Holiday Workshop Projects and Typeset Tutorial

On November 6 & 7 I was fortunate enough to take Tim (Holtz) Holiday Workshop classes here in Elk Grove!  We created three fabulous projects including a "Seasonal Memoirs" (holiday journal) (forgot to take a picture),

"Festive Creative Blocks" (canvas wall hanging)

and my favorite "Configurations of Your Imagination" (Configuration Shadow Box). 

One of the tricks we learned was how to make faux "type set blocks".  Did you realize the ones in my box were not "real" blocks?  They are super easy to make and here in my own words are what you do!

Supplies needed: Extra thick chipboard/cardboard (grungeboard could be used, but to "save" gb, Tim had us use chipboard), grungeboard letters, black Dabber (paint), distress ink, blending tool,  Studio Matte Medium (or other "glue"), sanding block (not pictured)

1) Using the Matte Medium glue grungeboard letter to chipboard, leaving a small space between the edge and the letter, trim chipboard so there is space between the letter and edge on all 4 sides.  (Trim before moving to the next step otherwise the block will be too thick to cut.)

2) Glue the chipboard with the grungeboard letter onto another piece of chipboard, aligning the edges. Trim as necessary so all the edges are even.

3) Once glue is dry, gently sand edges to blend seams. Wipe dust off.  (The left block has not been sanded in the picture below)

4) Paint black.    (Sorry, no picture here, but I think you can figure out this step!  Then again, you can probably figure out all the steps without pictures.   lol)

5) After paint dries, sand edges of chipboard to expose. Sand top of grungeboard letter to expose bits of the grungeboard. (Don't sand too much paint off, you want it looking distressed) Wipe dust off.

EDITED NOTE:  If you use chipboard letters/numbers when you sand be gentle as chipboard letters may disintegrate with sanding.

6) Apply ink with blending tool. I used vintage photo, resanded some and added aged mahogany.

There you have it, easy to make faux type set blocks!  If you want "real" type set blocks you have to glue the letters on backwards, so when the block "prints" on paper, the letter is right side up!

If you give this a try, please let me know how it worked for you!

In the next week or so, I will be stocking my Etsy store with items, including charms, ephemera, the "Festive Creative Blocks and "Configurations of Your Imagination" (Configuration Shadow Box) shown above.  I will let you know when I get the store stocked and hope you will drop by!

Take care,
Linda