Shaving Cream and Food Coloring Revisited

I was going through my craft supplies a while ago (since this damp and chilly spring has prevented me from taking care of my flower beds I have had at least a little extra time available for organization) and I found some rather old cans of shaving foam.  I am sure the question "Why is that crazy woman storing shaving foam in a basket with pipe cleaners, glitter and popsicle sticks?" sprang instantly to mind.  The answer to that question is that shaving cream can be used to make a really cool project, of course!

This project, a simple technique for marbling paper, is one that we have enjoyed before (here) and the bright colors seemed to call to me on yet anther gloomy spring day.

First, you spray a fairly thick layer of the foam into a cookie sheet or other low sided pan and then smooth it out like frosting.

Next, you drip liquid food coloring on top of the shaving cream.  You can make any sort of pattern you like with as many colors as you want.

After you have added your food coloring, use a bamboo skewer to mix and swirl - we found dragging the stick in a swirl produced the best designs.

Finally, you set your paper down over the design and just gently run your fingertips over paper until you see the dye begin to adhere to the paper (we used finger-painting paper this time, and that worked very well, but construction or art paper would work too).  Then, pick up two corners of the paper and lift it off in one smooth motion.  A certain amount of foam will stay stuck to the paper, but as it dries it will turn powdery and can be gently dusted off.

You can make another sheet using the same foam, re-swirl the original leftovers for a new design, or add more colors and make a new design until the foam gets packed down below the rim of your pan.  At that point you can either clean out the pan and start over or just add a new layer of foam on top.

Cleaning up after we ran out of paper was the biggest challenge - what to do with all that colored foam?  I ended up washing it all down the sink.  

So, if the gloom is this spring is getting you down, spend some time sniffing the lovely perfume of shaving foam (helpful hint: find a scent-free foam) and make some pretty paper.  We used ours to make cards and wrap some gifts.

Happy marbling everyone!