Question:

What gifts can I make?

Make your own Christmas Ornaments

This works well with stars and bauble images! Just stamp three images of the same stamp onto card and colour them in any way you like. Cut them out, fold each one in half vertically, and then stick them together back to back using glue or double-sided tape. Before sticking them together you can tape a piece of ribbon or twine etc into the middle so that your ornament can be hung on a tree.

Stationery sets - made with rollagraphs (side roll)

Take a piece of plain good quality stationery paper and lay a thick ruler (a stamp positioner works well for this) along the left vertical edge. Simply roll your rollagraph stamp down this side to create a simple and elegant piece of stationery. You can make a stack of these and give them away as presents, or you can make a stack and use them as stationery in your computer printer (this works well for those yearly christmas letters to friends and relatives).

Using Permanent Ink on Soap

You can decorate your soap! Stamp the image of your choice onto a piece of thin paper (tissue paper works well). Use a permanent ink to stamp the image. Colour it in if desired with permanent pens. Cut the image out of the paper and place onto the bar of soap. You can then use a light coating of clear craft sealer to seal the image to the soap.

Stamping on Cookies

Make up a batch of your favourite cookie (we call them biscuits down here in Australia!) and then just before placing them in the oven you use a nice deeply etched stamp to create an impression on the top of each one. It's a good idea to dip your stamp into flour or icing sugar before each impression so that the stamp doesn't stick to the cookie batter.

Stamping Into The Wax

Choose a stamp with a nicely defined image. Ink it up with a pigment ink in your choice of colour (metallics work well for this!). Use your heat gun to slightly melt the wax on the side of the candle and then press your stamp into the candle for a couple of moments and then remove.

Make your own gift wrap!

Color co-ordinate your greeting cards and gift wrap by using stamps and inks to decorate your own wrapping paper! Just use some white or solid color wrapping paper and stamp it with the stamps of your choice. You can also color the wrapping paper using "direct to paper" technique with your inks (read more about this technique under Stamping Techniques).

Stamping a Tote Bag

Buy or make a simple tote bag and then you can personalise it with your stamps! You will need stamps of your choice and some kind of fabric ink. I use the Fabrico brand of inks which are a dye ink that comes in a variety of colours, and even in pen form! You simply stamp your images onto your bag and then use your heat gun to heat set the inks.

Stamped stationery sets - made with rollagraphs

Rollagraphs are great for using to create stamped stationery! Take 2 pieces of good quality stationery paper the same size. Fold one piece in half to create a "card" and lay it on top of the other piece making sure that it is centred. Roll your rollagraph stamp across both pieces of paper in a diagonal pattern. When you have finished remove the folded piece of paper and you will find that you have made a lovely piece of stationery paper and a notecard style piece of stationary. Make a set of 6 of each (12 pieces of paper in total) and then stack them and tie them with a co-ordinating ribbon and attach a pretty pen to it. These make great gifts for teachers!

Paper Method

Stamp and emboss or colour the image of your choice onto some heavy tissue paper in a colour to match your candle. Cut the image out of the paper as closely as you can. Use your heat gun to heat and slightly melt the candle and then place your image onto the melted area and press it onto the candle gently. This method works well when using a large candle with straight sides.

Stamped Soaps - embossing

Stamp and heat emboss the image of your choice onto tissue paper (be very careful not to scorch the paper when heating). Cut the image out as closely to the image as you can. Place this onto the bar of soap and then cover with a thin coat of clear craft sealer. You can slightly wet the top of the soap bar before placing the paper onto it to help it "stick" down.

Make a necklace

To create a necklace (or bracelet) stamp your images on the shrink plastic and cut out. Use a punch to punch a hole in each piece and then shrink as per the instructions. When they have shrunk and cooled, string them together onto thread or fish line. Use beads to separate each piece.

Decorated Picture Frames

It's easy to decorate a picture frame with stamped images, and they make great presents! You can get plain wooden frames from most large craft shops. You can then paint a base coat of craft paint in your choice of colour onto it (or leave it "raw" if you like). Then using permanent inks (Ancient Page, Ranger Archivals, Fabrico) just stamp and colour your images around the frame. You can also stamp your images onto paper and then attach those to your frame in a collage style if you like.

Stamped t-shirts

You can ink up your stamp with any fabric ink (there are some, like the brand Fabrico, which come in ink pad form specifically for this purpose). Just follow the instructions for setting the ink. Most fabric inks are "set" by heating the product after you have stamped. A good tip is to put a piece of thick cardboard between the layers of t-shirt to prevent the image from "seeping through" to the back layer.

Question:What gifts can I make?

Stamp Frequently Asked Questions

Question:

What gifts can I make?