thurs-DIY: merit badge stationery

i try to make at least 1 gift for wade each year on his birthday. so this year along w/ his usual "old soul" birthday gifts: renewed membership to cheekwood botanical gardens, a copy of annie dillard's pilgrim at tinker creek & this amazing 8-cup coffee maker ... i decided to make him a new set of stationery.

first - you must know - i mentioned my snobbery over sewing vs no sew glue the other day ... well wade is a bit of a snob when it comes to stationery. we all have our quirks. HE ONLY USES CRANE & CO! for this set of stationery, i used crane & co's pearl white folded note - a box of 20 clean kid finish® note cards with matching envelopes.

i also used speedball's stamp making kit! this was my first adventure in stamp making - thanks to the encouragement of pottery friend amy - and i will admit i'm completely hooked!

1 // make your stamps!

a) i designed basic merit badge shapes in illustrator.
b) i traced them w/ a piece of tracing paper and pencil.
c) i used the side of my fingernail to transfer the traced illustration to the rubber carving block.
d) the kit includes a wooden handle and 2 tips: a cutter and a gouge tip. i also used my exacto to carefully cut out my shapes.

CUSTOM STAMPS, y'all!

2 // roll out a teeny tiny dot of block print ink w/ your speedball rubber brayer. the ol "just a dot, not a lot" totally applies here. then roll your brayer carefully over your stamp! and go to town!

i absolutely love how they turned out! and wade was pretty stoked too. he favors the little trees and the tents - while i absolutely love the other 2. we might just have to share! 

happy stamping! :)