Hand Carved Stamps, Part One

In the past few months I've dabbled in hand carving rubber stamps. It's a very rewarding art form, since once you are done you can use it over and over and over again and share it with so many people.
Here is the first stamp I made. Inspired by Harry Potter of course.

First I found the image I wanted to use and traced it onto tracing paper.







Then I transferred the tracing onto the rubber.  I bought the supplies at a Dick Blick store for a pretty modest sum.  You need a carving tool, the rubber and I highly recommend getting a metal guard as shown in this photo under the rubber. It hooks onto the edge of the table, and so it will help to keep you from slipping and hurting yourself.

Tracing paper works great if you are using a pre-existing image, because when you transfer it to the rubber it will give you the mirror image, which is very important if you have writing as I do for this first stamp.

Below is the finished product.
I got impatient and tried it out before I finished carving the "POST" as you can see in the first stamped image.

 And finally here it is used on a letter! I also made a faux postage stamp to go with it. Made from a sticker and cut around the edges with patterned scissors.