Faux Postage Instructions

Reflections of Fall Faux Postage Card

Supplies needed:

faux postage template

faux postage mask created using a transparency sheet or piece of computer paper or card stock

scrap pieces of paper to use as a mask while you are working in the individual rectangles

ruler, pencil, cutting mat, craft knife, or detail cutting scissors

sponge or sponge dauber

ink

small image stamps

postage scissors

1. You will need a faux postage template. Please download one of the two below that I have provided. The first is a template created as a Word document that can be changed as needed (postage amount, color of the text and borders etc). The 2nd is the one I used for my Reflections of Fall Faux Postage card with brown text and borders and saved as a pdf file. With either file, you will be able to print out 4 faux postage templates per sheet.

Download Faux Postage 4 to a sheet template

Download Faux postage 4 to a sheet brown

2. You will need to create a mask to lay over your template so you can sponge and stamp over to create your faux postage stamps. To create the mask, print out a faux postage template on card stock. Lay a piece of transparency sheet over the template. With a ruler, cutting mat and craft knife, cut out the middle of each rectangle from the transparency sheet, leaving an 1/8" border on all sides.

Or, print another faux postage template on computer paper or card stock. The mask may not hold up as long if you create the mask out of computer paper. But as you can see in the photos below, I have reused my computer paper mask over and over. As above, with a ruler, draw an 1/8" border on the inside of each rectangle. Cut out the middle of each rectangle using a pair of detail cutting scissors.

You should be able to use the mask over and over with either method.

My faux postage template with well-used mask:

3. Once you have your mask, center it over your faux postage piece. You may want to use a small piece of scotch tape or Dotto to hold the mask in place while you work.

The mask placed over the faux postage template:

4. With a sponge or sponge dauber, add color to each rectangle.

5. Stamp a small image in each rectangle. Tip: Using scrap pieces of paper, cover all of the rectangles except for the one you are stamping to keep the images from being over stamped into the neighboring rectangles.

6. When all stamping is complete, remove the mask. You should have a sponged and stamped image with a small white border around the images in each rectangle. Just like a sheet of postage stamps!