summercraft: the simplest stamps

I know I mentioned this a while back, but remember Texas? As soul-satisfying as it was to be there for all the swimming and two-stepping, I was actually there for another reason entirely. And that was to meet the team behind Michaels Stores.

I was one of lucky ten folks Michaels brought down to Dallas last month. It was kind of like finding the golden ticket in a Wonka Bar. I don’t want to sound too PR-y but going into the trip, I imagined Michaels as a big corporate behemoth when in fact, it’s run and populated by a close-knit, dedicated and talented group.

Jo Pearson was sort of like our den mother, even having us over to her wildly creative home for lunch. It was a hospitable, warm and authentic gesture from an equally hospitible, warm and authentic lady. It was an honor to be there, meet everyone and get creative together. But the Michaels folks were so welcoming, it kind of felt like one big slumber party. With crafts.

One of those crafts was this technique for dead-easy stamps. You know those adhesive ubiquitous foam sheets sold in every craft store? Well, it turns out that you can just draw right on them with a ballpoint pen, and that leaves enough of a depression to make an instant stamp. Plus, the foam squishes in a really satisfying way as you draw.

This isn’t a technique that will replace the crispness of silk-screening or hand-carved stamps. But it is so fast and easy, that I made up some jam labels when I got home.

You’ll Need:

Adhesive Foam Sheets

Ballpoint pen

Scissors

Wood blocks or something else for adhering the stamp

Paint

Paper

Brayer or rolling pin

How To:

1. Draw a design in the foam sheet, keeping in mind that what you draw will be reversed out of the design. Alternatively, you can cut out shaped and stick those onto the wood, as shown above.
2. Trim around design, peel off backing and adhere to wood block.
3. Using a foam brush, apply a layer of paint. You might want to test a few stamps to see what thickness of paint you prefer.
4. Place stamp on paper and press. Use a brayer or rolling pin to apply pressure to the stamp.
5. Let dry and trim. Punch holes or round corners as desired.