Wooden Blocks

So I had to run into our local Hallmark store a few months back to grab some wrapping paper and I spied these wooden blocks with painted words on them and thought what a clever idea. Well you know I wasn't going to buy those when they were perfectly simple to re-create.

I hit up my local lumber store, picked up some remnants for free, had my dh chop these 2x6  into  9 inch blocks (I am sure the lumber guys would have obliged me equally as well). I wanted to stain them black but dummy me forgot to buy the wood stain. Oh well I was already on a roll using Tim Holtz Distressed Ink for my other project so lets just try it out on wood..works pretty good.

I misted the ink with water and painted the edges with the excess runoff using a foam dauber. I had to apply the ink two or three times. Basically I swiped the pad against the wood grain then rubbed it in with a foam dauber..added just a bit of water to help the ink soak into the wood and let it sit overnight to let the ink cure up, which it did so there was no fear of ink rubbing off while you handled the wood.

Next I cut the letter stencils from the Silhouette and their stencil material which if you haven't tired it is about the best thing ever. It's super adhesive without being overly sticky. So I can lift it multiple times yet it doesn't overly grab and it still sticks darn well.

I rubbed the stencil firmly all over to make sure all the edge were sealed and used a foam brush to daub on white paint on and then lightly painted with the brush it to give it a brush stroke feel.

Came out pretty good, this one is for my dd.

 

So after I completed my dd and the paint was drying I was half tempted to throw some of that excess glitter I had from making my skull from the Wicked letters, but decided against it.

 

However as I was putting the stencil down and painting on the white paint for mine, I thought hey I could toss some green glitter in the glitter mix and do it to mine. So what they hey that is exactly what I did. I just wished I would have spritzed it with hairspray before I removed the stencil so I wouldn't have all those pesky bits here and there. Oh well I still like the final product.

 

I also just want to mention that I saw the blocks in various shapes and sizes so you could do 2x4 and cut in 12 inch lengths or do shorter for Love, etc and perhaps go with a 2x8 or even a 4x8 and cut whatever length you like..I think you get the idea. These would make great inexpensive Christmas gifts.