It's About Time! Block Tutorial

It's about time I make good on my promises huh?
So this is pretty basic, but they make adorable gifts for kids-make a few sets and have them on hand for birthday parties, nieces and nephews, grandkids whatever.
I was going to make these for my kids for Christmas, but they found the stickers, and I never have a free second without them to make them anyway, so they got them today.
I made a huge set, since my kids LOVE blocks, I think this set has over 30...I lost count.
First your supplies...
You'll need modge podge, a couple different colors of paint, at least one sponge brush and wood. I like to have a couple different sizes so that I get a good variety of blocks-so I have a 2x4 and a 2x3.
Next you will need to pick out your stickers-these are Doodlebug Designs, and I used both sheets. A good set of blocks though, only needs about 10 different stickers, so keep your eyes open for something that your kids will love.
Next cut out your stickers leaving the backs on, this will make it easier to measure the size of your blocks.Now take your stickers and place them on the wood, using a ruler or something else with a straight edge, mark the size you would like each block with a pencil, remembering to leave room for the saw blade and what will be taken off in the sanding process.
Then label each block with what sticker goes on it for reference later on, this is especially helpful if you are doing a lot of blocks.Then if you have a chop saw, start choppin! If not, find someone who has one; who also happens to be super nice, and really pretty and has great kids and a nice, helpful husband... and bring over a bag of peanut butter m&m's and bat your eyelashes at them.
Works like a charm!
Otherwise, I guess you could use a really sharp butter knife...
Then you have this.
Then comes the tedious part.
The sanding.
First choose the sanding tool of your choice.
I of course do not like to kick it old school, so the natural I had no choice was to sand by hand.
I actually could have used the same pretty lady's sander, but I never had a second to get to her house until today...after I got all these done... yesterday! Chad is looking into getting me both of these items for Christmas, since I seem to be constantly needing one or the other or both.
Anyway back to the tutorial at hand...
Speaking of hand...mine is killing me from all this sanding! Not just my hand, but my whole arm, I am like limp typing right now, it takes a long time for my right letters to catch up to my left letters.
Here are all the sanded beasts.
As you can see I labled the table where I set the block after being sanded, because I sanded off some of the labels on the blocks, and I am about to cover the rest with paint.
See? Depending on the color of your base coat, you might have to do two coats like I did.
Then you are going to let them dry before mixing your paint for the edges.
For the edges you'll want to water your paint down a little bit, and you won't need very much paint for this step.
Now paint the edges around your block, it's alright if it's a little messy.
Get all the edges....
Then take a napkin or a paper towel and wipe it off!
Then you will have this distressed effect around your edges.
I got a little messy on mine, and I like it, all the blocks are unique and I think look really cool.
After you are all done with your edges, it's time to put the stickers on.
My kids helped me with this part, giving the animals food, coconuts in the trees, birds on the hippo's back (that's what they do mom, we saw it on Wonder Pets).Now we are onto the next tedious part.
Modge Podge.
These blocks take SEVERAL coats if you want to make sure the stickers actually become part of the block.
Which you do, right?

It's all worth it in the end though-you have a great set of blocks, that will last for years and years.

Your kids might even pass them down to their kids.

How fun is that?