Project by Megan Ballarini from Clearwater, Fla.
As a child, Megan used to take apart her mother’s jewelry and redesign it. See how Megan’s artistic inclinations have returned as an adult, now that she spends much of her free time recreating cute items she knows she can make for less than what it would cost to buy, like these vintage wooden print blocks.
Materials:
8" x 6" block of wood
sandpaper
acrylic paint
paintbrush
polymer clay
pasta machine to roll clay or rolling pin
foil
Liquid Nails adhesive
paintable sealing caulk
Mod Podge
colored photocopy of favorite picture
picture hanger
adhesive felt bumpers
wad of aluminum foil
Steps:
1. Sand wood until smooth. Paint with acrylic paint in desired color. When dry, sand to look worn.
2. Roll out polymer clay to roughly a 5" x 7" sheet. Rough up edges with bunched-up foil before baking. Bake according to package instructions.
3. After baking, when sheet is cool, use it as a template to trace around you picture. Cut out picture around lines you traced.
4. Use Liquid Nails to adhere clay sheet to woodblock. Wait for it to dry.
5. Fill in little gap between clay and wood with paintable caulk. Wait to dry.
6. Paint dry caulk dark brown.
7. Cover sheet of clay generously with Mod Podge and apply picture, making sure to get it in the cracks and crevices of clay. Apply Mod Podge over picture. Let dry.
8. Use watered-down brown acrylic paint to antique picture and painted block. Wait for paint to dry.
9. Cover everything with another lay of Mod Podge as a sealant. Let it dry.
10. Attach picture hanger and add felt bumpers to the back of the block.
Website: www.glassbeadfairy.com
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