I'm in FL for a couple of months enjoying the warmth & sun. Sorry to miss you. Enjoy the time there!

Enjoy your time in Rockford with your brother. Unfortunately, I cannot meet up during that window of time. I hope you have some good luck finding letterboxes.

added everyone who answered! :) and it looks like some other folks who added me.

Hmm... You might be right. It might be worth a look next time I'm that way. Pretty vague clues tho...

🙃

Thanks for looking that up!

If you need more friends, just go to Leekduck.com No need to sign in, just add them by the QR code.

What foam or material do you use to mount the pink stuff too? It feels flimsy to me. Brand names would be helpful, as I did Google and found lots of types of foam or clear hard plastic. I want to know what you use. 🤔

I don't know the name of it, but I was buying 1/4 inch foam sheets from JoAnn before they went out of business. I also got foam sheets from Stampeaz, which is no longer in business :-(
I've been planning to look at Michaels and at Hobby Lobby, and then the internet as a last resort(I prefer going to stores and seeing stuff in my hands!). Check in the general crafts aisle, usually where they have felt, googly eyes, pipe cleaners, etc.
Please add to this thread if you find some!

I dont mount the pink stuff to anything.

Please bear with me - I know it’s been asked before, and there have been hundreds plus of answers, but instead of going back to 2011 and having my brain hurt from reviewing 15 years….

What are some ways to treat Linoleum so that it will transfer a better inked image? Also, treat the surface before, or after you finish carving?

I know linoleum isn’t so great for our purposes, but I saw some that was 1/8” thick (wonderful for micro postals!) and was advertised “cuts like butter” (sure, if you’re talking about frozen butter, I found out). But, it was inexpensive, and I figure it might be okay for simple, small postal carves. I did carve an image, and it turned out acceptable. I was also pleased that my iron transfer (from a laser printer) worked well.

Thanks ahead of time!

One of my friends has used cheap flip-flops as mounting foam.

The actual Speedball Pink doesn't need to be mounted on anything. Just use a container that the stamp will fit flat and horizontal to minimize warping.

*I'm ignoring the 2012 bad batch that cracked easily

I never mount the regular Speedball pink stuff. It doesn’t need mounting. I don’t know what you may be using but the regular pink stuff that most of us use is not flimsy.

I am new to this but not new to block printing or lino cuts. So the pink stuff feels like it is flimsy for making stamps out in the wild. The few I have found have been mounted on foam or some kind of backing, or very small stamps. I am researching as I make my first letterbox!

Cover it in Pink Stuff?

I am looking for feedback on a proposal for future Mystery Postals.

The post office has been very slow and apparently unreliable. Mystery Postal 2504 has fallen victim on its maiden mailing.

My proposal is to conduct the mysteries as normal. However, instead of mailing the stamp, I will send the stamp image to everyone who is successful. This could be via postcard, card in an envelope, or email a picture.

Please vote for your preferences below:
Disagree - would not participate under any condition other than a real stamp.
Agree - prefer postcard image
Educational - prefer image mailed in an envelope
Huh? - prefer e-mailed
Hug - would still like to participate even without getting the stamp

So a Mystery LTC?

As someone who has joined and hosted many postcard swaps... postcards get damaged.

A postal or LTC, I'd join either. Envelope or postcard also not a big difference to me.
I have no interest in a "Virtual"

I've had stamps go missing more than I'd like to admit. Riggs Raven did a postal ring where you share the image with others by stamping it onto a label type paper that's adhesive, so you can peel off the image and log as you wish, and still have the traditional folio for people to log in.

In this was, you can also better reuse the actual stamp in a traditional box (if one so wishes) and it can still be sturdy since it's not shaved down!

Well, all I can say is the pink stuff is not flimsy at all and 99% of the boxes I have found in all these years are pink stuff with no backing. And a hard backing will very often make for a not great image because it takes away the give of the foam. But you be you.

Netflix actually does something cool.

Good Night, and Good Luck: Live from Broadway

I think this link takes you to the beginning with the young lady singing. You might have to look for the listing though.

She edited……Nope not the beginning but a listing and join Netflix page. I guess I assume the whole world has Netflix. Hahhhh But if you do……it was great to watch.

There is nothing wrong with mounting the on thin foam though I agree with others - it's not needed. The problem - out in the wild - is that your log book might be bent over your knee or a fallen tree and and a hard backing won't allow a good print. Flexibility is a good thing in the wild

I was in Michael's yesterday and they had a whole JoAnns section. I didn't have time peruse it, but it was several isles worth.

I've read that some folks lightly sand the finished stamp to help it grab ink better

I bought a sheet of 1.4" firm foam with a strong adhesive backing......somewhere. It has no brand name on it unfortunately. I must have Googled it. Came from some guy who made custom stamps using a printer. Anyway it works great but I rarely use it. It doubles the size of my stamp and I find that harder to hide. The only stamps I've found cracking were the really big ones - like 4" x 3" and up because they flex so much when inked and stamped. For my stamps I pretty much just use E6000 glue to adhere a bit of stiff cardboard.

Hi all - I am hosting a last minute event at one of our local libraries on March 14th. The theme - Whodunnit in the Library!

Would appreciate any new or previously carved stamps!!

Suspects/Victim
Motives
Locations
Alibis
The Investigation
Mystery Movie Madness
Mystery Author Madness

Thanks in advance,
Jiffy

Don't need to see the actual stamp; postcards get damaged in the mail and are too thick for my logbook anyway. Image mailed in an envelope seems like unnecessary work whereas an emailed image would be just as good after the printing, and at no cost. So I marked huh? and hug (a stamp is a nice reward, but I've also participated on several occasions without declaring it and without getting the stamp; it was still challenging and fun!)

Thank you! I had read that was one method.

From what is seen I believe it's recommended to sand before carving, that way you can lightly abrade the whole surface and not to to worry about messing up any small areas or fine details. Also wiping the block with a solvent will remove any oils and might possibly "rough" up the surface some depending on the solvent.

I bought a few sheets of thick foam from Walmart and Gorilla Glued my stamps. I carve with the pink stuff and haven’t had any problems.

I prefer getting actual stamps in the mail. I like stickers but not in lieu of stamps.

I used to use Gorilla Glue to attach foam backing to all of my stamps, but as other folks have said, it’s not typically needed. I only use it on more fragile stamps these days.

Fairytale Trail in Simsbury,CT at Onion Mountain State Park: I planted 6 boxes here but I’ve moved out of state and need someone to take over or remove these boxes. Can anyone help?