Photo Cube

Greetings once again from the Rubber Room!

I so do apologize for not posting sooner. I can't believe its been a month since I've posted last. Not much has been going on here lately. I've just been busy with the "everyday life" kinda things. Nothing too exciting! You really don't want to hear about how my wash was coming along. Or how I hate to clean my house....so I won't bore you with the details.

But I do want to share with you my latest project I just completed.
My daughter Kelli, (waving hi!!) took the children up to Bakersfield, to "Picture People" and had this year's portraits done. They turned out so darn cute. I just had to do something special with them, besides putting them on a scrapbook layout. That'll come later.

Then I get Rebecca Ludens' newsletter from about.com. She mentioned she has all sorts of gift ideas and gave us a challenge and the links to a few ideas. I am always looking for inspiration and different ideas. Don't you? Especially now, during this holiday season. I always try to make one handmade gift for children. So, this year its the cubes.

Let me back up a bit, like 3 years or so. My husband is such a handyman. He loves his power tools. He is always out fiddling around in his workshop. I decided to do snoop one day. Why? I guess I was just bored and looking for trouble! I saw in his workshop this long piece of lumber. It was really long and measured 3"x3". I thought, I need that piece of wood. So, I promptly went to my husband and asked what plans he had for that piece of lumber. He told me and so I asked if I could have the leftovers if there was any. He knows not to question me when I get that gleam in my eye. So, he made sure he saved the leftovers. Not only did he save the leftovers he cut them for me as well. He cut them into 3"x3"x3" cubes. He managed to cut 6 of them for me.




He brought in those little cubes to me, and the wheels started turning. I was thinking of all the different things I could do with these cubes. I had so many ideas, I couldn't settle one just one. So, when that happens, I put it aside for a while and then come back to it. That was three years ago. I've been sitting with these cubes up on the mantle, waiting for my one idea, one great big spark of inspiration.

That's when I received Rebecca's newsletter. I read through all her newsletter and that's when I saw, she had done a photo block. http://scrapbooking.about.com/od/pagestarterideas/ig/Scrapbook-Cubes/Now she used papers on hers. I thought about using CTMH's Notebook papers...but changed my mind at the last minute and decided to just paint it.


So, here is what I did:

1. I sanded the blocks with a heavy duty sandpaper.
2. I painted the block with an acrylic scrapbooking paint.
3. I stamped using acrylic paint and CTMH's "Spot On Background" stamp set. Just the top and bottom. At this point I was still going to

use paper on the blocks, but when the paint dried, I really like the wood grain coming through. It was at this point not to use the papers.

4. I distressed all the edges with CTMH's Cocoa stamp pad, to give that distressed look.
5. I printed out my pictures (after cropping them down to just "head shots").
6. I cut out the scallop circle, using my Nestabilities.
7. I printed and cut out each of their names using the font "Fling" on my Wishblade. I also used my wishblade to print and cut the pictures.
8. I started on one side and worked my way around, using whatever embellishments I had on had.
9. I used a heavy duty push pin, and made holes in the wood, filled with Scotch Quick Drying Glue, filled each hole and then pushed brads in it. Its more of a decorative look than anything.
10. For those brads that were too big to press into holes, I cut off the prongs of the brad and glued them down with Liquid Glass, as well as using my Liquid Glass to attach the other embellishments.


I have another block to do, but I am still waiting on the pictures my son had taken of the twins. Hopefully, he'll be picking them up this coming Saturday. Then I'll be able to hop right on it and get his block done. Once I get it completed, I'll be posting here.


Thanks for stopping by. So, until next time...

Happy Holidays!!

Inky Hugs,
Leanne