DIY Foam Stamps

I’m not exactly sure when foam stamps started disappearing from the craft store aisles, but apparently it’s just not “cool” anymore. After searching everywhere I could think of and still not finding much of a selection, I decided to just make my own! I was worried that they would turn out a little wonky looking being homemade and all, but they worked perfectly and I was able to create a customized design that can’t be store bought! The stamps work on multiple surfaces and you’ll typically have some leftover supplies to make even more in the future.

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Supplies:

Paper and pen

Foam sheet 2mm thick

Hot glue gun

Hot glue sticks

2″ by 2″ wood squares

Small wooden knobs or old spools

Depending on how complex your design is going to be, it’s usually best to sketch them out on paper first so if you make a mistake, you don’t waste any of the foam.

Sketch out your design on paper, cut it out, and then trace it with an ink pen on top of the foam. Press firmly so it marks directly on the foam or at the very least leaves an indent that you can retrace. Carefully cut out the pieces. Coat the backs of the pieces with a thin layer of hot glue and place on the wooden square. Lightly press down to make sure each edge is sealed down. Allow 30 seconds to 1 minute for the glue to set up.

Flip the square over so your foam pieces are facing down. Coat the end of a wooden knob with hot glue and press to the back of the square in the center. This will make it so you can hold your stamp easily when coating it with paint and stamping it down. Allow the glue to dry for another minute and you’re done!

When you’re ready to use them, brush a light coat of acrylic or fabric paint across the foam and then firmly press down on the object you’re stamping. It’s always good to practice on a blank piece of paper first so you can get a feel for how much paint to use. Too much can make it a mess as you can see!

For my citrus stamp I traced two different drinking glasses to create “the rind” and then a small triangle with a rounded edge (like a piece of candy corn). I made sure each triangle piece I traced was symmetrical to one another.

For my leaf stamp, I first sketched it out on paper, traced it on top of the foam, and then cut out each piece. This one was slightly more intricate because of the tiny pieces, but I wanted a space in between them to create a more authentic leaf look.