Decorating Tissue Paper With Homemade Stamps

In this instructable you will not only learn how to decorate tissue paper for the holidays with stamps, but also how to make the stamps. These stamps are inexpensive, easy to make, and only take a few minutes to create! All you need to get started is a hot glue gun and some containers from a toy vending machine, found in the entrances or exits of grocery and toy stores. You know, the machines that you put in a quarter and out pops a little container with a bracelet, sticky hand, or sticker inside. All you need are a few of these containers for the actual stamp part: the clear holder part will serve as the handle (you only need one of these), and the lids (which will be interchangable) will be the stampers. Follow these instructions to make the stamp.

Materials:

Toy Vending Machine capsules
hot glue gun
tissue paper
Acrylic paint

Time needed: 30 minutes for making and stamping, drying may take overnight.
Skill Level: Pretty easy

Step 1: Come Up With a Design

For starters, come up with the design of the stamp you want. If it is for Christmas, you could make a snowflake, like mine. If it is for a Birthday, you could make a cake image. Draw what you want to make on a piece of paper as a guide. Then, lightly sketch onto the lid of the container your design.

Step 2: Glue Your Design On!

Next, take your hot glue gun and trace over your design in hot glue. Make sure to squeeze slowly in long, thick lines. Thin lines won't turn out as well. Set aside for a few moments to dry. Then snap the lid back onto the rest of the container.

Your stamp is done! You may stop here and just make more interchangable lids/stampheads, then store them away. Or, proceed to the next step to learn how the stamping works, specifically on tissue paper for gifts!

Step 3: The Stamping

First, squirt out some paint. I used Acrylic paint. Push your stamp into the paint lightly, just so it gets a small covering of paint on it. Press onto the tissue paper, or whatever you may be stamping on, and hold for a second before lifting up. Stamp a few more times before redipping in the paint. Continue scattering the snowflakes about, or whatever pattern you may be stamping. After you are done, set the tissue paper aside to dry.

Step 4: Wash and Store

After you are done stamping, and your freshly stamped tissue paper or other thing that was stamped is drying, you should wash your stamp(s). Just rinse with water in the sink. The paint will come off in seconds. Don't let it dry overnight because then you may not be able to get the paint off and the design may be ruined. So, right after you finish stamping, go to the sink and wash and dry your stamp. Take care of your homemade stamp.

You may choose to store your stampheads separate from your handle, in a nice little box. Don't store them where it is too hot (like next to an oven or something, which is pretty obvious, since the hot glue or plastic could melt and ruin the design). You can pretty much store them anywhere otherwise.

Step 5: Put Under the Tree!

After your tissue paper has dried, stick it in a bag, and slide the present under the tree. Watch as the person-you-gave-it-to's eyes light up as they see the beautiful tissue paper you made sticking out of their awesome present! You may even, after stamping the snowflake or image onto the tissue paper, decide to shake on some sparkles for extra awesomeness. Congrats on making your own stamp set and very own personalized tissue paper! You are done!