Make Greeting Cards Using Decorative Rubber Stamps
You can make beautiful greeting cards by using decorative rubber stamps. There are great selections of rubber stamps for the holidays or any occasion available in craft stores or online.
Contents
Steps
- Choose a versatile rubber stamp that you are most likely to use often. A good stamp to choose would be a holiday design that you could use annually, for example.
- Purchase an inexpensive ink pad. If you choose to make an open stamp that you will be coloring in, black is a good color choice. However, if you are going to be using markers or watercolors to color your design, you can choose an ink color that matches your pallet. Make sure you use a waterproof dye ink. Multiple colored inks would be a better choice if your design is solid or will not be colored in.
- Purchase colored pencils, markers, or pastel chalks if desired.
- Purchase light colored card-stock and some invitation style envelopes. You can purchase pre-folded cards, but these are much more expensive than simply purchasing paper and folding your own.
- Cut a sheet of paper in half on the long side of the paper. Then fold each sheet in half. You now have two cards that will fit into a standard invitation envelope.
- Press the rubber stamp onto the ink pad.
- Press the rubber stamp image onto the greeting card.
- Use colored pencils, markers or pastel chalks to color in the image, if desired.
- Write or stamp a greeting on the inside of the card.
- Use a coordinating stamp in the same color scheme to decorate your envelope.
- Be sure to sign your name and the date on the back of your greeting card.
- Send the card to a friend and brighten their day.
Tips
- You can also skip randomly stamping the card front and make your first layer a piece of patterned paper.
- Make sure to clean the stamp after each use. You may use a baby wipe or stamp cleaner with a paper towel or cleaning scrub.
- Relax and have fun with this great hobby. It's easy, and shouldn't cause stress...it should relieve stress!
- Experiment with rubber stamping by working on a large piece of cardstock. You can then cut out the best images.
- Don't "rock" the rubber stamp when you place the image onto the paper.
- When you are ready to branch out to other things, check on some of the great stamping magazines like Stampers Sampler, Stamp It and PaperCrafts, take a class at your local stamping or craft store, or find an experienced Stampin' Up, Close to My Heart, or The Angel Company demonstrator who can give you hands-on instruction in a variety of techniques (embossing, masking, etc.)
- When you are ready for something a little more involved, try layering. Stamp the front of the card with a smaller image in a random pattern covering the whole card front. Layer on a smaller piece of cardstock in a coordinating darker color (try a piece that is 3 3/4" x 5"). Then stamp your main image on an even smaller piece of cardstock in a light coordinating color (try 3 1/4" x 4 1/2").
Warnings
- Cover your work surface with scrap paper or use a stamping mat.
- When stamping with children, use washable inks designed for children, or make sure they are wearing old clothing.
- Wear comfortable, older clothing when you first start stamping.
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