Magic Stamp Kit by Ann Kay © 2001

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Magic Stamp Kit   by   Ann Kay  © 2001   Red Wheel/Weiser ISBN 1-59003-005-2  48 pages   paperback booklet, 20 Stamps & 2 Stamp Pads    $20.00

I know that, for a lot of people, rubber stamps are old-fashioned.  After all, you can download so many images off the Internet, and print them out on your printer.  There are, however, times when stamps can come in handy.  In my case, I like to keep a book mark in each book in my library and the selection of symbols in this set makes for some interesting bookmarks

It contains a booklet which explains the meanings of the symbols.  It can be used for a variety of things besides my personal favorite use.  Teachers may find it useful for use in teaching symbolic meanings; they can be used where you want a clear symbol in handwritten notes; parents can let their children (it does contain some small parts, so be careful with younger children) use them to create “codes” or “secret languages”.  They can be used, with fabric ink, to decorate scarves, altar cloths, tabards, etc.  You could use them to decorate invitations to your next Sabbat, or to adorn home-made greeting cards.  If you are “out of the broom closet,” they can go on envelopes.  Their uses are limited only by your imagination.

The symbols range from the most expected (pentagram, ankh, moon and Goddess symbols, among others) to less expected (several runes, a snake, and a love charm, among others).  The stamps are well-made, about an inch square and mounted with centering marks on al four edges, so you can overlay the stamps if you wish.

I was less impressed with the two color stamp pad for a couple of reasons.  The ink is washable, which is both a plus and a minus.  It is a plus since it makes cleaning the stamps a breeze.  It is a minus as it means that the ink is more easily smeared.

The booklet which comes with the kit devotes two pages to each symbol, giving the magickal meanings, magickal uses and some have suggestions for creative combinations of two or more stamps, or additions to the basic symbol.  The explanations are, as is to be expected in a basic work such as this, very simple.  Still, they do provide a starting point for your own explanations of the meanings.

There are some symbols missing (a solar cross and a triangle jump to mind), but they can be created through the use of other stamps.  There is a straight line stamp which can be used to create those two symbols, for instance.

It might seem that $20 for this kit is a bit steep, but that is only $1 a stamp, and gives you the pad and booklet for free.  Go to any arts and crafts store and you won’t be able to duplicate it for two or three times the price.  So, spend the money if you enjoy using stamps, or if you have a teen that is showing an interest in magick.

You may want to invest a few dollars more in more stamp pads, as purple and silver (while nice) may need to be supplemented with black and other color or two.

 

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