I’ve been wanting to give metal stamping a try for literally YEARS now, but wasn’t really sure where to begin. Then the other day, I was poking around in a friend’s studio and noticed a set of metal alphabet stamps from ImpressArt, along with several different shaped blanks for creating necklaces, dog tags, and probably any other awesome little thing you can think of. I was all over it! I snatched that set right off the shelf! I wasn’t sure what I was going to make or how it would turn out, but I decided to dive right in. And as it turns out, metal stamping is really fun and pretty easy to do. I think I could use a lot more practice, but even my very first pieces came out cute.
I ended up adding embroidery floss to them and I wasn’t sure what they were going to be – necklaces? Charms?
I ended up using them to personalize the Gratitude Journals I made for the girls. Each night, my girls like to cozy up together and do their nightly reading. Recently we’ve decided to add journaling to this wind-down time, and have the children write down three things each day that turned out okay. A couple of my kids occasionally struggle with anxiety, and journaling can be so helpful in coping with sad feelings! I think Gratitude Journals are great for everyone, but especially kids.
I gave the journals to my girls and they were so giddy! They loved seeing their names right on the tags, and I think they’ll work well to hold their place, or even just something to hold onto while they think about what they want to write. We are so happy with how this project turned out!
Now I am wishing I would’ve tried metal stamping long ago! And I am super excited to try making some actual jewelry. Autism Awareness month is in April, and ImpressArt also has puzzle piece blanks that can be used to make jewelry. I’m all over it! You can find ImpressArt letter sets, blanks, and other tools at craft stores such as Jo-Ann or order them online. Check it all out on their website right here:
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