Linoleum has a soft, supple texture perfect for mimicking the effects of rubber stamps. Use some of your leftover linoleum scraps to make your own personalized stamps for crafts. Use a stencil, cookie-cutter or paper design for the base of your recycled linoleum craft. Trace around the design on a scrap of linoleum. The use of an Exacto knife or razor blade to cut out the shape. You will use the back of the linoleum, instead of the glossy, textured surface, for an even paint coat when you stamp. Place the stamp on the craft surface with the back facing up. Use the knife or razor to cut lines and details into the shape to add texture to the stamp.
For example, pretend you are making a fish stamp. First, cut out the outline of a fish. These cuts will go completely through the linoleum. Then lightly draw an eye, mouth, and a few curved lines for scales. Use the razor to cut tiny fragments out so the details can be seen. You will not cut all the way through the linoleum this time. Just cut a tiny part of the surface away, like you are making a sculpture. This way, when you roll the paint onto the stamp, the details will appear through the paint and be visible in the print.
When you have made your linoleum stamp shapes, glue them onto stiff pieces of particle board or thin wood. This is also a great way to recycle other scraps from a home remodeling project. The wood backing makes it easier to keep the stamp stiff for a better print.
To use your recycled linoleum stamps, roll a layer of paint onto the stamp. Press it to the surface and then remove it without shifting the stamp. Use your newly recycled stamps to add a crafty touch to any room’s decor. You can make a stamped border around the ceiling or crown molding instead of using a wallpaper border. You can also use the same shapes to decorate picture frames, trays, chair backs and flower pots to match the room’s decor.
Choose shapes for the recycled linoleum stamp crafts that will suit a room in your home. Flowers, vines, fleur de lis, damask or insects work well in a sunroom or living room. Or choose western shapes like a cactus, five-pointed star and boots for a southwest decorating scheme.
Instead of making stamps with your linoleum scraps you can use the cut-out linoleum shapes for a raised, textured addition to home decor. Cut out the shapes and paint both sides and the edges. After the shapes dry, glue them to flower pots, chair backs, candleholders, photo frames or anywhere you want a custom, themed design. The slightly raised effect of gluing linoleum on top of a surface will add texture and visual interest.
