Quick & Easy Gift Idea

(this is one I did for me a year or so ago)

I needed a quick and easy gift to donate for a Relief Society Bingo night that my ward was doing. I have made several of these signs over the years, and thought they would be a perfect prize for the bingo champion! They also make great, inexpensive gifts. (like less than $2 a piece!) And the best part, if you don't have power tools, no worries - the guys at Home Depot or Lowes will do the cutting for you. Okay, here's the how to:
Things you will need:
* a 2x6 (about $3.50 for a 6' piece)
* paint
* 12x12 scrapbook paper
* contrast paper
* sander or sand paper
* mod podge
* apholstry brads ($1.24 for a 25 pack at Lowes)

1. Cut the 2x6 with a miter or chop saw to 12" long. If you don't have one, just ask them to cut them for you when you buy it - they will be happy to do it for you.

2. Sand the edges smooth and paint with color of choice
(I love this Valspar Satin paint $8 for a quart @ Lowes - it dries fast, goes on smooth, and usually only requires one coat)

3. Sand the edges for a distressed look

4. Cut background paper to a 4 1/2 x 11" rectangle (I inked the edges of mine with a brown ink)


5. Use vinyl (will up the cost) or if you're cheap like me, just use paper. If you don't have a cricut, no worries! Just get it to the size you want in a word document, and go into the "font" section and choose "outline" Then print it out on cardstock and cut it out with scissors (that's what I did, and it didn't take too long- plus I saved my file so if I do it again I am all ready to go) - if you look closely you can see the faint outline of the letters

6. Ink or stain (my stain was all gone since my son decided to drink it!) the sanded edges of the wood

7. Mod Podge the BACK ONLY of your background paper, and adhere it to your painted wood.
8. Align your letters how you want them and mod podge the BACK ONLY again of each letter, gluing them down to your background paper. (if you mod podge over the top, you will get wrinkles, and it won't look as nice)

9. Hammer in the upholstry brads to the corners of the paper (I like the bronze ones from Lowes)

Enjoy! These didn't turn out as well as some of the others I have done. The words kind of get lost in the background. (I usually use a bolder font so they stand out more) Oh-well. You get the basic idea.


So if you are looking for a cheap gift idea that is easy to mass produce, hope this helps!

Paper = about $ .50
Wood = about $ .55
Brads = about $ .20
Total = $1.25 (that is if you already have the paint)
NOT BAD!!!