...I haven't gone bonkers... promise! No, the title of today's post is called Soup & A Block because once I have explained it all you will know what I am on about... hopefully LOL So, you know those little letterpress blocks that cost around the price of the gross national debt? Well, I had the luck of buying some last year for a snip (on eBay, it pays to prowl the "listed in the wrong sections" stuff) Anyways... I bought a full alphabet with an extra set of vowels which I have been using on altered art... but the stingey moo in me is saying nooooo, don't use them!! What I am saving them for I have no idea... but... all the same... I saw somewhere - I think it was on All Things Tim - that you can make faux letterpress blocks with ... Alphabet Soup Grungeboard... aha!!! There is the soup reference. So, being as I am really efficient, I took a note of the instructions and promptly lost the piece of paper in the, what was then but is no longer, Doom of Trash.
So... I have a bucket load of plain wooden building blocks... a chance happening at a Car Boot sale one Sunday morning meant that I managed to buy several hundred weight of building blocks for the princely sum of 50 English Pence. (and... I hasten to add, I had bartered them down from a pound!!!) Anyways, these here building blocks have been sitting in a drawer awaiting attention. I have altered a couple but soon got bored of sanding and drilling holes in them (ok, ok, I admit... Grim drills the holes... he doesn't trust me with a drill... actually, I don't trust me with a drill LOL) Here are some of the blocks before the altering treatment... just plain old varnished wood in all different sizes.
Making these was... a... doddle!! Seriously, I thought that it would take me ages and it would be laborious but it wasn't. I sanded the blocks, painted them over with black Dabber a couple of coats... added a coat of brown Dabber (think it is Espresso) and then sanded them again, added Walnut Stain Distress Ink and then heat dried them. The letters - simples.. pick two the same, layer one on top of the other and glue the together. Paint with black Dabber, sand... ink with Walnut Stain and then stick to the blocks. Or, at least, I thought it was simples until... I smugly took them to show Grim who took one look and said... "but if they were printers blocks, the letters would be backwards" So, I shuffled backwards out of the room looking faintly embarrassed and muttering that I wanted them to be readable!
So... I have made Faux Letterpress blocks... but... erm... I bodged it because I was so excited that it was easy and I didn't think it through.. so... erm.. I am using artistic licence with them. And... just saying... they are featuring in the Sunday Stamper this week... I have made it already you know!!! I am so organised!!! Anyways... I think it is time for a nice deep hot bath and then bed...busy day today! That sounds so wrong... it is because it is not quite Saturday but by the time I have finished waffling it will be so... erm... I have foxed myself now... I shall say... Thanks for looking... have a BRILL day! TTFN
Saturday, 22 January 2011
Soup & A Block...
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
16 comments:
This is an AWESOME IDEA, and a great idea for all these little wood blocks I bought on a yard sale for next to nothing! Thanks, Hels!
ooh great idea!... now where are the wooden blocks hiding in my room of mess!??? Thank you for showing
xx
OMG what a fantastic idea!!!!!! I prefer them the way that they can be read. What a clever girl you are hug, thanks for sharing. xx
I nearly choked on my cereal when i read this!!!!
I made some letter blocks last year and done exactly the same as you but was to embarassed to tell anyone!!! Have to say tho Hels, yours are looking pretty fab!! Can't wait till sunday to see what you've done with them......
Well I love your letter blocks.......think they look great, can't wait to see what you have made with them. :-) S x
Tomorrow's piece is sounding exciting. Some of those blocks are just the right size for blending tools!
xx
Great idea, all I need now is a load of wooden blocks and a load of letters..... ah well. Looking forward to the Sunday Stamper...
Really fab these; and of course you wanted to be able to read them! I'll be off then, there's a charity shop down the road.......
Rock on! Love the recycling part, the fact that you got them for a pittance, and that you can actually read what they say! job well done!
clever clever girl, ignore OH he is just jealous, LOL
LOL my word verification is "hypussi"
ROFL
Fantastic! I"d say they're "in the style of" printer blocks!
What a super idea Hels. I'll have to get some wood blocks to try this out as it's just what I need to add to an altered mirror I'm doing. Thanks for sharing.
Stampersue
X
I Love em and what a great use of all those blocks I unmounted my stamps from! I'll be making these for sure.
These are a great idea...thanks for the instructions!!! I have to admit I saw them, loved them....and then wondered where on earth you had managed to find printing blocks that were that way round! i, like you, prefer something that can be easily read!! xx
Beautiful work and such a good idea
These are great Hels. Thanks for sharing the idea. I think you should be very pleased that Grim commented on the letters being the right (er, wrong) way round. At least it shows he really looked and didn't just pay lip service like my OH probably would have done, Lol!
Hugs
Lesley Xx
Post a Comment