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Book Review- Making an Impression: Designing & Creating Artful Stamps

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If you’re anything like me and find yourself instantly smitten with a beautiful image—so much so that you want to put it on everything you own—then making your own rubber stamps is a creative dream come true. That’s why I was so excited to dive into Making an Impression: Designing & Creating Artful Stamps by Geninne Zlatkis. This book is a treasure trove of inspiration and technique, guiding you through every step of hand-carving your own stamps and showing you just how far your designs can go.

Making an Impression starts with all the foundational basics, making it approachable for beginners, but it doesn’t stop there—it opens up a world of possibilities for using your stamps in fun, unexpected ways. From stationery and fabric to surfaces you might never have thought to try (hint: they totally ROCK), this book will have you seeing stamping in a whole new light.

What I especially loved is that if you’re drawn to Geninne’s whimsical, nature-inspired aesthetic, you’re in luck—there are 50 of her original motifs included that you can use as templates for your own carving adventures. I was so inspired, I grabbed a simple eraser and carved a maple leaf stamp of my own. You can check out the finished stamp and the labels I created with it over on my blog, Sweater Surgery.

Whether you’re new to stamp carving or already addicted, Making an Impression will fuel your creativity and have you stamping everything in sight—with style! 

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Handmade with a Past: Tuesday’s Top Recycled Etsy Find

Let’s talk about a quiet little hero in the kitchen: the humble trivet. But not just any trivet — this set of 4 recycled plastic square trivets is a modern, minimalist dream made from 100% recycled household plastic. Yep, the same plastic that might’ve ended up in landfill is now protecting your benchtops in style. That’s a win.

I have to admit, I get a little thrill when practical things are also eco-friendly and just plain good-looking. These remind me of the ones I picked up at a zero-waste store in Melbourne — sleek, colorful, and almost too pretty to put a hot pot on. Almost.

Each one is handcrafted in small batches, with flecks of color that tell the story of what it used to be — lids, containers, maybe even your old shampoo bottle. It’s like modern terrazzo meets sustainable design. Perfect for gifting to a housewarming host or just treating your own kitchen to something that feels good and does good

Why we’re obsessed:

  • Made entirely from recycled household plastics

  • Each piece is uniquely speckled and full of character

  • A perfect match for eco-conscious kitchens, minimalist decor, and zero-waste living

Small item, big impact. And every time you set down your coffee pot or casserole dish, you’ll get that sweet little “I did something good today” feeling.