You don’t have to be Martha Stewart to have a little fun with scissors, ink, and shaving cream. If you are looking for a fun activity to do this month with children, why not try the ancient craft of marbling in celebration of National Craft Month!

The art of marbling goes back centuries. It was used for official purposes and documents, as well as for decorative purposes. Marbling can be done in so many different ways. Marbled designs can be applied to paper, fabric, three-dimensional surfaces and more. No two designs are alike. Here is an activity to get you started making marbled art.

Materials: pan, shaving cream (the white foamy kind), food coloring/dye, paper, and toothpicks

Create: Spray the shaving cream into the pan. Add the food coloring to the shaving cream. Use the toothpicks to create swirls in the white shaving cream. Next, gently lay your paper on the surface of the marbled design you made. Lift the paper and scrape off any excess foam. Voila! You have marbled paper! Let the paper dry for at least a day.

When your paper craft is done drying you can make all sorts of things out of your designs. Stationery, bookmarks, and wall art can result from your marbling. L’arte d’arrangiarsi is an Italian phrase that means to create something from nothing. Create something beautiful today!