DIY: Giraffes on Parade Scarf

I could have purchased this scarf at Target for a mere $15.

Neon pink with an all-over giraffe print? Yes please!

But noooooooo, I couldn't justify spending that much on a tiny strip of sartorial frivolity. (Yeah, I don't get my brain and its logical inconsistencies either sometimes.) Soooooo I decided to make it myself.

What you need:
Long piece of pink cloth such as linen (I sewed two strips of fabric together - more on this later)
Black fabric paint
Paintbrush (kind of optional, but convenient)
Foam board
A "handle" of some kind

What you do:
1) Trace the outline of whatever shape or animal you want (woolly mammoths, robots, or koalas, anyone?*) onto your foam board and cut out.

2) Attach your "handle" to one side of your foam board stamp, keeping in mind which way you want your zombie or kitten to face when you print it. I used rolled up cardboard, but use your imagination.

3) Paint black paint all over your foam shape, then place down on your fabric. You'll probably have to use your fingers to push down the extremities of the "stamp" especially if there are a million limbs like my giraffe.

4) Lift the stamp off. If you want, go back with a paintbrush to fill in all the areas your stamp might have missed. I left mine like they were since the blotchiness looked giraffe-like anyways.

5) Repeat until you've got yourself a herd, including on the back side of your fabric if you want.

Looks very Ralph Lauren, huh?

6) Notice that the two strips of fabric you bought (on two separate days) are actually neither the same color, nor the same weight linen.

It's a slight difference, but definitely there.

7) Shrug your shoulders and sew them together anyways. Use some FrayCheck if not using a knit fabric.

8) Wear to the beach! (pictures of final product forthcoming, once I'm actually at the beach...)

*Credit to my friend Ben for the koala suggestion