Stamp it up with Katie

I'm really excited to introduce you all to Katie.  Katie and I went to high school together so I've known her for a long time.  She is a really creative lady!  REALLY creative! 

She just started a new chapter in her life - as a Stampin' up demonstrator! I can't think of a more perfect job for her!  And with her new job she has a new blog to showcase her amazing creations - Stamp It Up with Katie. 

From her blog you can find all kinds of amazing goodness.

You will find:

Her projects

(Set of 6 thank you cards and envelopes $6.50.  That's cheaper than you can get cards at the store people and these are super cute!!!)

(Set of 6 thank you cards and envelopes $6.50)

Check out the rest of her online shop here.  It's full of final projects and supplies!

Here's Katie with a tutorial on how to make those adorable wooden blocks!

Have you ever seen those adorable baby blocks that are popping up everywhere nowadays? Ever thought about making your own? I can help! First, let me show my first set of wooden baby bocks I made for a friend:

The blocks I am going to show you how to make are not meant to be played with by small children. They are for decorative purposes only.

The supplies you need are:

- Wooden Blocks (I used 2.5”, I would go no smaller than 2”) – Try CaseysWood.com for blocks

- Acrylic Paint

- Paint brushes

- Paint Sealer or Mod Podge

- Patterned Scrapbook Paper

- Embellishments (buttons, ribbon, stickers, etc.)

1.      The first step is to make sure your wooden blocks are sanded. You want a smooth surface. Next, decide what color you’d like to paint each block. You can do one color per block, or do different colors on the sides, it’s up to you! You can also utilize stencils to make patterns or shapes on your blocks.

2.      Once you are done painting, you will want to seal the blocks so the paint doesn’t chip. This can be done with simple sealer you find at a craft store or you can use Mod Podge (glossy or matte, either works – I used Mod Podge CS11302 Original 16-Ounce Glue, Matte Finish on mine).

3.      To add paper, you will want to cut it slightly smaller than the width and height of the side of the block. If you simply glue the paper to the side and then cut around it, the edges are likely to get frayed and torn. On mine I did 1.5” squares because I wanted the paint to show, but if you want the whole side covered, cut the paper no less than 1/8” of the width of your block.

4.      Now you get to decorate! If you are spelling out the name of the child, put the letters on first. I used adhesive letters from the scrapbook section of my local craft store. But you can use stencils or cut out your own letters, or other types of materials for your letters (like small wooden letters – how cute would that be!).

5.      At this point it is all up to you. It is a good idea to have a theme in mind so you can decorate with harmony instead of it looking like a mish-mash of designs. With my blocks, the theme was bold colors with animals. You can use just a simple boy or girl theme, or go with a color or subject theme (like pastels and ballerinas). Check the scrapbook section of your craft store for 3-d stickers or flat stickers. There is an amazing selection of cute embellishments for you to use!

Tips:

1. When adhering paper, use dry glue from the scrapbook section of your craft store. Adhesive or tape runners are best if you are using loose paper from the store since it is much thinner than some other papers. If it’s thick you can use tacky glue to adhere the paper. You don’t want to use wet glue on thin paper since it will bubble and show through. This is an example of a dry adhesive:

(This one is Aleene's Dry Adhesive Tacky Tape Runner 65ft)

2. To adhere embellishments, I used hot glue. Be careful when using hot glue, it is very easy to burn your fingers. If you do not want to use a glue gun, you can use Aleene's Quick Dry Tacky Glue 8 Oz. or Aleene's Fast Grab Tacky Glue (both glues are under $3 on Amazon!)– it dries quickly so you can work on other sides of the block without waiting half an hour for the adhesive to dry.

Right now I’m working on a tutorial for making blocks out of foam so make sure to become a follower on my blog so you don’t miss it!

Thanks Katie!
If you have any questions or need any scrapbook or stamping products make sure to visit Katie's blog!

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