Got to get away!!

Hey guys, I am on vacation this week in sunny Florida.  You won't see much from me this week but I am thinking about blogging about my room, very pretty!  Life's a beach! Laura

Photo block tutorial

So I made these blocks for our youth at church and I promised I would come back and give you the details. I went to Loew's and purchased a hunk o' wood, actually it was a 2 x8 x8.  I had the nice man at Loew's cut it into 7 inch chunks.  I wanted them to be a square, or close to and it turns out a 2x8 isn't actually 8, it's 7 1/4, I didn't want to mess with the quarter so I started with a block that is 7 x 71/4. I sand all the edges and then put on a base coat of paint on. While that dries I start to prep my paper and designs I am going to add.

I cut my paper 6 x 6 and then tear off a small bit on each side. Put Mod Podge on the wood and then on the back of your paper.  I let it dry a minute and then run my brayer over the paper to get out any bubbles.  Once it is dry I add 2 or 3 more layers.  I use Mod Podge with a satin finish. I also put paper on both of the sides of the block. I cut it about 1 1/2 inches and then tear the edges again.  I paint the bottom and put felt dots on it.

On this one I drilled a hole in the top, centered and added a bit of glue and placed the cabinet door know in the whole.  I also glued on the word family and a small clip with E6000 quick drying glue.  It's hard to see in the picture but I took a gold ink pad and inked the edges and dabbed a bit of antique gold paint on the silver clip so that everything coordinates. It's a great way to display a picture. Of course my mind started thinking of all the possibilities so I got busy and made a couple for myself. Here is my Halloween design.

I just love this, I love the combination of colors, and look at my kids, they are all grown up now so I love seeing pictures of them from Halloween past!

Here is a side view, that is coordinating paper. The picture of the kids isn't attached.  I simply clipped it on after I cut out circles to mount the picture on.  The little "boo" on the bottom is something I had.

I thought of this idea to add the ribbon but  needed a handle and I didn't want to go and spend any money so I took a dowel I already  had and drilled a hole in the long piece and down the center of the short pieces.  I put a nail down the hole to hold everything together and added a bit of glue.  Then I drilled a large hole in the block and put some glue in the whole and added the handle.  Then I took scraps of ribbon and tied them onto the handle.  It was really simple and so cheap!!! What a great Christmas idea!!! I made one more, a fall one.

And the side view...

As I said this idea is limitless.  How cool would it be to make a birthday one and you bring it out whenever it's someone's birthday, add a personal note or what if you put affirmations on it, or "way to go" Great gift for a new baby.I thought about adding beads to the handle and use wire instead of a wood handle.  Oh I almost forgot I had these earings and added them to the handle for extra interest. Good luck to you, if you make one, send me a picture!
~ toodles Laura~

A twist on a picture frame!

Well I am going to be the first to say these aren't the best pics but I had to get them up today or it would be... well who knows when!!! Our youth at church are having an auction this weekend to raise bunches of money to do good things.  I usually do a couple of floral arrangements but decided to do something new.  Of course I am a last minute Joe or is it Jo, but here they are.

 I think it's pretty easy to figure out what I did, but I will try to post a tutorial this week. 

 After I got these done, they inspired me to make some for me!  Imagine... something I get to keep.  So I am working on a fall and Halloween one.  Oh in case you aren't sure what to do with them, simply clip a photo on or a "to do" list or how about something inspirational. That just gave me the best idea, what if you did a cute birthday one or ewww, things to be grateful for.  Well as you can see the list is endless.  I'll give you all the details and show you the ones I'm keeping soon!

~toodles~ Laura