Fun Foam Stamps with the Frugal Crafter!

The Frugal Crafter is back with a tip that some of you may already know about but i only recently discovered. We all love our rubber and clear stamps, but it's nice to find cheaper ways to make a consistent impression. Today i'd like to share with you a way to use fun foam to make stamps. i'd heard about this a few months ago but wasn't sure about the details until i found a great book at my local library. It's a huge volume simply called Stamp!; the authors are listed on the back page as Sharilyn Miller and Becky Auth and it was published by Quarry. i might have the second author's name wrong, and the book's at home (and i'm not) so i can't sneak a peek to verify. i've looked online and can't find this book, though there's one called Stamp Art that looks like it has some of the same projects...hmm. Anyway, the one i have is HUGE and filled with awesome ideas on how to make impressions aside from the usual stamps, as well as techniques and projects. It's like a stamper's bible! i highly reccomend it!

So, on to the fun foam stamps. First, find something to make an impression with, something textured. Leaves and branches can work as long as they're thick and defined. i tried a fern and it just wasn't thick enough for the foam to mold around it. i'm still playing with this, so i can let you know more results later, but i've had success with 2 items so far - a fat little sun bead and a piece of drywall tape (mesh screen might work even better!). Have your item at the ready as you heat a piece of fun foam with your heat (embossing) tool for 30-45 seconds. Then, quickly press the foam onto the item and hold it there for a bit, smushing all over. Sometimes, depending on the item you're using, you might have better results pushing the item onto the foam instead. If you don't like how it turned out, just reheat the foam and try again. You can even use rubber stamps to make a negative of your original rubber stamp.

Here's the sun bead, the foam stamps i made using it and the impressions they left when inked up. They're by no means perfect, but hey, i love the distressed look! To stamp, i just use masking tape to temporarily adhere the foam to an acrylic block. If you find a better way, please let me know!

Here's the drywall tape stamp with the tape and the image. i redid this one 3-4 times, reheating and repressing and this was the best i could do. i think if the item you use has good, deep impressions you'll have much better luck. Also, i think thicker foam might work better, but i used what i had, which was just the stuff you buy in sheets at Wal-mart or any craft store.

So, there you have it! Try it out, see what works for you and let me know your own results! i'd love to see what you guys can come up with!

Thanks, as always, for visiting, and have an artful day!