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It’s no secret that I’ve always loved rubber stamps, and I’ve wanted to try stamping on wood for a while… and because I was already planning to make a mobile out of wood for baby Provencher, I thought it would be the perfect place to try out this new (to me) technique! So keep reading to find out how to make a mobile using rubber stamps and a few other materials.
How To Make A Mobile
Here’s what you’ll need for your modern stamped mobile:
- Rubber stamps
- Pigment ink
- Embroidery hoop (12-16 inch diameter)
- Wood semi circles in variety of sizes (I cut full circles in half)
- Black and white baker’s twine
- Small hand saw
- Scissors
- Sandpaper
- Electric drill with 1/16 inch drill bit
Begin by stamping each of your wood semi circles. I used 11 semi circles in a couple of different sizes. You may be able to find them pre-cut at your local craft supply store or online, but I just cut full circles in half using my beloved Dremel Saw Max (I don’t recommend using a hand saw on these… they’ll splinter and are difficult to handle).
I used two inch stamps and was able to put multiple designs on each semi circle. I’m partial to Rubberstamps.com partly because they can do custom stamps, and also because I love their customer service, prices and all of their unique designs. Anyways. So stamp the front side of each piece, and then go back and do the back sides of each.
Next, cut your embroidery hoop in half creating two arch shapes using a small hand saw. Be sure to clamp it down to a work surface that you don’t mind damaging… I’m showing it on my table just for the photo’s sake. You’ll only need the inside piece of the hoop – you can save the outside for your next mobile 😉
Use the drill with a small bit to drill a hole in each end of your wooden arch, and one in the center as well. Repeat the process for the other arch.
Cut a 2 foot long piece of twine and thread it through the middle holes on both arches. Tie a knot on the underside of the arch as shown above, leaving a 1 foot long tail underneath.
Drill holes in the top and bottom of the 6 larger stamped semi circles. Make holes only in the top of the remaining 5 smaller semi circles. Begin attaching them to the embroidery hoop arches and then to each other using double knots.
Attach two semi circles to the end of each arch, and three to the middle section. Trim all ends and hang from the ceiling with a small cup hook.
You may want to put a dot of superglue where the two arches meet if you’d like them to stay fixed at right angles.
This is a really fun project to customize… you can choose any rubber stamps you like, any ink colors and any type of baker’s twine too! The sharp contrast of black and white is best for newborns (hence my twine choice) but then they start seeing color more easily by about 5 months old so I thought pairing the twine with the more subtle green and wood design would be a good combination for the long run.
Our nursery is slooooowly coming together (see the fun wall treatment in the closet here), but we still have a lot to do. I have no clue where the first 7 months of my pregnancy have gone!
Hope you enjoyed learning how to make a mobile for your modern nursery… I’ll be back with some more DIYs for baby’s room soon, and next week I have some home decor inspiration on the docket for you!
This project was created in partnership with Rubberstamps.com.
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