Let’s print, pray and make things! Hi friends, this is Cristin and I have a fun project to show you using the printables from the Print & Pray Shop. Oftentimes, I wish I could get more use out of the printable sets I download every month. I get so much enjoyment out of using the printables in my Bible, but sometimes there’s a special set that means a lot to me and I want to be able to use the set in a way that lets me enjoy it every day.
While shopping at the craft store in the unfinished wood aisle, I picked up a package of wooden blocks. And then I started thinking: what if I decorated the blocks using the Print & Pray goodies? I could paint or stain the wood and then add some fun Print & Pray elements…and then I could be inspired all the time! So that’s what I did, and I’d love to show you how absolutely easy they were to make!
I started by staining the blocks with a small sample-sized can of wood stain. This one is called Golden Oak by Minwax. I wiped the stain on with a paper towel, then wiped off the excess and let it dry. While they were drying, I sorted through my Print & Pray sets and chose some journaling cards, and other matching pieces. The nice thing about using a printable set is that you never run out of your favorite embellishments – you can always print another sheet. I used these sets from the shop: Better than Yesterday and Face to the Sun both by Elaine Davis. I also used The Little Things (plus the matching card set), and Just Breathe both by Shawna Clingerman.
From there I arranged bits and pieces on top of the blocks until I liked how it looked. I used a few drops of liquid glue to adhere the paper to the blocks. This way, I can change them up in the future if I’d like to. If you would like this to be permanent or if you are gifting the blocks, I recommend using Mod Podge for both your adhesive and to seal the block afterwards. (If you pull the paper off the blocks, the glue does leave a slight ghost mark on the stain, just an FYI.)
I printed a couple of tiny photos, and created a scrapbook look on two of the blocks. I just popped the photo in with the printed elements, and I love how fun it looks!
The blocks I’m using are a perfect size to use with journaling cards. I decided to use the “My Word for 2017” card from the Better than Yesterday set. I recently changed my focus word for this year to “more.” I know this sounds strange, but I’m not meaning more in a consumeristic way, but I want to focus on spending more time with God and cultivating godly habits. I used a dab of hot glue to attach a black clip to the block to hold this card. My focus word is now out where I can see it daily!
For a little extra touch, I tied ribbon around a few of the blocks, just like I was tying a bow around a present. It was fun to layer some narrow ribbon on top of a wider ribbon. And, since I always need more work space, I decided on hanging the blocks above my desk, rather than stacking them on top. I used a pinterest-worthy hack and created picture hangers with pop tabs. I hot glued the tabs to the back of the blocks, but a screw would be more permanent and a stronger option. The blocks I’m using are very light (they are not solid wood), so the hot glue is working, as long as I don’t try to bend the tabs after they’ve been glued down.
Here is a finished picture of the blocks hanging in my creative space. I love the pop of color and the dimension they add to the wall. I think they would make a fun gift for a friend! Let me know if you try this out and be sure to use the hashtag #printprayshop on Instagram!
-Cristin
additional supplies: craft wood blocks | 7/8 Black Gingham Ribbon | pop tabs
