Where to Buy PSX Rubber Stamps

If you're into scrap booking or designing your own greeting cards or other paper-related items, you've probably seen some beautiful PSX rubber stamps around. These typically-ornate, classy designer stamps are eye-catching and will certainly make your creations stand out. However, you may not know offhand where to find them; below, we'll explore some of the best places to find these PSX stamps you desire.


1. In Scrap Booking StoresThanks to the popularity of scrap booking, you can find stores devoted to the hobby in even small towns. Though many of the very tiny shops might sell PSX rubber stamps at a premium price, the customer service you'll receive is second-to-none. Additionally, smaller businesses occasionally offer coupons or discounts throughout the year, so keep a lookout for these savings or clearance events.


2. Through Online MerchantsThere are many online stores which sell PSX rubber stamps for both retail and reduced prices. In fact, you'll probably have so many to choose from that it'll be hard to decide. When checking out an online store, though, make certain you take into consideration the shipping and handling (and tax, if applicable) costs. If you're paying an arm and a leg to have your rubber stamps sent to you, a good price might not be such a bargain. Do a little homework and a little math and if you end up ordering online, pick a place that will combine shipping costs or that offers free shipping.


3. At Discount RetailersThere are many �big box� retailers who sell merchandise that didn't �move� at other merchant's shops. Sometimes, you can find these rubber stamps at these places at an extremely lowered price. Though it's a hit-or-miss proposition, uncovering PSX rubber stamps at a great rate can be a real �find� and can save you tons of money in the long run.


4. Through Online AuctionsIt's true - you can find anything you want on the Internet, and that includes PSX stamps, extremely popular items among scrap booking fans. Check out the bigger online auctions or even local ones (if they exist in your area) and bid if you find some PSX rubber stamps that truly catch your eye. Just be aware that the bids could exceed the retail value of the stamps, so be cautious; don't allow yourself to get caught up in the excitement of trying to �win� an auction.


5. At Yard SalesBelieve it or not, you can find some very lovely (and even unused) PSX rubber stamps at yard sales! Again, it's tough to tell which yard sale will have this item, but if you tend to cruise the garage sale circuit every weekend anyway, be on the lookout for these popular stampers. And if you know someone else who is a �professional� yard sale huntress, ask her to be on the lookout for rubber stamps at a good price.

Truly, there are plenty of places for you to snag deals on PSX rubber stamps. Good luck and happy hunting!

About The Author:
Moises has been working for stamping industry for last 7 years. He created a website that has tips and advises about various rubber stamps. Come to http://www.bestrubberstamps.com to learn more about rubber stamps.

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Places To Get Stamps For A Stamp Collection

So, you want to start your own stamp collection, don't you? You may have heard at how satisfying and fulfilling a stamp collection has proven to be for countless people around the globe. The great thing about stamps is that you not only get the satisfaction of browsing through the cultures and the history of the origins of these stamps, but you also stand to gain financially as the value of these stamps increase along with age.

Aside from being just postal implements, stamps have attained the status of being important memorabilia. Stamps typically increase in value when they are rare or are of age. Some people collect stamps as an investment, hoping that the increased value these stamps accrue with age will pay off dividends when sold in the future. Others collect stamps purely for fun.

Whichever collector you belong to, you will always need a good, steady supply of stamps to fill your albums. But where do you get these stamps? And how do you procure them?

There are two ways to get stamps - the free way or the paid way. The free way is fun, since you get to work like a detective sorting, soaking, mounting and processing these stamps on your own. If you wish to collect stamps the quick way, the paid method works pretty fine - especially when you seek bulk amounts of stamps. Paying for stamps is also a great way to acquire rare stamps. However, paying for stamps is not advisable to beginners unless they go for bulk stamps to beef up their collection.

Free
Yes, the oldest and cheapest means of getting stamps is the mail that gets to your mailbox. And while the amount of mail you are receiving may be affected by the advent of the internet and email, mailboxes are still a great way to get stamps. However, you will have to take great care in handling such stamps as you have to learn how to properly soak and mount these stamps for you collection.

Let your friends and neighbors in on your hobby and they'll only be too eager to share in your efforts. You may have to instruct them to give you the envelope as it is so that you can properly process the stamps out. Or you may have them cut out the stamp from the envelope - while, of course, leaving a lot of leeway around the stamp.

You may also want to trade duplicate stamps with other stamp collecting enthusiasts. This way, both of you get to acquire unique stamps. It's also a great way to browse and admire each other's collection while learning more of the hobby itself.

Paid
As time goes on, modern ways of collecting and buying stamps have evolved. In the past you had to go to specialty shops or other collectors to purchase stamps - not to mention dropping by your local post office to snag unique ones. Today, the internet helps stamp collectors communicate with each other. You might want to browse the internet for sites that help stamp collectors band together.

There are also over 1,200 stamp stores in the United States, so it really shouldn't be too hard to find one around your locality.

Some will sell bulk orders of assorted stamps. This is a great way to beef up your collection, especially if you are starting out.

Knowledge is Power
This phrase cannot be stressed enough. It is really possible that you come across a really valuable stamp and discard it as useless all because you do not know enough about your hobby. Try to know as much as you can about stamps, rarities, current values and useful trivia that will help you gauge the value of stamps in your collection. It is really possible that some glitch or error in a stamp has made it valuable. Without information about such stamps you would probably just let it sit around not knowing that it has great value.

Try subscribing to stamp collecting magazines and sign up for organizations or clubs that cater to collectors just like you. There's no better way to know more about your hobby than to engage in study and discussion with fellow stamp collectors.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/collecting-articles/places-to-get-stamps-for-a-stamp-collection-795583.html

Learn About Making Your Very Own Stamp Album

Collecting and bringing stuff together is fun and it can be rewarding too when your collection gets noticed by other people who may even want to buy your collection. People collect dolls, cars, toys, and almost anything that can be accumulated. For some, there is nothing like collecting stamps.

Before you decide on starting a stamp collection you must first determine what kind or type of stamps you are going to collect. You can collect any kind of stamp but it would be more valuable if you collect a certain kind of stamp. You can choose to collect stamps according to their types, formats, purpose, or condition.

A total of ten thousand postage stamps are being issued every year throughout the world and it would be very expensive and perhaps almost impossible to aspire for a worldwide collection all at once. You can however start with a realistic and doable stamp collection by collecting stamps issued in a specific country.

The easiest stamps to collect are those issued in the country where you live because it is more accessible. However, you can also choose to collect stamps from countries which have special meanings to you. The kind of stamps you will collect will also depend on your financial resources because there are stamps that are way too expensive.

You can also collect stamps by topic such as stamps depicting birds, ships, planes, flowers or any other object. There are people who collect Disney or cartoon stamps but you must develop a very network for this collection starting from friend sin all areas of the world. Another option is to collect used or new stamps. You can also opt for a color-scheme stamp collection where you will only collect blue or red stamps.

You can already start collecting stamps even if you do not have the money to spend on it. Start with used stamps because you can have them for free. Start by asking your housemates for stamps that come with their postcards and letters. You can also expand your network by asking friends, relatives and acquaintances for used stamps. Some people write to as many pen friends from different countries so they can exchange stamps.

While you may be excited enough to tear off stamps from envelopes, the best way is to cut the stamps from the envelopes and remove them later using a special process used by stamp collectors.

If you have extra money then you can look for new stamps from stamp dealers in your area. Also join clubs for stamp collectors because this can be an opportunity for you to exchange stamps with other collectors.

To start off your stamp collection, make sure you are equipped with the very basic stamp collecting tools like a stamp album, tongs, hinges, a perforation gauge, a magnifying glass and a watermark sensing device. When you have collected enough stamps, it is better to place them in a stamp album. Most stamp albums already have hinges with which you can mount the stamps safely.

Never munt your stamps using adhesive tapes or glues because it can damage your stamps. If your album doe snot have those little plastic dividers then it is best to buy mounts or hinges to separae your stamps accordingly.

Be careful when handling stamps because you do no want to ruin them; better use tongs to keep sweaty and dirty hands away from the stamps. No matter how you wash your hands, there will alwyas be sweat and grime which could affect the quality of the stamps you ar ehandling. Also but a good magnifying glass as it will help you inspect your stamps closely. Stamps may appear the same when viewed with the naked eye but who knows what you will discover when you use a magnifying glass.

There are a variety of choices when starting your stamp collection but do not be so caught up with the technicalities because stamp collection is basically a hobby and you do it for enjoyment. You can start a stamp collecting hobby for pleasure but when you haev already mastered this hobby then you can turn it into a money making venture. But first, take the time to enjoy your tamps.

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Stamp Collecting as Hobby and for Profit?

Stamp collecting is a hobby enjoyed by millions of people worldwide. However, what you may not know is that it is not just collecting of stamps, it's more than that

It's seems to be a fact that stamp collecting is a very fulfilling experience for all people around the world. The excitement of acquiring a valuable postage stamp, coupled with the thrill of witnessing its rarity soar throughout the years, is truly an exhilarating feeling. Even with the advancement of emails and digital age, it's should not be a surprise that the hobby of stamp collecting still lives on among the people.

But stamp collecting can be more than just a hobby.

Stamp collecting can actually be a profitable venture, a hobby that can be transformed into a business, and for many entrepreneurs, a dream come true.

Welcome to the business of stamp collecting, where there are many ways to earn substantial income while enjoying the joys of one of the most wonderful and fulfilling pastimes in the world.

The Game Of Speculation

The number one way by which a stamp collector can earn some income from his hobby is, of course, by buying and selling postage stamps.

Just like any investment model, the stamp collector is supposed to sell stamps when they're hot, and but them when they're not. It's just a business of knowing which postage stamp that have the highest chance of appreciation. When there is an appreciation of the value of the stamps, that is where the collector can sell them for a profit.

Speculative stamp collecting is an investment model that requires a small financial investment - currently circulated stamps cost less than $0.50 each - yet yields significant earnings as a normally-priced stamp today can cost as much as $40 in a matter of 2 or 3 years.

Philatelic Investing

Philatelic investing is similar to simple stamp inventing in so far as they both involve the buying and selling of postage stamps. However, whereas the latter is about speculating on currently circulated postage stamps, the former is all about the purchase and eventual disposition of postage stamps that already command significant prices.

Philatelic investing usually involve stamp collecting that are themed. Philatelic investors usually concentrate on specific types of postage stamps, as the variety of published stamps may be too overwhelming for any businessman in this field.

Philatelic investing will need more research. Unlike simple stamp speculation where investments can be bought for mere cents, the subjects of philatelic investing cost hundreds of dollars, and sometimes, thousands of dollar even. Hence, a critical study of market forces, postal history and other relevant information is necessary in order to make sound investments that have the greatest chances of garnering fantastic profit.

Philatelic Brokering

Some people who are deeply involved with this hobby think that speculative postage stamp collecting is not as high-yielding as they'd like to fancy. The problem with philatelic investing is that it does require an amount of investment, which can be pretty tough.

The next best way to capitalize on the prevailing passion for postage stamps is through philatelic brokering.

Philatelic brokering involves offering one's services to find the postage stamps that particular collectors are looking for. It involves the usage of one's knowledge about postage stamps and about postal history as well as the industry to provide for the needs of other collectors... for a fee of course.

A collector may be looking for a 19th century half-penny British stamp of Queen Victoria, for example. If you know where to find one for, say, $850, you can offer your services to the collector. Ask for $1,000 for the said stamp, which will immediately net a profit of $150 for a single transaction.

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Low Cost Embellishments for your Stamping Projects

While a hobby or craft store is a fantastic place to start looking for embellishments, a great alternative is your local hardware store. (You'll want to try Lowe's, Home Depot, and the hardware section of Wal-Mart.) These unique locations stock unique embellishments which make fabulous card making and scrapbook embellishments.

Indeed, your hardware store may be the best kept secret to finding the most inexpensive craft embellishments if you are willing to buy in larger quantities. We found many of the same embellishments in our hardware store, sold in larger quantities, and cheaper than had we purchased them at a craft and hobby store.

Wire is can be purchased in a wide array of colors such as copper, gold, and silver. Wire and hemp string make a great embellishment for scrapbooking since they add real depth of character and can be applied in so many different ways. Hemp is very versatile as well. You can twist wire pieces into perfect little curly cues or wrap them around a pencil. You might also try forming them around cookie cutter shapes to make hearts, bears, stars, or any other cookie cutter shape you have on hand. The limit for these two embellishments is only in your imagination!

Buying several different grits of sandpaper will allow you to test the effects of each one to create different looks of distressed paper and antiquing. Using a sanding sponge can be very helpful and will keep your hand clean and soft. Cut a piece of sandpaper to fit around the sanding sponge and you will have a solid grip while you distress the edges of your scrapbook paper or paper craft project.

Hardware stores have entire rows devoted to a wide array of hinges. You will also find many different textures ranging from classic to modern. You can paint a handful of hinges white at the same time to have on hand. All you need to do is stamp them with your favorite stamp pad to create a coordinated hinge for your projects!

Painting a hinge or other accessory is a great way to get the ideal match to your rubber stamp design. Even small keys or padlocks are cute on cards and can be painted to match the color scheme. Painting them is also a great way to give them a more girlie, chic, or classy look. It all depends on what style you're trying to create.

Why purchase five feet of chain when your project only requires a few inches? Your local hardware store is usually very helpful at making custom lengths of wire, which can often be purchased for a few pennies. Wire mesh, which can be found with the gutter supplies, looks fantastic on projects. You will probably have no trouble locating white, plastic wire mesh that can be stamped to any color you desire.

A simple trip to the hardware store, with a creative eye, is sure to yield wonderful, inexpensive embellishments that will give your scrapbooking project a fantastic look. Why wait, give it a try today!

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/hobbies-articles/low-cost-embellishments-for-your-stamping-projects-90506.html

How to Purchase the Best Finishing Tools for Stamping

Whether you are just starting in rubber stamping or you're an avid hobbyist, one thing is for sure, you'll need an efficient way to cut and trim your paper craft designs. Whether your using card stock or glossy photo paper, having the right tool makes a big difference in the final look of the project. There are many different cutting and trimming tools used in rubber stamping and scrapbooking. We would like to give you a quick guide for these tools and explain the different types. Your finished paper craft project will look wonderful!

Some of the most popular trimming and cutting tools are the guillotine, personal paper, and rotary trimmer. In addition to these tools, paper punches, scoring blades, T-squares, and shape cutters are also important to have on hand before starting your next project.

The first paper trimmer to come to mind is the guillotine, which can be purchased at any office supply store. A straight blade is pulled directly over the paper to make a perfectly straight cut. Get a solid, well made trimmer with tight handle fittings. Most guillotine trimmers can cut between ten to twenty pieces of paper at a time. The guillotine handle should be made of metal or strong fiberglass and should not flex at all.

Rubber stamping and scrapbooking projects often need small, simple cuts to photos, mattes, and card stock. The personal paper trimmer is an excellent choice for the small routine trimming and can fit inside a desk drawer. Many of the smaller paper trimmers have special safety features that make them suitable for fast trimming of objects held by hand close to the cutting blade. This allows you to crop small pieces of card stock, trim photos, and matte scrapbook pages. Personal paper trimmers are not suitable for large paper trims or making long straight cuts.

The rotary trimmer has many advantages for rubber stamping and paper craft projects. The biggest benefit is the availability of many different decorative blades. If you decide to use a handheld rotary trimmer instead of a table top model, you'll need to purchase a good self-healing cutting mat. The cutting surface of the mat is designed to allow you to cut paper and even fabric without perceived wear.

Cutting a circle or oval shapes with scissors can be very difficult. Shape cutters have quickly become a favorite tool for paper craft artists. Shape cutters come with plastic templates that allow you to cut many different shape sizes.

Paper punches are the simplest way to insure that you have perfect cutout shapes on every scrapbooking layout. You can find many different styles and shapes. The most important thing to consider when purchasing a paper punch is the handle. Getting a paper punch that is easy to press goes a long way when you are making multiple items or many cards. Some of the best paper punches also have holding containers that will keep your work area free from punch scraps.

T-squares and the scoring blades are tools that can be very helpful while stamping and scrapbooking. Durable T-squares that will last many years can be purchased at your local hardware store. Cheaper styles can be purchased at a craft store. Buy a quality T-square that has a tooled edge for making perfectly straight lines and cuts. You will be able to line up corners and make perfect mattes. Scoring blades are used to make straight tears and folds along the corner edges of handmade greeting cards. Designer scoring blades allow you make decorative tears on scrapbooking paper and card stock.

Whether you're scrapbooking, cardmaking, or rubber stamp project is large or small having the proper cutting and trimming tools is very necessary. Having the right trimming and cutting tools helps make your paper craft project look its best. Having these simple cutting tools on hand will allow you to dive into those projects and come out with straight edges, crops, and trims every time. Always keep your tools sharp and out of the reach of small children. You're going to love each of the different cutting and trimming tools, and I suggest you get one of each to see the benefits clearly.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/hobbies-articles/how-to-purchase-the-best-finishing-tools-for-stamping-86013.html

The Early Postal System and First Stamp

The very first stamp, the penny black, was issued on May 6, 1840 in Great Britain. The invention of the postage stamp is attributed to Sir Rowland Hill. The idea of a stamp as a prepaid method for sending mail is actually older than that: “Cavallini" were used as soon as 1819 by the Sardinian post.

Before 1840, the recipient had to bear the cost of postage: the recipient was thus showing he/she valued the letter sent to him or her. Transportation was likely not very reliable as well for somebody willing to agree to pay upfront for shipping. Calculation of the cost of postage was complicated: weight was taken into account of course, so was the precise distance between sender and receiver.

It is said that Rowland Hill witnessed the following scene : a servant receives a letter from her lover, the postman gives it to her but after inspecting it for a few seconds she refuses to pay the tax. Mr Hill then offers to pay for the letter but she refuses.

The servant lets Mr Hill on her little secret: her lover scribbles a few light signs on the letter and by looking at them, she knows the global situation of her fiancé.

Hill wants to do the following to reform the postal system:
· Make the sender pay for sending mail.
· Lower the cost for sending letters to promote their use.
· Simplify prices. A single price to be paid for sending letter in the country.

The first measure enables makes it so that the post is always paid for its service. The second also has for purpose to stimulate commerce. The last measure is necessary if we want the sender to know easily the amount to be paid.

All this prompted the creation of the postage stamp : a convenient way to prepay a letter without having to go each time to the post office. On May 6 1840, the public had the choice between the Penny Black Stamp and the "Mulready" prepaid envelope. The stamp is preferred by the public, envelopes being still foreign to people at the time as the common practice was to fold the letters and seal them.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/collecting-articles/the-early-postal-system-and-first-stamp-550926.html

Essential Rubber Stamping & Scrapbooking Supplies

Are you new to rubber stamping or a professional? The following supply list will assist the novice rubber stamp hobbyist and even the scrapbooker as well as spark some interest for the advanced paper craft artist. While there are thousands of various supplies that can be used in rubber stamping and scrapbooking, we have tried to highlight the most important ones.

Stamping Ink: Rubber stamp pads come in a wide variety of colors and shades. Outside of their usual usage, stamp pads can be used to tint and colorize embellishments as well as distress paper and chipboard.

Stickers: Sticker options available are endless and you'll be excited to find unique types and styles including velvet, gel, and even three-dimensional brands. If you're very creative, you can even make your own stickers with any one of the commercially avaible sticker adhesive machines. Why not recycle those adorable magazine pictures as stickers in a timeless scrapbook album?

Ribbon: Rubber stamping and scrapbooking ribbons come in many widths from 2" to 1/8" depending on what you need for your specific format. Color coordinated ribbons can be purchased at your local hobby store. Scrapbooking ribbon today is especially designed for the current trends and styles.

Staples, buttons, and metal fasteners: Scrapbooking embellishments include metal fasteners, colored staples, faux flowers, buttons, and paper clips. Items usually found at an office supply store have now become important to have on hand while scrapbooking stamping. Create coordinated sets of embellishments by purchasing white embellishments and colorize them with stamp ink or paint. Having embellishments that perfectly match your paper and are coordinated to compliment each other will add a special touch to every project.

Card stock: Handmade, hand dyed, printable fabric stock paper are all available for your scrapbooking pleasure! Acid free products, which will keep your memorable albums from harmful deterioration for the longest time possible, are important for your memories to last forever.

Scrapbooking Albums: You'll want to make sure that your memories last many lifetimes and finding a good album is very crucial. The standard album sizes are 6x 6, 12 x 12, and 8.5 x 11. These sizes are perfectly suited to the most common sizes of scrapbooking paper. They can also be found in smaller sizes, however, and can even be custom-made for special projects.

While you only need a few supplies and your creativity to have fun in stamping and scrapbooking, these supplies will make your time spent scrapbooking and rubber stamping even more enjoyable.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/hobbies-articles/essential-rubber-stamping-amp-scrapbooking-supplies-82910.html

Coin And Stamp Collecting- The 3 Point Formula!

provide humans with a kind of contentment that other activities cannot provide. It is by indulging in such activities, that humans find a vent for their creative frustrations.

Today, coin and stamp collection are two extremely popular hobbies in today’s world. These two activities have a value that no other hobby can compare to.

Why?

This is due to the fact that stamp and coin collecting, in addition to embodying the act of collecting different types of stamps and coins, also help in the preservation and personification of the world’s history. Both coin and stamp collecting help highlight different images used to visually record significant events in history.

In terms of appeal and value, both stamp and coin collecting are indistinguishable. People who want to collect stamps, coins or both need to follow a few guidelines before starting on the hobby.

1. Conduct a research

In addition to being interested in the hobby of coin and stamp collecting, it is important to do homework before starting the activity. This will help you gather enough information and knowledge before getting into the activity.

2. Exercise caution before buying anything

Do not purchase any coin or stamp before knowing how to identify and classify them. When it comes to coins, knowing how to grade is extremely important. When it comes to stamps, it is important to know the procedure of identifying the slight disparities that creeps into the type of paper used and other distinguishable features like colour, perforations or watermarks.

3. Identify the correct product
You should never purchase coins or stamps without having full knowledge on how to identify or classify them. When it comes to coins, knowledge on grading is important. When it comes to stamps, you need to be able to distinguish between slight disparities in features such as perforations, color and watermarks.

These are few of the various pointers that need to be considered by every coin and stamp collector should know. Following these tips will help you overcome all the difficulties that come in the hobby of coin and stamp collection with confidence.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/collecting-articles/coin-and-stamp-collecting-the-3-point-formula-739687.html

Wedding Postage Stamp Ideas

Imagine the smile that will cross your mother-in-law's face when she sees you and your fiancee's own smiling faces beaming back up at her from the corner of the wedding invitation. Now that's a personal invitation! It's no wonder that personalized postage stamps have become so popular. If you'd like to create your own custom postage stamps we have reviews of several sites at which you can do so here at CustomPostagePros.com, but before you check out those articles, I have a few suggestions that might help you come up with the perfect idea for a wedding postage stamp.

Of course, the standard portrait that I just mentioned is one fine option. They're going to want to come to the wedding to see you two enter bliss together, so it makes sense to give them an up close and personal preview of your happiness. What if you took it a step further though? If you had planned well enough or were plain lucky enough to get a photograph taken as the proposal on bended knee was taking place, how wonderful would that be as a postage stamp? You could even put the photo within a heart-shaped border with a cute caption like "She said YES!" or something along those lines. I know I'd break into a broad grin if I saw that on an invitation from two of my good friends.

Another idea is to incorporate the wedding postage stamp with the rest of your wedding invitation. So if you haven't decided all the details of your invitation yet I'd hold off on creating your customized postage stamp just yet. Even if you decide to go with one of the above options you could still do it such that the border color and font of the text on the stamp matched the theme of your invitation and wedding.

Another option for the photo postage stamp would be a view of where the actual wedding is going to take place. Then the stamp ends up being like a small window into the future that your guests will be arriving into, and opening up the invitation will serve as their tickets and itinerary for the event. Whatever you do decide, I think you can see that the opportunity that the websites where you can create your own wedding postage stamps give you is hard to pass up. Adding this little personalized postage stamp to your invitations may not be missed if it's not there, but if it is it will bring with it that extra touch of joy to your special day.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/marriage-articles/wedding-postage-stamp-ideas-442805.html