I recently contributed a simple kid craft project for BKIDS blog. ( You can check out the various craft projects here, or just browse all the wonderful eye-candy that Irene posts over there!)
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I can still recall fondly, playing post office when I was around 7 or 8 years old. And recently I've watched with amusement my own kids' playing their version of post office.
Thank goodness modern times has NOT done away with our friendly postman/postwoman who unfailingly comes to our door 6 days a week! But someone has done away with those lovely perforated & gummed sheets of mailing stamps that you had to tear and lick one by one. Remember those?
I was feeling rather sentimental about the way things used to be, so I suggested that we make an activity out of making our own old-fashioned stamp sheets. Every one of us in our household contributed to designing a few stamps for this set below:
Here's the DIY:
MATERIALS: Paper, Stamping pad, tracing wheel (sewing tool), Gluestick, Markers and or colored pencils & cork board.
1. Cut a rubber carving block into a desired square size. This will be used to stamp various color blocks on paper. (We folded the paper to create guidelines, but you can also draw lines if you wish.)
2. Next, you can create art work on top each of the colored squares using markers, colored pencils, paint, etc.
3. Now the magic happens: Create perforation using a sharp pattern making wheel. A ruler can help guide a straight line and a cork surface below is helpful in ensuring clean puncture holes. When pulling the pattern wheel, push down at the same time for bigger holes. (Running the paper through an unthreaded sewing machine with a heavy duty needle would also do the trick!)
4. To make the gummed backing like old fashioned stamps, apply glue stick generously to back and let dry. When you are ready to use the stamp, applying water to the back will activate the glue. (Glue not edible, so no licking, please!)
5. Now you can play post office!
