STAMPtember® Feature: Impression Obsession
Hi readers! TGIF! Welcome to our second to last brand feature for the month! *sniffle sniffle*. Did you know that Impression Obsession has been in business for 17 years?! This brand continues to offer a wide variety of stamps in cling, clear, and mounted, as well as some well loved die designs. I found their bio quite interesting. Read on below!
I know people are curious sometimes about who the people are behind the anonymous-looking website. Impression Obsession was formed in March 1998 by Mitra Friant and Charmaine Jackson, two high school teachers who thought it would be fun to run a stamp business part-time after school. We published our first stamp catalog with 92 images in August, 1998 and we were off and running.
We had a lot of success with that first catalog and continued adding images (and customers) until the company became too busy to be a part-time job. In September, 1999, I (Mitra) quit teaching and started working at the stamp business full-time. Charmaine, meanwhile, had a baby and decided to continue teaching so she got out of the stamp business.
2015 marks 17 years in business…I can’t believe it! IO has come a long way since then. We now have 10,000 images in production at any given time and have expanded into offering clear stamps, cling stamps (stamps with gray cushion that temporarily stick to acrylic blocks), and metal dies. We are proud to offer designs from Dina Kowal, Seth Apter, Lindsay Ostrom, Yvonne Blair, Alesa Baker Designs, Heart Art Studios, Melissa Gordon, Leigh Hannan, Gary Robertson, Gail Green, Claudia Tenorio-Pearl, Kalani Allred, Hannah Davies, Tara Caldwell, Aislinn Adams, Julie Fei-Fan Balzer, and Joanne Fink. With so many different artists, we offer stamps in a wide range of styles. There is truly something for everyone at Impression Obsession.
I am helped (greatly) by 8 full-time and one part-time employees who work in our warehouse pressing rubber, trimming stamps, indexing wood, and packing orders. I truly can’t remember what it was like when Charmaine and I made all of the stamps ourselves (I think I’ve blacked the memory out). I’m lucky to have a great staff who has stuck with me (several of them for years and years) through all the ups and downs that come with running a small business.
It’s been a great ride so far and we’re still going strong. 2016 will bring lots of new products, new designs, and new techniques. Happy stamping!
We want everyone to pick a favorite Impression Obsession item and try it, so in the spirit of that, we are offering a limited time 20% discount off all Impression Obsession products when you use code IMPRESS2S. Please know that this code is not valid with other codes, nor can it be used for previous purchases. This code will expire at 11:59 PM eastern time on September 27th.
In addition to their blog and online shop, follow along with Impression Obsession on Facebook, Twitter, & Pinterest!
I reached out to Impression Obsession designer Jeanne Streiff to make a card showcasing this fabulous brand in celebration of this feature. Isn’t this card lovely? Just add a PSL and be ready to experience Autumn’s full bounty! :D Be sure to check out Jeanne’s blog Inky Paws for lots of inspiration!
Very cool! I love that inky background!
I love Autumn, the cool, crisp air, the colors, everything! This card really gets me in the fall frame of mind!
Gorgeous! I’m a big fan of IO – especially their dies! Great feature!
Fabulous card! And what fabulous longevity for a stamp company!
The autumn leaves are beautiful!
Those fall color are really beautiful.
Oh dear! Looks like I’ll be adding another possible favourite company and gorgeous goodies to the ‘never ever gonna end’ wish list! Lol!
What a beautiful Autumn design. I love leaves in all kinds of colors. Just beautiful. Thanks for a lovely project idea.
Beautiful fall leaves!
What a beautiful background stamp!
Congratulations to Mitra as she celebrates 17 years in business. I enjoyed reading about the history of the company. I really love I.O.!
Such a great success story by Mitra. And I love the card as well :)
Looks like a real fall leaves..funtastic card
Impression Obsession is ‘hands down’ my favorite stamp company so I am so glad you featured them here! I just love there stamps, my favorite are the cover-a-card (background) stamps and Gary Robertson stamps. With Dina’s following close behind. I love that they celebrate and recognize there artists!
Katie B.
such a great card..LOVE it!
A lovely card. TFS!
Another IO fan here and that CARD… Oh goodness, so pretty!
I love hearing the story behind the brand, and that die is fantastic!
Beautiful card! Love IO products!
Neat card. Autumn is one of my favorite times of the year. I really love seeing the leaves changing colors and your card reminds me so much of changing leaves…lovely.
I am really enjoying learning more about all these wonderful manufacturers and designers!!!
Lovely card, the leaves are beautiful and the angled sentiment is too!!!
Have a great day !
Congratulations on 17 years! That’s awesome! I love that card by Inky Paws, but how can I not with a name like that?! LOL TFS and inspiring! Big hugs, Kristina (CraftyPaws)
WOW!!! Gorgeous card! :-D
Congratulations IO!
WOW!!! That makes for a beautiful background! Perfect fall colouring with the ink choice!
Love the leaf stamp!
This is a beautiful card Jeanne. Lovely background stamp and I “love” the die cut!
Stephanie I loved reading about I.O. I am kinda new at stamping, and was totally clueless – LOve this leafy beauty! Off to browse… thanks for the coupon!
=] M
Fabulous card! Love the die cut and beautiful background!
Awesome card…Love the color and leaves in the background. Awesome die too!
Wow! Gorgeous card with that leaves background stamp. Thank You for the inspiration!
I. O. Is on my list of favorite stamp companies. Lovely card.
Congratulations on your 17th anniversary!
The card is so pretty and the leaf background stamp is awesome!
IO does background stamps like no other!
Pretty card. Love IO stamps and dies.
I own quite a few of the IO background stamps, love them and would love to try more of their products!
Pretty, pretty fall card!
I used IO dies for the first time this summer and I love them!
wow—! 17 years, and I have not heard of hem?? where the heck have i been?? geez! Gotta fix that! Awesome stuff!
I love IO’s cover-a-card background stamps (wooden planks is one of me very favourites). And I’m always happy to add to my collection.
Lovely Card! I’ve always been a fan of Impression Obsession stamps: delicately drawings and extremly versatile. But until now I havn’t discovered the dies … thanks for the inspiration!
kind regards, Irmgard
I love everything IO offers. So many options & inspiration. This card is absolutely beautiful. I love the colors & how the love is placed on the card. Great job!
LOVE all things IO! This card is very pretty!! LOVE the way “LOVE” is positioned! TFS!
I love the fall with all the colored leaves and this card does a great job with colored leaves. Very pretty.
Absolutely beautiful!!! It really puts me in the mood for Fall!!!
I love I-O. So glad they are going strong.
Love those autumn colors!
I love IO!! TFS SSS! =)
Gorgeous Fall card – awesome coloring.
What a beautiful card! The autumn leaves background is gorgeous!