We have a secret weapon here at Martha Stewart Weddings, and he goes by the name Donald Carucci. He (and his company, Stampworx 2000) makes pretty much all of the stamps we feature in the magazine, and he's even given us a bit of expert advice. This time around, he's answering a few questions about the stamps he's made for us throughout the years.
Shira: So how exactly did Stampworx2000 come to be?
Donald: The business was started by my father in 1946, the year I was born. Soon after, he took my uncle as a partner and together they ran the company as Empire Stamp & Seal Co. Beginning when I was 12, I would go in and help my father on Saturdays, and in the summer I made deliveries and filled in for the messengers on vacation. I worked there on and off until 1980, when my uncle decided to retire; I bought his share and eventually inherited my father's share. So really, I've been in and around this business for about 50 years!
S: Any idea how many stamps you’ve made?
D: It's impossible to know, but I'm sure we’ve made over a million stamps over the years. We started out commercially (one year we counted the US Postal Service as a client, and you can imagine how many stamps they use), but now we create more artsy custom stamps. Custom work can be expensive, but we make it more affordable.
S: What’s the most popular stamp from our magazine you get calls for? And any other big hits?
D: The Peony Flower Stamp (in three sizes) is by far the most popular stamp we sell from our selection of Martha Stewart Weddings stamps. We had some very nice sales for the embossers that we did (such as the one with the dots around the border with the "jp" in the center). We made many of these with one, two, and three initials and even designed monograms to go on them. We've had orders come in from all around the world for these.
S: How do you actually make these stamps? Especially since some of them are quite intricate?
D: The process has changed with technology over the years, like everything else, but we currently make the stamps out of natural rubber and etch them on with a laser which allows us to achieve great detail and accuracy.
S: Do you have a brand or type of ink you recommend?
D: I like the acid-free archival pads, myself, such as the Memories line.
S: What advice would you give a bride looking to customize her wedding?
D: From the very beginning, I've always felt that every couple getting married should have a monogram designed personally for them. I feel that a couple's monogram works in the same way as a business's logo. The couple can carry it through their entire married life and can use it on everything from embroidering it on their linens to personal stationery! It's actually quite involved to create a good and unique monogram, but I feel it's worth the effort.
S: Any other insider tips for our stamp-loving readers?
D: Be creative. Nearly anything can be made into a stamp. And just keep stamping!
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