I hope you find our Basic Wood Crafting Tutorial helpful. Crafting with wood is really fun and easy They make wonderful presents for loved ones and of course for your own home too. If you have any special requests for projects you would like to see us create, please email us at pebblesorders@gmail.com and we will get right back to you for more details. Need a group order? Contact us. Thank you so much!
-Brenda
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1. Paint or Stain Wood
Acrylic paint is the best paint for your projects. Foam or regular craft brushes work well. You will need to paint the back, sides and front edges. Painting the entire front where the paper will be placed is not needed. Rinse out your brush right away and you can use it over and over again. Disposable gloves and rags are great to use when applying stain. Use newspapers or plastic to protect your area. Stain comes in oil or water base, both work fine. Follow the directions on can. I use a rag to apply, then place it in a bag for my next project. Allow time to dry.
There are slight variations with hand cut wood or MDF, which makes it difficult to supply you with precut paper pieces. This step is pretty easy and I do this before I paint my wood so I can cut out my paper while the wood is drying. Lay wood on top of paper and trace. Double check to make sure you trace it in the right direction and on the right side of the paper.
3. Cut Paper
Cut your shape inside the drawn line,so that it is slightly smaller than the wood. The paper should not hand over the edge. Place on top of wood and trim more if needed.
Apply a good quality white craft glue to the front of the wood with a small foam brush. Brush from the center to the outer edges so that it doesn't drip down the sides and look messy. Work quickly. Make sure the glue is evenly and thinly applied, and that all edges and corners are covered well. Place paper on top of wood and smooth out towards edges. Press down to make sure there are no air bubbles. Press the edges down several times. If there happens to be some overhanging paper, leave alone, you can sand it off once the glue is dried. Check on it as it dries to make sure the paper does not bubble. Allow to dry. If by chance you get bubbles and want to start over, scrape and sand the paper off and start with the basic bare wood again.
5. Sanding
Sanding your wood project is the best way to add character and softness to it. I like to use a gritty, coarse #80 paper. It quickly and easily breaks down the hard edges and will make your project feel good and worn in your hands. Pay close attention to the edges and corners. You can sand off any paper that is overlapping the edges.
6. Distressing or Aging
I like to distress and age many of my projects. My favorite product to use is the Color Box Chalk Ink. It's pretty easy to use, dries quickly and has a matte finish. You can also use acrylic paint and a dry foam brush to distress your project. Apply a small amount on your brush and wipe off any extra paint. Use light strokes and brush the edges, generally from the outside edges towards the front. Practice on paper until you feel comfortable. You can distress with any color, but I especially like to use browns, grays and black.
7. Protecting your Paper
Once your project is finished you may want to protect the paper. This is optional, but with all that life brings, a very light coat of Modge Podge Matte Finish works well to provide a water resistant barrier. It is very important that your project is completely dry before applying Modge Podge to avoid bubbling the paper (I recommend over night). Apply with a foam or craft brush. I even Modge Podge the paper embellishments. It makes the paper slightly stiff and more durable.
8. Add Finishing Touches
This is where the fun really starts! I often like to keep my projects very plain and simple. However, there are plenty of times when I like to add embellishments of all kinds... buttons, rhinestones, flowers, hardware, photos, twine, yarn, burlap, fabric, tulle, ribbon and more. Some of the adhesives that work well: white craft glue, hot glue, red double stick tape, heavy duty glue dots.
9. All Done!
It's time to come back to Pebbles in my Pocket and start working on another project :)
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