November 2011: Barb Ingerson

Barb Ingerson
Florida

Accordion Book

How long have you been stamping?

My beginning with stamping started  approximately 13 years ago when a friend with whom I was working at the time invited me to a Close To My Heart monthly group.  Little did I realize how addictive this hobby is and how many different directions it can  go.  We met at the same lady’s home once a month; watched a demonstration from the CTMH rep and made four very basic cards.  I still have some of the very first stamps and still usable stamp pads I purchased from those early meetings.  From there my love of  stamping/ cardmaking has blossomed!

What is your favorite technique?

I try to include some kind of collage aspect into almost every card and/or ATC I create.  I have really been trying lately to not do collage every time but, instead,  expand my end results into other formats.

I am ever thankful to fellow stampers, magazine articles, group swaps,  online bloggers, and local card classes for my learning and trying new techniques.

Favorite stamp company?

There can be no favorite!  First, regardless of company name, I look for stamps that I do not have and that are calling “buy me.”   I am partial to clear acrylic stamps; however, if I find a stamp I really like or NEED, it makes no difference how it has been made – mounted, unmounted, acrylic, etc.

Favorite Asian stamps?

About Art Accents, Art Neko, Stamp Zia,  Sparkle Creations, Stonehouse, Hero Arts

Also I have almost every one of Stampin’ Up’s oriental-themed stamps, even though SU provides only a very limited supply.

Favorite stamping accessory?

When I go to classes or when I am home, I try to always use a mousepad under whatever I am stamping.  Having scrap paper available to try the stamp to see if there are any irregularities is also a must-have.

Your favorite embellishment to finish a card?

Again, I have no one favorite – beads, ribbon, charms, diecuts  – whatever continues the theme of the card.  Sometimes even another stamped image provides the best embellishment.

What is the one tool you couldn’t live without?

Craft knife and cork-backed ruler; Tonic paper cutter

Any helpful tips for the group?

Always look at what other members stamp, what color combinations they use, what suggestions are made by others – everything is helpful in creating one’s own style.   Whenever I look at blogs and other people’s creations, I always think of how their examples can be used in making my own cards.  Whenever I find a layout I particularly like, I save it in an online folder for future reference  or print out a copy for immediate use.  Getting freebie samples of oriental images, for example from Dover’s weekly newsletter, is a great source of oriental graphics.

As a member of OSA why do you like stamping in the Oriental theme?

As a little girl, I lived in the upstairs apartment of my grandparents.  Being the only grandchild at the time, I’m sure I was quite spoiled.  My grandmother had a trivet that I could turn upside down on paper to  trace the oriental pattern to my heart’s content.  Here, I believe, was the beginning of my love of oriental.

I love the soft colors and delicate patterns and themes that are present in anything oriental; it is all a soft, relaxing influence.

Is there any one place or city you’d like to visit to find rubber stamps?

I would love to go back to Okinawa and Japan to look for stamps.  When I lived in Okinawa, I was not stamping at that time of my life; so I did not have this interest.    I would love to go to Japan to visit a friend and see this artwork through her influence in her home surroundings.

I also would love to visit the Netherlands.

What other stamping lists or local clubs do you belong to?

I belong to several other online groups in which I am active:  Embossing Exchange, Midwest Stampers,  Love Art Friends International, Technique Junkies, Michael Strong.

My local shop, Scraps of Art, has an excellent ATC group that meets and swaps monthly.  I also go to a shop in Spring Hill, Florida, once a month for card-making classes.  I attend two local Stampin’ Up classes on a monthly basis.    One other local group meets twice a month.  We have a planning session every six months to choose themes for each of the upcoming meetings; there is a potluck dinner at these planning sessions; and we have a $10 Christmas exchange.

I have a group of friends who locally get together occasionally to “play.”   We have created some real “messes” in order to learn new techniques!  We usually go to the annual Stampfest together in Clearwater, Florida, and another one in Orlando, Florida.

In this area of Florida, there is an annual Treasure Hunt in the spring.  For two weeks, we go to 10-14 different shops in a 50-mile radius to see what supplies/classes/suggestions each shop has.  We get a make it/take it tag at each store, purchase a minimum of $5 in merchandise, and then get a signature from a shop owner or employee.  At the end of the hunt, if we have signatures from all of the participating shops, we turn in the sheets to have them entered into a drawing.  There is a grand prize where all shops have contributed  plus a prize from the originating shop where we had originally signed up to participate in  Treasure Hunt.

What favorite stamping magazines would you recommend?

Vamp Stamp News, Scrap & Stamp Arts, Cardmaker

Published in any magazines?  If yes please list.

Vamp Stamp News – April 2011, November 2011

Scrap & Stamp Arts – June 2011

Any other hobbies, talents or craft interests?

I LOVE to read!  Mysteries!  I probably read 6 to 12 books every other week.  Of course, I follow all of the CSI, Criminal Minds, Psych, Bones, etc. TV series as well.

I also still do quite a bit of cross stitching; right now, I am doing a series of Dolly Mama patterns to be made into a quilt.

What inspires you to be creative?

Anything and everything around me.  Swaps and mingles from OSA – first and foremost  plus all of the inspiration from participants in these group activities.   In order to participate in this groups swaps, I have had to learn new techniques (for example, tangrams) and new themes that I would not have done on my own.

Friends, blogs,  especially all of the online sites that have card layout examples and challenges; Technique Junkies newsletters; VSN suggestions.

Traveling aids in creating inspiration.  Having lived a year in Okinawa has been an added bonus for my love of anything oriental.

Art background?

Only four hours of mandatory Introduction to Art courses required in college.  One of these days, when I have time (maybe I should TAKE time), I would like to take some classes – photography, drawing, etc.

Have you used any unusual item in your stamping that wasn’t necessarily meant for stamping?

I have used rubberbands, toothpicks, skewers, makeup sponges, Q-tips, Saranwrap, waxed paper, cleaned out stacked potato chip cans – and the list goes on.  Who can function in a card-making environment without these!

Any favorite websites you would recommend for inspiration?

Gina K, Splitcoast Stampers, Craft Critique, Lindsay’s Frugal Crafter, Annette’s Tips

Do you have a day job when you’re not stamping?

Thank goodness for retirement!   I taught in high school, junior college, vocational-technical school for 20 years.  In addition, I have had a wide variety of other jobs during my lifetime – mental health secretary, oilfield wellhead inventory control, graphic arts order entry to mention just a few.  Some day I should maybe write a book about my life experiences.

Tell us about your family and where you live.

Originally from Illinois, I have lived in New York, Okinawa, Louisiana, Minnesota, and now Florida.  I have five children (live with my oldest daughter Susan, who is a quality-control leader at a pharmaceutical company; two blocks away from my youngest daughter Beverly, who is an MDS coordinator at a local health care facility; Sharon, Bob, and Sandra – who all still live in Illinois).  I have seven grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.  My mom just passed away last year,  so our family has longevity in our genes.  I still like going “home” for Christmas to see the ice and snow but know I don’t have to deal with it on a 24/7 daily basis.

Barb Ingerson
Accordion Display Book

I have chosen for my project an accordion 5”x5” 6-panel display of techniques other than stamping.  The basic form is from Marco Papers.  I also used a Tim Holtz Tonic paper piercer for the paper embroidery panels.

Cover:  iris folding (pattern from IRIS FOLDING WITH ENVELOPES – Maruscha Gaasenbeek and Tine Beauveser) with various oriental papers, peeloffs, straight pins for attennae

Page 1:  unknown stamp, Recollections “Natural Ginkgo Leaves”’ Sizzix “Pink Lemonade” alphabet

Page 2:  Stitching Cards “Birds on Bamboo”; Spellbinders oval dies,  EK Success “Bird” punch, Gutermann and Ozark Sampler threads

Page 3:  Just For Fun “Vase”, black EP, Fiber By The Yard black

Page 4:  Stitching Cards “Lantern”; Gutermann and DMC threads; peeloffs

Page 5:  (see Cover for pattern source); K and Company teapots and teabag stamps

Page 6-7:  Stitching Cards “Lantern,” “fan,” Gutermann thread, peeloffs

Page 8:  Peeloffs on stamped background paper

Page 9:  oriental paper, EK Success “Medallion” punch, All Night Media “Pagoda,”  “Good Luck” punches

Page 10:  Technique Junkies “Circle Collage” background; Spellbinder die; EK Success punch

Page 11:  Peeloffs, spirelli with Sulky thread