I can use my stamps for something other than stamping?

In every preschool teacher themed class I have taken, we are urged to make our own materials.  Last December I came up with an idea while sitting in a literacy class.  It took until two weeks ago while sitting in a math class to actually put my idea into action.  (Better late than never, right?)

I wanted to make my own number bulletin board set. I wanted it to be tactile so that all types of learners could benefit from it.  

Last year Stampin' Up! came out with a stamp set that I fell in love with, Perfectly Preserved.  (It is now retired.)  It contains a stamp of a canning jar.  I had seen a commercially produced number bulletin board set using jars and pictures of bugs.  An idea was born!

Using Stazon black ink and a piece of a plastic transparency sheet, I stamped the jar image. I got out my overhead projector and set it up with the stamped transparency. (Yes, an old school overhead projector.  And yes, I own one.  Well, co-own.  My friend Kristen and I found one on clearance at Staples.  A mere $30!)

Taped a piece of poster board to wall and traced away.  In pencil.  

When I had filled two pieces of poster board, I traced my pencil drawings with a permanent marker.

 Next, I cut them out.  Now that was a job! My hand was definitely sore after cutting out twelve jars. (I wanted to have a couple of extra, just in case I needed them.)

Then came the fun part! Celia (my seven year old daughter) and I found different items, with different tactile experiences, around the house to glue to the jars.  I was careful to make sure each separate jar's "contents" were the same.  The teaching is goal is so that they see two, three, or four of the same objects in one jar.

 These jars have crushed up aluminum foil, gift bows, and felt squares.  

I will hang these on my classroom wall, in reach of the children.  I will add removable numbers to make it interactive.  I will also provide dotted "set cards" so they can work on the one to one principle.

This project got me thinking.  You can enlarge any of our stamps! Trace them on a wall and paint them.  Trace an enlarged version on fabric for a focal point wall hanging or pillow.  The list is endless! 

How will you use this fun technique?

Who knew!