Postage Stamp

I would be more likely to join this swap if it were only one partner. My stash of stamps from other countries is small and I am going to have difficulty getting enough stamps from another single country to complete an ATC, let alone find enough from another for a second!

Alternatively, what about relaxing the theme slightly to allow other embellishments in addition to the stamps?

I think it means make one card with a local stamp somewhere in the design, and the other using a foreign stamp in the design. Dont put both the foreign & domestic stamps on the same card. The wording could read both ways, I agree. I would be happy to do a private swap if you need stamps -- I have jars full of them & would be glad to share with you.

I read this to mean that the ONLY elements on either card were to be the stamps.

"One ATC must be made using only stamps...."

So...one ATC with stamps from one other country and one with stamps from your country.

If we just have to use one stamp as an element on the ATC, that is much more do-able than designing an entire card just using stamps.

Clarification from the host, please?

I took the description to mean that only one stamp is required on each card. But, having said that, I would prefer only one partner, too, especially when you have to make two cards for the swap.

I love postage stamp swaps ..What a great challenge ideal to use 2 different country's..Glad I saved all those stamps.I don't care how many partners we have,,you choose and it will work for me...

OK - there seems to be some confusion. Two ATCs... One is to have stamps from your country where you live and the other to have foreign stamps. You can do whatever you want with the ATCs as long as they have a postage stamp on them somewhere. I am thinking along the lines of having one of the fabulous lighthouse stamps I got from the USA as the main feature on my foreign ATC and doing a seaside/lighthouse theme for this using the postage stamp as my lighthouse in the scene. It may be a challenge but give it a go and see how you get on.

If anyone out there is short of postage stamps from another country, send me a message and I will gladly send them off some stamps to do this ATC. I have heaps and as I was busy soaking stamps off old envelopes, it got me thinking..... and hence this theme!!

How do you soak stamps off of old envies?

I usually just put them in a bowl of warm water and leave them for about five minutes and they should just come off. The only complicating thing is when the stamps (like alot of them are now) are self-adhesive (like stickers). They don't come off the envelopes too well so you may just find you need to cut these off. Good luck :-)

I have plenty of stamps, and 2 partner works for me.

I have had great success in getting the sticker-back stamps off envelopes using the foaming type of hand sanitizer. I put some on the face of the stamp as well as on the back (envelope) side and let it set for several minutes (but not long enugh for it to dry) and then start peeling the stamp off. If an area doesn't want to peel off, just use a little more hand sanitizer and let it release the backing. I buy the little bottles of Purell Foam hand sanitizer at Walmart. For some reason I have not had much success with this on postcards and I guess it's because you can't really get it on the back. I hope this makes sense, but if not let me know and I'll try to explain better.

I took the description to mean that a postage stamp would be the focal point of each ATC. I also read it that we would be making two ATCs each for 2 partners, one using a stamp from another country as the focal point (so you would need two 'foreign' stamps) and one using a stamp from your own country (so you would need two 'own country' stamps). Is this right?

One ATC to be made using a stamp from the country where you live and another ATC to be made using a stamp that you might have received from another swapper in the past (from a country other than the one you live in). As long as the ATC has a postage stamp on it these pre-requisites, that's all that is required. Good luck.... and thanks for the tip on how to get the self-adhesive stamps off envelopes - will try that.

LOL a lot of confusion for people on this, Sounds like a wonderful ATC idea. Looking forward to the challenge.

This has been quit an easy ATC as we all get plenty of ATC cards from all over the world,no problem to me.Well done Leonie for that idea ElsD