Today I tried block printing for the first time.
Block printing is basically the process of hand carving your own stamp and then stamping whatever suits your fancy. I decided to create a 'Scout & Catalogue' stamp so I can print the brand onto the bags, scarves and pillows I create. Because block printing works best with simple designs I created a super blocky and thick rendition of Scout & Catalogue. I started with Lena Corwin's book 'Printing by Hand', a set of linoleum carving tools, my design printed out on regular paper, a pencil and a clean rubber block. Lena noted that she doesn't like carving thick rubber blocks because they often tear while you are cutting them and after an hour struggling with the letter's in my design I couldn't agree more. I'm not sure I'll ever try this with a thick rubber block again...
Because I was printing a design that needed to be read I had to print the mirror image of the design so that it would print the right way when stamping. I carefully traced over my letters with a super soft pencil. I then flipped it onto my rubber block and rubbed the back of my page transferring the pencil onto the block. 
A block stamping cutting tool comes with lots of different sized 'scoopers' to help you trace around all types of weird angles and rounded edges. Like I mentioned before while the rubber is really easy to carve (a bit like butter) it tends to tear easily. It's a little heartbreaking to have worked for 30 minutes on a flawless stamp and then with one fell swoop manage to tear an entire leg off of your letter 'A' or nick your perfect 'O' while starting the next letter. It was about this time that I decided that I hate thick rubber blocks.
Voila! My totally not perfect, slightly butchered stamp.
With a roller, I rolled out some textile paint and then applied to my stamp.
And quickly discovered that my course linen doesn't pick up enough of the paint to be legible. Sigh.
