I absolutely fell in love with Kerryanne's Christmas Blocks at Shabby Art Boutique. Yes, I had to make my own! She has a wonderful tutorial along with a set of free prints to make your own also. I will provide my tutorial also, not that mine is better by any means, but just another explanation.
The images on the front of these blocks are from Fairy Graphics, which has free graphics, which I dearly love. I also do digital scrapbooking and several of my images that I used are part of my stash that was either free or that I have bought over the years. I am not going to show those, as I can't give well deserved credit to these talented professionals, (because I file my stash by items and not by kits with the name of the artists). I did design some of my own graphics though.
First you need blocks. The blocks are 3" x 3" x 3". Some of the craft supply stores do sell the small blocks and I did find a place online that sold the larger blocks, but I am lucky enough to have a hubby with a lot of shop tools! Lowe's has untreated, 8' x 3' x 3' poles. One pole will make 25 blocks. Hubby, used a miter saw and I used an electric hand sander before painting the blocks. I then painted the blocks and sanded the blocks again in spots. I also sanded the edges to make the blocks look a little worn. They do take quite a bit of sanding as any rough spot will show on the finished block.
I used my photo editing program to make my graphics 3" by 3". Some graphics can be stretched and not distorted and some can't. Depending on the size of the graphic, I did clone some of the edges to fill in the sides or continue a wing on an angel or whatever it took to make the graphics look awesome. The graphic on the right, I added a Christmas cross word puzzle too. I also changed several graphics using different wording or other images like packages, snow or whatever came to mind. Each side of the block has a different graphic, so the possibilities are endless!
Now it is time for the fun to begin! Mod Podge the backside of your graphic and also the block. Put the graphic on the block and Mod Podge over the top. Drying is essential, before applying another graphic. If the finished blocks with graphics happen to stick to another block graphic, sometimes light sanding will repair the block and then add another coat of Mod Podge. In case that doesn't work, just sand lightly and place another same graphic on top, going through the above same steps to adhere.
Anywhere I decide to place them, is perfect and beautiful! I placed them on my vintage scale, in my sunroom with the backdrop of beautiful Table Rock Lake, here in southwest Missouri, to enjoy. I have given several sets away for Christmas to friends and family. I plan to make more for Valentine's Day, Easter and whatever comes to mind.
