Hello friends! Mother’s Day is just around the corner and this Retro Stamped Tea Towel is the perfect easy DIY gift. As a mom of a toddler I use a lot of towels in my house. There are always spills and messes to clean up. Not to mention dinners to fix and desserts to make for church. My kitchen is definitely the most used room in the house. So, why not fill the room with pretties. This towel makes me smile every time I look at it.
I wanted to make a simple pattern using two different stamps but also use some retro inspired colors to make it pop. I just love the red and blue colors from the 1950’s and 60’s. There is just something fun and carefree about the era.
Materials:
- Flour sack towel
- Paint
- Fabric Medium
- Stamps
- Paper plates
- Q-tips
- Wax paper
- Tape
Before starting make sure to wash, dry and iron your sackcloth
First I started by laying some wax paper down on a flat surface. *This just helps the paint from bleeding onto your work surface. Then I layed down my sackcloth and taped off where I wanted to place the stamps.
Next, I mixed satin acrylic paint with fabric medium together using a Q-tip. Fabric Medium is water based and helps control the workability of acrylic paint onto fabric. It also thins the paint and helps control bleeding of colors. I used one part medium to two parts paint. I really like the Martha Stewart paint in Tartan Red and Pool colors.
I used a sponge from a ink blending tool to apply the paint to the stamps. You want to make sure to use the smallest amount of paint possible to prevent smudges. I used a vintage mixer and a fork, spoon and knife rubber stamps.
This tea towel will definitely brighten up the kitchen and put a smile on Mom’s face.
What do you think? Is it retro?
*Just a side note: The fabric strawberries pictured above were my Grandma’s and I’m pretty sure they are from the 1950’s! 🙂
Katie @ Upcycled Treasures says
This is so adorable and I love the stamps you used! Pinned 🙂
The Casual Craftlete says
Thanks for pinning, Katie! I love that vintage mixer stamp too. Hope you are having a great week!
Carrie This Home says
So cute! I would love to make these for the Moms on my list! Thanks for the great idea!
The Casual Craftlete says
Glad I could inspire you, Carrie! I just love my tea towel. Very easy to make too.
Amy @ Oh So Savvy Mom says
Wow, these are so pretty and they look so easy!
The Casual Craftlete says
It was very easy to make, Amy. You just have to be careful not to get to much paint on the stamp. Thanks for stopping by!!!
Aimee @ItsOverflowing says
This turned out so cute (and I’m loving the sweet vintage strawberries). Featuring you tomorrow!!! XO, Aimee
The Casual Craftlete says
Yay! Thanks SO much, Aimee!!! Hope you are having a great week 🙂
Betsy @ BPhotoArt says
Very adorable. I love the idea of decorating tea towels. Maybe I should spruce up our plain ones … hmmm….
The Casual Craftlete says
Using a stamp just gives life to a tea towel. Plus, you can decorate them however you want 🙂
Carie Spence says
So cute and looks really easy. I think I mat make these for gifts! Thanks!
The Casual Craftlete says
The stamped tea towels make perfect gifts and yes, they are very easy to make. Thanks for stopping by, Carie! Have a fabulous week 🙂
Sara says
I love this idea! It turnedd out fantastic and I love the stamp!
I would be honored to have you hop over and share with us at Tell Me About It Tuesday! (http://www.sweetsillysara.com/2014/04/tell-me-about-it-tuesday_28.html)
The Casual Craftlete says
Thanks Sara! I will hop on over to your party. Thanks for the invite!
JaneEllen says
Looks like everybody loves your retro stamped towel. A set of those would be great gift and easy to make. Great idea, sure inspiring me as I love retro things in kitchen. Happy days
The Casual Craftlete says
Thanks SO much JaneEllen! I love that you can use any kind of stamp you want for any holiday or occasion. They would be great hostess and Christmas gifts.
Jessi says
Such a great idea! I love the stamps and colors you used. Now I want to go through my box of stamps that I haven’t touch in a long time and tackle this project! (I am coming from the AtoZ linky party and have happy to have found your blog!)
The Casual Craftlete says
Thanks for stopping by, Jessi! I love using material I already have on hand and haven’t used in awhile. I am SO glad you found me too! Hope you have fun making some towels and have a great weekend!
Lynnie says
What a cute towel! I just love the colors you used for it and makes me one to make some myself,
Hugs Lynnie
The Casual Craftlete says
Thanks Lynnie! I am so glad you stopped by. Let me know if you make some towels. I would love to see pictures 🙂
Cheryl at Snaps of Ginger says
This is so cute! Thanks for the tutorial. I would have known to use the medium and I probably would have just tried to dip the stap in the paint rather than tamp it on.
I hopped over from the Put a Bird On It link up.
~Cheryl
http://snaps-of-ginger.blogspot.com/
Cheryl at Snaps of Ginger says
** would not have known
Cindy Eikenberg says
Katie, this is such a darling product and I love that stamp and all things retro! Visiting from the Weekend re-Treat party and pinning! Have a happy Friday and a great weekend!
The Casual Craftlete says
Thanks for stopping by and pinning, Cindy! I am so glad you like my towel. Hope you have a fabulous weekend too!
Laurie says
Your Tip Me Tuesday link is incredible this week! In fact, my readers would love to bookmark it in their craft rooms. Did you know that if you upload this blog post into your Tip Junkie craft room using at least 2 images, 2 steps, and blog post URL then Tip Junkie readers can favorite it which instantly bookmarks it so they can find it later? {Whoohoo!} ~ Laurie {a.k.a. the Tip Junkie}
http://www.tipjunkie.com/post/how-to-add-a-craft-room-project-on-tip-junkie/
The Casual Craftlete says
Thanks Laurie!
Allison @ The Golden Sycamore says
Okay, I seriously need to do this! Possibly the cutest tea towel I’ve ever seen!
The Casual Craftlete says
Aw, thanks girl! It’s super easy and the stamp combos are endless.
Susan @ Oh My! Creative says
Thanks for linking to last weeks Whimsy Wednesday! Love your Tea Towel and featured it today! So pretty! You can see the post here…
http://www.ohmy-creative.com/party-favor/pretty-diy-bridal-shower-favors/
Have a lovely week and hope to see you link up again tomorrow night!
The Casual Craftlete says
Thanks SO much, Susan! Hope you are having a lovely week!
Alyssa says
These are so sweet! I just wanted to let you know that I am linking to this post at Simply Creative Living on May 6th if you don’t mind.
The Casual Craftlete says
Thanks for letting me know, Alyssa! And thanks for sharing. Hope you have a great weekend!
Lauren @ The Thinking Closet says
I’ve always wondered how to use paint and fabric medium on regular ink stamps so they actually leave a clear impression: the ink blending tool sounds like the solution to the problem! These turned out beautifully, and oh so retro. Thanks for the tutorial! Off to pin.
The Casual Craftlete says
Thanks SO much, Lauren! I used the ink blending tool because I already had one. I’m sure a sponge would work just as well. Hope you have a lovely weekend and thanks for pinning my towel!
Daniela says
You’ve been featured at Link’n Blogs link party. Stop by to see your feature and link up again.
http://iputabirdonit.blogspot.com/2014/05/linkn-blogs-24-welcoming-new-co-host.html
xo
Daniela
Put A Bird On It
Gloria // Simply Gloria says
You have truly inspired me with this simple and creative stamped towel. This would be so fun to make for gifts! So happy you came over to share this gorgeous stamped project with us at the Show Stopper this week, pinned! PS… love the choice of colors you picked!
Silvie Armas says
I love the stamps and the colors you used, it’s the perfect retro feel! I’m pinning, I definitely want to give a try at making something similar. 🙂
The Casual Craftlete says
Thanks for pinning my tea towel, Silvie! Hope you enjoy making one. It really is easy. Hope you have a lovely week!
Jill says
I had no idea you could get a KitchenAid style stamp! I need to start exploring my craft stores more often 🙂 These towels are SO cute. I’d love to get this as a gift. Pinned!
The Casual Craftlete says
Isn’t that vintage mixer stamp cute?! I got mine at Hobby Lobby. I just LOVE this towel. Thanks for stopping by, Jill! Hope you have a lovely week 🙂
Andrea @ This Pug Life says
This is adorable and would be an amazing gift idea! Also, thank you for introducing me to the term “flour sack towel”. I love the texture of those but never knew they had a specific name.
The Casual Craftlete says
That’s what my mom and grandma always called them 🙂 I’m SO glad you stopped by, Andrea! Hope you are having a lovely day.