My daughter bought these stamps for me in an antique store.  She knows I love all things children, and I do like them a lot, however, I cannot make them “stamp.”  They are not rubber stamps – they are made of metal.  I can see the detail is very fine, and looks like it would make lovely impressions, but they don’t. I’ve tried inking them by hand, and I’ve tried just stamping them into an ink pad, but neither technique works.  Does anyone out there know how to make an impression from a metal stamp plate?  They are attached to a block of wood, and there is no writing or other insignia on them.  They are very nice little works of art all by themselves, but it would be fun to actually make an impression from them!  They are about 1.5 inches tall by 1 inch wide and about 1.5 inches deep. 

I got back from my trip to Montana to see my newly born grandson on Tuesday evening.  Tired and glad to be home.  I used to know an older lady who always said when she returned home after a trip, “East, west, home is best.”  I really felt that sentiment on Tuesday night. 

So glad I got to go and hold him, and love him.  I probably won’t see him again until the spring.