Custom gifts are so fun to give. There is just something lovely about seeing your name on something. Here’s your chance to try your hand at metal stamping and create some one-of-a-kind serving pieces. It is really easy to do and fairly inexpensive to get started. These beaded silverware make nice hostess gifts, wedding or shower presents, and even a baby shower gift using a little spoon. If you want to get larger serving pieces you could do that as well.
Spoons – $.29 each (Goodwill)
1/8” Metal Stamps – $8.99 (Harbor Freight)
Assorted Glass Beads $2.99 (Joann’s, Michaels, Hobby Lobby)
20 gauge wire (Joann’s Michaels, Hobby Lobby) $2
Heavy hammer
Soft cloth (like flannel)
Needlenose Pliers
Wire snips
Recommended but not Necessary:
Bench Block — $10 (Ebay, Amazon)
Sharpie Marker
Metal Polish (I use Maas and found it at Walgreens)
Round Nose Pliers
Optional:
Metal Charms $1.99 for a 3 pack (Joann’s, Michaels, Hobby Lobby)
1. You can find all different types of spoons, forks, and knives at Goodwill for $.29 each. I just try and look for a flatter surface to stamp on. This particular spoon was perfect and there was a little oval that was meant for stamping!
2. Next up you will need metal stamps. If you have a Harbor Freight nearby go pick up some metal stamps for $8.99. You can purchase them online as well but it is $6.99 for shipping. I would get the 1/8” set which is a nice size to get started.
3. Then find some sort of bench block or hard metal surface. Mine is just a metal 2” x 2” steel square. If you don’t want to make the investment you could just use your garage floor, it will work also.
4. If you want to practice stamping before you do your silverware buy a $.50 piece of sheet metal or roof flashing from Home Depot. Practice will help you learn spacing.
5. When stamping silverware you have to hold the metal stamp firmly in place and whack it about 5-8 times HARD. Click here to view a free video tutorial on metal stamping keeping in mind that you have to hit it harder with the silverware pieces.
6. After you get your name, saying, initials or whatever on them color over the letter with a Sharpie marker to darken the letters if you wish.
7. Using metal polish and a soft cloth buff the letters and the silverware. If you do not have metal polish just buff it really quickly after you color it with Sharpie (before it dries).
8. Next gather your beading supplies. I would just purchase a small glass bead mix from your local craft store. I also used a 20 gauge wire, but you could go thinner if you want.
9. Cut a piece of wire about 20 inches long. Using round nose pliers or needle nose pliers (whatever you have on hand) make a spiral. Click here for another free tutorial on spiral making. Then wrap the spiral onto the neck of the spoon, fork or knife going around the neck twice to lock it in place.
10. Add one or two beads (or more if you have a thicker neck) to the wire and wrap around the back and around to the front tautly adding beads as you go.
11. At the end leave a 3” tail and make another spiral or add a charm on it and shove the tail up into the beads and cut the end.
I made a monogrammed spoon for a friend for her birthday. Then I stamped a sugar spoon that says “Gimme some sugar.” Lastly I did a pickle fork that says “In a Pickle.”
If you did not have any of the supplies it would probably cost you about $20 to get started with the bare minimum supply list. That is not bad when you consider you can make probably 5+ gifts for that investment.
If you don’t want to stamp them and just wanted to “bead em up” you could probably do it for about $1 a piece. That is one Pennywise Present if you ask me.
This is adorable! How do you think this stuff up?
Love that idea.
Ummm… this is AWESOME!!!
Just called "Santa" and told him to fly to HF for these for my stocking… and then looked it up and wrote down the item numbers too lol
THANKS for sharing
Cant wait for tomorrow
Oh, yes. Lovin' this!
Thanks for such a great idea!
When is the book coming out? This is too cute.
ooh, i love this idea. bot some stamps at harbor freight early in the summer & have never used them. now, i will!
thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So stinkin cute!! May need to try that baby sppon for my sister in law!!
LOVE!
These are just darling! I think I need to ask Santa for a set of those stamps. 🙂
Oh my word, you just saved me so much money! I've been wanting a metal stamping set for months now, but haven't been able to find them for a reasonable price. I think beaducation's website sells them for like $90- gasp! I'm going to be making a necklace for my mom-in-law with all of her grandbabies names on a charm, so I'm going to HF today! I'm giddy 🙂 Thank you!
Oh my word, you just saved me so much money! I've been wanting a metal stamping set for months now, but haven't been able to find them for a reasonable price. I think beaducation's website sells them for like $90- gasp! I'm going to be making a necklace for my mom-in-law with all of her grandbabies names on a charm, so I'm going to HF today! I'm giddy 🙂 Thank you!
Oh my word, you just saved me so much money! I've been wanting a metal stamping set for months now, but haven't been able to find them for a reasonable price. I think beaducation's website sells them for like $90- gasp! I'm going to be making a necklace for my mom-in-law with all of her grandbabies names on a charm, so I'm going to HF today! I'm giddy 🙂 Thank you!
Oh my word, you just saved me so much money! I've been wanting a metal stamping set for months now, but haven't been able to find them for a reasonable price. I think beaducation's website sells them for like $90- gasp! I'm going to be making a necklace for my mom-in-law with all of her grandbabies names on a charm, so I'm going to HF today! I'm giddy 🙂 Thank you!
Those are CUTE!!!! I have never heard of Harbor Freight, so I might have to wait to get my stampset until I visit Indiana!!
You are so darn creative Beckie! Is there a Harbor Freight in Indy. I LOVE that sugar spoon!
This is such a great idea! We are actually buying the stamping kit for my 13yo's stocking. This is awesome because he could do this for grandparents. I am also buying him dog tags and large washer to go with it for him to stamp as well.
im tempted to go to harbour freight over my lunch break. I am in love. I am making my grandma a hot cocoa gift set for christmas (its her "thing") and i was going to do chocloate dipped spoons for stirring and i think my gma is worth a little extra dough.
FANTASTIC!!
I LOVE Harbor Freight, just something new to look for there. I'm soooo getting some of these. Thanks for the great idea!
Fabulous tutorial!!
That is the sweetest project ever! I cant wait to try this with something. Thanks for sharing this idea, you are so creative! 🙂
So creative!!! Love it.
Great idea and thanks for the source of Harbor Freight! I always wondered how they did that metal stamping stuff. I think my local thrift store is having a super sale on Friday too!
Anna
Oh. my. gosh. I am in LOOOOVE with this project. I have been drooling over metal stamped projects, I can't believe it's this easy to make our own! Thanks!
What a GREAT idea!! I am filing this away in my to do list! Thanks for the tutorial…
Angie
thank you for such a cute idea! i have a letter punch set and i have a ton of silverware (leftover from jewelry projects) great idea!!
Wow, I love this idea. Sometimes cheap Christmas gift ideas can look, well, cheap! This is a great idea, and very classy too, thank you for sharing, looking forward to more!
I am LOVING your new series. You rock!
Those are adorable! I've thought about metal stamping…this was a great tutorial! Thanks for sharing!
I almost didn't stop over here, I'm so glad I did. This little project is amazing.
@cheapchichome.blogspot.com
My best stop of the night! Thanks for sharing such a great idea. 😉
Greatest of the night. I have never done any silver stamping but This makes me want to try. Great gift idea too. I don't have teacher gifts but That would be a great one. Thank you
I've always wondered how they did that! Thank you so much for the tutorial.
Beautiful work!
Great idea! I'll have to try this! Definitely helps out my Christmas budget!
I tried doing this today with stainless steel spoon I got from Goodwill, they didn't have silver plated and I used my stamps like you said but it wouldn't go into the stainless steel. Maybe the wrong stamps? I got the ones you have too? hmmm wonder what I am doing wrong
deezie
well anyway, love yours 🙂
Wow those are SO cool!!
Why didn't I see this before my daughter's wedding!! We DIYed a lot of it. This would have been a great cake knife and server decoration!!! With their new initials stamped on the handle!!!! Ahhhhhhhh
This idea – and tutorial – is awesome. I'm heading over to the GW today to see if I can rustle up some cool silverware and am hoping for serving pieces. Will be making and linking back to you for props on origination!
Annalea
These are fantastic.. Love them!!
EEK!!! I seriously can't wait to try this!
Do spoons need to be sterling or silver plated? I'd like to stamp on small stainless steel spoons to use for baby spoons. Will this work? If not, can you tell me what kind of stamps to get for stainless?
Ann