E-Stamping - New Stamp Duty System Introduced by Revenue Commissioners

E-Stamping

E-Stamping is a new stamping system which has been introduced by the Revenue Commissioners to replace the existing stamping system. The aim of the new e-Stamping system is to provide a more cost effective and efficient stamping system. The new system will apply to all instruments which require stamping and where stamp duty is payable. There are two ways to use the new system. Firstly you can log on to Revenue Online System-ROS (if you are already registered, alternatively you can register as a new user) and file an instrument and pay stamp duty as applicable, using the e-Stamping Return. If you do not wish to use ROS, then you can file a paper stamp return by post or by hand with the Revenue Commissioners.

E-Stamping Return

To avail of using the E-Stamping Return, you must log onto ROS. If you are not already registered for ROS, you can do so by following the ROS Registration process on ros.ie. Once registered and logged on, you can select stamp duty from the list of taxes. The systems will guide you through the various fields using drop down menus, which means that you will only need to complete the sections which apply to your particular case. Once all the information is completed correctly, the E-Stamping system will calculate the stamp duty which may be payable. If accepted, you may proceed, file the return and pay the appropriate stamp duty. You may save your workings offline however, if you are not ready to file yet. Also, you may file the return but choose not to pay by Direct Debit, you may send in the duty payable by cheque or electronic transfer. Once payment is received by the Revenue Commissioners and they are satisfied with their review, they will issue a Stamping Certificate. This Certificate replaces the holograph strip which previously was affixed to the instrument once stamp duty had been paid. Under the new system if you pay the stamp duty by Direct Debit, you will receive the Stamp Certificate in your ROS inbox and this should be printed off and affixed to the instrument. If you choose to pay by EFT or cheque, the certificate will be posted out to you. If an adjudication is required, it may take longer than normal for the certificate will be issued.

The main advantages of the E-Stamping Return are as follows:

• The new system applies to all stamp duty cases (E.g sale of new or second hand house, company reconstructions, transactions between related parties, instruments where consideration is uncertainable)
• You can save and amend your work offline before filing
• Help Text available online
• Constant availability of online system
• Variety of payment options
• Can view previous filings and workings
• Amendments can be made returns which have been filed
• Validation checks available

The Paper Return

For those who choose not to use the e-Stamping System on ROS a Stamp Duty Paper Return must be completed and sent to the Revenue. The stamp Certificate will be issued to the filer once the case has been processed and stamp duty has been received. There are a number of different Stamp Duty Return forms which apply to different stamp duty cases. These forms are as follows:

• SDR1-Single property on a single conveyance, transfer & long term lease
• SDR1-Exchanges and transfer of two (or more) properties in a single conveyance
• SDR2-Conveyances and transfers for stocks and marketable securities
• SDR3-Other stampable instruments
• SDCF-Clawback cases

The main disadvantage of the paper return is that the filer has to navigate his way through the entire form and if any section which is relevant has been completed incorrectly or is incomplete, the form will be rejected by Revenue and sent back by to you post, thereby delaying the process. Online, you will be prompted immediately if there is a problem and corrections can be made there and then.

The Stamp Certificate

This certificate is in A4 paper format which will be sent by through ROS or by post when a return has been stamped and stamp duty has been completed. The Certificate should be affixed to the instrument to which it relates to. In a case where an adjudication is required under Section 20SDCA, 1999, the Revenue may request supporting documentation and the instrument itself before issuing the certificate. The Certificate will contain details which will only relate to the instrument it relates to. It will also contain a certificate number and document ID Number which will be required if the certificate needs to be verified or replaced at any time.

Exempt Instruments

Instruments which are not subject to stamping are as follows:

• An Instrument which creates joint tenancy between spouses in the family home
• Instruments to which Section 106B of the SDCA 1999 applies
• A lease of a dwelling house for any indefinite term or a term not exceeding 35 years which is exempt from Stamp Duty
• Any instrument which is exempt from stamp duty, other than:

1. An instrument to be adjudicated under Section 20 SDCA 1999
2. An instrument operating as a conveyance or transfer, on sale or by way of gift, of land or interest on land
3. A Lease of land for a term exceeding 30 years
4. An Assignment of a lease of land where the unexpired term of the lease exceeds 30 years.

Interest & Penalties

For adjudication cases, the return must be filed within 30 days of the date the instrument was first executed. Payment of stamp duty must then be paid within 14 days of the Revenue's assessment being issued. In any other cases where adjudication is not required, the stamp return must be filed and stamp duty paid within 44 days of the date the instrument was first executed. If stamp duty is underpaid penalties and interest will apply to the instrument until the date the full amount due has been paid.

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Tag : stamps,e-stamping,photo stamps,postage stamps

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Using Rubber Stampede Or Magenta? Regardless, Here's Ways to Store All Your Rubber Stamping Supplies

All you need to make your own personalized greeting card or scrapbook page is a rubber stamp and a few rubber stamping supplies. Sure you can personalize with your computer but is that really personal? Not for me. I love to make everything hand-made. It is the personal touch that I really like.

Some basic rubber stamping supplies that you will need are of course a rubber stamp, ink pad and some paper. But with all the really cool rubber stamping supplies on the market today, who can just use those three things? Not me.

Your possibilities are endless when it comes to rubber stamping supplies. They can be anything from an embellishment that you add to your card or scrapbook page, to the place where your embellishments are stored and organized. I keep all of my rubber stamping supplies in labeled containers. Since I am not that good in remembering which manufacturer of stamps make my favorite stamps like the Magenta stamp, Rubber Stampede, Hero Arts, Outline Rubber Stamp, Stampendous and the list can go on an on, (because they are all my favorites), I organize them by theme or by holiday.

When I just listed some of the stamp manufacturers, I just remembered that I bought the cutest self cling Magenta stamp of two cats when I was at the stamp convention. It reminded me of my two cats when they sit in our window looking like book ends. Another Magenta stamp that I have is a wood block stamp with the image of a kitten in a field of flowers. Wow, I almost forgot about that stamp. I want to make some note cards with that one.

Besides a Magenta stamp, Magenta also makes really cute Metallic, self adhesive embellishments that are really great for scrapbook pages, cards and even picture frames. My favorite is a package that they have with four of my favorite words. Create, Imagine, Believe and Dream. I also have a really good video from Magenta "The Art of Stamping Magenta Style" that shows you how to use your Magenta stamp to its fullest.

Another great summer time stamp is from Rubber Stampede. It is a fun border stamp of cocktails. You can use this stamp for a border or you can make an invitation for a cocktail party. Rubber Stampede has fun stamps. I also was on a "kick" of all oriental themed stamps, and Rubber Stampede really had some great looking stamps that I used a lot. I can go on and on about how great Magenta and Rubber Stampede stamps are and for that matter each manufacturer of rubber stamps. Maybe I will one day but not today.

I also keep some of my rubber stamping supplies in a spice rack. That's right a spice rack, I think of it as spicing up my crafts. This is a great place for brads, eyelets, buttons, rhinestones and anything else that will fit in these small jars.

Rubber stamping supplies can also be housed in recycled containers. Since I use a lot of embossing powder one great container that I use is a plastic grated cheese container. It has the holes on one side to shake out slowly and the other side is one big opening that I use to put back the un-used powder back into the container with my funnel dish.

If you have some decorative metal tins, that is also a great place for rubber stamping supplies. I have this really cure tin that stores my mini spot ink pads.

I remember shopping in a kitchen gadget store. They had silver tins for recipes and I guess cooking supplies. Well of course I bought them and now they are the new home for all of my brads that I have accumulated over the years along with some of metal picture corners that I have from Making Memories to pewter charms and Metallic embellishments from Magenta.

Another great place to store your rubber stamping supplies is photo boxes. They are inexpensive and a great size to hold small paper packs, envelopes, packages of dimensional adhesives and even for cards that you have made for safe keeping.

For some of those big bulky foam stamps that you might have, a great place to store those and other odd shaped rubber stamping supplies are in a plastic clear shoe box.

The most important thing that I can say is LABEL all your rubber stamping supplies. There is nothing worse than being in the middle of a project and wanting something to add to your piece of art and not knowing where to find it.

Tag : stamps,postage stamps,rubber stamps,photo stamps

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joan_Koeppel

Three Steps to Perfect Stamping

Stamping sounds so easy, doesn't it? You buy a stamp, put some ink on it, and rap it on the paper, right? Wrong!

You may find your images smudge, twist or look a bit blobby with this method of stamping. That's not usually what a stamper wants. Well, I am going to tell you about the little secrets for creating stamped images that you may not have seen before. But let's start a couple of steps before you start stamping. Let's look at the quality of the stamp and the type of ink you are going to buy.

Before you buy your stamp, it is important to examine the rubber or acrylic and decide if the image is carefully chiselled out. A good stamp will be made of a firmer, high quality rubber or acrylic and the image will be finely and deeply cut. If you buy a stamp that is softer and less well defined, that is the type of image you will get from it, regardless of your technique.

Now consider the ink you want to use. There are actually five basic types of inks and each one gives you a different effect. There are dye based, pigment based, permanent, fabric and embossing inks. Which one will produce the result you want? Here's some ideas about how to choose between them:

Dye Based inks are water based so they react to water or paint or other moisture by smudging. What they do is stain the paper, so if you want to colour your stamped images somehow, don't choose dye-based inks. If you want a quick drying ink or crisp images that you don't want to colour or alter in any way, choose dye based inks. You will also get a softer colour with dye based inks. You can usually clean this type of ink off your stamps with water, but be careful not to saturate and therefore warp any stamps mounted on wooden blocks.

Pigment inks are also water based but they are made differently to dye based inks. They have little particles of colour in them so they are brighter than dye inks and are less likely to smudge. They are best used on matte paper. When you use them on glossy cardstock, they will smudge if touched. They also take longer to dry so you can put embossing powder on them and heat set that.

Permanent ink is just that - a quick setting, water resistant ink. You can stamp on many surfaces with it - glossy cardstock, glass, acetate, even wood or paint. Once in place and dry the image is there to stay. This type of ink will also stain your stamp unless you use the specially made permanent ink cleaner solution that usually can be found on the shelf at the store next to the permanent inks.

Fabric ink is made for stamping on fabric and you will probably need to 'set' it by ironing over it once you have stamped your image. You can use fabric ink on other surfaces too (such as on chipboard). It is a semi-permanent ink so use a stamp cleaner with it to avoid staining your stamps.

Embossing inks are stickier and take longer to dry so they are perfect for catching and holding on to embossing powders. Just be careful not to touch an embossed image till it has been heat set or it will smudge. If you stamp on coloured cardstock with clear embossing ink, your image will be two tones darker than the colour of the cardstock. You'll need a stamp cleaner for this type of ink, too.

OK. Once you have chosen your ink, you are ready to start stamping. The three secrets for crisp, clear images are:

1. Place your stamp face-down on your ink pad, and tap it on the pad. Avoid pushing the stamp into the ink pad as you will wind up with too much ink on the stamp and this in turn will make your images smudged or imperfect. Now turn the stamp over and check to see if all areas of the image have been evenly inked up. If not, turn the stamp face down again and tap it on the ink pad till it is properly inked up.
2. Turn your stamp over again and hold it firmly in your two hands by the edges. Lower it onto your paper as straight as you can. Press the stamp in the middle with a finger, then press around the edges of the image to be sure all of the image has had contact with the paper. Be careful not to press so hard that you tilt or buckle the stamp.
3. Next, carefully and smoothly lift the stamp straight up from the paper, avoiding tilting or twisting the stamp.

You should have a clean, crisp, complete image!

More stamping tips:

If you have a very large stamp, turn it face up on your table. Tap the ink onto the stamp, checking to be sure it is all properly inked up. You may find you get a better result if you place your paper on the stamp and carefully smooth it over with your hand before lifting the paper straight up and off the stamp. This way you avoid any 'missed' spots caused by imperfections in the surface of a large stamp.

Do try to clean your stamps before the ink dries on them. Using a stamp cleaner will condition the rubber and maintain the quality of the images.

Now you now the three steps to perfect stamping.Perfection can be achieved if you practice these steps. It could take some practice before you consistently get perfect results, but the time you may spend doing that is worth it!

Tag : stamps,rubber stamps,photo stamps,oid stamps

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Susan_Luke

Cling Mounted Stamps - The Good, the Bad, and the Choices

Rubber stamps have been around for generations without much innovation or alteration in their design. Until now that is. The world of rubber stamping has finally been updated with a 21st century spin, the cling mount stamp. Cling mount stamps are used in the same manner as traditional rubber stamps except they do not come permanently pre-mounted on a wooden block. Cling mount stamps have two sides; one side has the raised image that holds the ink for stamping and the other side is coated with a repositionable cling surface which holds or mounts to a piece of acrylic which replaces the wooded block.

Cling mount stamps have a lot of benefits over traditional wood mounted rubber stamps. One of the best bonuses is the lower cost of cling mounted stamps with stamp sets selling for a reduced price compared to traditional stamps with more stamps in the set too! They are more compact for storage often being packaged in a thin plastic bag or DVD case which makes owning and organizing multiple stamp sets a breeze; unlike the days of trying to find suitable storage for bulky and various sized wooden blocks. With the cling mount stamps positioning the stamps exactly where you want them is a dream because you can see the stamp through the clear acrylic block so there is no more guess work about the exact position of the image under a wooden block; I know most of you have experienced a stamp that was not mounted quite right so the stamped image was slightly off where you wanted it to be. The cling mount stamps clean up the same way as your traditional stamps so you can continue using your cleaner of choice. Finally, you can make collages of images or use a block the size of your card and positional the stamps at once and only have to stamp once making sure that each card has the images in the exact same position.

The new and innovative world of cling mount stamps is not without its flaws. The stamps do not come with a mounting base like traditional stamps where it is all one complete unit which means that you will need to purchase acrylic blocks for your stamps. The blocks can seen costly at first but it is important to remember that you do not need to have a block for every individual stamps since you remove the stamps after using them; ideally you should have a couple acrylic blocks in sizes you use a lot so that you can stamp with multiple images without having to remove them in between depending on the project you are working on. Some cling mount stamps do not hold the ink as well as others with the ink pooling and pulling off parts of the image producing a spotty or streaked stamped image. Also, if you are short on time this type of stamps might not suit your needs because you will need to take the time to mount each stamp, remove each stamp, and then put the stamp and block away separately.

There are a couple choices when it comes to choosing the type of material the stamp is made from, plastic or rubber. The material the stamp is made from impacts image quality. I have used both the clear plastic and rubber cling mount stamps. The winner in my book is the rubber cling mount stamps, like those by Stampin' Up, because they produce the same quality stamped image that we are all accustomed to with our traditional stamps. Some of the plastic cling mount stamps look great and promise wonderful stamped images but do not deliver, including the sets by The Stamps of Life, the ink does not hold as well resulting in a streaked image.
Overall I believe cling mount stamps are a wonderful addition to the world of stamping and paper crafts just consider your needs and the quality of the stamp material. Shop around, have fun, and get stamping!

Tag : stamps,rubber stamps,photo stamps,stamps collection

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rachel_Frank

How to Achieve Full Color Rubber Stamping Designs

Rubber stamping is a hobby that allows you to become an artist, even if you never considered yourself one before. With the huge variety of decorative rubber stamps and clear acrylic art stamps that are available, you can always find designs that will suit your project and personality. Rubber stamping on scrapbook pages and card making crafts can help you take the tension out of your day and unwind. But, what if you want more than a stamped outline? What if you truly want your stamping images to be in full color? Today you will learn how to achieve different styles of full color stamped designs.

Adding color, whether vibrant or subtle, can draw the eye where you want it in seconds. Coloring the details on the rubber stamp itself is one of the first steps you will take to achieving a full color image in your hobby stamping projects. Try any of the following techniques to add color to your creative ideas.

STAMPING AN IMAGE IN COLOR

1. Use a multi color ink pad. Often you will find these available in colored stripes ranging from a rainbow of different colors to complementary colors in different shades. You may even find pie shaped multicolor ink pads that will give you even more colors in your stamping art. Regardless of the ink pad, number of colors, or shape, you will end up with a multicolored stamped image that will add great interest and appeal to your scrapbooks and card making crafts. This can add particular interest to solid images that do not need colored in. Clear rubber stamps are ideal for this technique as you can see how well the ink covers the design as well as the blend color you will end up with before you even stamp the image.

2. Another way you can add color before you stamp, is to use water based colored markers. You can do this easily by simply coloring the stamp details in your choice of color. Depending on the size of the image you are stamping, you may choose to stamp between colors. Clean the stamp and then stamp the next color separately so that the ink doesn't dry on the stamp before you get it on paper. This is very easy to do with your clear rubber stamps as you can see where to place the stamp keeping your images precisely lined up. If you find the ink dries too much before you are done coloring the stamp, simply give it a gently huff - the kind that will fog up your glasses - before you stamp.

3. The third way to add color to a stamped image is simply to choose a color of ink other than black or brown. Then you can ink the entire image and stamp it on your paper craft ideas. With that done, you are ready to begin filling in the spaces with fun coloring techniques.

Once you have finished stamping your image with the technique of your choice, you may choose to add resplendant color or you may wish to use it as it is. If you choose to add more color, keep reading for more great ideas.

COLORING IN STAMPED IMAGES

1. You may use chalks or pastels to color in an image. Chalks are available in a wide range of colors and shades. They are ideal for adding delicate color to rubber stamping projects. You can apply chalks with a stiff paint brush, Q-tip, eye make up applicator, or simply use them like a crayon and then brushed away the excess powder. The best idea is to experiment with the different application tools to find your preference. You may find that one brand of pastels is harder than others. The softer they are the easier you will find it is to use a brush to apply color to your stamping crafts.

2. Coloring with pencil crayons can give bold vivid color to your rubber stamping crafts or subtle pastel shades on your card making or scrapbooking ideas. Choose good quality crayons and colors that suit your craft. With colored pencils your can simply add shadow, fine detail or a background aura. The trick to coloring rubber stamped images with pencil crayons is the amount of pressure you put on the crayon as you color. Always color in the same direction. For pastel shades or to blend colors together apply only light pressure. Likewise, for vibrant color, you should press harder as you color. Smooth papers will color differently than textured paper. Experiment with this technique if you are unsure of the effect you will achieve.

3. Stamping additional color is a fun option. Many rubber stamp sets offer a solid background stamp which, you can ink then stamp to fill in objects such as flowers or leaves. Watch for these types of rubber stamps as you create your stamping ideas. They are fun to use and work with. When using these shadow stamps, be sure you choose a color lighter than the outline color so that your details still show up after you stamp the solid image.

4. Add vibrant color with the use of markers. You can use water base colored markers to easily color in details on your rubber stamped designs. Try to use this technique on smaller areas as the ink sometimes leaves overlap lines from coloring over dry ink.

5. Pigment inks are a quick and easy way for you to add color to your rubber stamped images. You can always be sure that the colors you use will match all your stamped elements with this technique. Ink can be applied a couple of ways. Trial and error will help you choose your favorite method. Ink a make-up applicator, and then mist it lightly with water and color in as if you were using a paint brush. You may also use the corner of a make up sponge dabbed in the ink, and color in the rubber stamped image using it dry or moist for different results.

Now you can fully enjoy full color rubber stamped designs. Use them on your hobby scrapbook art and card making crafts as you relax and unwind after a long day. By exploring the world of color in your rubber stamping hobby, you will more fully realize your creative potential as you design beautiful works of art.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Susan_Rice

Rubber Stamps And Scrapbooking – Keep Kids Busy With Crafts This Summer

They’re out of school and back to torment the neighborhood this summer. You remember the days. Boredom is a common thought, even with all the stuff to do. Mow the lawn, go to baseball games, and hang out with friends. How can they be bored?

It is really not that tough to find things to do, but it seems like a lot of work just trying to find them. What could the kids do that will actually make them learn something? Just because they are out of school doesn’t mean they have to shut their minds off.

Scrapbook Your Summer

Summer is a time for having fun with friends and enjoying the finer things in life. There are trips to the beach, the amusement park, and the ballgame. Memories will be had by the minute. Preserving the memories is crucial. The boring rainy days will no longer be mind-numbing when there is scrapbooking to do. With all the pictures you are going to take, there must be a cool place to store them.

Sharing the summer memories is fun, but most importantly, it is a way to recall those memories in the future. It’s fun to look back on past summers and laugh at the fun times with friends and family.

Stamp for Fun, Stamp for Years

Incorporating rubber stamps into the scrapbook will make the project to another level. Personalizing you memories is what will make your scrapbook different from all the rest. There are rubber stamp ideas for any theme that you can think of. Baseball stamps help you preserve the ballgame memories, while fish rubber stamps will aid in the conservation of fishing trip memoirs.

Stamping is a hobby that can be enjoyed by all ages for all the years to come. Whether you are creating scrapbooks for photo memories, specialty envelopes for a cocktail party, or crafts for the grandkids. Getting your children involved in stamps and other fun hobbies will not only be fun for rainy days, but will a hobby that they can take with them for the rest of their lives.

Crafting teaches patience, problem solving, and determination. Working with your hands is not something that can be taught, it must be learned through trial and error. There are not many things that the whole family can enjoy, but stamping and crafting is fun for all.

How Self Inking Stamps Support Modern Business Practices

If you have ever worked as a receptionist, secretary or any position in an office setting, you know the most important drawer of your desk is the one that holds all the stamps. You know the one that I am talking about; it has at least seven different custom made stamps all having an integral part in the business dealings that go. There is the one to approve certain documents, the one for mailing out letters, the one that acts as the president's signature and the ones that help identify invoices. They are all important, but none as important as the self inking stamp.

In most cases one is using self inking stamps. They are taken for granted that we don't even notice them and we also don't think about the time they save us. As you press down the self inking stamp the pad rotates to the faceplate of the stamp. Then they have a brief moment of togetherness and then their affair is cut short as the faceplate slams into the paper, leaving its mark. By this means we have eliminated a step in the stamping process that saves us a valuable amount of time.

You can get custom self inking stamps at such low cost that they are more valuable to your company than most of your employees, (well, maybe only at the companies I have worked for). They are an integral part of the business world, helping to promote organization as well as efficiency. Three ways that self inking stamps can help your business:

1. Self inking stamps improve your organization. Mostly you can buy self inking stamps in at least three different colors - red, blue or black. So you can easily and quickly see where the document belongs.

2. They can reduce mess and clutter on your desk or in your drawer. Without the messy inkpad to worry about, there are no smudges or spills to clean up.

3. Self inking stamps save you a valuable amount of time. By saving the unnecessary movement with your arm to the inkpad you cut the time it takes to stamp your paper in half.

This small device can make a big impact on the professionalism of your business. It can improve your organization, your efficiency and the overall appeal that you will have with your clients. For these reasons alone, it is well worth the tiny investment in these devices.

Self inking stamps can also be used creatively.

Well, it is easier now than ever! You can have these stamps customized for whatever need you can think of. Perhaps you are a teacher and would like a new and personal way to tell your students that they have done a great job. Perhaps it is a family members birthday, and you want to tell them how much you love them. Whatever your needs are, these stamps can be customized to fit them.

Collecting Rare British Stamps

Collecting stamps has been a popular hobby for many years. Lots of people collect stamps. Even Queen Elizabeth herself has an enormous stamp collection and the Palace continues to build this. Getting children interested in stamp collecting is a great way to develop an interest and appreciation of history.

The first British postage stamp was the Penny Black, issued in 1840 during the reign of Queen Victoria. The Penny Black was issued as a way for people to pre-pay for their postage at a set rate. Believe it or not, the Penny Black was only printed for one year. The problem was that the stamps were cancelled (or stamped by the post office) in red ink, and the Royal Mail found that a lot of stamps were being re-used. The red ink used to cancel them was also relatively easy to remove; hence sneaky people did this and used the stamps again and again, thus depriving the Royal Mail of their revenue.

One of the best things about the Penny Black is the fact that it is historically very exciting as when you see a real Penny Black you are immediately taken back to a Dickensian Victorian London. The other great thing about it as a new stamp collector is the fact that contrary to some misconceptions, it is NOT a rare stamp. Over 68 million were made, and even through the passing of time, there are many genuine Penny Blacks about in collections, sales rooms and dealers stocks.

The important thing about collecting British stamps, as in all collecting hobbies, is the condition and the rarity of particular variations of any given stamp. To the untrained eye, you might be able to put two Penny Blacks side by side and they might look pretty much identical, but the trained stamp collector will know that one is worth $10 and the other $2000. This might be because one is used and slightly worn, the other mint and unused.

So where can you start to collect rare British stamps? If you want to get some of the legendary stamps of the Victorian era, such as a Penny Black and a Penny Red, then you will probably need to buy these from a dealer or another collector. However there have been thousands of other fascinating stamps printed by the Royal Mail over the last 170 years. All sorts of sets to commemorate important events have been issued from football world cup stamps to royal weddings and jubilees. However, just collecting the basic postage of the time is in itself quite fascinating because it gives a sense of how inflation the spending power of the UK currency has changed over time. You might be surprised to note that though a Penny Black's worth of postage now costs only 39 pence, £1 in 1840 is now equivalent to around £44 in spending power so the real cost of postage has stayed roughly the same in all those years (conversion figure of £1 in 1836 being worth £44 in 2007 from the UK National Archives government site).

The easiest place to start looking for stamps for your new British stamp collection is to ask friends and family. See if they have any old stashes of letters and correspondence that they could spare the stamps from. If you want to remove stamps from envelopes, you can usually either steam or soak them, but be careful. In some cases it might be safer to just cut them out of the envelope, making sure you don't cut the perforations. However, if the envelope or postcard the stamp is on looks historical, you might want to keep it intact and put the whole envelope in your stamp album. For example, if it was addressed to someone from your family, or to someone famous. Friends and family might also have a stamp collection that they perhaps started on and never completed that they would be willing to let you have to get you going. If you don't ask you don't get so see if you can find out! Other places worth checking are charity shops. Charities sometimes have appeals for used postage stamps and may have bags of stamps for sale at low prices.

When starting out, if you are not worrying so much about condition, you can also buy bulk lots of stamps where you buy stamps by weight from stamp dealers (or online). You essentially pay by the Kilo for stamps that will be on paper backings and these are often referred to as kiloware. These stamps are unlikely to be valuable or rare, but they will be interesting and this is a great way to start off your collection. You can always move on to rarer stamps a little later on, perhaps getting a particularly sought after British stamp as a birthday or Christmas gift.

The other popular areas of stamp collecting are the collection of first day covers (or Fad's as they are often referred). First day covers are issued by the Royal Mail on the first day that a stamp is officially issued. You can buy special first day envelopes which contain information about the stamp and its designer, and get these specially franked on the day of release. Or, of course, you can simply buy a stamp on the first day of issue and post it to yourself so you have your own first day cover. Again, it's a historically interesting thing to collect.

If you are going to collect stamps then you need to get a good stamp album to put them in as well. Even if your stamps are not particularly rare, you need to look after them and ensure that they stay in the condition they are when you get them. Stamps are easy to damage and destroy so try and keep them somewhere safe from flooding as well.

As your collection improves you may also want to consider getting some tweezers and a magnifying glass so you can start to understand and spot fine details on stamps that make them stand out from more common versions.

British stamp collecting is a great hobby that doesn't have to be expensive to be fascinating. It gives a real insight into history and the past, and your stamp collection can go wherever your interests take you. You might start off collecting British stamps but end up collecting US postage stamps or the stamps of another country that interests you.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=M_Thomson

How Many Rubber Stamps Do You Have in the Big World of Art Stamps?

For me it all started with these rubber stamps. That's right this cute little butterfly art stamp and this set of alphabet stamps.

I can remember my first rubber stamps. My brother gave them to me for my birthday. It was a butterfly art stamp, and an alphabet stamp set, that was 15 years ago. I can remember thinking to myself "what am I going to do with these rubber stamps"? Boy did I find out what to do with them. I made cute little butterfly note cards and I remember coloring them with a colored pencil (since that is all that I had back then or crayons), then with the alphabet stamps I stamped my family and friends name and of course finished it with a butterfly. Holy crow, he is the one that created my obsession with art stamps, and I am so happy that he did, thanks Mike.

What can I say; I Love Rubber Art Stamps and all the rubber stamping supplies that go along with them. Take a look at just some of the art stamps that I have. I have labeled each drawer and bin so I kind of know what is inside. I also have a few scattered around my craft studio on shelves. I told you that I Love Art Stamps. Now do you believe me?

Rubber stamps have come a long way. There are a ton of manufacturers for Art Stamps, depending on what you are looking for. A long time ago the only kind of art stamp that was available was the red rubber stamp mounted on a wood block. Now, those stamps are still available but there are also clear un-mounted art stamps that you take off of a cling sheet and adhere to an acrylic block. When you are done you just clean the stamp and take off the acrylic block and out back on the plastic sheet or in a clear plastic CD case.

The great thing about these art stamps is that you can see exactly where your image will be stamped on your card stock. This gives you less room for error (even though there is never an error in art, it just makes a different masterpiece then you expected).

What I love about the acrylic block rubber stamps is when you are working with alphabet stamps. The reason is you can have the correct spacing between each letter and word. When I have used alphabet stamps that were wood mounted, I usually had crooked words and phrases on my card or scrapbook page.

Another cool thing about these clear un-mounted rubber stamps is that they do not take up so much room as the original wood block art stamps. So if you do not have a lot of space to store your rubber stamps then this is the ideal way to go. I have two ways that I store my clear un-mounted rubber stamps. One is in a 3 ring binder, and the other in my Crop in Style Stamp Store tote. The stamp store can hold hundreds in the drawers.

There are also red rubber un-mounted stamps that you can purchase. They are cheaper than mounted rubber stamps. You can then mount them any way that you want; either on a wood block or use the ez-mount foam system (I will explain that in a near future article)

The last kind of rubber stamps that I can think of is the pre-inked art stamps. I have some art stamps that are pre-inked wheels. They are great for backgrounds or borders. All you do is insert the small cartridge of ink into the handle of the rubber stamps wheel, insert the wheel and away you go.

Well, as you can see I have a lot of rubber stamps. And with all these art stamps I do not have any duplicates and I can honestly say that I use or have used each and every one.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joan_Koeppel

Online Photo Stamps – Print Stamps From Your Home

Most people keep a book of stamps in a drawer somewhere at home because you'll never know when you might need them! The trouble is that you often loose track of just how many stamps you have left, and its all too easy to run out of stamps at any given point in time, especially when you have a truckload of bills to send out. When you want to send by post, it's very annoying to find out that you dont have any stamps left! Especially if the post office is closed!

Thanks to the internet it is possible to get around this oversight, and Im not talking about email. The United States Postal Service has come up with a system which allows people to print their own postage stamps in the comfort of their own home!

This is the perfect solution for those people that have hectic lives!

You can buy two types of postage stamps online, regular online postage stamps and photo stamps. We will consider both of these within this article.

Regular and Online Photo Stamps

Whenever you go to the post office to buy a stamp you are buying a boring, standard postage stamp. These are normally red in color, there is no option to customize the stamp before you purchase it other than the options they may give you. This has become popular on the internet as well. You can just order a regular 1st class stamp for example and then print it off using your own printer.

You can have much more fun with your stamps these days, when you buy them online than when you just go to the post office to buy them. You can decorate, preview, and print your stamps all from the comfort of your own home. You are able to upload any photo (within reason) and then use this as part of your postage stamp as well. How convienant is that?

International Photo Stamps

These stamps aren't just restricted to domestic use, they can be used to send you mail internationally. They are perfect to use for many different special occasions, such as weddings, births, anniversaries and even birthdays! Photo stamps are addictive! Once youve started using them youll never want to go back to using regular postage stamps, they're just so boring in comparison! And lets face it, they weren't that exciting before we had photo stamps!

How Can I Print Photo Stamps?

Companies that wish to sell online stamps must apply to the USPS for permission. These authorized vendors will generally provide a piece of software to users which can be used to generate stamps, this software is invaluable to customize your stamps.

You dont need any additional graphics editing software because most of these pieces of software allow editing and cropping of your images so that theyre suitable for your postage stamp.

There is normally a minimum order of one sheet of stamps, this sheet contains 20 stamps of whatever denomination you choose. You should buy the denomination of stamp that you will use the most of when sending post, for most people this will be 37 cents first class stamp.

Online postage stamps have made it so much easier to send snail mail, its very useful for businesses as they are able to keep a log of their use, plus they can buy postage as and when they need it rather than having to shell out so much for regular postage stamps and honestly....its just so much more convienant.

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