Some things are just self-explanatory and stamps are probably one of them. Just put some ink on them and start stamping. True, but sometimes you just need a little inspiration. Otherwise you might miss out on some incredible things you can craft with stamps. We received a catalog from the Japanese company Kodomo No Kao with wonderful stamping examples that we wanted to share with you. We carry a lot of their stamps and inking pads, so it will be easy for you to copy certain designs.

Of course it won’t surprise you much that stamps are great for crafting cards. But look at those super pretty combinations of different stamps and inking pads. A nice technique is to stamp on another piece of paper, cut out the design and glue it onto your card, photo album or whatever you want to to embellish. Like this you can also create 3D effects as you can see on the wooden box.

A super simple but also great idea is to stamp on plain paper bags or gift tags. It looks really classy and is also a great substitute for wrapping paper. Especially if you want to give away lots of presents at once, this is a great way to save time and still have a unique packaging.

Did you know that with the right inking pads you can also stamp on fabrics, leather, tiles, wood or metal? It’s really unbelievable. We totally love the photo with the stamps on the plastic bags and the little basket. We have to say that the inking pads you can get in our shop are mainly to be used on paper. If we get special inking pads for other materials we’ll let you know right away.

Look at these pretty designs for greeting cards or photo albums

For a great effect you can also cut out stamped designs and glue them onto your card

These cute paper bags and tags look super professional

A great idea - embellish a wooden box with stamps

With special stamping ink you can even stamp directly on plastic, wood, glass, tiles and more

In our wedding blog post last week we already introduced you to some of our products, which might be useful for this year’s wedding season. Today it’s time to get a little more specific. Let’s talk about crafting accessories.

Craft cards

There are thousands of pretty wedding cards, but it’s also really easy to make something yourself which is definitely one of a kind. Just combining some deco tapes, stickers and stamps on plain cardboard is already half of the job. You could also integrate a photo of the bridal couple, of yourself or of something that connects you with the lovebirds. Also try to stamp on different kind of paper, cut it out and glue it onto your card. This will create a wonderful 3D effect and feel really nice too. Or cut out some patterns of a pretty fabric and glue it onto your card. We have lots of suitable designs with hearts, cakes, flowers, ribbons and embellishments.

cute Rilakkuma 3D Stickers Wedding Love Ring Cake

Washi Masking Tape deco tape set 3pcs with hearts

Michael Miller fabric Mr. & Mrs. wedding flowers

beautiful stamp set angel chandelier music notes

Wrap presents

Your gift will definitely stick out of the crowd when you use some colourful deco tapes to wrap it. Especially pretty patterns on single-coloured wrapping paper will have a great effect, as well as some stamps or stickers. You can create a really unusual wrapping paper when using a cute fabric for this. The bridal couple will definitely remember unwrapping your gift.

Washi Masking Deco Tape set 3pcs garland music heart

cute big Sticky Tape with hearts dots

cute deer wedding sticker with animals and cake

white Michael Miller fabric with red hearts

beautiful stamp set Eiffel Tower & crown

Be creative with money presents

Many bridal couples have seen and heard enough of bad wedding presents and decide to set some rules: They wish for money. Although for most people this option will be much easier than having to come with something themselves, still the questions remains: How are you going to hand it over? In a plain white envelope? Via bank transfer? We got some ideas:

If you just want to put it in an envelope, at least decorate it in a nice way with deco tapes, stickers or stamps. It won’t take you longer than a couple of minutes. If you’re looking for a creative way to give a money present, try building a wedding cake buffet with little Japanese cake erasers that you decorate with coins and notes. Or craft a simple garland out of Washi tape and integrate your money. Just occasionally use a banknote instead of a piece of tape. You could also pin your money on a cute plush toy or fill a lot of coins in a romantic bento box. There are lots of creative ways which don’t require a lot of time.

chocolate cream cake eraser from Japan by Iwako

strawberry piece of cake eraser from Japan by Iwako

pink strawberry cake eraser from Japan by Iwako

Iwako erasers cake ice cream 6 pieces set

red Rilakkuma Bento Box Lunch Box bears with hearts

Kutusita Nyanko cat with heart plush cellphone charm

Today’s May 13th is used in many countries to honour mothers and to celebrate motherhood. It is Mother’s Day and time to say “Thank you”. With a hug, a bunch of flowers, some chocolate or even some self-made little gift. We hope you prepared some lovely things for your mother and spend a nice time together. Of course every other day of the year is as good to honour your moms.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there. We hope that your kids spoil you today.

A heart for all the mothers: Happy Mother

We picked our new sweets sticker box to be this week’s favourite product of the week, just because we never had a box like this before. Of course the stickers are super cute, but they also come in this handy package, so than you can easily peel them off. The box itself doesn’t take up much room, looks pretty and can be stored on your desk or crafting table. We think the stickers with adorable sweets, cupcakes, macaroons and cake designs with yummy looking strawberries are e.g. really perfect as letter seals. But of course you can use them for anything you want.

cute sweets sticker box with cupcake macaroon

Here comes the bride. Maybe you already have a few invitations for these festive occasions or will even get married yourself this year. Fact is wedding season starts in May and that means work for you. If you get married yourself there are a million things to organise of course, but even if you’re “just” a wedding guest questions come up like what to wear or what to give as a present. If you like crafting you will find a million things in our shop to create unique cards, gifts and outfits for all the upcoming weddings.

Today we have a brief overview of our wedding items for you, but every week from now on we will introduce every category more detailed to give you more examples and inspiration.

1. Crafting accessories

Hearts, flowers, wedding cake – we have all the traditional wedding symbols which will help you to create something cute and personal for upcoming weddings. Craft a unique wedding card with lovely stickers and stamps, wrap your present with colourful deco tapes or work suitable accessories like fabrics or erasers in your presents. If you’re looking for a good way to decorate a money present, the accessories will help you do it.

cute Rilakkuma 3D Stickers Wedding Love Ring Cake

Washi Masking Tape deco tape set 3pcs with hearts

beautiful stamp set angel chandelier music notes

white strawberry cake eraser from Japan by Iwako

2. Wedding presents

We have to be honest: Almost all the wedding gift ideas we present to you require some crafting work. But it will pay off, because self-made things are just a wonderful present. For example to make a creative photo album for the bridal couple with one of our scrapbooking kits, which are already equipped with the basis you need for crafting. Or give away a cute DIY clay set to make clay jewels – a funny way to refer to the wedding rings. You could also pack a funny honeymoon package with fabrics and accessories for an unforgetable trip. Of course most of our crafting products are a great little addition to any present you have.

Scrapbooking kit from Japan with flowers

glitter mousse clay jewelry making kit kawaii Japan DIY

3. What to wear

The bad news: We don’t sell dresses, so you’ll have to make them yourself or get them tailored. The good news: With the fabrics from our shop you will definitely have a one of a kind and incredibly beautiful outfit. And you can decide yourself how much you want to dive into the wedding theme: heart fabrics, flower fabrics or classical and discrete designs like polka dots, we have it all.

Michael Miller fabric Mr. & Mrs. wedding flowers

black echino canvas fabric colourful flowers from Japan

black fabric with red hearts by Robert Kaufman

Don’t forget to order the products you need early, as shipping takes between 5 and 15 business days.

A lot of people are already totally excited and can’t wait the matches to start. You’re also counting the days? Then use the time you have left until the first match to prepare for the EURO 2012 and get into the right spirit. Even though our kawaii shop might not be the first address for soccer junkies to look for suitable fan accessories, we have a very cute item that will likewise convince sport and kawaii fans: little soccer ball erasers. They are the perfect little present, decorative accessory or a funny toy to re-enact the best soccer moments in passionate finger soccer matches. We even carry the sweet Iwako erasers in different colours.

cool black and white soccer ball eraser by Iwako

But hurry, because the Facebook-giveaway is just open until Tuesday, May 8th. It’s definitely worth to join it, because the winner gets a really awesome prize: 18 different surprise Re-Ments. Yep, just for 1 person. All you have to do to join the giveaway is “like” our Facebook page, “like” the big giveaway photo, share the pic and comment with “I want”. It is open internationally, so no matter where you live, you can join. Good luck!

One lucky winner gets 18 surprise Re-Ments in our Facebook giveaway

Laughter is the best medicine and definitely the thing to do on today’s World Laughter Day. Each year it is celebrated on the first sunday of May and was initiated by the Laughter Yoga movement. World peace, friendship and joy are the ideals behind the funny day with lots of activities organised by various laughter clubs throughout the whole world. We agree: smiling and laughing is always a good idea. And as we are surrounded by so many fun and joyful products it is not hard for us to do so.

Have a Happy Laughter Day.

cute big yellow smiley Deco Tape kawaii

Happy, colourful and inspiring. Our favourite product of the week is the cute mermaid friends fabric by Michael Miller. Because it makes you look forward to hot and joyful summer days at the beach. The funny design with the pretty mermaids, colourful fish and little hearts just makes you smile immediately. Aren’t there just so many wonderful things you could do with this fabric?

Michael Miller fabric Mermaid Friends mermaid fish

Just in time for the 2012 Summer Olympics! Re-Ment announced a super cute Hello Kitty Olympic Sports set. It will be released in Japan on  the 4th of June. We will definitely have it in our shop, hopefully it will arrive here soon enough so you can get it as a lucky charm for the Summer Olympics starting in London in July. There are 10 kawaii Hello Kitty charms in the shape of Olympic sports like football, table tennis, badminton, swimming, boxing, judo and so on.

Isn’t it a really cool set?

Super cool Hello Kitty Olympic sports set coming soon

Perfect as lucky charms for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London

10 charms in different Olympic sports