Seasonal Blocks-Day 7

Before I introduce the idea for our seventh handmade Christmas project, let me preface it by ranting about the amazingness of using hardware store lumber in crafting. It is a little bit of extra work, but it is so cheap! A 4x4 runs about $6-$8 and makes 20 blocks. That is about .40 cents a block. You can not find that kind of a deal on blocks at a craft store. They are upwards of 2 bucks each meaning to make the craft pictured below you would spend at least 14 dollars just on the wood. As opposed to $3. 

I'll admit I was a little embarrassed to set foot inside a hardware store among scores of burly men to buy supplies for...(ahem)...crafts. But the more I shop there the more I realize that they probably have a lot of customers who are buying stuff for smaller projects rather than building a house with their bare hands. So there is no need to be ashamed. Many of the hardware stores will even cut the wood into blocks for you. 

So before you go to a pricey craft store ask yourself if it is a cut of wood or any other material that you could get elsewhere. If the answer is 'yes' give the home improvement stores a try. 

Photo Courtesy of brownpaper--packages.blogspot.com

 I thought these mantle blocks would be a great idea for handmade christmas presents. I know that I always love getting home decor stuff because it is so hard to accumulate enough stuff to make our house feel really decorated. I'd say our house is about 1/3 of the way decorated and ALL of that stuff was given to us by other people, not purchased.

Anyway, the great thing about these blocks is that they have letters on 4 sides so they can be switched up to spell lots of different things enveloping many different seasons and holidays.
The words include:

Harvest
Welcome
Friends
Faith
Family
Spooky
Winter
Freedom
Blessed
Snow
Home
Hope
Monster
Mother
Dream
Easter

Please go here for the full tutorial. She gives you the info on which letters go on which blocks. Such an awesome idea!