Will You Be My Pen Pal?

When I was growing up, I remember the excitement of getting a letter or card in the mail from a relative or friend. Now, we rely on the instant communication from e-mail, Skype, or Facetime to keep in touch instead. Even with all those tools at our fingertips, it still is fun to get an envelope in the mail addressed to you with a special message inside. Today, I’m sharing a pen pal kit made with the new Rag Doll Jake: Pen Pal stamp and die combo set from Clear and Simple Stamps. Writing letters to friends or relatives may be a little “old school,” but it’s a great way to encourage a child to practice important writing skills—and to increase the chances of getting a letter in the mail for themselves!

Now that I'm off of my teacher soapbox, here's the project.  The pen pal kit contains several simple stamped note cards and matching stamped envelope. Each notecard is stamped with the Rag Doll Jake: Pen Pal stamp and colored with Copic markers. I added a red Favor Flag die cut strip, accented with a silver brad, in the opposite corner for an additional pop of color. The colored panel is adhered to a piece of My Favorite Blue Jeans cardstock.

After stamping the cards and envelopes, I tucked them into a simple box. I decorated it with a red cardstock strip stamped with some pencils from the Rag Doll House: School set. I added a die cut and colored Rag Doll Jake: Pen Pal image on top with foam tape, then stamped the “will you be my pen pal?” sentiment next to the image. In case you want to make your own pen pal kit, I’ve created a downloadable document with directions for making your own box. It comfortably holds 4 flat note cards and envelopes. You can find the document here.  And, if you want to see this box in action in another project, check out the stationery set I shared here.

Materials Used: 
Rag Doll Jake: Pen Pal stamp and die combo set, Rag Doll House: School stamp set, Perfect Little Black Dress ink, My Favorite Blue Jeans, Rouge Ruffles, and A Blanc Check cardstock, Copic markers (E000, E00, E11, E31, E33, E35, E51, YR21, YR24, RV00, R12, R14, R17,R27, R81, R83, BG72, BG75, BG78, C-1, C-3, C-5), Favor Flags dies, Simple Adhesive (Clear and Simple Stamps); silver brads (Michaels); foam tape