What in heck do you do with quirky stamps?

Hello friends! If you are like me you have some real doozys in your rubber stamp collection. I love odd, weird and quirky stamps but these types of stamp can be very hard to use (c’mon, how many times can you use a roller skating rhinoceros?) But I am a believer that you should buy what you love for stamps, especially where there is so much samey-samey going on in the stores. I mean really, do 5 stamp companies need to make a stamp of a Polaroid frame, and does that really need to take up space on the shelf with 500 cute cupcakes and owls? Now, to be fair I have my fair share of cute cupcakes and owls but sometimes a girl wants a little strange. So, of course I was delighted when I discovered Lost Coast Designs at a stamp convention 3 years ago, I loved EVERYTHING in that booth. Linda, the owner, is such a nice lady and after a bit of begging on my part agreed to have me on her design team. Aren’t I a lucky-ducky?  😀 The only problem is that it can be hard to figure out how to use these stamps in everyday cards. But then I realized that I just need to find an element to tie the cool funky stamp to the occasion I wanted to make a card for. Watch how I make an odd animal into a card appropriate for a graduation:

The tie ins were the hand drawn grad hat and the balloons. You just need to bridge the gap between the weird and the common, sketching on a hat or accessory is an easy way to do that. You could sketch a fishing pole in the dogs paw for a retirement card or stamp party hats on any animals for cute birthday invites. Take a look it the unused stamps in your collection and see if there is a way to “bridge the gap” and use them for an everyday or holiday occasion card. I bet you will come up with some really unique, fun and whimsical cards if you do! You can find the stamps I used today, Pencil background, Circus Dogs and Isle of Aud Animals at Lost Coast Designs and tell ‘um Lindsay sent you! Thanks for stopping by and til next time happy crafting!