Somehow the holidays are just around the corner again. So, it’s time to bring out your stamps and get started on some Christmas crafts. One great use for holiday craft stamps is DIY wrapping paper. It’s fairly simple and can even save you money!
Materials:
- Plain wrapping paper or Kraft paper
- Stamps + Ink
- Extra goodies: Tag, bakers twine, ribbon, etc
Selecting the Materials
Picking stamps for a project can be overwhelming, so it’s best to start with a plan in mind. You can create a cohesive design, a repeating pattern, or use a single stamp for emphasis. There are a lot of great options. In order to execute your plan, you’ll have to pick the stamp design, stamp type, ink color, and surface to be inked.
Surface
In this case, surface refers to what you intend to use as your wrapping paper. You could use something simple, like Kraft paper, or find some nice, plain wrapping paper. If you want to be fancy, you could even use fabric.
Ink
The next step is to choose your color palette. For an elegant look, you could do straight black on white paper. For a festive look, you could combine red and green. You’ll want to make sure that, whatever colors you pick, the ink is compatible with your surface and stamp types.
Stamp
If you're looking for a versatile stamp, you should choose a wood handle rubber stamp. Wood handle stamps will allow you to change colors every time you create an impression. As long as you carefully clean and store your rubber stamps, they will last you a long time.
Of course, if you’re looking to create a simple, repeating pattern, you may appreciate the ease of self-inking or pre-inked stamps.
If you want to wrap your gifts with cloth, there are also fabric stamps that you can take advantage of. Which one you choose depends on what you’re going for. You can easily upload your own design to create the stamp you want.
You can check out our seasonal craft stamps for some design inspiration. From Santa Claus to peppermint candies, you’ll find all the holiday cheer needed to decorate your wrapping paper.
The stamps used in this video were the candy cane stamp, peppermint candy stamp, and the To - From stamp.
Stamp the Paper
At this point, you should have your materials ready to go. All you need to do now is enact your plan!
- Start by cutting the paper to the size you need.
- Spread the paper onto a flat surface.
Depending on the design you go for, it may be easier to stamp at different points in the process. For example, if you want a repeating pattern to be consistent across the paper, you should stamp when the paper is laid out. If you want something to be centered on the front of the present, you should stamp after you've wrapped the gift.
- Stamp your design onto the paper.
For the best results, reink your stamp between each impression.
The stamps used in this video are the Christmas tree stamp, gift stamp, and elf stamp.
Wrap the Present
This stage is where you will be establishing the presentation of the gift. You’ll want to do a good job in order to show off your epic new wrapping paper.
- Wrap the paper around the present.
- Add any final stamps.
- Add extra embellishments. These can include wrapping the gift in bakers twin, adding a tag, or tying a bow. Stamps can be used on the tag as well to increase cohesiveness.
- Step back and appreciate your work. You’re all done!
Conclusion
DIY stamped Christmas wrapping paper is a great way to add some personalization to your gifts this year. It also makes a great craft to do with kids. There are lots of options.
One of the best parts is, now that you have these stamps and designs planned out, you can use them for all sorts of holiday activities: wrapping paper, gift tags, holiday cards, and even Christmas ornaments! Now go forth and craft😊