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NOV/DEC 2023 NEWSLETTER – BROWNIES

We have the vulcanizer, which is the machine used to press the rubber stamps, set up and have resumed pressing rubber again after many years of a hiatus from it. I must say that it isn’t as easy as it used to be, and I’m not doing great in recalling the processing procedures; however, my grandson is a good problem solver and is helping me. If only, I had the Brownies working at night pressing the rubber! As my mother would have said, “if hopes and wishes were horses and carriages, we would ride in style every day.”

The Brownie card I’ve chosen to show today is a scan of a thank you card that I am sending to Roberta Spierling, editor/publisher of the magazine, Rubber Stamp Madness, who recommended I contact Jim Marcus for advice on pressing rubber. Jim graciously gave me advice that I am attempting to master as I try different approaches to this task of pressing rubber.

An oval die cut was used to cut a frame from colored card stock. The Brownie stamp, “Write On – Hanging the Sign”, 0806-N, and “Thanks”, were stamped on a larger piece of white card stock and cut with an oval die larger than the oval in the frame. That piece was then glued to the back side of the frame and the frame was glued to the card.

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JULY/AUGUST 2023 NEWSLETTER – BROWNIES

What a pleasant surprise I had early in July! An ad I had run in RubberStampMadness had been seen by a former customer of mine, Beverly Shupp, who had purchased my entire line of Brownie stamps in the late 90s and had recently contacted me with the question: “I just saw that you’re selling a vulcanizer.  Please tell me you’re continuing in business and this is not a harbinger of someone retiring!!!!!! In the exchange of several emails, I learned that my long-time friend was now living in Hawaii, “a far piece”. from Colorado where she was living when I frequently would see her artwork published in RSM. Below, I am sharing a card that Beverly made for me many years ago using several of my Brownie stamps. I don’t know the names of the other stamps used in this card or the company that made the stamps. The Brownie hanging from the friend’s hand is “Treed – Hold on!” 0559-G; the Brownie falling is “Airborne – Every which way but up” 0361-D; the Brownie looking up is “What?” 0365-C.

Another surprise was in store for me which is that my grandson, Jesse, has offered to make a trip to my California home to pick up my vulcanizer and bring it back to North Idaho where he will press rubber with it to restock inventory for Stamps Galore. My great-grandson, Andy, will be making the trip with us and, of course, while there, he and his Dad will spend some time surfing. Andy just turned eleven and has been helping me fill mail orders. We are thinking that he might like to take over the Brownie portion of the company in a few years. Time will tell. Nothing would make me happier than to have the company continue to operate under his management when I am ready to let it go.

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MARCH/APRIL 2023 NEWSLETTER – BROWNIES

I am delighted to share a piece of envelope art that I recently received from a customer. Inside the envelope were two lovely gifts and a thank you note, all made using Brownie stamps that Mary recently purchased. The Brownie stamps on the envelope are “Catch it”, 0171-G and “Tree limb with 2 Brownies”, 0551-F. I don’t know what company made the beautiful flower stamp. I love seeing how customers use my stamps and so appreciate receiving samples of their work. Thank you, Mary!