Foam Words

I had a lot of fun making foam words to use in printing, rubbings and Gelli prints. I got the idea from the "Gelli Arts" page, and just couldn't stop making more words! Click on the "Gelli Arts" badge in the right hand column to go to their website.

I have always wanted to add words to my art quilting, and I have bought many types of alphabet rubber stamps, metal letter cookie cutters, foam letters and stencils, anything to make words with. But faced with a set of alphabets, it was always a matter of what do I want to say, I couldn't think of anything that did not sound insipid. Somehow, faced with a set of WORDS, I was able to come up with some combinations of ideas. It is like the sets of refrigerator magnets, that you can arrange to make poems or phrases. Words inspired me, the way alphabets did not.

I found sets of alphabets in several different fonts, try the dollar store, Michael's or other crafts supply place. You want a raised letter, not a sticker. Line the letters up straight or wonky, try mixing the different fonts. Look through magazines for inspiration on words you want to use.

Combining words gave me the freedom to express myself better. I started with, play, sing, soar, fly and laugh. Adding adverbs and adjectives helped make them come alive. Trust Love, Risk Truth, Play Hard, Fly High, Laugh Always, Sing Loud, now I was really expressing myself! I just can't stop! I bought more "stick on" foam alphabets, sheets of foam for backing and made more words. I glued a double layer of the foam sheets together as a base, and stuck the letters on them. They are ONLY good for rubbings and Gelli prints, as the words will come out reversed if you print with them. For printing the solution is to get foam alphabets that are NOT "stick on" you can glue them to the base upside down and backwards, so they will print right side up. When I made these kind of stamps, I put it right side up on the front, and backwards on the reverse side, so I had a double sided stamp, for multiple uses.

As you run out of vowels, you will make funny things and stupid words you will never use. Try using the leftovers for borders <><><><><><> WMWMWMWM *****, make a set of swear words #^&*@#! Use the inside little bits and pieces to make texture patterns. I made polka dot textures with the centers of the B's, P's and d's. I even found a set of curly cues.

Now I am going to get out my paints and Gelli plate and start making expressive fabric that speaks to me.