There is an epidemic spreading through the stamping world at a rather alarming rate.

I had to do a case study of this disease if only to reassure rubber stamp artists out there who are afflicted that they are not alone!

It is called the 'Look At It' Disease, I'm mentioning this cos I feel it is a very serious illness which has until now been overlooked.

The look at it disease affects many stampers, old and new, and can strike at any time without you knowing it. As yet there is no cure.

It is a very hard illness to live with and sufferers usually end up with a large collection of stamp items they cannot use.

Look At It Disease can strike when you buy something new for the very first time.

Picture the scene, you send away for something via mail order and wait impatiently for days and weeks for it to come.

Finally the day arrives! The post man has brought it!! You rip off the packaging to reveal a brand new shiny stamping item..could be radiant pearls, pearl ex, pop dots, peel offs, very nice paper...anything.

You hold it in your hands and you fall in love with it, all you want to do is LOOK at It!

You don't ever want to use it incase you might run out of it, so you save it for a special occasion.

Of course that special occasion never comes.

Every so often you get out your buys and stare a while at them and LOOK. God forbid you should use them!

There might suddenly go into liquidation and they might not make it anymore..better to be safe than sorry...just LOOK at it for now...

As you can see the Look At It Disease is a difficult illness, one which all reasonable thought is thrown out of the window. And one which can strike you at any moment! Be safe! Protect yourself from the look at it disease and USE all your stamping items incase Look At It comes to get YOU!!!

Words By Trish Bayley