Cowgirl's sixth birthday is not over until all the thank you notes have been written. I am a stickler on sending cards or a note and Cowgirl has already learned when someone takes the time to send you a gift, you should take the time to acknowledge it. In the past I have had her color a picture or draw faces and sign her name. I also have her dictate a message to me which makes the cards extra fun.
One fun activity that I thought I would share and which is perfect for personalizing notes or cards is making your own rubber stamp. It is super easy and relatively inexpensive. I have made a stamp for Cowgirl before and decided it was time for a new one. I had her draw an image - a heart - and then write her name out. I then take tracing paper and with a soft pencil trace her design. For my stamps I like to use Mastercarve which is super easy to cut into (cuts like butter) and comes in different block sizes. I cut off a piece the size I need for my stamp and then rub the tracing paper over the surface to transfer the pencil design to the block. I then use my Speedball cutter (mine came with an assortment of different carving tips) and carve away!
In just a few minutes we had a new stamp which was ready to use! I have made dozens of stamps and like to use ink pads and acrylic paint to make designs on letters, packages and in my journals. Just be careful when carving to keep fingers out of the way of the very sharp blade!
Once you have the basic supplies, it is easy to crank out a couple of new stamps. And once you start thinking about making your own, you will find ideas for designs everywhere.
Enjoy!
Thanks for this tutorial on stamp making! I have always wanted to try it, but for some reason was a little intimidated. When you said the stamp stuff cuts like butter, I felt a little more up for trying it. For some reason I had visions of me whittling away at a stamp block for hours to create a stamp. Cutting butter sounds a lot easier!
ReplyDeleteAwesome! And it's so nice to hear that GRATITUDE plays a big role even with your beautiful daughter. We get handmade cards and thank yous from our nieces and nephews and they mean the world to us :)
ReplyDeletewriting thank u cards is an important thing to teach your kid, i think! my sister forgot to teach that one to her kids and to this day, they never thank someone (in written form or otherwise) when given a gift. it's fun to give to someone who appreciates it, not so fun otherwise.
ReplyDeleteThank you cards and notes are soo important. I'm a stickler for them too and have gotten Aoife involved since she was old enough to scribble something, anything. Thanks for the tutorila too. For some reason I have always been intimidated by stamp making, but this may have changed my mind. Watch this space!
ReplyDeleteWhat a cool project. I plan to use this idea for my wedding thank you cards. Your blog is very fun to get lost in. Your daughter is ADORABLE! Sarah's class was a hoot! Be well-
ReplyDeleteGreat idea! I love making stamps.
ReplyDeleteOoo this sounds like a great project! Thanks for the lesson! :-)
ReplyDeleteLove your mini tutorial on making the stamps! Yours are so lovely!
ReplyDeleteThank you cards are a necessity - even in this time of email.
I've wanted to try this but had no idea how. Thanks for the tutorial! Love your photos with this post too. Cowgirl in her sparkling skirt is too cute and the flowers at the end just cry out fall to me.
ReplyDeleteWonderful idea.
ReplyDeleteI posted a video on my art blog along with an update of where I am with the Artistic Mother projects.
http://artisticcreationswithtrudy.blogspot.com/2010/09/artistic-mother-video.html