When scrapbookers talk about transparencies, one name immediately comes to mind--Hambly Studios. Hambly Studios is one of the most popular manufacturers of scrapbook papers and embellishments. What few realize is that Hambly Studios is located right in Santa Clara.

Hambly Studios has been in business for over thirty years. It began when Harry Hambly started silk-screening with bright color neon inks, creating psychedelic posters in the 1960’s and 1970’s. A lot of those posters are now collector's items. Harry first printed out of his garage, but then moved to Santa Clara. 

Some of Hambly Studios latest scrapbooking papers.

photo by Allison Abad

Over the past thirty years, Hambly Studios has created all kinds of products, from posters to notepads, calendars, gift wrap, greeting cards, die-cuts and stickers. It was the popularity of their prismatic stickers which propelled them into the craft industry. When scrapbooking began to grow in popularity, Hambly Studios decided to try silk-screening their own paper and their foray into the scrapbooking industry began.

"I really wanted to make something more of my style, kinda funky, edgy, not so cutsy," said Allison Abad, Hambly Studios Art Director. "We decided to try silkscreening my designs on some really cool metallic, iridescent and textured papers. They turned out so great and were unlike anything else we’ve seen."

Millions agree. Hambly Studios is now one of the most popular scrapbooking manufacturers in the country. You can find their products online and at many local scrapbook stores including Memories Live On in Cupertino and Scrapbook Island in San Jose.

What sets Hambly Studios apart is their silkscreening process. They silk-screen all of the overlays, papers and rub-ons by hand in their Santa Clara studio. Because the entire process is contained in  one location, rather than having the manufacturer process sent overseas, Allison said that she is able to design a product in the morning and have a prototype by mid-afternoon.

"The silk-screening process really make our products very different from the way other papers are printed," said Allison. "We first make a stencil of the image on a silk/mesh screen. Then the ink is forced through the mesh onto the printing surface. We can use a variety of beautiful inks, including metallics and vibrant opaque colors or even transparent ink. We also pick the best papers, which are usually textured, kraft or metallic, so the result is more of a specialty paper. We also print our own overlays which are really popular in scrapbooking because of the intense colors and innovative designs."

This attention to detail, along with their cutting edge product, keeps Hambly Studios at the top of the scrapbooking industry. "I try to stay very on top of all the trends when I am designing products," said Allison. "I also take into consideration how our designs will work for scrapbooking, papercrafting, home decor and DIY projects when I am creating them. It is nice that our products can be used in so many different ways. Our papers/overlays have such a great quality that they have also been used for custom invitations and even a few wedding invitations."

Allison said she recently found some old artwork in a calendar Hambly Studios created in the 1980's.  She re-worked and used it on their new Mod Tree Rub-ons. Their new classic animal rub-ons also use images from their only animal stickers. So what is old is new again! To see more photos of their studio at work, check out the slideshow below. If you are interested in visiting the studio itself, Hambly Studios does open their doors to the public for their semi-annual warehouse sale in the fall.