Handmade Rubber Stamped Greeting Cards

Rating:
Summary: Lite and quick, a look at collage-style stamped gifting
Review: Rubber Stamped Greeting Cards is the kind of book on rubber stamping that you would pick up just to get a quick survey of rubber stamping techniques and how to combine them with other trendy crafts to create your own cards and gift accessories. Author Melanie Hendrick starts with a very basic introduction to the tools and materials and leads the reader by baby steps to try out simple techniques such as embossing with a stamped image. Then there are five projects outlined with photo illustrations, beginning with the easiest to the more advanced level at the end of the book. There are several sample variations pictured for inspiration.

Style-wise, expect very artsy and collage-y results that may remind you of similar card designs by Maryjo McGraw. Lots of popular craft embellishments are used to achieve the look, such as eyelets, handmade papers and wire mesh. One of the "cards" caught my eye, which was a matchbox given new life as a decorated multimedia stamp collage/gift box with a concertina card attached to the lid.

I found the book to be comprehensible and nicely done, but rather thin overall. The price led me to expect something a little more substantial than the five complete project outlines. Still, a person might be able to use this book as a jumping-off point for a new hobby in rubber stamps. Conditionally recommended for beginners.
-Andrea, aka Merribelle