Making Pins with Rubber Stamps Idea and Pins were submitted by Julie Dawe, Fort Collins, Colorodo Its easy to make pins with your rubber stamps. There are many ways to do this. Below are some possible methods! Idea #1: Stamp your image, color it, laminate it, and attach a pin back.  Idea #2: Stamp your image, color it, and have it reduced and color copied at a copy center. Tell the copy center to fit as many reduced images as they can onto a single sheet of paper. At about $1 per color copy, you can have many images made for very little cost. Then cut out your images, laminate, and attach pin backs.  Idea #3: Stamp an image onto shrink plastic. One method is to stamp the image on to the plastic with permanent ink, color it, cut it out, then shrink it with your heat source. Attach the pin back and you're done. If you want to punch a hole in the pin, do it before shrinking the plastic.  Fun Idea! Optionally, you can embellish your pins with dangly things such as other stamped images, charms, shrink plastic, etc. To do this, punch a small hole in your pin and if necessary, punch a small hole in whatever you are going to dangle. Connect the two pieces with a small hoop known as a jump ring. You will need a pair of needle nose pliers to help you with this. To attach a pin back to a piece of plastic laminate, you will need a strong glue like "Goop". Alternately, you can purchase self adhesive pin backs that have double stick foam already attached. Simply peel and stick to your laminated pin. I prefer the double stick foam method as I dislike the glue fumes of "Goop". About Laminating: There are two basic methods to laminating: cold lamination and hot lamination.  To cold laminate, put your stamped paper between the cold laminate sheets and press together to seal the image inside. Cut out your image. Cold laminate sheets can be found at craft stores or office supply shops.  To hot laminate, you will need a laminating machine. A small, inexpensive laminator will cost you about $50 at an office supply shop. You will also need plastic laminating "sleeves", also available at office supply. Put your image in the laminating sleeve, insert the sleeve into a paper carrier (some laminators don't require a carrier), then feed it through the laminator. Alternately, instead of buying your own laminating machine, some places such as copy shops will laminate for you for a fee. In general, hot lamination will give you a stronger pin with a more professional appearance, but is more costly to do. Other Supplies: Pin backs and jump rings are available at any place that sells jewelry supplies, such as Eclectic Etc., Inc. Beads and Jewelry Supplies. I prefer pin backs with double stick foam. However, you can always buy plain pin backs and attach your own double stick foam tape to it. Okay, now I have a fabulous stamped pin. Now what do I do with it?  • Wear your pin as jewelry like you would any pin!  • Make lots (dozens) to trade with other enthusiasts at rubber stamp conventions! This is a very popular activity at the conventions, and is also a fun way to collect a lot of different styles of stamped pins and to see what other people have done.  • Join a pin swap! • Instead of attaching a pin back, attach a magnet and make refrigerator magnets! . This is Julie's second submission to Etcetera! Thanks a ton Julie! Your ideas are really enjoyed and appreciated! Take a look at Julie's Wobbly Water Card idea too! Did you like this idea? Visit Julie's homepage and let her know!  Or send her email care of Etcetera!

 

Make a Rainbow Garden! One of my favorite books is Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert! This book is full of flowers ! Materials:  • scissors • glue • different colors of construction paper • a piece of white paper for the background Step 1: First...you MUST get this book! Either look in your local library or book store, but you will be amazed at how wonderful Ms. Ehlert's illustrations (picutres) are! Step 2: As you look through the book, look for shapes! Where does Ms. Ehlert use a circle, square, rectangle or triangle? Where does she take a circle and add a scallop edge ? Step 3: Now...it's time to create! Start by taking your white paper and adding some flower stems. Since you are making a rainbow you want to have at least 6 stems - one for each color! Lay your stems out until you are happy with their arrangement and then glue them down. Step 4: When you are ready to make your flowers, try making many different shapes and interesting flowers! Don't just start with a red and glue it down...try making two of each color and using your favorite OR use them both! HINTS: All the flowers in my picutre above started with simple shapes... The red tulip was a circle and I cut it in half with a zigzag line! The blue flower started as a rectangle with acut out along the edge! Rainbow Fun for teachers! Grab your students and make a living rainbow! Have children line up with the colors of their clothes making a rainbow ! . . Did you try this idea? Drop me an email and let me know!

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