DIY STAMP KIT + GIVEAWAY!

 

was kind enough to let us pick out a little somethin’ for a DIY project! Naturally we were drawn to SF local- Yellow Owl Workshop’s stamp-carving kit, though it was a tough call since they offer a ton of great DIY kits. We decided we wanted to do a bandana using a neon color palette, our most recent obsession. Follow the instructions below to create your own stamped bandana. In addition we will offer up $40 gift cards to UncommonGoods to TWO lucky winners. Find contest guidelines below!

Happy crafting!

 

created this genius Carve-A-Stamp Kit that contains everything you need to master the art of stamp carving.

The kit comes equipped with: • 2 rubber blocks mounted on wood for carving • 1 brilliant red ink pad • 1 pencil • 1 wood carving knife with five tips & a tip remover • 1 template featuring different designs • 1 piece of tracing vellum • 1 muslin bag

 

What you will need in addition for this project: • 1 yard of muslin • washable/ fabric friendly neon ink pads • scissors • neon thread (optional) • a sewing machine (optional) • one extra block of rubber (optional)

 

*All of these items can be found at Michaels, or the craft store of your choice. STEP ONE:

Carving the dot pattern stamp-

We used the semi circle tip in order to cut out our dots for our reversed dot stamp. First use your pencil to draw scattered dots. Then push the semi-circle into the rubber, rotate 360 degrees, and pop the rubber out. Repeat until your pattern is complete.

STEP TWO:

Carving the star pattern stamps-

Draw the star onto the rubber with your pencil. Then use the flat knife to trace the outline of your star. After, use that same tool to remove ¼ inch of the entire surrounding area. In order to achieve only the outline of the star, you will then use the wide “V” carving tool to remove the rubber from the inside of the star.

*note: If you wish to create another star stamp, repeat the steps listed above with your extra rubber pad.

 

STEP THREE:

Cutting out your bandana- Cut a 23 inch square out of your muslin. This allows for a ½ seam allowance on each side. Using your neon thread, iron, pin, & sew the edges in.

*note: if you would not like to sew the edges, cut out a 22 inch square & leave it raw!

STEP FOUR:

Stamping your bandana- Using the dot stamp you have created, line up the block along the edge and make a border all the way around. Then fill the center with your star stamps as seen above.

STEP FIVE:

Protect your fabric- Wait until the ink has dried (a few hours). Place a piece of muslin over your pattern and iron each side without water/steam. Allow for a week or so before washing, then hand wash or machine wash alone for first rinse.

 

STEP SIX:

Strut around in your new bandana.

We made two bandanas, one for our pen pal, and another tiny one for Imogen because we couldn’t resist, duh.

Jump the gun and make one for mom for Mothers day! Get your own kit here! Or check out more great mom day ideas here.

CONTEST GUIDELINES:

Enter to win a $40 gift card to UncommonGoods to snag your own stamp carving kit and then some!

All you gotta do is like UncommonGoods on facebook & comment on this post! Don’t have a facebook? Join their newsletter instead!

Our winner's will be announced Friday the 21st!

Hello!Lucky & Couple Giveaway!

Read below for instructions on how to enter to win two Couples tee's, a Hello!lucky card, & free app stickers! Valentines Day is one of our all time favorite Holidays because it instigates positive language & reassurance. What we love most about the app Couple is that it allows you to do this on a daily basis. Whether you’re in a long distance relationship, have conflicting schedules, or just enjoy having a common place to connect, this app makes sharing sweet nothing’s a piece of cake. It’s the ultimate share app with Couple, creating archived moments including videos, voice messages, photos with filters, and drawings. It offers facetime, shared to-do lists, an interactive calendar, and even the option to share locations. It’s all the apps you use with your honey rolled into one. Learn more about them here! We thought we would couple up with them this Valentines Day to offer their loyal customers a tangible way to say I love you, and share their approach with our fans! Contest guidelines below! 

Enter to win a Hello!lucky Valentine, two Couple tee’s, and a few Couple stickers to use on their FREE app by commenting on your favorite Hello!lucky card featured on their blog here. Then be sure to “like” Hello!lucky & Couple on facebook between February 3rd- 8th. The 5 winners will then be chosen at random. It’s easy to enter, just comment on the post found here stating your favorite featured card, and like Hello!lucky and Couple on Facebook.

*Additional contest information here.

Contest: giving thanks in 2014

 

 

ENTER TO WIN TWO PACKS OF LETTERPRESS THANK YOU CARDS BY JANUARY 16th!!! There’s plenty of research showing that gratitude promotes happiness -- expressing thanks helps you hone in on what’s positive in your life, and everyone loves to be thanked and appreciated! So this year we are promising to say thanks!

Here are perfect occasions for writing a thank you note:

  • A gift
  • A dinner or date
  • A handwritten card
  • A great conversation
  • A thoughtful action, like helping you with a project or chore
  • A long-term friendship or partnership

You can write thank you notes to family, friends, work associates, teachers, or those who provide a helpful hand day by day like your mail man or garbage collector.

Great thank you notes are brief and heartfelt. Here are some samples:

Thank you for the wonderful birthday card. I am so grateful that you thought of me.

Thank you for your the great conversation we had yesterday. I appreciate your support, and I am so glad we’re friends!

Here are some tactics we’ll be trying out in 2014:

  • Keep a stash of thank you notes, stamps, and a pen by your bedside. Write a note at the end of the day. (Think of it as a twist on writing “gratitude journal,” which some researchers advocate -- one that has a positive impact on other people’s lives as well as your own)
  • Write thank you notes right away -- the feelings will be more authentic and meaningful.

What are some of the ways you like to say thank you? Post a comment and we’ll pick a winner next Thursday the 16th to receive your very own stash of 12 letterpress thank you cards (featured above)!

Monthly Card Subscription GIVEAWAY!

Attention all card lovers! You have a chance to win the letterpress lottery. We're giving one lucky reader a monthly card subscription for one whole year! Yes that's right. Three letterpress cards, every month, for a year. You can send them as a gift or keep them for yourself. Make a new year's resolution to send more cards to your loved ones. The best part? All the cards are pre-stamped, so you can just sign, seal, and deliver. To enter to win, simply comment below telling us who would receive the first card and why. You can get bonus points by liking us on Facebook, too!

We're choosing a winner next Wednesday, January 30th, so leave your comments soon and like us on Facebook to double your chances.

Entries are no longer being accepted and a winner has been chosen. Thanks for participating!!