paper), and a piece of white cardstock. Cut a piece of the dark red paper to fit the front of the greeting card and glue it in place. The dark red is...

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