The best kinds of crafts are the ones that you can use to make even more crafts! Here is a simple yet fun one that can be made with little more than a bit of crafting foam, some print outs and some cardboard.
Step 1: Find a Template
Find one of your favorite fall themed images online and scale it to the desired size. You may also draw one of your own. Choose something with a simple shape that will be easy to cut out. Also remember that the image will be mirrored when it’s stamped.
Step 2: Print Your Templates
Print your images on card stock as it will be easier to trace then regular computer paper. If you don’t have cardstock, you can try to use regular paper, but be warned – the tracing part might be tricky.
Step 3: Cut the Shapes Out
Using scissors, carefully cut out the shapes. The more accurate you are with your scissors, the better your stamps will work in the end!
Step 4: Trace the Shapes
Trace each shape onto 2mm foam found in the kids crafts section of your local craft store. Do not throw away the card stock shapes as you will need them later on.
Step 5: More Cutting
Carefully cut out the images out of the foam. Remember that any small imperfection in your foam will show up when you use the stamp, so yet again it’s important that you’re careful with the scissors.
Step 6: Foam Meets Cardboard
Glue the foam shapes onto a piece of scrap cardboard. The cardboard makes the stamps sturdy, and without it they’d be unusable!
Step 7: Trim the Cardboard
Cut the cardboard close to the foam so that you won’t have to guess at the spacing when stamping.
Step 8: Make the Stamps Pretty
Glue the card stock images that you traced in step 4 in the same location as the foam on the reverse side. This isn’t really necessary, but makes the stamps themselves look nice.
Step 9: Start Stamping!
Stamp anything from cards to place mats for your Thanksgiving table settings. If you choose to use your stamp on fabric, be sure to mix in a little fabric painting medium into your craft paint so that the fabric will be washable.
Of course you aren’t limited to making only leaves and pumpkins. Make some bat or witch stamps for the Halloween seasons, or whip up some turkey and pilgrim hat stamps for Thanksgiving!
