Ways to
decorate paper
Aunt Annie's Crafts
Surface Design Techniques
About the projects
These crafts feature basic paper decorating skills involving the use of paint applied to paper. You can use these techniques to decorate paper for craft projects, greeting cards and gift wrapping.
The projects range in difficulty from VERY EASY to EASY.
Browse down this page for descriptions and illustrations of the projects, then select a project and have some crafting fun!
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Vegetable and Fruit Printing - Learn how to make simple relief prints using vegetables (and fruits). This printing technique is simple enough for very young children, while being versatile enough for older children and adults. The project features the classic potato print, as well as, vegetables and fruits that are a bit less traditional in printing.
VERY EASY
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Sponge Stamps and Art - Do you know that ordinary kitchen sponges can be used to make stamps? Children will want to make a variety of stamps to create artistic masterpieces for display in the refrigerator door gallery. Follow these simple instructions and you will be able to make stamps of your own design in minutes.
EASY
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Tissue Paper Painting - Learn this easy painting technique to make colorful tissue paper. Simply pleat a piece of tissue paper and paint the folded edges. Repeat the process once or twice to create an even more exciting design.
EASY
- Surface Design Index
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Tip: Use painted tissue paper in gift wrapping and to
line envelopes.
Tip: Cut vegetables can be used as stamps. This example is stamped with a celery stem (purple) and a jalapeno pepper cut in cross-section (blue) on block printing paper.