Branching out into Wood Crafts -- Temporarily

Colors: More Mustard, Early Espresso, Cajun Craze.  Accessories: Spice Cake Buttons (retired), Autumn Spice Specialty Designer Series Paper, Regal Collection Buttons, Linen Thread. Some Images © Stampin' Up!

These owls and pumpkins have a story.  About a month ago, I was at a local boutique and noticed some really cool owls and other fall wood decorations that were for sale.  If you are a crafter, then you know what thought came next, right:

"Certainly I can make that for a lot cheaper than I can buy it for here." 

You know you've had that thought too, right?   Otherwise, why would you be looking at a stamping blog?

First stop on this journey was the local wood shop.  I use the term "local" loosely because it is 30 miles from my house, and gas for my SUV is $3.80 a gallon.  I may or may not have gone a little crazy while I was there.  (You'll just have to wait for a future update to judge if was a little or a lot crazy).  This store is full of fun shapes for every holiday and season imaginable as well as just general home decor. They sell everything you need right there to put these projects together: glue, paint, paper, embellishments, etc, etc.

But if you know me at all, you know I DO NOT need to buy any more paper or embellishments to finish a craft project.  I have PLENTY of those things.  And lots of it is retired so I can't just use it for classes and demonstrations.  So see, I am actually saving money by buying all these projects so I can use up what I already have.  (If you followed that logic, you may or may not need the same intervention I need.)

However, I did forget one very key thing: I HATE working on wood projects.  I don't mind the painting so much as the sanding.  Not only do I despise it, it aggravates my carpal tunnel in away that stamping just doesn't.   While I was working on these, I was nearly crippled for a week.

I was so happy to have them done though and they look really cute in my dining room.  I have some Halloween decorations I made at the same time that I will show here next week too. 

I have yet to add up how much these actually cost to make (especially if you consider all the other craft stores I went to to get the paint when I ran out and all the hours I put into them). I'm afraid it is a lot more than I would have spent at the local boutique (which really was local - about a mile from my house).   But I did use up some of my stash, so that counts for something.