Many stampers enjoy making their own stamps whether from rubber or other materials. Whether this is a simple potato stamp or designing a unique range of custom stamps, there are many opportunities to create your own unique stamps. Making your own stamps is the perfect way to add a custom touch to a project.

I enjoy making craft foam stamps. Craft foam is easy to cut with a craft knife or scissors and with a light touch it is possible to cut some quite intricate designs. Other stampers enjoy carving stamps directly into rubber. Special carving block is available for this and rubber erasers are also ideal for carving small designs. Moldable foam is another useful item for people looking to stamp unique designs and is ideal for stamping background paper.

Do you make your own stamps and do you have any tips to share? If so, why not pop into the forum or leave a comment below?

There is a constant joke about holiday season starting earlier each year and I am sure that this is the case. This year I've been really aware of how early Valentine's Day items have been appearing. I received my first Valentine's Day offer before the end of December, which must be a record!

When do you start planning and what are you making this year? I have some ideas for Valentine's Day stamping projects that might provide a little inspiration - Valentine's Day Stamping Projects.

When I first started stamping, a friend gave me a great tip about storing stamps and that was to store them by occasion. Admittedly, with my very small collection of stamps, this seemed a little unnecessary however I took on board her advice. Now, years later I still do this, and this means that when I am looking for a stamp for a specific occasion I can easily put my hands on it. What I didn't used to do - which I really wish - is to index my stamps so I had a visual record of each stamp design. This would undoubtedly help me in my 'I know I have a perfect stamp somewhere' moments when, not unlike a cartoon dog, I am seen digging through boxes and containers.

So one of my tips would be to keep an index file of stamps, where besides the stamped image, you also note where the stamp is stored, who the manufacturer is, any Angel Policy information and anything else that is important.

What tips would you pass on to other stampers?

This is a great time of year to stock up on seasonal supplies that are being sold off in sales. Festive rubber stamps, for instance, or other such goodies aren't going to deteriorate and very often big discounts can be had. I always keep my eye open for stamps that I couldn't quite justify at their full cost, but represent a good deal when marked down.

Of course, there are two small drawbacks with this. The first is that I have to wait another 11 months before I can really start using my new purchases. The second is that I have a husband that will kindly remind me of my 'spend less' New Year's resolution!

If you know of any great rubber stamping bargains that you would like to share with others, why not pop into the forum or leave a comment below.