Another 2012 Valentine Project

Ah yes. I forgot to mention the super simple project that we're offering at our upcoming class for those who only have a few pictures...or about 10 minutes to finish a project!

You finish the project the exact same way as we detailed in the previous blog entry. The beauty of this project is that it's so fast that you can make one for each family member!

Free downloadable file for project here: Love Blocks Valentine Project .pdf. Just be sure to use a laser printer!

Beth Graham is an amazing photographer. She shared some darling pictures of her own kids which we used for this sample. Be sure to check out her blog for more examples of her work.

2012 Valentine Love Project

One of the sweet things about going through Grandma's house this past Christmas was the wonderful pile of family photographs that we discovered. Up to that point, I had about 3 photographs from my husband's childhood.

We are gearing up to teach another holiday class at Deseret Book in February. (We'll be there February 4th from 10-12.) Our ornament projects are pretty popular there and with Valentines Day right around the corner, we thought of another simple project that uses the 2" wood block.

Suni was tasked with coming up with our samples. Imagine my joy when she returned these using pictures featuring photos from the life of our mom and grandma that had just passed away. I think it's the perfect way to say I Love You!


Of course, we want to share this project with you...
First, you need to gather some supplies:

2" Wood Blocks
Decorative Paper - or print out our Love Blocks Valentine Project .pdf. Just be sure to use a laser printer!
Decoupage Glue - We like ModPodge's Matte Glue
Foam Brush
Scissors
2" Pictures (Print these on regular paper using a laser printer.)
Sandpaper / Sanding block
Distress ink / chalk (optional)
Finishing Spray

Step 1:
Prepare your pictures. You have two options. Either print each picture to be at least as large as your blocks. Use the edge of the block to trace around each picture and cut away the excess. Or, you can use the Photo Wizard to get your picture to the exact size that is needed for this project. [Use the Block/Box - ORNAMENT option for the 2" block.] Need help using the Photo Wizard. See our demo. Still need help? We're only a mouse click away. Just email us at mythoughts@storiesbyme.com. Cut each picture to size.

Be sure to print your pictures using a LASER printer! Ink jet colors tend to smear when they get wet!!

Step 2:
The cut ends of the wood absorb more glue than the grained ends. Before beginning this step, apply a layer of glue of glue to the ends with the rougher (cut) surfaces. Let glue dry.

Apply a thin layer of glue to the first side of one block. Place picture over glue and press in to place. Remove any air bubbles.

Check for overhanging paper edges. It is important to WAIT for the glue to dry before attempting to remove any excess paper.

Once all of the picture are in place, add decorative paper to the top and bottom of each block. Don't worry about matching sides. A random look is great!

Step 3:
If you like the vintage look shown in our example, sand all the corners of the block being careful not to sand across the picture.

This step gives the block a worn look; like it's been around for ages. We darken the exposed wood to make the project look even older!

Video of the entire process - long and BORING...but very detailed!

Step 4:
Protect the pictures by adding several layers of decoupage glue over the top of the photos. This process is time-consuming because you must wait for the glue to dry. Instead of glue, we'll sometimes add several light coats of a matte acrylic spray when pressed for time.

Sending much love your way!

Grandma's Snicker Doodle Cookies

It's been a busy couple of weeks around here. Our grandmother passed away Christmas morning. Some people would think that it should have been a sad day...but it wasn't. We'll miss her immensely, but we were comforted by the fact that she didn't have to suffer. (She had been diagnosed two weeks earlier with pancreatic cancer.) Right up to the very end, she was thinking of everyone else by leaving earth life when it would be most convenient for family and friends to come together to celebrate her life. Because her funeral was during the Christmas break, everyone got to attend and it really was quite a joyful occasion.

This past Sunday evening I learned that another grandparent had passed away. He wasn't a direct grandfather, but he was a Grandparent Superhero by his incredible love and amazing example.

If you ask my kids about their memories of Grandma, they'll be sure to include stories of her Snicker Doodle cookies. One time, my kids had a cookie eating contest to see who could eat the most Snicker Doodles (I happened to have been out during this grand moment of brain loss.) We got to enjoy the game for weeks as my youngest WON the contest and shared the spoils later that night by literally tossing his cookies all over the car!

As we were clearing out Grandma's things we came across a treasure... a copy of her cookie recipe. I knew immediately what needed to be done! Each of my kids got a copy in ornament form.

These cookies are GOOD! We'll share the cookie recipe here. If you want to finish the project, it's been designed for a 5x6 placard. To finish the backside of the ornament, you can use scrap book paper (pink - on right), fabric (brown dots - on left) or personalize it with a family picture (center one is going to my son in the Netherlands so he can enjoy a little bit of Grandma love!!!)

We'll be offering this project at our March class at Deseret Book for those local to the Salt Lake area.

Get recipe cards here. (BIG file, be patient while it loads!)

Still trying to think of something to keep our memories of Stan close to our heart. More to come!

More Christmas Memories

When I was a little girl, our Christmas tree was decorated with homemade ornaments, most that were the edible type. It was such a temptation. By the time Christmas arrived, you would be hard pressed to find an untouched 'ornament'. One year, I remember my little brother actually pulled the tree over trying to discretely remove a decoration.

I had BIG plans for this year's tree. I really thought I'd have time to locate all of my mother's old cookie recipes and decorate the entire tree with recipes and homemade cookies. That didn't happen, but I'm still LOVING what I DID ACCOMPLISH!

11 Days to Swiss Days!

A couple of weeks ago, I had one of those Reese's Chocolate and Peanut Butter moments. Last year we started having fun with these thin wooden plates that make the most perfect backdrop for pictures! Maybe you'll remember the ornaments that I shared at Christmas time...


We also used them for a Valentine project that we did at a local store...

For Swiss Days, we decided to make up a few ornaments using the same definitions that we used on our pillow projects...

So what was the Chocolate and Peanut Butter moment? I have cherished old recipes of my hubby's grandmother. I never knew quite what to do with them. There I sat in my kitchen one day when the light went on! Why not feature these fabulous family heirlooms on these versatile wooden placards? Suni dug out a couple of her grandmother's recipes and we now have enough ornaments to do a whole cooking themed tree this holiday. I want to find the recipe that my mother used for making our gingerbread cookies. Wouldn't that be fun to have a tree filled with recipes and cookies?

We created a fun paper backing to our project. (Be sure to print it using a laser printer as ink jets can smear when they get wet.) We added a name and picture to remind us of family. You can use this free down-loadable .PDF to create your own family memory!

Ready for Christmas

It's December 13, and I'm feeling pretty good about where we are on the ol' Christmas To Do list! It helps that my kids are older and the Santa list has shortened considerably as the price per item has risen. It also helps that I've lowered my holiday expectation and no longer try to do everything for everyone!

This year's focus was on the tree. Or, should I say trees? I concentrated my efforts on getting the living and family room trees decorated. The last two years, I've had to delegate the job to my kids. They did a fine job, but let's face it... it looked like a bunch of boys had thrown stuff in the general direction of the tree and called it a day because that's pretty much their method of decorating! Our trees were in some dire need of TLC.

For years, I've wanted to turn our Christmas tree into a FAMILY Tree. As always, it's a work in progress, but I LOVE the story that our trees are now telling!

Here's our family room tree: this one focuses on our immediate family. It holds every Christmas ornament that my kids have made over the year. It also has a nice collection of our block ornaments.

About a month ago, I stumbled upon some fabulously thin wood plates that I just knew would look great as ornaments. They measure about 5x6". They seriously took less than 10 minutes per ornament (and that's only because I decorated the backside of each ornament with some festive paper).


I think they add a nice splash of color!

The best part was the trip down memory lane as I searched our Christmas' Past for the perfect pictures.

My boys-nearly-men will never, NEVER get dressed up like this again...


And here is tree #2:


Our living room tree is a bit more formal, but it's every bit as committed to remembering family!

I found these beautiful mini-frames a year ago on a girlfriend's get-away in Boston. So glad I bought them. Just wish I would have bought a few dozen more!

Of course, no story is complete without my kids jumping in to help tell it. Dog came flying into this picture, complements of my sixteen-year-old. She looks as surprised as I was!

Help, My Prints have Expired!!

How is this possible?

If you're getting the message, "This Printout has expired" and you've just finished processing the pictures, our bet is that you've pressed the print button in the Stories by Me Photo Wizard more than once.

You should have seen a dialog box like this one pop up:


Remember, you can only have one active print job in your account at a time. (This is how we can offer this service for FREE!) We don't store your pictures. We only let you have one active print job at a time to ENCOURAGE you to save the .PDF to YOUR COMPUTER.

Have no fear, your pictures are still in the Photo Wizard, formatted just the way you saved them. You just need to go back into your project and add them to the print list.

Next time you create a print file, OPEN the email that the Photo Wizard sent you, CLICK the link and SAVE the file to your computer. That way you have it ready to print one...or one hundred copies!

Same goes if you're sending the file to your local print shop for printing. You can't just forward the email that our Photo Wizard sends you...it's password protected so only you can view the pictures. Send them the SAVED file as an attachment.

We've posted more helpful hints to using the Photo Wizard here.

It really is easy... and worth the extra steps to format your pictures for these projects.

Think of ALL the stories you have to tell!

This one ornament print sheet contains enough pictures to make 5 ornaments!

Meet us Ft. Union!

There's a party going on this Saturday and YOU are invited! We'll be at the Ft. Union Deseret Book store sharing how easy it is to make these block ornaments.

You really should stop by and check it out!

We bring the supplies and you leave with a finished ornament. All you need is about 15 minutes and $1.00 (to cover supplies!)

Not only do you go home with a beautiful ornament, but you leave with the knowledge that these little beauties are SUPER EASY to make. Before you know it, you'll be cranking them out for everyone on your 'Nice' list!


Contact the store for more details (You can also just stop by between 10:30 and noon!)

Sharing the Love!

Our Love Those Family Faces winner was kind enough to share a picture of her finished project. Beth didn't seem to have any shortage of family faces to feature. Thanks for sharing! The display look fantastic and we hope that your family is enjoying the stories that each block holds.

More Family Face Blocks Ideas

Did you catch our Family Face Blocks segment on KSL, Studio 5? It was fun sharing our block ornament ideas...even if I couldn't find half of my supplies. (Turns out that Brooke had already glued the missing paper to the block she was working on... Next time, I'll have EXTRA paper scraps!) Never have five minutes flown by so quickly. We completely ran out of time to share some of the clever ways to display the finished work... so here they are, in their limited glory!

5. Another Wire Family Tree option:
This idea goes along with the fabulous tree that got so much attention on Studio 5. We were a little worried about sharing such a costly, time-consuming project (turns out that we were in the minority!) so we looked around for another option that would be easy on the wallet and easy to finish! We found this metal tree stand at Rod Works. I think it cost around $10.00. You might have something similar at home already.

With Valentines Day right around the corner, I thought I'd feature wedding pictures of various family members. I finished the ornaments with fabulous-looking vintage paper and go-with-everything black ribbon, but some bright red and pink colors would also work great.


I love these pictures! We're not sure if the pictures on the left records my husband's grandparents wedding, but the time period and elegant dress are clues that it might. The couple on the right are celebrating an 1868 wedding. If you could see the detail in their clothing, you might notice that his suit is made out of same checkered fabric as her dress.


Family faces aren't the only thing to feature on these blocks. I thought the wedding announcement made a nice addition and it's a great way to document the actual event.

6. Gift Tags:

Here's another one of Erica's clever ideas... turn the ornament into a gift tag.

A dear, dear friend is celebrating the 21st anniversary of her 29th birthday. (Notice that I did NOT call her 50 years old!) We've had some fabulous memories along the way and I used the ornament to record a few of our highlights. (The sundae is in remembrance of a weekend get-away to San Francisco and death by chocolate!) This is the perfect eco-friendly gift tag... who could throw away the memories?

So that's what we've done with our blocks. What are you going to do with yours?

Remember that you have two more days to enter our drawing for your own Love Those Family Faces kit.