Hand Stamped Seed Sack Tutorial

THIS TUTORIAL WAS ORIGINALLY POSTED BY ME AT SO YOU THINK YOU'RE CRAFTY ON 4/23/13

I have always been a big fan of Earth Day so I was delighted to create a kid-friendly and planet-friendly project for Week 4 at So You Think You're Crafty. We don't have kids so coming up with a Kids Can Do project was not the easiest task for me. Out of desperation, I thought back to what I loved as a little girl and the things that my little hands could do. I have the fondest memories of gardening with my grandmother, just sprinkling seeds all willy-nilly, and that became my inspiration. I decided to make some mix and match foam and woodblock stamps to create patterned seed sacks that are perfect for Spring and Earth Day celebrations. Earth Day may be in the past but tomorrow is May Day -- the epitome of Springtime festivals!

To make your own set of hand stamped seed sacks you only need a few supplies: a foam sheet, wood blocks, linen bags, double-sided tape, paint/ink pads, and scissors.


1. Let the kids loose on the foam sheet. Instruct them to draw small blossoms and stems all over:

2. If they are old enough, let the little ones cut them out. If they are not, use a small pair of scissors (or even an xacto knife) to cut them out yourself

3. Gather an assortment of small wooden blocks that  are just the right size for the cut shapes (mine ranged in size from 1 to 2.5" cubes)

4. Attach a piece of permanent double-sided tape to one side of the cutouts.

5. Take the shape and put the tape side down on the center of a wooden block. Push down on the foam shape to adhere it securely to the block.

6. Repeat steps four and five on all of the remaining foam shapes

7. Before letting the kids go crazy with the stamps, stick a piece of scrap paper inside the sacks to prevent colors from bleeding through.

8. Now it's time for the kids to go wild. Using thin layers of paint or pigment ink pads, the stamps work either way. I like the mix and match aspect most of all since your little ones have the freedom of expression -- they can use a variety of colors and combinations that is only limited by their imagination.

Let the paint dry completely and pack the sacks full of wildflower seeds or whatever plants you adore.

And just think, those stamps can be made into any shape your babes can dream up! Think mix and match monsters, faces, weather patterns, etc. I hope you and your little munchkins have a blast with this simple springtime project.

Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram

I'm linking to:

Tatertots & Jello | S3 | Classy Clutter | I Heart Nap Time | Mine for the Making | Flamingo Toes | Craftomaniac | Shabby Creek Cottage | My Girlish Whims | Stone Gable | Young and Crafty | Nifty Thrifty Things