Vaessen Creative • Styrofoam bear sitting 8cm

Styrofoam is a lightweight base material that is ideal for all kinds of craft projects. Styrofoam is also called styropor, polystyrene, tempex or hard foam and is available in many varieties. Think of basic shapes like balls, eggs and wreaths, but also more complicated figures like flowers and animals. The round Styrofoam ball is, for example, very popular as a basic shape for making Christmas balls with glitter and sequins.

Styrofoam can be painted and glued with water-based paints and glues. Paint a polystyrene mould with acrylic paint, decorate it with Powertex and/or use it as a base for paper, sequins, fabric, felt, clay and other materials. You can easily pin such accessories to the polystyrene foam with pins. You can also cover polystyrene with leaves, moss, bark and flowers for a natural look. Secure the materials with string, wood glue, staples or needles, glue from a glue gun or other water-based glue.