How to Make the Most of Your Craft Foam with DIY Gymnastics Stamps

This weekend is going to be fun! Funky and I are headed to one huge pool party for two sisters (one happens to be my level 4 gymnast who has one of the most delightful floor routines that you just can't help but smile from first beat to final pose!) Presents, favors & swimming suits ready to go. But there's a thing about the gift wrapping paper.

You see, I am super cheap thrifty. In Singapore, they don't sell wrapping paper by the roll. It is sold in 1 meter squares, boring or overly girly with pink lace or some other gaudiness that makes chics like me puke AND almost $3 a pop in some stores.

Third world problems...I know.

So, how do you avoid this wrapping paper inflation of Singapore?



You make your own, that ROCK and can not be recreated, copied or duplicated in any way.

I bet you are thinking, "where the heck does this lady get the time?"

Well, when gymnastics is involved, we make the time in this house! I bet it does in yours too.

Here's a fun way to connect with your gymnast of any age, any gender and make some wicked awesome art!

DIY Craft Foam Gymnastics Stamp Tutorial

You'll Need:

• printer
• paper
• scissors
• craft foam
• glue (I used special craft foam glue in this case but I know just about any other glue will do the trick. Save yourself the money!)
• lego block
• non-toxic paint

The Coach Casie Technique

1. Head on over to google and find any gymnastics pic you would like to recreate. For this project, I used this clip because I like my gymnasts to have full split. Many of the google searches for 'gymnastics silhouettes' have gymnasts with ugly-butt form. Why is that?
2. Drag the pic onto your desktop. Open & click Print. Usually a screen will pop up asking you what printer, how you want it scaled, etc. Scale the picture to the size you want. I made this one about 2.5 inches tall. Then print out the picture. 
3. Once the picture is printed, get those sticky scissors (yeah those that you can always seem to find and that you would like to think was the fault of your two year old but no, you were too lazy just like me to clean) out and cut it out. Don't worry, it doesn't have to be cut perfectly around the little details like the fingers or hair. Just make sure she or he has some good form!
4. Take the cut out silhouette gymnast and place it on some scrap craft foam. You will be making two (2) foam cutouts - so I'm sorry to say you'll have to do it again....but this time with more effort!
5. Get those sticky scissors out again (they are RIGHT there!) & cut out the two (2) foam gymnasts with immaculate leg alignment, yet, busted finger form. 
6. CLEAN YOUR SCISSORS!
7. Glue the two (2) foamy gymnasts together. Don't worry if they
   
   do not completely line-up. I double it up to make sure that the block doesn't poke through in the paint. If the foam is super thick, you are pretty clear to do just one.  
8. Glue the now one (1) awesome gymnast to a block & let sit to dry. 
9. Pour some paint into a paper plate. I had my special little helper mix different colors and smear it around in the plate making the layer of paint quite thin which is perfect for this project.
10.  Dip the surface of your stamp in the paint & use a scrap paper to test the stamp. Or if you are the creative explorer type like me who embraces the little imperfections in art, get right to the
    
    action!
11. Print as much as you like & the good part is. You can re-use the stamp over and over again! 

This project was a blast! I can think of a few ideas where this stamp would come in handy besides my custom wrapping paper for gymnasts:

• custom gymnastics birthday cards
• custom gymnastics christmas cards
• custom gymnastics themed room decor, printing on walls

Of course this project wouldn't be as fulfilling and awesome if I didn't have some help getting the right colors and the perfect Lego to bring it all together. 

I would love to see what kind of things you all come up with so if you do some custom gymnastics stamps send me an email casielane@gmail.com. I would love to see your masterpieces and your mess!