Author: Julie Ebersole
Creative Teams Director for A Muse Artstamps
Back in late 2002, Splitcoaststampers.com was built by Daven Nolta, to enable his wife, Tracy, to connect with her group of sales consultants for a DSA rubber stamp company. The membership primarily consisted of her downline, and good friends. The site was intentionally left open to the public, in the interest of creating a welcoming, inclusive online community for stampers--ANY stampers.
Folks either found the site by accident, or word of mouth, and eventually Daven rejoiced over the excitement of having 30 members on the site at the same time, perusing the site, uploading and sharing their stamped creations, with perhaps a few hundred or so random visitors throughout a given day.
The community has quickly grown, and it is not uncommon for members and friends who've come to know each other through the website, to organize gathering events in different areas of the country to swap, stamp, and sometimes, meet each other for the first time in real life!
SCS Gathering 2006, Austin, TX
Southern California Stamp-a-Mania 2007
Today, Splitcoaststampers is known as the world’s largest online stamping community, and features a gallery to match, housing well over half a million images. Home to over 177,000 registered users, and an average of 1,000 gallery images uploaded daily, the site offers community forums related to all things art-stamping and paper crafting as well as online technique and project tutorials. You’ll find artwork representing just about every rubber stamp company in the industry within its galleries. Try typing the keyword " A Muse" into the search box, and check out the results!
Splitcoaststampers Fan Club Members, who donate financial support to the site each year, receive access to a very special "thank-you" gallery of stamped artwork, unveiled once each month and all created by 12 highly talented designers, each selected right from the community on a rotating basis. It was my pleasure and honor to serve as a designer on the "Dirty Dozen" Design Team (as it is affectionately referred to) and later as SCS Design Team Coordinator for three years prior to accepting a full-time position here as A Muse Artstamps Creative Teams Director.
We are pleased to have Splitcoaststampers as a Sponsor for A Muse-a-Palooza once again this year and, if you haven’t yet, we encourage you to open up your own user account--it's completely free! You can engage in fascinating forum discussions related to stamping, get questions answered, connect with fellow stampers, and start your own gallery for sharing and archiving your artwork!
Gift Card Holder by Jennifer Balcer, SCS Gallery
And, if you’d like to see exactly what’s inside that very special Fan Club Gallery, leave a comment to this post, about what you enjoy most about stamping, and your name will be entered into a drawing.
That’s right! I have FIVE (5) SCS Fan Club Memberships to give away!
So, tell me: What do YOU enjoy most about stamping?
i love to stamp for it's limitless creativity. it's never wrong, you can do whatever your heart and hands desire!
Posted by: june g. | June 07, 2008 at 05:18 AM
Well I have been at this for over 12 years and am still learning things. I think the most important part of stamping, for me, is definitely the friendships I have made over the last 12 years. And second would have to be that stampers are the most sharing and gracious people you could ever meet. Okay the one bad thing that has occurred is what I would have to call stampers' butt or computer butt. Plainly, I sit to stamp and I sit and spend way too much time surfing this computer for ideas and stamping related stuff. But the good far outweighs the bad for sure. :o)
Posted by: Inkylin | June 07, 2008 at 06:34 AM
What do I enjoy MOST about stamping? I would have to say the creative abilities I have been able to find in myself. I grew up in a very "crafty" family, but I never seemed to be able to find a craft that I could do. My Mom and sisters were always making all these cool things and I felt like the odd person out. When I discovered stamping it was as if the light when on inside me and I finally found something that I loved and could do and feel good about. I started stamping in 2001 and have never looked back.!!! Thanks for the chance to win an awesome prize.
Posted by: Janet Sisk | June 07, 2008 at 06:48 AM
What I love move about stamping is the satisfaction of getting a truly crisp image. I love how much people enjoy received a hand-stamped card when it's clear how much effort was put into it.
Posted by: Emma (ratqueen) | June 07, 2008 at 07:05 AM
I love being able to make a card that is so special and made for a specific person, the kind of card you can't find in a store.
Posted by: NancyJo | June 07, 2008 at 07:12 AM
What's not to love? It takes me back to my childhood when I would happily spend a day with my coloring book and crayons. I would smile when those lucky enough to receive a feshly torn out page would "Ooh!" and "Aah!" over my excellent 'inside the lines' artwork. Now I smile when those lucky folks do the same after receiving a card... hopefully thinking how far I've come since my crayon days!
Posted by: Amye | June 07, 2008 at 07:24 AM
What I love most about stamping is knowing that my card will bring a smile to someone's face. Handmade cards, just like the handwritten note, has become a lost art of sorts. In this high-tech, fast-paced life, very few people will take the time to give a handwritten card or make a handmade card. Stamping gives me a lot of personal satisfaction because I enjoy making people smile!
Posted by: Liz N | June 07, 2008 at 07:25 AM
What I enjoy most about stamping is the fact that even when I make cards I am not so crazy about, my friends and family are always appreciative that I took the time to make something special and just for them. To me, that is what crafting and stamping is all about - the personal touch.
Posted by: Andrea | June 07, 2008 at 07:25 AM
There are two reasons really, I love how it makes people feel when they receive a handmade card from me, and the other reason is it's a great stress reliever from a tough day/week at work. Thanks. ~Julie
Posted by: Julie | June 07, 2008 at 07:27 AM
I most enjoy the "me" time. Being able to block out the day and unwind with while creating. There will never be anything that will replace this time that is so precious to me.
Posted by: Karen Q | June 07, 2008 at 07:40 AM
I love being able to be creative to make unique cards and also am fascinated by all of the new ideas that are shared.
Posted by: Sandy | June 07, 2008 at 07:45 AM
I love the calming affect it brings over me. When I'm feeling stressed I wander over to my little special room and create. I'm there alot!
Posted by: Jenny Maass | June 07, 2008 at 07:49 AM
Stamping and creating cards has brought me a renewed self-worth & the joy to continue to fight a battle with terminal cancer. I was too ill to continue to work, so my creative friend taught me to make Thank You cards for my "well-wishers". I LOVED this hobby & was having too much fun to just curl up & die:) So I'm now in remission & still having a BLAST creating cards!!!
Posted by: Linda SS | June 07, 2008 at 07:57 AM
What I love most about stamping is using my A Muse stamps!
Posted by: Katie | June 07, 2008 at 07:58 AM
I love that stamping lets me unwind after a stressful day! (Working with elementary students all day I have plenty of those...LOL) I also love being able to create special one of a kind cards for those special one of a kind people in my life!
Posted by: Jen | June 07, 2008 at 08:14 AM
Stamping has brought me tons of joy, relaxing and a lighter wallet! But I love it and it's so exciting to share my creations with others and see their expressions that I MADE IT! I have learned so many techniques and gotten so many ideas, I love Splitcoast and can't thank them enough for making a place I visit daily:)
Posted by: Susie P | June 07, 2008 at 08:23 AM
My favorite part of stamping is learning new techniques and taking the ideas in my head and putting them down in paper. I just love it when they actually turn out just like I pictured.
Posted by: Lara | June 07, 2008 at 08:27 AM
What I most enjoy about stamping is being able to express my creativity, personality and style! There aren't many hobbies that are complete expressions of yourself, with stamping you take an image and have it reflect what you are seeing, feeling or wanting! Plus when you give your cards away you have the opportunity to spread joy with others!
Posted by: Bryn | June 07, 2008 at 08:35 AM
What do I love most about stamping? The bond it has created between my daughter and myself. Rarely a day goes by that we aren't on the computer stamping "together", sharing ideas and pictures of the cards we make. Sometimes we take turns setting a weekly or daily "challenge" just for the two of us - it's really fun for us. It is definitely time well spent together and makes the miles between us seem much less.
Posted by: Pat | June 07, 2008 at 08:42 AM
I have been paper crafting since I was a child. Stamping offers endless possibilities for us paper crafters, and it's so much fun to share with others. I love everything about it.
Posted by: Jean | June 07, 2008 at 09:10 AM
SCS ROCKS!
I LOVE stamping.....it's so relaxing and freeing to just pick up a stamp you've been wanting to use, find some dp that coordinates and just see where it takes you!
Posted by: JenMarie | June 07, 2008 at 09:15 AM
It's hard to put into words what I love most about stamping. I never considered myself particularly creative, but stamping has allowed me to explore and nurture my creative side. It's also been a way for me to honor the people who are special in my life by creating one of a kind cards for them.
Posted by: Michelle | June 07, 2008 at 09:20 AM
Stamping is a craft that relaxes while stimulating the creative mind of the maker and, when used to make cards, brings to the receiver a feeling of being special to have been hand made a card. It's a win-win hobby!
Posted by: Kath | June 07, 2008 at 09:28 AM
I think what I enjoy the most besides the obvious of a creative outlet--is the feeling of personal satisfaction--of saying "hey, *I* did that" and then the receiver of the art knowing they have soemthing homemade--JUST for them.
ahhh. staidfaction! good. good. feeling.
oh yeah!
Posted by: jeanne j | June 07, 2008 at 10:34 AM
My favorite thing about stamping is that it allows me to let out my creativity!
Posted by: Megan Olsen | June 07, 2008 at 11:07 AM
I love stamping because of what I can do for other folks. I truely enjoy sending off one of my creations to let people I care about know that I am thinking about them. I certainly do not save any money stamping. I enjoy it. thanks so much.
Cheryl Sims
Posted by: Cheryl Sims | June 07, 2008 at 11:09 AM
What I love about stamping is even though the image you are stamping is constant, the ways in which you present it are endless! I love the ideas you get from other stampers and of course, the challenges! Love those !
Posted by: Lori | June 07, 2008 at 11:09 AM
The thing I love about stamping is that you add your own personal touch to a card. The person receiving the card knows that you took the time to think about them and made something esp for them!
Posted by: Alexis R | June 07, 2008 at 11:54 AM
For me, stamping is therapy. It's a creative outlet and also a chance to give a thoughtful and personal gift to someone. I can't even bear to purchase a store bought card anymore!
Posted by: Jill Grace | June 07, 2008 at 12:03 PM
I love it that stamping can allow me to feel creative without having to be able to draw. I love it that I can have a card for every occasion that is exactly right for the recipient -- images that perfectly suit the person or the occasion, favorite colors, exactly the right level of fussiness. And I never send a card that is exactly the same as any other card the recipient gets!
Posted by: Carol O'Leary | June 07, 2008 at 12:26 PM
Stamping gives me instant gratification when I create and instant ADULATION when I give!
Posted by: Loyce | June 07, 2008 at 12:48 PM
What I love most about stamping ---- it's like a never ending coloring book! You can stamp and color and do it over and over and over!! You can make so many different wonderful versions from just 1 stamp! That is what I like the most :) It's something that anyone...any age can do and be proud of. (And if you're not proud of the first attempt...throw it out...stamp again and do it over! LOL)
Posted by: Lori Barnett | June 07, 2008 at 12:59 PM
Being creative even though I'm not artistic by nature, and having a mode to encourage others by sending cards.
Posted by: mcbetty | June 07, 2008 at 01:11 PM
I love seeing a vision in my head and having it come out just the way I planned in it! I also love never having to buy greeting cards!
Posted by: Amanda | June 07, 2008 at 01:18 PM
What *I* enjoy most about stamping is the versatility.
Anyone can go buy a card from Hallmark. For twice the cost of one card, I can buy one stamp and use it for nearly *ANY* purpose...over, and over, and over until I get sick of it. (Haven't had one go "unusable" on me yet.) Not to mention, I can use it on cards, scrapbook pages, my kids arms...anywhere I feel like.
Of course, at this point I could have owned my own Hallmark franchise with all of the stamps that I have, but I tend to think that my cards are funnier and more heartfelt that something mass marketed. ~ kaylyn
Posted by: Kaylyn Conover | June 07, 2008 at 01:19 PM
I have never been a creative person and stamping allowed me to find a side I never knew existed. It gives me great pleasure to give someone a handmade card and see how happy it makes them to receive something so personal. I am fortunate enough to have my own stamping room and it really takes me away from the everyday stresses.
Posted by: aileen | June 07, 2008 at 01:43 PM
I'm not very creative or artistic at all, but find that stamping allows me to use that part of me. SCS is a great place to see other stampers' creativeness. TFS: Tinla
Posted by: tinla woo | June 07, 2008 at 02:05 PM
What do I love about stamping? I love that I can create something myself, and customize it with colour, embellishments, and fun paper.
Posted by: Jessica | June 07, 2008 at 02:16 PM
I've never been one to be able to draw the most simple thing without making it not look like what its supposed to, or just some blob of scribble. So, when I discovered stamping, I was ecstatic, because the images were already created for me! I love art, creativity, anything that you can use your mind to go beyond limitless imagination... and stamps let me do that, despite some of my artistic handicaps =) And, its not just about putting a stamp to ink, and then paper and that's it.... that's just the beginning. I can use my creativity and imagination to transform that into something totally different and beautiful. So, in a nutshell, I love how stamping lets me expand my imagination and creativity to beyond the limit!
Posted by: Kristin | June 07, 2008 at 02:26 PM
Stamping is a creative outlet for me -- I am not very artistic in the traditional sense, but I can overcome that with my beloved rubbah! :) I love being able to stamp and create something wonderful, personalized, handmade and unique that the recipient will (hopefully!) enjoy and appreciate!
Posted by: Happy Now | June 07, 2008 at 03:05 PM
What I love about stamping most is that I am able to be creative with no drawing ability! I can make all these cute cards with my stamps, and I can color them in and make the same image look different by changing the colors of the CS and PP and by the way it is colored in! It's a great stress reliever too, and I think it's cheaper than therapy!! LOL!
Posted by: Tobey Shepherd | June 07, 2008 at 03:08 PM
I would have to say... my "me" time and allowing my creativity to flow and grow! It allows me to have a thought or idea in my head and make it come to life... not always perfect or on the first try but it still is my escape and worth every perfect and not so perfect object made!
Posted by: Holly H. | June 07, 2008 at 03:13 PM
Stamping relaxes me. I love creating a card with a special someone in mind ad seeing the joy on faces when they realize it was made just for them. I also love getting together with friends and sharing new ideas.
Posted by: Susan N. | June 07, 2008 at 04:20 PM
love about stamping? the list is LONG ;) primarily, because it's an 'easy' creative outlet [i can actually COMPLETE a project quickly, compared to a scrapbook layout!], and, because it's something i share with my girlfriends!
Posted by: Cat | June 07, 2008 at 04:53 PM
What I enjoy the most about stamping is that I have no true artistic ability but I can make a card and sit and stare at it and think how cute it is and wonder where in the world that creativity came from. With the help of someone else's creativity ( the design of the stamp etc..) I can make something and be creative too.
Posted by: Lindsay | June 07, 2008 at 05:49 PM
I love the creative outlet that stamping is for me. It allows me to play around and try new techniques. It is relaxing to just sit there and watercolor an image.
Posted by: WendyP | June 07, 2008 at 05:50 PM
Why I love Stamping? It's something you can do to get your mind off your problems. Also love it because it brings friend together, and it's also FUN...
Posted by: Kathy Hering | June 07, 2008 at 06:17 PM
I love getting my hands dirty... and seeing a cute expression, fun image and the scenery come to life from an imprint!
Posted by: Kim Faucher | June 07, 2008 at 06:23 PM
What I enjoy most about stamping is being with the girls. What is better than stamping with your best girlfriend with a margarita and giggling all night!?!? It is something I can do to relieve stress and block out the world around me. I have met so many online friends and they give me that go-get-em attitude when it comes to stamping. I also just love that feeling when someone says "YOU made that?!?!" And inside my head is doing that little jive and I am gettin' my groove on. You know the one I am talking about! It is the best!
Melissa
Posted by: Melissa | June 07, 2008 at 06:28 PM
I love stamping because since I live in a house overrun with testosterone - I am married, have a son and even my dog is male - so it is nice to have something that I can do that can be my one girly thing! It gives me some time to myself.
Posted by: Pam | June 07, 2008 at 06:39 PM