Back to Basics: A Stamper's Toolkit

Last night, I finally caught up with a ton of thank you notes that I have been forgetting to write for some time--that and paying all of the bills and dumping out the nineteen pounds of receipts and napkins I've been carrying around in my diaper bag. I used to be so on top of things like that but with a baby and a new house, things have been left on the back burner far past their boiling point.

Stamps above: Assemble On the Table Stamp Set, Assemble Mr. Bradley Stemke Polar Bear, Exercising People from Paper Source, Typewriter from Black Ink Boston, Winter Tree, Happy Whale, and Polka Dotted Grid from Impress Rubber Stamps, Date Stamp from Knock Knock, and Calligraphed Return Address from Kathryn Murray Calligraphy

That's no excuse, though, so last night I gathered a few cards and got to work! I always like to do a little something cute or fun on any note that I send. When time is of the essence, I usually end up writing the return address on the back of the envelope, and in the usual area on the front upper left-hand corner, I like to use fun rubber stamp.

Oh my. This opened a can of worms that I wasn't actually prepared for. I use plastic bins for my stamps because they wipe down easily, and by the time I found the rubber stamp that I was looking for, my bin wouldn't even close. Any true crafter has trouble admitting when it's time to throw things away, right? I think I may have about 5 or 6 ink pads that are completely dry that are hanging on for dear life in that bin. Sorting that bin out is most definitely a project for another day, but we thought up a quick list for those of you who are in the mood to get back to basics when it comes to rubber stamping crafts. See below to create (or pare down) your stamper's toolkit.

• Your favorite wood, rubber, or acrylic stamps
• Ink pads: dye or pigment (our favorites are Hero Arts and Colorbox)
• Baby wipes
• Fabric or paper
• Test sheets to blot on
• Washi tape for masking
• An iron, if you will be heat setting
• A heat tool, to dry ink
• Embossing powder
• A lino block, pencil, precision knife and speedball cutter if you will be creating your own stamp
• A solid surface and/or cutting mat for stability

What else do you keep in your kit?