Friday, October 31, 2014

Dog and Owl Magnetic Bookmarks

Today my daughter's school is having Children Day celebration....yes, instead of Halloween celebration! Well, I do not expect much as first, these kids are in Primary One and Primary Two and second, Halloween is not a popular celebration in Malaysia.

Dog and Owl Magnetic Bookmarks
As it is almost end of the schooling year, I decided to make some bookmarks for my daughter's classmates. The bookmarks' theme will be on friendship as my daughter was a transferal to this school as Primary Two. Thus, she have to start a new friendships with these classmates during earlier of the year. And that 'Thank you for being my friend' sentiment is just nice for her case! ;)

Close-up: Scott dog bookmark
I started the bookmark making since earlier of the week. Apart from making a number of quantities needed, I do not have the extra time luxury. Thus, I making these bookmarks slowly. I started off by stamping the dog images onto white card stock and later colored them using Copic markers. Then, the dog images are die cut using the matching dies. These dog images will be used to decorate the front of the bookmarks.

For the bookmark itself, I decided to make a magnetic bookmark as these classmates are still young and tend to lose things often. Thus, a magnetic bookmark will keep it tidy and steady for them. Several blue card stocks are folded in half of the length of 3.5". Then, they are die cut using the bookmark dies.

Close-up: French Pitbull dog bookmark 
After several samples, I decided to use the speech bubbles with the sentiment instead stamping the sentiment directly onto the bookmark. Thus, two (2) different speech bubbles are stamped onto yellow card stock follow by the sentiment. In order to fit the sentiment to the speech bubbles, I cut the sentiment into two (2) parts! It is heartache to do so but to use the normal 'wipe-and-clean' method for repetitive stamping is not wise. Thus, I made the decision to cut the sentiment into two (2) parts! Well, it is actually do not affect the stamp at all when they are put back together again in one line. In fact, it is actually like there is no alteration been done to it! The process of trimming the speech bubbles has taken some times. It is a hint for me to buy the Lawn Fawn A Birdie Told Me Lawn Cuts.

Once everything has been trimmed, it is time put everything together. First, the dog is attached onto the half circle of the bookmark using pop dots. The corresponding speech bubble with sentiment is attached on to the bookmark, on top of the dog as if the dog it saying it. Then, the magnetic is attached to the inside of the bookmark where the dog is attached outside.

Close-up: Owl bookmark
Suddenly, I remember that there are some Malay students in my daughter class! As dog is forbidden by Islam and to respect their religious believe, I use owl to replace the dog for these Malay classmates.

I hope my daughter's classmates like these bookmarks!

Stamps and tools used :

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Finally.....Some Simon Says Stamp Clear Stamp Sets and Dies Plus Mama Elephant

Top row from left to right:
Mama Elephant Many Thanks
Lunch Box Notes Stamp Set
Bottom row from left to right:
Lunch Box Notes Craft Dies
Bookmark It! Craft Dies
Hey Teacher Stamp Set
Last row:
'Teacher' Craft Dies
On the last day of September 2014, Simon Says Stamp launch their Simon Says Stamp Stamptember® Succulent Surprise with a save USD$5 with order USD$5 and above. I missed once on this offer and definitely not gonna miss it again. Some may think that USD$5 is not much but for me, a saving of how little is a saving especially if you need to factor exchange rate!

As mentioned in my previous post, I rarely shop at Simon Says Stamp. But this time, I really need to shop with them as they have something I wanted; not the Succulent Surprise collection though. 

The one I want so desperately is the Simon Says Stamp Teacher's Pet collection that launched in end of July 2014. I always looking for school or teacher related stamps as I believe teachers are very important in our lives. I really want to thank them for their patience, loving, caring and motivation especially now after I have kids. Teaching them is really not an easy job. Thus, I try to appreciate these teachers as much as possible by making them handmade thank you cards! 

From left to right:
Lunch Box Notes Stamp Set
Hey Teacher Stamp Set
I love that Kids Rock set that comes with Lunch Box Notes stamp set and coordinating craft dies. Both Jennifer McGuire and Laura Bassen has created some amazing lunch box notes and even mini shaker lunch box note during the Simon Says Stamp Summer School! I might want to make some lunch box notes but the set is good for other purposes as well which make it valuable. ;-)

Top row from left to right:Lunch Box Notes Craft Dies
Bookmark It! Craft Dies

Bottom row:
'Teacher' Craft Dies
Sealed in envelope
Another great set is the Teacher's Rule set that comes with Hey Teacher stamp set and two 'Teacher' wording craft dies that dedicated just for teachers. The perfect stamp set and craft dies I been looking for! I am really glad that Simon Says Stamp have this Teacher's Pet collection!

Classroom Encouragement Set
That contains:
Lunch Box Notes Stamp Set
Lunch Box Notes Craft Dies
Hey Teacher Stamp Set
'Teacher' Craft Dies
Simon Says Stamp do packaged or bundled the above four items into a package known as Classroom Encouragement set which slightly cheaper, another way to save! Previously, I missed the USD$5 saving and in the same time, the Kids Rock set was out of stock too. Thus, I have to delayed my order.
Classroom Encouragement Set seal

Top row from left to right:Lunch Box Notes Craft Dies
Bookmark It! Craft Dies

Bottom row:
'Teacher' Craft Dies
Another things that make me want to shop with Simon Says Stamp is that they have this Bookmark It! craft dies that launch with the This is Life collection. I am a huge fan of bookmarks and tags. I just find that bookmarks and tags are so alive especially when you can customize them yourself. Maybe because I am a reader too which I like my bookmarks and tags. I especially like the corner bookmark craft dies. I tried to make the corner bookmark once but turned not really nice. Thus, a die cut is just perfect!

As these items combined value is over USD$50, the shipping fee is now charged at second tier and it is not really valuable if I finalize my order now. This is because the shipping fee is charged flat and there is still room for me to squeeze within the second tier shipping fee charged. So, I look around the stencils and another brand stamps.

Mama Elephant Many Thanks
Finally, I settle for this Mama Elephant Many Thanks stamp set because I am a fan of thank you cards. Most of my cards are on thank you sentiment because I have many reasons to thank a person! :P There is a sentiment that really caught my eyes on it which is the 'for your purchase'. Since I been making thank you card for my Copic markers buyers, this sentiment just nicely fits it. Not to mention that other sentiments in this set also good for many thank you occasion!

Well, this is another very expensive order I ever had after the last order from Custom Crops. But I find it valuable as I really got the stamp sets and craft dies I been wanting from Simon Says Stamp. The order was shipped two (2) days after my payment.

Patiently, I wait for its arrival and finally it did today. However, it is a little disappointment as I get a package that is a size of half an A4 size paper! The items I order are all inside this package but I expect bigger package as my last order from Custom Crops was a large package! But then, the important thing is that all the items arrive correctly and safely.

Front of the Lunch Box Notes Craft Dies envelope
The craft dies are come in a handy storage envelope whereby at the front of the envelope, it is printed with the craft dies' design along with its name and other details (please refer photo above). At the back, the envelope is sealed with Simon Says Stamp circle seal that is easily open up without tearing the envelope a bit! The seal is sticky and resealable.
Back of the envelope with Simon Says Stamp circle seal

Close-up of the Simon Says Stamp circle seal
They are just in time for my next project which I plan to make some bookmarks and tags for my daughter's classmate for the year end closing. The Hey Teacher stamp set and two 'Teacher' wording craft dies are perfect for some thank you cards for teachers!