22 + 93 = _____ ? 14 x 2 = _____ ? By Judi Kauffman for The Queen's Ink

Simple arithmetic, right? Not necessarily. The first equation refers to how I feel after teaching Make an Impression and The Magical Land of Magic Stamp classes at The Queen’s Ink on August 6 and 7 and after spending both days helping with the Trunk Show event where my own limited edition rubber stamp sheets were for sale.

From the neck up I’m 22, batteries 100% recharged, my head so full of ideas that I’m surprised I don’t topple over, enough energy for three people and great memories spinning around like the gymnasts at the Olympics. From the neck down I’m 93 with tired feet and knees, ready for a nap right after breakfast, and if you asked me to carry my purse across the room I’d have to demur. 

So: 22 + 93 = 1. Yours truly.

How about the second equation, 14 times 2? There were fourteen students in each class with some people attending both, so 28 people wasn’t the actual head count. But my version of math isn’t traditional. I’m factoring in the following facts: Each person created and/or painted well over a dozen pieces of Delight Air Dry clay (the count was higher on several tables). Factor in the 150 blocks of Magic Stamp that were used to stamp envelopes and folders and cardstock and newsprint (or went home in pristine condition, waiting to be used later). Multiply that figure by the number of ideas that were shared, the number of projects envisioned.

So: 14 x 2 = an infinite number.

I wasn’t the only one whose head was spinning! A student who has worked extensively with polymer clay thought that Delight was, literally, a delight. One student has already planned her own Magic Stamp class. (She’s going to teach the other teachers where she works.) Another is heading to India with stamps she bought, as well as a big stack of lightweight Magic Stamp blocks.

A little detour: I once put a carry-on suitcase filled with Magic Stamp blocks into the overhead bin of an airplane using only one hand to lift it and the men around me looked on in amazement and applauded, thinking (incorrectly) that I must be some kind of bodybuilder instead of just a person traveling with foam blocks!

The photos in this blog post are from the Make an Impression class. Photos and a re-cap of the Magic Stamp class will follow later.

The projects you’ve seen so far are the samples I made to illustrate how the clay pieces could be put to use.

The photo gallery that follows shows students’ work.

By popular request, we’re going to schedule a repeat of Make an Impression this fall! And we will have enough sheets of my deep etched red rubber stamps to have another trunk show. Magic Stamp classes will continue as well.

Be on the lookout for dates and times!