Kids Craft: Reverse Stamped Hearts

Masking is always fun. Crayon or Oil pastel resist, rubber cement masking, masking tape... so many ways to preserve the area from other influences on a work in progress.

Any shape template can be used, of course. But, keeping Valentine's day in mind, we went with the heart template.

Instead of stamping, kids can use tempera paint, or chalk pastels, to add color to the card while the heart shape mask is applied.

1. Cut out heart templates of different sizes
2. Cut out card stock in desired size for the final card
3. Choose any favorite cute stamp and ink, or make your own potato stamp or vegetable stamp
4. Place the heart template(s) on the card stock - to make sure it doesn't move around, I used a piece of masking tape doubled on itself to act as double-sided tape. masking tape is easy to remove without damaging the paper later.
5. Stamp all over, letting the heart templates act as the mask

The 5 yo preferred using the small square stamp ink pad to fill the page with blocks of color for one of the cards. I liked the flower stamped with orange ink, with added yellow chalk pastel.

Another interesting method for masked hearts is to use chalk pastel:

1. Simply add color to the edge of the heart paper template. 
2. Place this color-edged paper on the card to be made. 
3. Use a tissue or brush to gently diffuse/disperse the chalk pastel color onto the card

Of course, once we bring out the chalk pastels, we can't put it away quickly. So, we did some simple book marks with heart stencils and templates cut out from paper. I sprayed a sealant when we were done, to preserve the chalk pastel work and not have the chalk rub off on all that it touches.