Woven name labels for School

Sew in labels

Okay, so we are now near the end of first term at School and what new parents are just finding out is that the name labels for your kids clothes have fallen off or are just about faded away.

So you may never get little Johnnie’s school jumper back – and we all know what an expensive mistake that is.

One alternative is the a Woven name label that you sew-in.

Sew on name labels are more durable, they do not fade and shouldn’t fall off. This depends how good you are at sewing.  And they can be obviously personalised with your child name.

• Easy to use – simply cut off required label & sew in.
• Washing machine & tumbler drier safe.
• Woven in Upper & Lower case
• Production time 2 -3 weeks. NOT AVAILABLE AS A PRIORITY ORDER
• Maximum 20 characters including spaces. TEXT WILL BE WOVEN AS ORDERED

Sew In Woven Labels for £14 for a pack of 100

At Simply Stuck our aim to to make life a little easy.  Let us know what you think about out products and service.

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2010 Summer blockbuster kids movies

Yep the summer holidays are here and if you are anything like my family we like our summer blockbuster kids films.

And we have a good bunch of films this year.  From animations like Shrek  and ToyStory to Marvel hero IronMan.  There is something for older children too with the A-Team, Prince of Persia and the Sorcerer’s Apprentice.

So hold on tight for our run down of our Family friendly favourites for 2010.

Pre-teenagers film choices

Shrek Forever After

Modern day animations are now so well written that they can appeal to children and adults alike.  And the Shrek series is no exception.  I’m particularly looking forward to watching the latest Shrek incarnation.

After high adventure, Shrek settles down into domestic bliss.  Amid his mid-life crisis Shrek a new drama unfolds where once again Shrek saves the day.  This film is classified U and contains scenes of mild violence.

Shrek forever after

Toy Story 3 (2D and 3D)

You just know that it will be as good as the previous two films.  Tom Hanks and Tim Allen and once again in the driving seat with a few surprise guest, which include, Michael Keaton, Whoopi Goldberg and Timothy Dalton.  The film is classified U, and contains mild violence and scary scenes.

Toy Story 3

Nanny McPhee and the Bid Bang

A scary Mary Poppins? Lets wait and see.  Mark Kermode from the BBC couldn’t praise the film enough.   Emma Thompson, who has written a wonderful film also stars in this delightful film.  This is a delight for all the family.  The film is classified U and contains very mild language.

Nanny McPhee

12′s and over

The next selection of films is for children aged 12 and over.

Iron Man 2

Robert Downey Jr reprises his role as the Iron Man.  This is a Comic-book, big budget, action kids movie.  Not regarded as good and the first Mr Downey Jr is joined by Don Cheadle, Scarlett Johansson, Gwyneth Paltrow, Sam Rockwell and Mickey Rourke. The film is classified 12 and contains moderate violence and bleeped strong language.

Iron Man 2

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice

Starring Nicholas Cage, the hardest working man in showbiz.  He plays Balthazar Blake (Nicolas Cage) is a master sorcerer in modern-day Manhattan trying to defend the city from his arch-nemesis, Maxim Horvath (Alfred Molina).   He recruits Dave Stutler (Jay Baruchel), a seemingly average guy who demonstrates hidden potential, as his reluctant protégé. After a crash course in the art and science of magic, these unlikely partners work to stop the forces of darkness.  The film is rated PG and contains moderate fantasy violence.

The A-Team

I’m really excited about this film.  I watched the A-team as a kid so I am fascinated to see it get the big screen treatment.  There are lots of action scenes and the ubiquitous love interest in the form of Jessica Biele.  The film is classified 12A and Contains moderate violence and language and implied strong language.

The A team

Other films to look our for.

The Prince of Persia

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse

Tron Legacy, not due out until December 2010.  But I thought it was worth a mention.

Child ID Bracelet

At Simply Stuck we always recommend “label up” the child with wrist bands. Even the most obedient of our little cherubs can decide at a moments notice to explore  on their own initiative.

So it’s worth making sure that you order some Child ID bracelets. Simply Stick has an excellent range of simple and durable children’s ID bracelets, which you can personalise. “If lost please call…” is usually enough.

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New website Launch

Simply Stuck's new website

Change is a good thing.  And at Simply Stuck we do try and keep things moving a long.

So we thought it was about would be a good to give the website a fresh new look with vibrant colours, new content and layout changes.

So now you can find the stickers that you need in your everyday life even quicker.

The new site categorises the products much better now so, whether you are looking for Gift labels, shoe labels, woven or shapes, they are now easier to find.

As well as better user experience we have included extra promotional area at the bottom of the homepage to great services like;

Simply Biz – Essential stickers for businesses

Simply love life – our new lifestyle site

Arctic Mommy – Jo’s personal challenge for 2011

Simply Stick – fun & easy solutions to change a space in minutes

Loose Moose – Our blog

Don’t be shy

Let us know what you think.  Does the site work for you or do you prefer the old one?§

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Frog & Bug Border Wall Sticker

Children love to explore outdoors, learning about nature and the natural environment. Children are particularly attracted to wooded areas with that added sense of mystery and discovery. Woods are the ideal playground for hide and seek, collecting nuts and seeds or for building dens. It is also a great opportunity to learn through play as they discover their natural environment and learn a little about problem solving and how to handle risk.

For other wildlife adventures then visiting a nature reserve with your child is a great way for them to learn about flora and fauna. Your local Wildlife Trust organises fully interactive and fun wildlife activities for all the family throughout the summer months, giving children the chance to try pond dipping and discover the underwater world of frogs, boatmen, beetles and water bugs.

If your kids are in love with nature Simply Stuck have some fantastic border and wall stickers that can introduce a wildlife theme into your children’s bedroom.

Frog Border Wall Stickers

Frog Border Wall Sticker

The long colourful frog border is printed on self adhesive laminated and peelable material. The border features a continuous design with no repeats and is sure to fire your childs imagination. The Wall border is easy to wipe clean and remove with no sticky residue. The border is up to 5m long and priced at £15.

Bug Border Wall Sticker

If your child loves caterpillars and ladybirds then they will love the Long Bugs Border. It measures up to 5m long and is available online for £15.00.

Big Frog Stickers

Big frog stickers

The characters featured in the Frog and Bug Wall border can also be bought as individual stickers. The bug and frog stickers are printed onto A4 sheets.  The huge stickers are printed on self adhesive, laminated and peelable material, making them easy to clean and remove. The Big Bug stickers are very life-like and feature grass hoppers and ladybirds. The Big Frog and Big Bug sticker packs are available to buy separately for £14.00.

The stickers are easy to order online from Simply Stuck and delivered within 3 working days. Happy wildlife hunting.

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Summer Crafts

With long evenings and warmer weather children are keen to spend more time outdoors. Take advantage of a glorious summer day to entertain the kids with an outdoor craft or creative activity.

Children of all ages love craft activities, enjoying the freedom to express themselves with creative and imaginative designs. Simply Stuck have come up with three fun ideas that are easy to adapt, and can be made using everyday items.

Painting & Garden Collage

Kids painting

Kids can take their favourite paints, craft papers and junk modelling pieces outside, spread them out on the grass, and let their imaginations run wild. Left over wall paper can be put to good use and is ideal for painting large landscape scenes. Plants, flowers, trees and insects can be used as inspiration or children can create their own abstract drawings.

Children love to experiment with creating their own colour mixes. From an early age they can learn about the primary colours red, blue, and yellow –  three colours that cannot be made by mixing other colours – and using two of these three colours to create a secondary colour.

Leaves and twigs can be added to give the painting a 3D dimension and add texture. They may need help with gluing heavier objects.

If they are not confident in drawing flowers, they can cut examples from magazines and add them to their creative collage.

Flower Mask Craft

Girls will love creating a floral face mass. The materials you will need are:

• A paper plate or a card circle made from an empty cereal box.
• Craft paper, white or coloured
• Glue or cellotape
• Lolly pop stick

Instructions:

• Cut the craft paper into the shape of a petal, you can get two petals per page.
• Decorate the petals with paints or markers, adding glitter for extra sparkly effect.
• Cut out the centre of the paper plate so the child’s head becomes the centre of the flower.
• Glue the petals all the way around the edge.
• Finally glue or celotape on the lolly pop stick as a handle.

Now the child can peek through the flower!

Boat Race

Paper boat

If it is not warm enough to go swimming in the paddling pool, why not make a fleet of boats and hold a boat race instead.

First make a large paper flag for each boat, painting them in different colours. Attach the flag to a lolly stick to create a sail and then use lots of celotape to attach the stick to the centre of a margarine tub or similar shape plastic tray. Place the boats in the paddling pool and blow on the sail.

The kids will have hours of fun , and enjoy lots of fresh air, with these summer craft ideas. If you want to add further to their creative designs take a look at the huge range of Simply Stuck stickers which will compliment any craft box of everyday household items. We have a huge variety of designs which are easy to use.

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Polka Dot Stickers

Does your kid’s bedroom décor need a quick update? Or is that new painted surface just not quite as colourful as you’d hoped? Polka Dot Wall Sticker from Simply Stick are an easy, time saving way to brighten up a room, adding an instant splash of vibrant rainbow colours. Your child will simply love these Polka Dots.

Create your own masterpiece

The fun Polka Dots circular stickers can be arranged in rows, blocks, circles or wacky random patterns around the room. All you need is a little imagination and application is just so easy that your child can get stuck in too dotting stickers around the wall.

Use Polka Dot wall stickers on any flat surface

Polka dot stickers

The Polka Dots are available in matt or gloss finish in nine different eye catching colours. The pack contains 18 dots measuring 10cm in diameter, 2 of each colour and is priced at £20. The stickers are made out of vinyl, a flexible, ultra-durable material and will easily stick to any flat surface. The Polka Dots stickers will transform any smooth surface including painted walls, furniture, ceramics, tiles, glass and mirrors.

Sticker care

Stickers can be applied to any smooth, clean, dry surface. Remember not to apply them to freshly painted walls. If you have newly decorated then allow the paint to dry for up to 3 weeks before adding your creative design.

Polka dot stickers

It you need to remove or re-position the stickers at a later dater a warm atmosphere will also make your life easier. Use a hairdryer on a warm setting to gently warm the sticker to soften the adhesive. Loosen from the edge and then gently peel the sticker away.

The Polka Dots stickers are easy to order online from Simply Stick and will be with you within 3 working days. Do you like the stickers?  Let us know.

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Boys are Best

10% Off

Our children acquire a lot of toys when they are young and finding space to store them can be a challenge. We have two boys and we still have their train set, cars and toy soldiers in storage boxes – you quickly run out of room and clearing up their toys can be a chore. Simply Stick have come up with a special promotion ‘Boys are Best’ to keep boys entertained, whilst saving on storage and freeing up mum and dad from tidy up duties afterwards – fun for all ages.

On the road

On the road

The On the Road sticker pack is perfect for boys who love to get creative and construct their own traffic scene. Boys are best at building the road sections, laying out the straight, curved and zebra crossing components until they are happy with the results.

The vehicles including bus, pickup truck, bicycle and delivery van can then be added to complete the scene. The peelable scene stickers include 15 road section repositionable stickers and 6 cars, with straight road sections measuring 28cm x 8.3cm. The ‘On the road’ theme stickers are supplied on 6 x A4 sheets and priced at £20.00.

Toy soldiers

Toy solider stickers

The new toy soldier stickers are pre-saved in assorted poses and children can stick them in a scrap book, skirting board or on the wall. You can inject a bit of action interest into your child’s room and set up a combat force army in two different colours and let them get creative.

There are 12 soldiers per set with an average height of 8cm and 2 flags. The available soldier set colours include Black, Army Green, Grey and – wait for it – even Pink! The Soldier set comes flat packed in A4 sheets and priced at £10.00.

Wheelie bin cricket

Wheelie Bin Cricket Stumps

The cricket season has started and with the warmer weather the boys are spending more time in the garden after school. To save sticking cricket stumps on the grass you can buy the Wheelie bin cricket sticker, simply peel off the 70cm high sticker and apply it to your refuse bin and get bowling!

The Wheelie bin cricket set comes rolled in a 20cm length tube and includes a blackboard sticker scoreboard with a vinyl gloss texture (permanent sticker) measuring 21cm x 30cm and chalk.

You can select from five colours black, red, white, green and pink and the set is priced at £15.

All the above stickers are sure to generate lively discussions about what goes where and Dads are bound to love them too.

10% Discount

Simply Stick are offering a special discount on the above stickers when ordered online or over the phone on 01264 350788. To receive a 10% reduction on the unit price all you need to do is enter the code ‘bab’ (short for boys are best!) at the checkout. Please note the discount does not apply to postage and packaging costs. Your order will be sent out first class, and will usually be with you within 3-5 working days, subject to availability.

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Sticky Photo Frames

Sticky Photo Frames

If your kids are anything like ours, they just love to show off their lovingly created  artwork, writings and models. But how many of these end up getting damaged and thrown out, for want of a method of storing or display.

As parents we also love to take lots of photos of our children as they get older, recording happy times and stages of development –  but these too can often get lost or hidden away in a drawer where they become forgotten.

Simply Stick’s Sticky Photo Frames are a great novel way of framing your children’s artwork or writings and all your favourite photo’s.

The colourful removable and reusable frames and sides are supplied on an A4 sheet.

The Sticky Photo Frames are available with pink stars and blue stars and are priced at £5 per frame. The A4 sheet contains 3 frames & 4 side holder pieces for sticking up anything you want to display, from your child’s work of art to your favourite kids photos.

We have also badgered a friend who is a pretty dab hand with a camera to give us some tips on how to take great photos of your kids…..

How to Great Children Photos

Our kids grow up really fast. As a parent one of the best ways to be part of your children’s development is through photography. Digital cameras are fantastic you instantly see how good your photographs are and can keep snapping until you are happy with the results. You need to be patient and the key to great child photography is to know how to work with your children at different ages.

0 to 1 years

It is easy to take photos of young babies up to age of 3 months, generally they lie in a flat position. Babies up to 6 months of age are more responsive, you can capture their attention by having his or her favourite toy in hand. Move the toy around and watch their eyes follow your movements. To capture a smile, use a piece of tissue paper and tickle baby around the lips.

Entertain them further by placing their favourite toy near them and allowing them to grasp it. You need to be quick to capture the desired photo. At 6 to 9 months, babies can generally sit up, balance themselves and are fairly alert.

They respond well to noisy, squeaky toys and this will help to tease out an expression from their faces. To achieve a spontaneous shot and beaming smile from your little one, gently massage and pat their tummy, rolling him back and forth in a slow motion. Stand back, and with camera ready, take a quick photo.

Many digital cameras also take great video clips, this is also a good time to capture that special moment.

At 9 months to 1 year, babies want to get moving and exercise more. To hold your loved ones attention you can play peek-a-boo and also distract them with objects they can play with. Holding up one of their favourite toys will also get his attention for a few seconds.

Use a zoom lens to adjust framing on the fly and grab shots that you’d miss if you had to move closer or further back.Vary the photos by take some close-in head shots, or even filling the frame with their full face and pull back for some full-body shots as well. This will help to capture their personality and individuality.

1 to 2 years

At this age kids start to explore the world around them and are seldom still for long so the only way you can truly hold their attention is through games. Blowing bubbles is a great way to extract a smile and you may also be able to capture their first tentative walking steps. Take the photos from below their eye level to get a flattering portrait picture – you may have to lie on the floor to achieve this.

2 to 5 years

The next David Bailey?

At this age your child is talking and responds well to questions or word games. Giving them a treat for getting the right answer will keep their attention and for better expression remember to take the photo while they are talking.

5 to 10 years

Now your child is growing up fast ‘and becomes much more conscious of the way he/she looks, especially girls. Photographs taken when they are relaxed in their own room can provide a view into another aspect of their personality, as they show off with favourite clothes, toys, bedding, photos and posters.

Photos of yours kids laughing can really capture their personality, and make excellent additions to family albums.

Let your child have a go at holding the camera and taking some photos of you, the family, their siblings and surrounds. They’ll love the idea that they’re a photographer too, and will treasure the resulting photos that ‘they took’.

Show them how to upload the photos to the PC and, if they are able, let them manipulate the photos using photo editing software. This is a fun learning activity and shares precious moments together that will bring back many happy memories in years to come.

Make sure your location fits in with the style of photograph you’re trying to shoot. There’s no point shooting formal portraits in a playground – the kids will want to play and explore rather than sit still and co-operate.

Parks and beaches provide a good backdrop for your photos. On the other hand, you can get fantastic candid photos of kids in playgrounds, interacting with their environment, exploring and discovering, and having fun on the equipment. Remember to put to one side any objects, coats, and buggies that may distract from the main image.

Once you have printed or developed your photos, frame them with Simply Stick’s Sticky Photo Frames. You can order them online, and tehy will be sent out first class, and will usually be with you within 3-5 working days.

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Great Ideas to Keep the Kids Entertained

Enjoying the snow in Andover

Well, we hope we have seen the last of the major snow for this year. The sheer amount of snow that fell in Hampshire over the past couple of weeks has made getting to work and managing the household just that little bit more interesting.

With many of the local schools and roads closed at short notice a lot of us were left juggling work commitments whilst unexpectedly having to look after or occupy the kids as well.

Even for you lucky enough to be working from home, there is still a need to create a manageable routine that keeps the kids entertained, whilst allowing time to check emails, return phone calls and deal with the usual work commitments.

If we do get another cold snap here are a few tips for keeping house-bound kids entertained without breaking the bank:

Creative Crafts

Recycle older jar lids, buttons, scraps of material, empty can and magazines and create a collage on the back of cereal boxes or on roll of unwanted wall paper. Put everything on the floor or on the table, let them select the materials and let their creative ideas and imagination take over.

Younger children love to rummage through boxes and it’s often a good idea to stock up and keep a box of items that can be used in a variety of craft activities. You will also need to provide glue, sellotape and scissors, so keep these essentials handy. Be interested and encouraging, so why not place a gold star on the work as a little recognition of their efforts.

Also remind them tidy up when completed – its good to keep the disciplines they would be used to at school.

Why not take a digital photo of the completed work and show them how to upload it and email it to a friend or to school for discussion when they return.

Baking

Always a favourite in our household! Children of all ages love to help with the baking in the kitchen. They could help to plan the evening meal and browse through cookbooks for recipes that they can bake.

Help them to understand weights and measurements and the importance of kitchen safety – younger kids will need supervision when putting their creations into the oven.

Soups are also very easy to make, a great way to use leftover vegetables and an ideal meal for cold winter days. See their faces light up when they enjoy the fruits of their labour.

Our blackboard stickers and road stickers have been a god-send over the past week. The kids have set them up in the kitchen and have had a lot of fun playing good old hang man and nought and crosses whilst one of us cooks.

Board games

Your children may have received games as Christmas presents and not had an opportunity to try them out. There is nothing better than the traditional board game to keep children excited, and still build in a little learning to boot.

Invite their neighbouring friends around to play a challenging game like monopoly.

This should keep them occupied for hours as they negotiate their way around the different streets, trade property, keep out of jail and practice their mental arithmetic as they learn to deal with pretend money. Or how about Scrabble as a great fun way to occupy minds whilst exploring new words and spelling.

Other ideas

• Dressing Up. Not necessarily as out-moded as you think. Kids love pretending to be adults, or perhaps there is a costume for a play that needs to be planned
• Keep a multi quiz exercise book handy just in case. Word search, spot the difference, IQ challenges, can all occupy the kids for a few minutes.
• Modelling – challenge them on a new lego or kinex creation, or perhaps get around to re-making the broken model that’s been hanging around in the bedroom.

More Snow ??

If we do get more snow, then it is best to wrap up warm and get out there with the kids to make the most of the opportunity. Make a snow man, do a bit of sledging, even attempt to build an igloo. For many in the UK we get so very little snow that the fun and excitement of a fresh fall just must not be missed.

Can you stay at home and play more often, Mum?

Don’t forget to give them ‘me’ time, for quiet play alone. This can help your children to develop concentration, the ability to focus on one activity, and develop independent creative thought.

With a little bit of planning and guidance, your children can easily occupy themselves without resort to the TV or computer games. And who knows, you may be pleasantly surprised when they say what a great day they have had and you won’t dread the next time they have to stay at home.

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Christmas Themed Wall Stickers

As the days are getting shorter and the evening appears darker and colder, what could be better than coming home to a beautifully decorated house, Christmas lights twinkling as you come through your front door and the scents of Christmas welcoming you in.

Christmas decorations are big business these days, as any visit to a big store will confirm! There are hundreds of decorations to choose from, different styles, colours, designs and themes.

Well, we’ve gone all Christmassy at Loose Moose too – with Christmas Day now just five weeks away we have added a great range of Christmas Themed Wall Stickers to help get you in the festive mood.

We hope you will find some inspiration for your Christmas decorating this year, and have pulled together some great ideas from our design team so we hope we have something for everyone!

Christmas Window Clings

Gold Cling Snowflake

These are just great for adding that festive look to any room. No more mess of using Snow Spray and stencils, our Christmas Window Clings are simply peeled off their backing paper and stuck on a window or door.

Add a couple of snowflakes or create a great big snow storm.

Available in Gold Snowflake Window Clings or Silver Snowflake Window Clings, they come in packs of 48 flakes.

Because they cling using static they can be easily removed and repositioned or packed away until next year.

We can cater for every need. From just a few Static cling snowflakes to add a bit of christmas cheer to your home or why not buy two or three packs for your shop or restaurant!

Peelable Nativity Scene Stickers

Nativity Scene Stickers

Our Nativity Scene Stickers are a great way to help your children learn the the Nativity story. Ideal for homes or for the classroom, the stickers are removable and reusable so your kids can have hours of fun moving them around and making their own scenes on a wall or window.

The Nativity Scene Pack consists of :

• Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus
• 3 Kings
• 3 Shepherds
• 3 Angels
• 1 camel
• 2 Sheep and
• a Stable

The stable is about 28cm high and the figures average 16cm in height.

Peelable Nativity Scene Sticker

Peelable Nativity Scene Sticke

A colourful picture of a nativity scene that is a great decoration to set the spirit of Christmas.

The Nativity Scene Sticker can be stuck to a wall or window, and is 60cm square so is ideal as a centrepiece for your Chrismas decorations.

Christmas stickers are a great way to liven up your festivities.

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