General Announcements

I love LOVE Stamps!

I think we all love stamps here, but I would like to talk about my love for LOVE stamps today :) Have you noticed that I’ve got a few? Although the idea is all the same, the application is key to the discussion here. I think it’s necessary to have a few love stamps because different circumstances call for different stamps ;)

So why so many love stamps? Well it all started when I put together my Stroll Through the Hood 1 stamp set years ago and wanted to include some text stamps that looked like street art tags. And on that day, Love Tag was born.

Usually when you think of Love stamps you think of maybe cutesy valentines or fancy script, but you know that is not really my thing. I wanted to design something that reflected my style so that when I created with it, it felt like my voice coming through. Love Tag has that grungy urban style that just feels right to me.

(Kinda funny that I use the Love Tag stamp on a tag… but that’s the kind of thing that makes me do a little chuckle sometimes.) You will see on the tag my Love Knots rubber stamp too – an embroidery inspired xxxooo design that pretty much also says love. So if you prefer being a bit more symbolic with your feelings, this is the way to go.

If you prefer to just come out and say it, you may want to use my LOVE rubber stamp. It’s got that nice reference to the iconic Robert Indiana sculpture in NYC that says, “Hey I love art and I love YOU!” You’re cultured, you’re savvy, and you also have heart.

What if you are so overtaken by cupid’s arrow that you need something bolder? My CJS22 limited edition LOVE foam stamp is the way to go. It’s a bold expression of love. It takes that same font as above and puts it on one line so there is no confusion. It is LOVE.

Love stamps really come into play around holidays and birthdays and anniversaries, but maybe someone in your life could use a little love today. Take your love for stamping, combine it with a Love stamp, and make something for someone you love. The world could always use more love in it :)

Here are some of the supplies I used in this post:

Nat

Leave a comment

Spring Refresh Sale – ENDS TONIGHT!

Don’t forget – my Spring Refresh Sale in my Online Shop ends TONIGHT, Monday March 21st at 11:59pm EDT. All physical products are 20% off while supplies last.

Just use the coupon code SPRING22 when you check out to enjoy the savings and to maybe pick up a few things to refresh your art making and your home.

Enjoy!!!

Nat

Leave a comment

Spring Refresh Sale – Refresh and Renew

It’s time to REFRESH!!! Spring is just days away and I’m thinking about all kinds of ways to refresh and renew, inside and out. I love this time of year as things warm up and grow, and I feel more energetic AND inspired when it comes to artmaking. It’s a great time to pick up some new supplies and maybe even some new artwork for your walls. I’m having a Spring Refresh Sale here in the shop to help make it happen.

The Spring Refresh Sale runs through March 21st at 11:59pm EDT and includes all physical products in the shop: stamps, stencils, ink pads, cardboard models, books, original artwork, giclee prints, and more. Just enter the coupon code SPRING22 when you check out to save 20% off qualifying items.

Sometimes an awesome way to invigorate your artmaking is with some new supplies. My Triangle Love and Hex Set Large rubber stamp sets get me creating patterns in my art journal and beyond.

Foam stamps offer an instant impression and I sometimes choose them as a focal element such as my Lady Liberty or other times to build pattern, texture, and layers such as my Mini Tile set.

Stencils can get your creative juices flowing too and a bold pattern like Chicago is just as likely to inspire me as something more delicate like Beacon.

I also have a section in my shop called Favorite Art Supplies where you will find some nifty items like Moonlight Duo ink pads, Boundless Brooklyn cardboard models, and the StampBuddy to get you creating. Check that stuff out HERE.

Having artwork hanging in my home is another source of enjoyment and inspiration for me. If you’re the same, check out my original artwork and giclee prints here in the shop.

I hope you take some time in the next few weeks to refresh an area of your life, whether it be in your home or in your art making practice. Even a small change can be the start of something big and exciting and there is no better time to get started than today :)

Nat

Leave a comment

Giclee Prints – Artwork for All

Not only do I love creating artwork, I also love hanging artwork that I enjoy on my walls, and I bet you do too! That’s why I’ve had prints made of many of my paintings – I’d love for my artwork to be available for all who may want to hang one in their space.

These prints are Giclee Prints – brilliant and true colors printed on high quality paper that you can frame and hang and enjoy just as you might an original piece, but at a price that is accessible to everyone. That is the beauty of collecting prints and I thought it might be nice to look at some of the prints that I currently have available here in my shop.

The first piece is called “Whose Front Yard” and I painted the original shortly after moving to the US and Jersey City. I was and still am very much taken by the cityscapes around NYC and the drama and grandeur of the Statue of Liberty in the NY Harbor. I thought it might be interesting to consider this view from another perspective :) This print is available in both a small size and a medium size.

“Fallen off the Edge” is another take on the NYC skyline, as seen from the Jersey City side of the Hudson, arguably the best view of NYC that can be had. This piece combines cityscape with layered imagery and suggestions of past stories to be uncovered… something that is a big part of what inspires me to create art. Here is a link to this print in my shop.

When I first moved to Jersey City, I lived in a converted pencil factory that wound up becoming my muse for several paintings, including this one called “1.25.2016”. This is a winter scene, capturing the winds and driving snows of a blizzard that hit us on January 25th, 2016. It’s always magical while it’s snowing in the city and for a few hours after it’s over and then… it’s a total mess and a lot of hard work to dig out lol. I wanted to preserve the magical time, before the plows and shoveling. Here is this print in my shop.

2016

We have a couple Shepard Fairey murals in Jersey City but there is one in Downtown that grabs you right when you come up from the Path train station. It’s pretty intense and I had to capture the whole scene in my painting, called “This Too Shall Pass”. I will let you ponder the combination of mural and setting – a place in town that is just about 2 feet above sea level in our changing climate… and you can find that print here in my shop.

You can find all my giclee prints in my shop here and there are more to choose from – I just pulled a few to talk about today. I hope you find something you like and remember there are also original works to browse through in the Artwork section of my shop. Enjoy!

Nat

Comments (2)

Leave a comment

The Ink Pad in NYC – Thank you!

I wanted to take a moment to say Thank You to The Ink Pad in NYC – a unique and independent shop in NYC who will sadly be closing their brick and mortar shop after 23 amazing years of serving the community and beyond. This shop and its lovely owner Anna have always supported my own growing business through the years and I can’t thank them enough for carrying my stamps and stencils, having me there for product demos, hosting my book signing, and allowing me to realize my dreams by providing a teaching venue. The Ink Pad has been one of the most important NYC home bases for me and will be missed!

They will be continuing their online business here and I definitely encourage you to check that out and shop all the sales they have going on now. The shop on West 19th St in NYC will be closing Saturday, Feb 19 so if you are in the metro area, head over there and shop one last time. As a customer of The Ink Pad I was always impressed with the selection at the shop – all my fav mixed media supplies and new stuff to get excited about too. Today they are even selling store fixtures and storage items that could be really useful in a home studio too. Here is some useful info about what the deal is.

But I wanted to do a little trip down Memory Lane and show you my experience with this wonderful shop, beginning in 2013 when I came from Germany to NYC for a visit. Here was the old shop on 7th Ave:

After moving here I would often find myself in The Ink Pad hood and just stop in to say hi and shop for new goodies. Then I began teaching there – both in the shop and also in a larger space that Anna arranged for my growing number of students. It was truly the culmination of a dream and soooo much fun too.

When new stamps or stencils were released I often would do demos in the shop. It was a cozy space and allowed me to meet customers and make connections with so many people.

Sometimes I would pop in and run into other people in the mixed media industry. One time I bumped into Seth Apter there – and that is just the kind of thing that was so special about the shop :)

When it came time to release my book, I was invited to do a book signing there. Completing the book was something that I had set as a goal for myself for a long time, and being able to do a signing in The Ink Pad was the icing on the cake! Can you see I am feeling pretty happy?

So I will absolutely miss this little treasure trove of a shop. But, times are changing and I wish them all the best as they switch gears and continue on by serving the community online and hopefully reaching people from all over.

Thank you to The Ink Pad!!!

Nat

Leave a comment

Some Days You are the Hydrant

My Hydrant foam stamp just cracks me up sometimes. It’s big and bold and well… kinda cute. Is that possible for a hydrant? I don’t know but in this case I think so.

It’s one of those iconic sights on the street in the US and wow is it popular with four legged friends if you know what I mean ;) But it’s also a pretty interesting piece of equipment, always a bright color (usually red), and it makes me think of city neighborhoods, which I love.

It’s a little unexpected and fun to use it as a repeating pattern in my art journal…

…and in fact I also like the abstract shape that you can make by stamping the back!

Got some dog lovers you know? These cards by Creative Squad member Judi Kauffman are hilarious:

And then also this votive project was a pretty neat idea, especially when combined with a few of my other foam stamps. You can create a whole little illuminated streetscape:

It’s a unique foam stamp, but that’s probably why the Hydrant catches your eye and makes you smile. It’s a little different and that’s one reason I love it.

You can find the Hydrant foam stamp and all my Foam Stamps in my Online Shop. Enjoy!

Nat

Leave a comment

Artist Almanac Calendars are HERE – The wait is over!

The page a day 2022 Artist Almanac calendars are here in my shop and ready to ship to you! The wait is finally over after weeks of shipping delays in the LA port and I can happily report that these 2022 calendars are good to go. Supplies are limited as you may know but we have a few while they last.

The 2022 Artist Almanac, if you haven’t already heard, is a page a day style calendar and each page has different artwork by one of the 12 participating artists:

Amanda Spence
Birgit Koopsen
DeeDee Catron
Eleaca Young
Kristin Peterson
Lisa Goddard
Mary Beth Shaw
Megan Whisner-Quinlan
Nathalie Kalbach
Shawn Petite
Tiffany Goff-Smith
Tina Walker

As you tear pages off, they become collage papers, so that means 365 different collage papers for all your mixed media creations. It’s a pretty awesome idea and I was stoked to be one of the artists chosen to participate. Here is a little schedule too to show you what day is by what artist:

Curious what it looks like? Here is a little flip through video of The 2022 Artist Almanac so you can see what it’s all about:

So hurry hurry into the shop and get your 2022 calendar today. Here is the link to the 2022 Artist Almanac. I hope you enjoy using it!

Nat

Comments (1)

  • Brenda

    |

    I love the art work on your cards.

    Reply

Leave a comment

NEW Stencil Release! ATC Mixup

New stencil is dropping today in the shop: ATC Mixup – a 9×12 stencil that features 9 different ATC sized patterns. It’s a mix of radial and allover designs for backgrounds, focal points, and layering fun :)

I made a whole bunch of ATCs (Artist Trading Cards) with just a couple sheets of paper and the stencil:

Do you trade ATCs with your artist friends? Even if you don’t, the ATC Mixup stencil is also excellent for churning out cards (tis the season, right?) and in your art journal when you want just a hint of pattern here and there. I was playing with it and liked the versatility all in one sheet:

You can pick up one of these new ATC Mixup stencils here in my shop and I hope you share what you’ve created online with me – just tag #natkalbach!

Nat

Leave a comment

LOVE – Special Edition Foam Stamp

I’ve got some exciting Foam Stamp News! I’ve designed a Limited Edition Foam Stamp for Creative JumpStart 2022  called LOVE. Our theme for CJS22 is Creating Connections and what better connection is there than love?

LOVE is of course perfect for cards. I mean, what more need I say? Ok, I did add a little bit more like my Love Knots rubber stamp, but really if you just want to get to the point, LOVE is all you need.

LOVE will be a limited edition release – only available through December 2022 so supplies are limited and when 2023 rolls around they will all be gone… so don’t miss out.

How would you like a little LOVE?

Foam stamps are so versatile – they rock when you need to churn out some quick cards or maybe do a repeating pattern for some giftwrap or a cool background… I especially love layering up two colors to get a nice offset print look.

They’re also excellent with fabric paints and even on the wall if you’re really ambitious. And we can’t forget the possibilities of just letting loose and working in an art journal. Who doesn’t LOVE that?

You can get LOVE in my online shop here. Haha

And get ready to use LOVE in Creative JumpStart 2022 Creating Connections edition too! CJS22 goes on sale on Monday, November 29th at 8am and I promise you – Cyber Monday will not disappoint ;)

Nat

Leave a comment