Photo Blocks!

Hello!  Hope your having a great day!  It is so gorgeous here and finally hot!  Yesterday we went and spent the afternoon with a great friend and enjoyed swimming in her amazing backyard pool!  Today I took the kids to a splash park, starting summer off right!

Today I want to share my teacher gifts that I made!  I came up with the idea all on my own!  Go me!  LOL First I'll show you them and than explain them:

I made photo blocks!  I emailed Ariel's music teacher's husband and asked for him to send me a bunch of photos, emailed her teacher's daughter and DIL asked for photos, and emailed the other teacher myself and asked for photos.  Of course when I actually thought of the best way to take a photo it's blurry!

The teacher's loved them!  Perfect for there desk at school or even at home!

I also made one last week for Chad's cousin as a baby present:

I emailed and asked for some baby photos and made this!  I stamped the baby's name and birth details onto a piece of pp with staz on ink!  She loved it!  It's great decor for the baby's nursery!

Now I'll share how I made them.  Most craft stores sell wooden blocks the same size as this.  When I went to get one I was a bit surprised by the price and on the spot came up with the idea to hit a hardware store instead!  I bought a fence post and had them cut them into squares for me!  Usually they cut 3 cuts for free but since I had a car (couldn't fit the post in it) and it was slow they cut me much more!

The mistake I made was buying pressure treated wood I should have bought a solid piece but that's okay!  The cost of the post is the same as the cost of one block at the craft store!  And I can get I am guessing 20 blocks, the ones in the photo are not even half of what he cut for me!  I plan on sending the rest of this post home with a handy friend of Chad's to cut for me!  :>  

Here is how to make this:

1.  Buy a fence post in good quality wood.  Measure end and cut into blocks (Mine are 3.5 inches by 3.5 inches)

2.  Sand edges of blocks really well. (I got Chad to do this part!)

3.  Because you are using real wood you have to use a wood stain on it before painting it your desired color.  Yes this is an extra cost but if you plan to  make many of these blocks for birthday's or Christmas it pays off!  A friend had grey wood stain and let me use it so that worked out well!  Paint and let dry.  I painted mine in the basement.

4.  Sand any drips or rough paint spots.  Now paint your desired color.  I used acrylic paint.  For the pink I had to do two coats, but for the black I only did one.  Let dry.

5.  Print out your pictures and crop to 3.25 (if your block is 3.5) use photos taken at a distance so that your not cutting anyone off!

6.  Apply Mod Podge to all of square and apply photo, put a thin layer of mod podge all over the photo.  I use a brush and only brush it in one direction.  Let dry add another layer.  Let dry.

7. In the garage or a well ventilated area spray with a Clear Finishing Coat I used Kyron Crystal Clear Acrylic Coating! Let dry!  And your done!  

I hope that explains it well!  I enjoyed making this!  And I plan to make more!