FAQ ( Frequetly Asked Questions) & About Us
Q. Is Highlander Celtic Stamps an Angel Company?
A. Yes, we are an Angel Company. Which means that we allow the use of our stamps to create items that will be for sale
as long as those items were hand stamped. Copyright law does not allow that you scan the images and use the digital images
to create items for sale. Please see below for more information on copyright.
Q. What is the difference between a mounted and unmounted stamp?
A. An unmounted stamp is just the rubber image, no cushion or wood.
Many stamp artists like to mount their own stamps or use a variety of stamping systems (see resources).
Some crafters use the stamps for pottery or other media which requires that the rubber be flexible and/or more washable,
thus unmounted is more desireable.
For those using an acylic block system, the rubber by itself will not stick. The best way to get good impressions is to mount the rubber on cushion and apply cling vinyl to the other side of the cushion which clings to the acrylic. See below for acrylic block resources..
Q. Do you sell kits like some other companies such as Stampinup™?
A. Large scale manufacturers streamline their operations in different ways, such as leaving the rubber with wide margins
and putting the parts in a package so that the customer can finish the assenbly. We pre-cut our rubber close to the image
and our small shop is set up to do the mounting in an efficient manner for us. We are not set up to create kits for most of our images.
We have put together 2 word stamp kits: one for Irish dancers and one for Scottish dancers. Our stamps are USA Domestically made.
Q. Will you ship the stamps to my country?
A. We ship internationally via First Class International Mail through the United States Postal System.
We ship to Canada, Scotland, Ireland, England, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. The international shipping rates are
included in the list of rates in the shopping cart order form. If your country is not listed here then please email and ask.
The only cost we cannot know about is the VAT or other customs tax your country may impose on our shipment to you,
we have no control over that.
Q. Can you make your stamps in different sizes?
A. Our stamps are mass produced for us by Circustamps in California. We do not have the equipment in our shop.
We may be able to help you with your graphic and stamping needs by making a custom sized stamp at our local business rubber stamp manufacturer, or we can provide a digital image for you at a special rate and you can get it made at a stamp maker near you. (Look in the Yellow Pages under Rubber Stamps) The stamp produced by one of these shops won't be red rubber like ours and may not be suitable for all crafting needs, however it will give you years of stamping pleasure in many ways. There is not always enough time for this kind of custom work, but please do ask..
Q. Can I use your stamps for other crafts such as pottery, polymer clay, soap, velvet stamping, etc?
A. Many people have used our stamps for all these uses and more. The images are as deeply etched as is practical for the amount of detail they have.
We have personally tested their use on polymer clay, pottery clay, acrylic paint on paper, Angelina fiber and fabric stamping with good results. Some designs are much too detailed to use in these alternative ways, but we have plenty of stamps that work very well.
One of our vendors has used the stamps to impress sugar cookies with food coloring. (Always use a fresh new stamp for food purposes and never mix uses with inks, etc.), Customers have used them to ink on leather and wood, and also PMC jewelry art.
Q. I really don't need the stamp. Can I get a digital version of the image to use on my computer for making my wedding invitations?
A. Yes we will work with you that way. We charge $15 per image to send a digital file to you. Just order the stamp from the website in the usual way and then email or, preferably, call our office at 530-876-8989 to make sure we understand your request correctly.
Emailing in advance is also good. We are a small office and won't get mixed up-we promise. This type of use is for personal uses only and does not give the right to use the images commercially. Commercial for profit uses do require a contractual agreement, except for those images we produce that are in the public domain. Please inquire for specifics.
Q. I would like to use one of your images for my logo design, May I do that?
A.In a word, NO. However, Kim has been doing custom graphic design work for many years and has produced
logo designs for companies. You MUST OWN the design of your logo and, therefore you cannot own a design we already produce. If a certain image inspires you in the creation of your logo image then Kim can provide you with an image that is similar,
but belongs only to you. Kim's design fee is $40 per hour and she works very fast, especially when the customer has a very clear idea of what they want. Email inquiries through this website and Kim will get back to you. Be sure to state the best hours to call and what state you are calling from. You may also call the office 10 AM to 6 PM Monday through Friday, Pacific Standard Time 1-530-876-8989.
Q. Please explain copyright, royalties and public domain?
A. Simply stated copyright means the creator/artist of an artwork/design owns the right to copy or sell it and no one else
without the express written consent of the creator/artist. Copyright laws are very strict and costly to those who knowingly or unknowingly
steal a piece of art for their own purposes. Royalties are contractual fees paid to designers, artists or writers for their original work.
Royalties are paid for commercial uses of a creation.
The designs of Highlander Celtic Stamps were primarialy created by Kim Victoria, but also include designs by other artists.
A few of the designs are Public Domain which means that they were created such a long time ago that no one owns the copyrights
thus making them free to the public. Please email us with any questions you have about a specific image.
For more information regarding these legal definitions please browse the internet or your local library.
Q. What is the best way to care for my stamps?
A. We are offering an excellent stamp cleaner for sale on the Ink & Supplies page and there are other good commercial products available for cleaning your stamps which do a better job removing the more permanent type inks.
Water soluble inks clean up with simple soap and water. If you have unmounted stamps you can clean them directly under the faucet.
If you have mounted stamps be careful to not get much water or cleaner on the wood as wet wood swells and the stamp cushion could
release from the wood. Use a soft cloth and/or soft toothbrush for stubborn spots.
A really good thing to do for your rubber stamps is to occasionally condition them with pure glycerin, available at your drug store or pharmacy.
Glycerin keeps the rubber moist and preserves its life, especially in dry climates. Rub a little on with your finger and wipe the excess off
with a soft cloth. Glycerin comes off with water.
The worst thing for rubber is ultraviolet/sun light. Keep your stamps hidden from the sun. Oils, vegetable or mineral, ruin stamps from ever holding ink again - never put oil on the rubber. If you feel you need a mold release use glycerin or a watermark or embossing ink pad..
About Highlander Celtic Stamps
MAKING THE STAMPS
There are many steps to manufacture a stamp:
1) Original artwork must be very sharp black and white line art
2) A film is made from the finished and properly laid out artwork
3) A magnesium plate is etched from the film to a precise depth and angle of slope
4) Then a mold is pressed from the plate
Once a mold is made hundreds of sheets of rubber may be produced.
5) Rubber is then vulcanized in the mold under controlled heat and pressure
6) Individual images are cut from the vulcanized sheet
7) Unmounted stamps may now be sold as is or glued to cushion and cut out on a scroll saw
8) Wood is cut to the size of the stamp
9) and an image label is applied to the wood
10) Finally the cushioned rubber is positioned on the wood and it is ready to be used.
Only the highest grade materials are used in the manufacture of these stamps, so you are assured a stamp of quality and long life, making your artistic expression easier and more fun.
FOR OUR CUSTOMERS
Other questions? Comments? Suggestions? Please do email to info@highlandercelticstamps.com.
If you design a card or piece of artwork using any of these stamps and you would like to share it with us, please send it as a scanned jpeg attachment with your email. As space and time allows, you may be a featured artist in the Gallery page.
RESOURCES
Check out these suppliers of:
www.triskelt.com sells our stamps, dancer gifts, embellishments, jewelry, buckles, CafePress store and more
www.tartanscrapbooks.com Tartan scrapbook paper in lots of clans and districts, also stickers, buttons, more
www.celticuts.com Celtic scrapbooking papers, punches, kits, die-cuts, stickers
www.stensource.com a few Celtic and other stencils
www.sundayint.com and www.poshimpressions.com mounting systems
Also see our Retailers page
THE BEGINNING
Highlander Celtic Stamps was founded by Kim Victoria and T. E. Watson. They noticed that there were virtually no images available for clip art or otherwise in the Scottish, Irish and Celtic genre. Therefore, shortly after their wedding, they created Highlander Software and started producing the Celtic Collections of graphics libraries for use on the computer. These collections are still available on our Graphics Software page in the Rubber Stamp Store area. Soon rubber stampers were requesting these images for their use as well and in 1997 Highlander Celtic Stamps was begun.
Research is very important in the creation of the images for the collection. Kim has studied the history of knotwork designs, consulted with teachers for the dance images, and has an extensive library of resources.
THE ARTISTS
Kim Victoria has been working in the arts all her life. She has Masters training in fine arts which she teaches. Kim paints oils and acrylics in most subjects as well as continuing to design and produce Highlander Celtic Stamps.
Most of the art in the collection is by Kim and is original art. Some of the knot designs are from classic Celtic sources such as the books of Kells, Durrow and Lindisfarne. Other designs may have been adapted from stone carvings and Celtic crosses.
See Kim's fine art at www.kimvictoria.com and at www.FineArtAmerica.com/profiles/kim-victoria.html
Mari Lancaster contributed the Wee Piper #347, and Wee Drummer #348. Mari, with her husband Linus,
also illustrated the children's bookThe Monster In The Mailbox written by T. E. Watson. You can visit www.tewatsononline.com to learn about and purchase that book (currently out of print, but other books and audio books by T.E.Watson are available).
Steve Ferchaud is also a very talented artist and illustrator. He has illustrated several children's books and has more coming available all the time. Steve drew all the Gnomes in this collection as one of his specialties is Gnomes and Fairy folk. See his web site at www.steveferchaud.com for more information on his art and books. Go to www.tewatsononline.com to see and purchase Glen Robbie A Scottish Fairy Tale and The Man Who Spoke With Cats which were illustrated by Steve and written by T.E. Watson.
Thank you for your interest in Highlander Celtic Stamps
Happy Stamping
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