What to do with a huge box of craft sticks

[stampin stacy]

Stamp and make art of course!:D

I have had this huge box of craft stick in my closet that were left over from a school project my son did several years ago. It was on sale and cheaper than the smaller container, lol. I have been kicking around the idea of stamping on them for some time but just hadn't gotten around to it. Until today that is, and it was so much fun. I took several and taped them together on one side, stamped with permanent ink and then colored in with pencils. By the way the cheap pencils that tend to "bloom" actually worked better. I'm off to see if I can get a decent photo with my ancient digi camera for the gallery but I just had to share the idea in case anyone is looking for something new to try.

[stampin stacy]

Got a picture posted in the gallery, titled "Wooden Indian", :laugh: .

http://www.rubberstampchat.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=944&ppuser=90

This is one I will do again, such fun to do something different.

[XrayAmy]

I'm glad you put a pic up because I had no idea what craft sticks were. Now I see that they are like popsicle sticks or tongue depressors. I like the idea!

[Inky Whiskers]

How FUN!!!

I too bought the "economy" box of craft sticks years ago for school projects. They now sit in a labeled box at the top of the stack on the top shelf in my closet. :lol:

I wonder if the popcycle "tiles" were sealed and cork or felt glued on the back if they'd work as coasters? Maybe the August challenge could be "What can YOU do with craft sticks & rubber stamps?" 'cause I know you & I, Stacy, aren't the only ones in RSC land with a stash of left over craft sticks. :))

[Stampo]

I just saw a piece on Fox News where a man has built a ship out of popsicle sticks and is sailing across the ocean to America... how many popsicle sticks did you say you have? LOL

[stampin stacy]

If a man can make a ship and sail the ocean with them then I guess we could come up with a way to water proof them for coasters, :noway: . While I do have a lot I'm pretty sure I don't have enough to build a ship or even a dinghy for that matter lol.

Does anyone remember the M. A. S. H. episode where Hawkeye builds a tower with tongue depressors and then blows it to smithereens at the end when he finds out they are going to use it to promote army recruitment.

I like the challenge idea, the art work we get in the gallery could be very interesting.

[stampin stacy]

I found a link to the popsicle stick ship story, :D

http://www.reuters.com/news/video/videoStory?videoId=60636

[alsmouse]

Ice cream??? I do love any yummy challange. Hmmm, Can we say fudgebars. Does skinny cow do really good fudgebars?? (why doesn't this sentence "look" right?)
Can we vote as to this as a challange?? The mind is doing a slow burn as I rub 2 popsicle sticks together to start the fire of creation. Or is it just jet lag? Ann

[inkieroo]

You could certainly use them in a collage or something--but it would take a zillion cards to get rid of your stash! How about doing that for a few though, You can color them with inks, or die them, or distress them, use them to hang a kimino off from on a card, make a fence on a western card, hey this is fun--can't we all come up with a few suggestions--beats the heat! LOL

[stampin stacy]

I do love any yummy challange ..... a slow burn as I rub 2 popsicle sticks together to start the fire of creation. Or is it just jet lag?

Alsmouse your right, you do need a good snooze. Just make sure you don't leave any open ink pads in front of you today. Inky fingers is one thing, inky face would be a little harder to explain :blush: . :laugh:

You could also do four side panels and a bottom for a pencil holder etc. I have seen it done as a decorative planter but I tend to kill plants. :eyeroll:

I am going to try this again when I have time but I think I will do vertical instead of horizontal to see how it looks.

[midnightcreations]

What a neat idea.
I also have quite a few craft sticks and tongue depressors from kids crafts, and would love to use them to stamp on. What we have done with them lately is just a simple frame for their school pictures. You know, the two across the top, two down the sides and glue at the corners. Then put a square of cardstock to the back of the frame, and adhere the picture to the front. Then they could use some of the embellishments to decorate their frame, magnet on back, send to Grandma.
Your creation is wonderful.

[Daniel R.]

Back in the last century [such fun saying that!] popcicle sticks were a craft mainstay. When I was a cub scout in the 50's we used them a lot...

Love your sticky piece, Stacy. Here's a piece I'm working on using 'skill sticks'... Skill sticks are same size as regular PS, but are notched to allow them to be used for glueless construction. Wonder if they are on the market...?

http://twopeasinabucket.com/pg.asp?gallery=3&cmd=display&layout_id=1195458

[stampin stacy]

Yes Daniel I have seen the notched sticks at stores. I love your Asian piece, very nice. FYI, I have another popsicle creation in the gallery now.

I hope everyone is eating there share of ice cream bars and popsicles so they can participate share their creations in August. That is unless you are like some of us and have that huge economy box of bought ones already.

BTW, I looked and it was originally a box of 1000, we made a 2 story log cabin with them for a grade school project and it barely made a dent in the box. Maybe I do have enough for a small boat.:noway:

Keep all the great ideas coming so we can use them next month.:)

[Stampo]

At one of the RS conventions, a stamping friend of mine stamped fun things and then attached popsicle sticks to them... you have to use your imagination... but they were a real hit!

[stampin stacy]

I was thinking today that a fan would be fun but I don't have a drill for making the holes at the bottom. Maybe someone else can use this idea.

My husband doesnt know where it is, besides he probably doesnt have a bit small enough anyway. He is so not mister handy man so only has the basic ones that came with it. He always leaves tools where ever, instead of putting them away and can't find them later. :eyeroll:

[Stampo]

LOVE the Asian design on the skill sticks... very clever and should work for popsicle sticks too... hey, how about making popsicle stick venetian blinds... a different scene on each side and you just pull the string to change from one to the other?

[stampin stacy]

Great Idea, love it!

Now all you have to is work out the mechanic of it and post them to the tips and techniques board. :p Lol, sorry but :exorcist: He made me say it.

[midnightcreations]

I love the asian design, too!
The notched craft sticks look like they were made for the part.

[Daniel R.]

I'm putting this here 'cause of Stacy's desire to try a 'fan'.

If you have good handgrip punches [I use Fiskars] & a 'little' muscle, you can punch thin wood--sticks & shapes. I put a bit of masking tape on the wood--both sides--before punching. Helps to keep the wood from splitting...

http://twopeasinabucket.com/pg.asp?gallery=3&cmd=display&layout_id=1196736

[michelle328]

On another site, one of the members glued them onto a backing and then stamped and colored right on the sticks...it came out just beautiful! It was a southwestern theme and with the texture on the sticks it was perfect.

[Inky Whiskers]

I'm putting this here 'cause of Stacy's desire to try a 'fan'.

If you have good handgrip punches [I use Fiskars] & a 'little' muscle, you can punch thin wood--sticks & shapes. I put a bit of masking tape on the wood--both sides--before punching. Helps to keep the wood from splitting...

http://twopeasinabucket.com/pg.asp?gallery=3&cmd=display&layout_id=1196736

Hmmm...I wonder how well the Crop-a-dile would work punching holes in craft sticks? It seems to punch thru' just about anything, so I think I'll give it a try! :D

[susankling1]

Hi I used Walnut Ink Tintz to color the craft stick. I then stamped on it using heat set ink, and drilled a hole at one end. I then took various fibers and thread it through the hole and tied a knot. These sticks then became book markers. I got the idea from ebay. Lisa Vollrath also has great tips and techniques on various crafts including wood. She has a great website.
:clap:

[Molly]

:wave:

[stampin stacy]

Oh Molly,:))

[Margaret J.]

Somewhere on the net I saw a cute idea. Lay 5-6 sticks next to each other and put temporary adhesive on the back. Stamp and color so they are all in one image/composition. Take the adhesive off, pull them apart and send them as a puzzle. Haven't done it yet, but it looked great!
Margaret S.

[CindyC]

Margaret, I have done the craft stick puzzles. I also like to make door hangers with them.
http://www.rubberstampchat.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=1590&ppuser=1121 is one I did recently.

[stampin stacy]

To make the puzzle a little harder stamp both sides with two different pictures.

[Margaret J.]

Oooh! Such good ideas! It amazes me what can be done with such simple materials.
Margaret J.

[stampin stacy]

Anyone else going to make popsicle stick puzzles as stocking stuffer presents? I'm thinking this will be an easy extra to put in the box of gifts I'll be sending to my niece and nephew.

[1hand1heart]

Lisa Vollrath has a neat project to do with stamping on craft sticks. It's in one of her past Monthly Muse zine. I will look it up, and if anyone is interested, pm me.
susi

[stampin stacy]

SS Reflection did a article on this in Sept of last year prior to Lisa'a web posting. There is even some great pics too, check it out:

http://www.ssreflections.com/donalda_sep07.html

[1hand1heart]

LOL, I kinda figured that it was not an original project by LV! (I have some BIG issues with her....)
I will check out the site you sent, I am curious to see what was done and see how they look.
susi

[1hand1heart]

The projects there were really cool, thanks for sharing the link! LV's are a bit different as she made them with stamps on the top and used abstract stamps underneath. Maybe it was done already, I only looked at the first page.
susi, again

[1hand1heart]

I just took another look at the ssreflections site again, and it gave me some neat ideas. Those art wands are beautiful! I love that name art wand, too...

susi

[stampin stacy]

Can't wait to see what you make :) with them.

I keep thinking I'm going to make 4 side panels with these and then glue them together to make a planter but then I think, " what the use, I have a brown thumb and anything I put in it will probably die anyway". Guess I could go artificial silk or something, :laugh: but that just doesnt seem to be the same.

[Inky Whiskers]

You could make some paper flowers to attach to the tops of pens and put a piece of florist's foam inside the craft stick planter and have a nifty AND useful pen caddy for by the phone. :D