Here’s the thing that I was anticipating… my very own wax seal! Yes, it’s frivolous. Yes, it’s a bit on the dramatic side. And yes, it’s quite useless.
But it’s fun!
Yes, I love stationery. There, I admit it! :P
The ‘A’ is just a font I found on dafont.com, printed it out, and brought it to one of the stamp makers at Jalan Wayang. I had it made for RM30. Which is considered pretty cheap. I heard they make one for USD200 in the U.S. Then again, this isn’t handcarved or anything special.
The sealing wax is a bit of a problem for me. It’s not easy to find stationery shops that sell sealing wax, and the one I found sells Pelikan sealing wax… very traditional, run of the mill, lousy stuff. It blackens very easily. Check out the marbled effect it has:
It’s not supposed to be like that. If you google How to use wax seal you’ll come up with a lot of different ways, with different kinds of waxes. I’m thinking of getting a flexible sealing wax online, the kind that won’t break so it will be more mail-friendly.
I used a standard kitchen stove lighter, and it does take some skills to get it right. It’s definitely not as easy as it looks! Too close to the flame and the whole thing blackens.
And here’s something I dug out of my very, very, very old stuff: a dymo label maker!!
I swear, this thing is old. I bought it when I was 12. Still remember where I got it too. The amazing thing is this thing still works! Just load up the label and away it goes. No battery needed.
The disappointing thing is after all these years, Dymo just came out with a new one with special characters. Some models out there now doesn’t have special characters, but they do have spaces. Mine doesn’t.
Both of these new ‘toys’ give a vintage look to whatever I do. And they make correspondence that much more special.
Still remember snail mail? When was the last time you send one, and received one from someone other than the telephone/bank/electricity company?
Oh! Sealing wax! I love sealing wax! It’s a big Christmas tradition for me to seal my gifts with wax. People find it a bit unexpected and it’s so much prettier than tape. And the smell of the wax… I love it! :D
I suggest, instead of using a kitchen stove lighter, to light a regular stearin candle and hold the piece of wax over the flame gingerly. And the quality of the wax really does matter. The cheapest kind usually gives the not-as-pretty result.
I love your wax seal with the A. Very pretty.
Dymo label maker! Always wanted one of those!
Nemo @ 27th Sep 2008
Oh woman, I thought I was a stationery freak, but you’re WORSE!!
I’ve always wanted a wax seal, it’s uber cool! But of course, everyone else would think it’s lame, so I never got one. I LOVE yours! It’s soooooo pretty!!
Snail mail? I don’t even remember the last time I wrote a proper email. Yes, I’m lazy like that, but you know you love me. xoxo. :P
MisSmall @ 28th Sep 2008
Nemo: Exactly what I’m talking about! It’s the effort and care you put into correspondence. Oooh… I love the idea of using sealing wax with Christmas cards! Won’t they break in the mail?
I did try using a candle, but it wouldn’t melt (and drip) properly. What it does do is just soften it and I tried to smear it onto the paper. Result: Not pretty. *LOL* Another method I read about is to break it into smaller pieces, put them in a spoon/container, and heat it over a flame. It just reminds me of how people turn chocolate into liquid. :P
Dymo is pretty cheap - you can get one and it’ll last you forever, I swear. I got mine in the 1990’s. *LOL* It’s no longer in production, it feels great to have something so old. :D
MisSmall: Who? Me? *looks innocently around* Ah.. people will say it’s lame, but secretly they harbor jealousy towards your creativity and think, “Why didn’t I think of that?” *LOL* Jk. Besides, no reason not to get one - you never know when you’ll need it and it lasts… well, forever. And since you’re going back to Australia, sealing waxes should be pretty easy to get… I think. Not like the lousy Pelikan stuff they sell here. I can’t believe lawyers actually buy this to seal their important documents!
elvawenn @ 28th Sep 2008
I saw a couple actually seal their wedding invitation with it before send it to friends and family. It’s really something very personalised. Even though the wax didn’t turn out well but the marble pattern is unique, you definitely won’t get the same marble pattern for the next seal.
That dymo, don’t know where else mine gone too. We loved to play with it back then in the 90’s… Aiya… sounded so old.
Irene @ 28th Sep 2008
I imagine it must be quite difficult to seal hundreds of wedding invitations! But it’s pretty fun to do and each one is unique, like you said. Whoah… very old school! Reminds me of back in the days when there isn’t any postal service, just messengers and everybody used seals. :D
You had one Dymo too? I had no idea it was so popular back then! *LOL* Now it’s pretty hard to find one and the only place I saw it recently is at Popular Bookstore, Boulevard.
elvawenn @ 29th Sep 2008
Dymo, it’s practically everywhere during that time. My dad used it to label so many things, and my classmates even brought them to school and we made so many “words” with it and pasted it everywhere. Even our teachers used it to label properties of the school. It’s basically everywhere! On the water bottle, pencil box, ruler, textbooks etc.
Irene @ 29th Sep 2008
I actually don’t use wax so much on my Christmas cards (because I’m lousy at sending out those *lol*) but as on the gifts themselves. I love wrapping presents and use sealing wax to sort of ’seal’ the presents. Instead of tape. Maybe it’s a Swedish thing, but it’s a tradition in my family.
I think I’m gonna look for a dymo. Haven’t seen one in stores in ages though…
Nemo @ 2nd Oct 2008
Nemo: Ebay has a lot of them, but the newest one I’ve been lemming for is still selling on retail price. It’s called Dymo Caption Maker - with three interchangeable wheels - script, upper case, lowercase. Definitely worth getting!
I’m sure some stationery stores or art stores carry them… sometimes we need to ask them about it, since they hide it somewhere instead of putting it on display. :\
Elvawenn @ 4th Oct 2008
Hi there,
Dymo M1880 Three wheel is available in the market!
rachel @ 31st Oct 2008
hi.. can you pls give me the contact of the place where you got your seal made? =) want to get one for my wedding invitations.. pls mail me.. thanks! v interesting blogpost!
mei @ 27th May 2009
Rachel: Thanks for the info!
Mei: I got it done at Jalan Wayang - that old row of shops near Star Cineplex. Congratulations on your wedding ~ I remember mine and it’s easily the most memorable day of my life. :)
Ann @ 29th May 2009
You can do spaces on any Dymo, just press the handle only partway in and that way it will advance the tape one space without impressing the character into it.
Jafafa Hots @ 7th Jun 2009
Hi, can i know where exactly you made YOUR customized wax seal? is it in KL? Thanx.
ogy @ 29th Dec 2009
Sorry for the extremely late reply, as this blog isn’t active for such a long time. The wax seals are often made by shops that makes rubber stamps too. Not sure where to find in KL as I’m from Kuching, but you can try looking for the old ones.
Ann @ 5th Apr 2010