Working with wood

I had hoped to post before now but I have been busy making and painting things.  I did however add a new page 'What Katie Did' and this post is along those lines...

 

 I went to our local 'hardware store' (D.I.Y. shop) where they let me have lots of 'firewood' for free.  I could have taken more but I couldn't fit much more under the pram! It is mostly chipboard around 1cm think although there are a few thinner pieces and I was fortunate enough to pick up some much bigger pieces (which I'll save for another post!)

 

 It needed a bit of sanding before I could do anything and I had been thinking of covering with fabric but decided I'd have a go at painting them instead.  A few months back I ordered some wooden shapes off a website and when they arrived they were much smaller than I'd hoped and thought I could paint them and mount them on some wood.  I have done a few of these but this wood gave me a different idea.   They were similar sizes but not exact so I chose 3 colours which seemed Christmassy and bought some tester pots.

 I also bought some Gold and silver pens but more on that shortly.  I began by painting a couple of the blocks in red and then green and lastly white.  I was worried the white may be too thin but it held up ok.

 Next came the stencils.  I chose a font on the computer and printed it onto Acetate.  I chose one which was traditional but not too difficult to cut around.  Unfortunately, the 'printer friendly' acetates wouldn't dry or cut easily, so I changed plans impatiently and placed A4 plain paper on each and made an imprint of the letters.  I cut each out and had my stencils.  Only, due to being paper, any paint that touched the ends made it go soft so the lines weren't crisp :s 'Enter Gold Pen

 So I went around all the edges with the Gold pen in an attempt to neaten them up a bit.  However, the pen didn't like writing on wood and needed a little encouragement.  So I shook it (as instructed on the back of the pack) but didn't put the lid on, not realising it would splatter little gold blobs over my newly painted and mostly finished letters.  However, I quite liked the crude effect it added.  The corners of some letters were a bit bashed and white paint had made its way onto some sides making them all look quite old and worn.  The gold blobs added to this and so I shall leave them as they are.  Here they are pictured in my living room and despite being made for the Fair, I don't want to sell them anymore! Ho Ho Ho