How to make a Football Gum Head Party Favor

I am SO VERY excited to share with you today's party idea.  These gum heads are one of my most popular and favorite ideas and I've debated a LONG time on how to share them with you.  I've been making these fun favors for almost 10 years now and the original graphics had a Terms of Use on them that made them unable to share or sell the projects as a DIY.

But I have finally figured out how to share them with you!

I found the perfect graphics and can now offer them as a printable.  So I'm going to share how to make our Football Team Gum Head party favors with you today.

To make these you will need:

 

Printed Gum Head Graphic File HERE., or your choice of graphics

Fun Foam

5 pack Gum

Glue

I use the regular thickness foam sheets from Hobby Lobby to make mine.  If you use too thick of foam, it will make the gum hard to wrap.  It's your choice as to the color.  I try and make mine coordinate with the team, party, or graphic color, but it's your choice.

Cut the foam into 3.5 inch squares.

Here's the tricky part.  Actually, it's not really tricky, it's just getting the dimensions right to cut each arm and head spot.

I start by cutting the foam one inch from the top.  I cut a slit on both sides from the edge into the center for 1.25 inches.

Then I move up a 1/2 an inch and cut another slit 1.5 inches on both sides.  Then I cut from the edge of the top slit up on both sides creating a head tab.

On the bottom edge, I go up a half inch and cut 1.25 inch arm into the bottom to make the feet "arms".  Then I use my x-acto knife to cut a joining slit between the two arms and pull out the extra.

These should leave you with an "I" shape with a little tab on the top.

Find a 5 pack of Gum.  And to be honest, this may be hard because not a lot of places carry this size anymore.  I get mine at Sams Club.

Place the gum in the center of the "I".

Now use your glue gun to place a bit of glue on side of both the upper and lower arms.

Fold the opposite arm over the gum and then the side with the glue over.  You may need to hold it down a few seconds, but it should take long.

Print out your graphics onto card stock.  If you are using our Gum Head files, you will get 4 gum heads to a page with feet and some of the files will have extra graphics for your guys to "hold".

Now make sure your graphics are cut out and ready.  This part may be a bit tedious and not fun.  I've done my best to get rid of the hard cuts, but due to the graphics there may be some tight angles on the heads and props.  I like to cut these out while I'm watching TV so I don't get too bored.

To finish putting the gum head together, place another dab of glue on the tab at the top and center your head onto the tab.  Our graphics should make it so the hands of your figurine are off to each side of the gum.

Now add a dab of glue to both gum "arms" and place your feet lined up on the bottom and your prop on the top arm.

Now you end up with a yummy Football player that your team or guests will be thrilled to have!

You can purchase our Gum Head graphics for instant download HERE.

I've been so busy creating that I haven't had time to photograph great yet, so be patient please on those!

I'm excited to tell you I'm also working on some Christmas, Baseball, and Super Hero Gum Heads with more to come!