A Very Productive Crafternoon

I've been secretly eyeing customized stamps for months now. I haven't been pursuing it because I'm not a very artsy fartsy person. In fact, I am TERRIBLE at drawing. Back in college, Ninin was always in charge of drawing and I was always in charge of coloring. Haha!  In case you didn't know, one of the most important steps of doing homemade stamps is to draw your design.

Anyway, exactly two months ago (proof that I'm such a lazy blogger, blogging about this just now), I took a big leap and signed up for a Rubbercutting Crafternoon with Mansy of HeyKessy and Alessa of Lifeafterbreakfast. Initially I was so excited for September 15 to come but as the date got nearer, I got more and more anxious. I was anxious because, as I've said, I couldn't draw to save my life!! So to counteract my nervousness, I decided to search for really simple stamp patterns and ended up getting simple shapes that could pass as geometric patterns (or so I thought).

The day came and I rushed to Katipunan for the 1st ever Rubbercutting Crafternoon session. When I arrived, most of the participants were already there. So I quickly searched for an empty seat, sat down and saw a black box, a strip of sticker paper and a pink cutting mat in front of me. The first thing we were asked to do was to create our name tag using the sticker paper and the handmade alphabet stamps on the table. Here's how mine looked like:

My name tag which is now on the bedroom wall (I was so nervous, my hand was shaking while I stamped this. Haha! How more un-artsy could I get)

The Kit (black box I mentioned) contains 1 GIANT eraser, 1 regular sized eraser (the white one), the cutting mat, carving tools (not seen in pic: ruler, pencil, cutter, carbon paper, paper for stamping)

Before we started doodling and cutting rubber, Alessa and Mansy told us about the basics of stamping like carving to achieve a 'negative' or a 'positive' stamp, different techniques and mediums, as well as the importance of reversing the text when doing word stamps.

Along the way, my 'classmates' figured that it's much easier to make big simple designs than small shapes or patterns. I was so surprised and unprepared (lemme reiterate, I don't know how to draw!!) because I was trying to do small boxes. Anyway, I stuck to what I was doing and ended up finishing (messily, mind you) my first ever stamp! Then I decided to do a much more easier (hahaha..I'm suuuch an artist. haha!) design..another geometric pattern but this time with 3 triangles. And just like that, I had my 2nd ever handmade stamp. ;)) Try to suppress your laughter.. here's my finished products..

And look at what my classmates made!!!! @_@ I was in awe with their designs. I wanted to keep mine in the box. Haha. Fortunately, my seatmate, Jean, was so kind and encouraging that she wanted me to stamp on her paper and sign it (aww..). She also said that it'd be cool to make as a gift wrapper or border for stationery. Yes! That was my plan. That's why I did geometric patterns. Someone gets me! :)))

Made by my frontmates, Mia and Edwina

Aside from the action-filled (yes, action-filled. it was hard to fight with the rubber ha) activity,  we were served delcious, healthy food from Pipino <3 and were serenaded by Johnoy Danao. Loved the mushroom salpicao, wicked walnut salad and cheeseless vegetarian lasagna as well as Johnoy's songs! Before leaving, we took a class photo. ;)

P.S. I was too nervous that I completely forgot to take pictures during the event. Grabbed the pictures here (Mansy).

Two months have passed and the Rubbercutting bug hasn't left me (thankfully!), here's my collection of stamps:

Hoping to take up more crafts! ;)