The Embosser Story: Lessons from a Cockeyed Seal

Several years ago, I bought an embosser with my logo on it from Walker Companies. I use it to press a seal onto the certificates that go with each painting. For years, the logo was a little cockeyed. Not enough to ruin anything, just enough to notice.

Finally, like Popeye says, “I stoods all I could stood ’til I could stoods no more.”

The other day I decided to “fix” it. I took the top piece off and rotated it so the logo would be straight. Confidently, I pressed down. A barely there, crooked, seal. Suddenly, being a little cockeyed didn't seem so bad.

I tried again. Adjust the top slightly. Press. Again, barely there. Adjust the bottom slightly. Press. Still barely there. Back to the top. Press. Nope, barely there again. Press.

Over and over, like some very small, very stubborn dance, each movement seeming to matter more than it actually did. Eventually, I realized the embosser top and bottom had to line up and I couldn't make it work.

When I explained my dilemma to Matt, all he did was shake his head. He’s constantly telling me, “Quit punching buttons,” whenever I’m trying to “fix” something that he knows I have no clue how to actually fix. He believes my “fixing” sometimes makes it worse, which, in this case, he may have been correct.

The embosser after I "fixed" it.

Embosser after it was fixed.

Fixed embosser and stamp.

Eventually, I gave up and headed back to Walker Companies, the very place I had bought the embosser years ago, for professional help. The workers were sympathetic, carrying the embosser to the back for what I can only assume was some sort of embosser surgery. Best of all - there was no fee to "fix" the embosser.

A few minutes later, it was returned in complete working order.

In case you’re wondering, yes, they “fixed” it. The seal is no longer cockeyed.

Sometimes the small, stubborn things in life teach you more than the big ones. And sometimes it’s worth knowing when to stop fiddling and let someone else handle it. However, sometimes my “fixing” is TOTALLY worth Matt’s response, and, NOW I have an embosser story.

Thanks for reading The 3rd Flamingo — a blog for art lovers, creative wanderers, and anyone who’s ever made a beautiful mess.