DIY Stamping

Most of us did it as kids, but perhaps you have forgotten about this fun craft for young and old to enjoy together which also doesn’t break the bank! 

You can use it for random artwork on a weekend or put the DIY method to good use to create wrapping paper, thank you cards, birthday / Christmas cards for family and friends or even posters for kiddies bedrooms – options are limited – where there is a need for some paper, bring in the DIY stamp to decorate it.

This is a great activity or creativity and motoring skills. Plus, it’s an easy and fun option for your kids to have some one-on-one time with you or to just keep them busy when you need to keep them busy.

What you need:

• 1 or more potatoes (number of potatoes is decided based on how many different patterns you want to stamp with – 1 potato per pattern)
• A sharp craft knife
• Paint in the colours of your choice

Method

• For each potato, cut approximately a third of the potato off. Make sure the edge of the potato (the larger piece) is smooth and straight.
• On the smooth and straight side, cut your chosen pattern or design into the potato so that it stands out from the “background” – you are almost creating a 3D type effect on the potato. As you may have gathered, this will act as your stamp.
• Dip the pattern into some paint (ink could work as well) and apply it to your paper pieces as you see fit.

Possible Design / Pattern Ideas

Here are some easy patterns or designs to cut into potatoes that don’t require you to be an artist or sculptor:

• General shapes like circles, triangle, squares, etc
• Letters of the alphabet
• Initials of the person you are making the artwork for
• Stars (always a winner!)
• Hearts (perfect for birthday cards and Valentine’s Day crafts)
• Fish
• Xmas tree
• Random cuts which are Squiggles, Lines, etc
• Leaves
• Short Message like “Hi”