Rubber Stamping: From Maya Indians to Scrapbooking

Who would have thought that your scrapbooking and card making had a connection to the Maya Indians? Rubber Stamping is certainly one of the fastest growing hobbies today, and for good reason. With its inexpensive materials and creative versatility, rubber stamping provides millions with hours of fun and creativity. How did it all start?

? Spanish explorers were the first to talk about a "sticky substance" that bounced, used by South America Indians. Though it didn't revolutionalize the world at that time, these same Indians were using a primitive form of rubber stamping to "mark and tattoo" images on men and women.

? In 1736, Charles Marie de la Condamine, a French scientist studying the Amazon, sent a piece of "India Rubber" back to France.

? Rubber got its name in 1770, when the scientist Sir Joseph Priestly made a comment about a substance "excellently adapted to the purpose of wiping from paper the mark of black lead pencil." Hence the "rubbing out" of pencil marks gave it the term "rubber". Up until this time, people wishing to erase pencil marks had to use bread crumbs.

? Rubber Stamping owes much gratitude to a hardware store owner who decided to quit his job to solve the "sticky problem" he had heard about. Though his persistence was tested time and again, even filing bankruptcy and going to jail for failure to pay debts, Charles Goodyear eventually discovered that heat was the secret to rubber's "curing".

? As early as 1866, a man carved information in a flat piece of rubber and mounted it to a curved block of wood. This 4"x 6" mounted rubber stamp was being used to print information on bath tubs.

? Early rubber stamps consisted mainly of words and phrases used to mark packages and manufactured products. Stamping suppliers began to spring up in Ohio and the West.

? Rubber stamping as a hobby took off in the early 1970's with companies such as All Night Media (1974) and Hero Arts (1974). Soon the craze had caught and many other companies decided to cash in on a hobby that would last for decades.

? It wasn't until a boom in the 1990's that rubber stamping became so popular with millions of crafter's worldwide. As thousands of companies begin to produce rubber stamps, the availability and unique designs become common everywhere!

It's no wonder why rubber stamping has turned into a worldwide crafting phenomenon. Women and men alike have found hundreds of creative uses for rubber stamps, from scrapbooking and cardmaking, to gift bags and 3D artwork. Give it a try, you'll see!

Kathy Williams is a designer and producer of rubber stamps. She has assisted in the production of hundreds of mounted rubber stamps and themed rubber stamping sets. You can find her rubber stamps at http://www.rubberstampingfun.com

---

Scrapbooking on a Budget

Memories are priceless, but the cost of preserving them can... Read More

Starting A Coin Collection

The best place to start collecting would be with pennies,... Read More

An Interesting Look at the Cuban Cigar

Even most non-cigar smokers have heard some of the lore... Read More

Using Your Dogs Hair

Dog hair (called chiengora)can be spun into yarn, much like... Read More

Stress-Free Scrapbook Journaling Ideas

Do you find it intimidating when you come to journal... Read More

Beautify Your Stamped Cards with Creative Coloring

Stamping is one of the most versatile crafts around because... Read More

Pagan Crafts

Greetings to all Crafty Pagans,Witches and those who want to... Read More

Tech-Savvy Crafters Can Go Global

The image of a crafter or artisan is often serene,... Read More

How to Use Feathers and Dried Flowers to Give Your Scrapbooks an Artistic Feel

Feathers make exotic and interesting embellishments and borders. Feathers add... Read More

The Making of a Slipcover: A Lost Art

Today in this world of fast everything, most of us... Read More

Embroidery Digitizing Software

Embroidery Magic 2 software is very easy to use to... Read More

Woodworking Tools: Right Selection And Care Will Save You Money, Part 4

Woodworking: Tools Of The Trade, Part 4 - Tools For... Read More

Making Your Own Bird Feeder

There is estimated to be over 100 billion individual wild... Read More

50 Ideas to Get Organized and Enjoy Your Scrapbooking Hobby

Scrapbooking is a wonderful hobby! Besides being relaxing and fun,... Read More

Invitation Envelopes ? Make or Break Your Party

What will separate your party from all the other events... Read More

Tracing Your Family History

Let me say straight away that tracing your family ancestry... Read More

A Few Tips About Comic Book Bags

We store comics to keep them valuable. Air pollution, ultra... Read More

What Do I Need to Start Scrapbooking?

The best thing about scrapbooking is that although there are... Read More

Ribbons and Lace, Embroidery Cotton, and Hemp to Spice Up Your Scrapbooks

Ribbon and lace are by far the most common, and... Read More

Sewing Embroidery Designs in New Ways

How many of you are always looking for new ways... Read More

Sewing A Button On By Hand

I have so many people come into my shop saying... Read More

Christmas Gifts Kids Can Make

Christmas is a time of giving and receiving. Even kids... Read More

Woodworking Beginners: Introduction To First Time Crafts

Woodworking: The Process Of Making Something Using WoodThe art of... Read More

Sell Hobby Items by Mail

You can, if you are ambitious, start a Mail Order... Read More

Collectible Action Figures - Is About Fun Memories And More Money

Superhero action figures first stormed the doors of department stores... Read More

The Theme and Title of Your New Scrapbook

The theme of your scrapbook can be simple or complex.... Read More

Making a Chunk Candle

Making chunk candles is an and fun activity for all... Read More

Embroidery Thread Tips for Better Machine Embroidery Sewing

I have some tips for you to get better results... Read More

How Could Your Hobby be the Key to Financial Success?

Virtually everyone has the knowledge they need to make a... Read More

History of Kokeshi Wooden Dolls from Japan

Little is known of the early history of Kokeshi Japanese... Read More

Functional Pottery Makes a Great Gift, Plain and Simple

Are you looking for something unique to give a friend... Read More

Why Do You Need to Have Your Tools Blade Sharpen After Work

If you like to do wood carving or making sculpture... Read More

Getting Started Selling Your Crafts

Until recently crafts were usually sold locally or,... Read More