Stuff We Like: Stickers for the Holidays, Part 1

When you think of stickers as Christmas presents, chances are, you're thinking of stocking stuffers. But this holiday season, we ask that you think a little bigger in terms of what stickers can do for the kids in your life--a lot  bigger.

From Yoda with a light saber to Tinkerbell, space-rockets, dump-trucks and fairy-tale castles, there's not much in the way of childhood obsessions that are not available as a mural-sized repositionable wall-sticker, it seems, as far as Wall Sticker Outlet goes. We're especially fond of this t-rex busting through the wall, though we're not sure it's suitable for kids who wake up at night scared of the boogie man.

Wall Sticker Outlet offers everything from single character stick-ons to full-scene murals, available in Girls Themes and Boys Themes, as well as more mural-oriented wall-stickers aimed at adults. There are also stick-on chalkboard options.

These wall-stickers will run you anywhere between $17 for a single character to $325 for a giant wall mural, just in time for the holidays.

Making Tracks with Kids: Cheeky's Security Blanket

Lindsay N. Lewchuck had always dreamed of being an author, but it wasn't until she brought home a little black puppy with oversized paws that she found the inspiration to write. The precocious antics, wonky ear and unique personality of her Great Dane, Cheeky, proved to be the natural subject for a series of children's stories.

Lindsay's first book about Cheeky--Cheeky's Security Blanket--is out this year from Castle Keep Press (an imprint of James A. Rock & Co.). Featuring illustrations by Isaac Klunk, the tale follows Cheeky as she learns that while her security blanket makes her feel happy and secure, there really are some things in life that are more important. The book is intended for 2-100 year olds and is mostly aimed at 3-6 year olds.

In order to promote her book to her pint-sized target market, Lindsay hands out lime green and purple "Cheeky Approved" stickers after all of her readings. These stickers have proven a big hit with kids, and they leave a Great Dane "paw-print" impression with their parents, too--not unlike the paw-prints hidden by the illustrator on every page of Cheeky's Security Blanket. 


Why Custom Sticker Makers? "CSM had very competitive prices," Lindsay told us. "That is what brought me to the site. But the low-VOC ink is what made me choose them over the competition. Whenever there is a choice available, I go with the healthiest."

Hello Kitty Stickers Grow Up

Hello Kitty stickers, Hello Kitty stickers! You can almost feel your inner (small, female) child jumping up and down, can't you?

Well, maybe you can and maybe you can't. But here at Custom Sticker Makers, we like to keep track of hot search sticker search terms--and while stick figure families come and go, Hello Kitty stickers seem to have some real staying power.

Hello Kitty was "born" in Japan in 1974, when a young Tokyo-based company called Sanrio asked designer Ikuko Shimizu to invent a cartoon animal who would appeal to the preteen girl in everyone; they planned to use it to decorate a plastic coin purse. Thirty-six years later, Hello Kitty's adorable, oddly mouthless mug has adorned everything from erasers and barrettes to bowling balls and sewing machines--all with that distinct style of Japanese consumer culture ultra-cute known as kawaii.

Because so many grown women grew up with Hello Kitty, there are now all kinds of Hello Kitty items aimed at big girls--such as this Hello Kitty bumper-sticker.

But our favorite Hello Kitty stickers are the ones that are still most likely to send little girls into kawaii-induced fits, such as this massive sticker pack, perfect for slumber parties.

Alphabet Woof!: Family Fun with a Message That Sticks

Children's author Sherrie Madia has a fertile imagination--and so do her daughters, Emma (14) and Anna (12). Together, they created a one-of-a-kind children's book called Alphabet Woof!--the tale of a dog who eats magic soup that allows him to talk. As you might have guessed, this unexpected gift leads Moxy (the dog) and his family on some exciting adventures, told through fun rhymes and illustrations with a great family message.

Alphabet Woof! may be a whimsical tale, but it does some seriously good work in the world, as a portion of the sale of each book goes to support the SPCA International, which helps animals in need--yet another passion Madia shares with her daughters, who started volunteering with their Mom at their local animal shelter when they were young.

Madia and her daughters do a lot of events--from children's events to events for dog lovers--and wherever they go, they witness the same scene: once word gets out about their stickers, children run up in droves with their hands outstretched, asking, "Can I have a sticker?" Followed by, "And can I have one for my little brother? And my cousin, Marco? And my other cousin Sonia..." Recently, Alphabet Woof! Custom Sticker Makers stickers made it to the Tribeca Family Festival (Tribeca, NY) the International Children's Festival (Philadelphia, PA)-and soon, they'll be headed off to PetFest and Woofstock!, also in Pennsylvannia.

Why Custom Sticker Makers? "Not all stickers are created equal!" said Madia. "Our Custom Sticker Makers stickers get rave reviews from children--when kids leave our events, each wearing a Moxy the dog sticker, we know we've gotten it right." She adds that when she and her daughters do events supporting causes for animals and the SPCA, they see their stickers go home on pet carriers and even on the bumpers of people's cars--which they believe is due to the quality of their stickers and their bold, bright colors. Plus, that durable, high-quality vinyl, really helps their message stick.

 

Building a Delicious Brand: Cups Cupcakes Takes the Cake

Sure, cupcakes are all the rage—thanks, in part, to Sex In The City, where Carrie has often been observed devouring cupcakes from Magnolia, a bakery in New York City devoted entirely to cupcakes. It’s a trend that seems to be booming all over the country these days, but when your local  cupcake shop brags about their high-quality ingredients, chances are they don’t hold a candle to Cups Cupcakes of La Jolla, CA.


This is an establishment absolutely devoted to organic, and local whenever possible. In California, that means Strauss organic milk, Organic Valley butter, Giusto’s organic flours (from San Francisco), and free-range eggs from Chino Valley Farms. Cups bills itself as “the first all organic cupcakery, cupcake lounge, full-scale teaching kitchen and party room” offering gourmet cupcakes and cooking classes under one LEED certified roof.

When you get a to-go cupcake holder from Cups Cupcake, it comes decorated with a sticker from Cups—so when you’re remembering the taste of that fabulous cupcake later, you won’t forget where it came from. Cups also distributes their custom stickers free to kids and families, many of whom attend their Cups for Kids, or Mommy-or- Daddy-and-Me cooking classes.

Why does Cups Cupcake choose Custom Sticker Makers to print their stickers? “Because they make the desired product at an affordable price and great quality...and [offer] great customer service.”