For many people this year, and in those past, it was a handmade Christmas. I admit that I enjoy making things for others especially those who have everything and it’s hard to shop for. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy making for others to just create but finding that special something to give someone who has what they want at all times is true challenge to me.
This year, I had been fortunate to review Artistic Letters on my blog and I have had them available for me to use at any step in my crafting and hadn’t found anything that I liked and wanted to create. Once I went to Canton First Money Trade Days I got inspiration from these little wooden plaques to make something for my father (and my mother) with our surname on it from the Letter Photographs.
The first thing that I did was paint the sides and edges of each board in black acrylic paint using a foam brush.
While they were drying, I then went through and measured each of the plaques on the top section to see exactly what size each letter would need to be. I chose my letters and opened them up Photoshop since I knew I would need to resize them so they would fit perfectly. I printed them out on white cardstock using my Inkjet printer.
After I had cut out each letter, I took my Black Ink and sponge and inked up the edges of each letter so that it would blend into the painted background. Using Mod Podge to put the paper down, I was very generous so to not have bubbles.
As you can see the letters turned out so well! Hubby and I had two different ways of putting this together and so we decided to give it to them for Christmas unassembled but let them know our two ideas.
My idea was to put a thin piece of wood along the back also painted in black and using barbed wire to make a hanger for the top piece. Then my mom could put a bow at the top and hide the hanger. The barbed wire was leftover and found on their new property down in Central Texas.
Hubby wanted to use the barbed wire and run a loop along the back and then just have the hangers hold up the barbed wire.
Which would you have chosen? As soon as I get a picture back from them I will make sure to let you know what they chose.
What did you make for holiday gifts? Check back tomorrow for another holiday gift that I made for my mother and sister!
