For Christmas, I made a number of
Wooden Joy Banners for gifts for friends. I had some wood left over and decided to make myself a Wooden Love Banner for Valentine's Day.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1CkQ2eI711aQIKMWa2In-YNvS1NSKbnBopHUb0SUraY0xIGTfE0jjQQNe5s_TpFjhFkcDPbZGFFV_RiknfMEoAksetM6d53h99FDeXnM6F0I4vVI9r4FjsFNKAxdfATu_x9Tept2SarJX/s400/love+9.jpg)
The process was very similar, except I used a red/pink/white color theme, and used 4 blocks to form the word "love."
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpQMop2q7I3r0CZMA_i056vCGD6an3TnluaOyKkS-C4P8_6E6Xe-cHw-okKbkyecyw_guF5PY3NXHbA5EbdOKnJ8ZUeVPh5neaqzh_63-xXTDtwlGH0tw-HExxNA7waKsMNbcSklucIAeX/s400/love+1.jpg)
I decided to base coat the blocks in a flat black paint and sand the corners.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeBmwZ3Tl9djUAr3KGP4S7Np6jrAKsz7qXbDxlvp922h8-1F5JQXZo9f7WaFWPxDxWWVj7KmGquuwwaxpU4VeRMUBv7AyG6E2AugENHIh4FjR1ar_1rktyT1YBXEeNFw58Wh03oH6gMkfP/s400/love+2.jpg)
I used a variety of block heights to accommodate the different letter sizes.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTH31NODiI4JESJi9IGx41o3efYe_OU_i60GXRwadja2UfWgi9N2-oNPJVMoS7tMlwF8rf4WHS9pvVauDIokOto4anfubI1KkMx1MlnBiiqqeTujloGOPEKWIkyBNsSdmkp9b4cazm_-mr/s400/love+3.jpg)
Next, I sized a variety of Valentine papers and secured them to the blocks using spray adhesive.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5YOZamJTwD-7a5KcO6_4xDXaCMez_pU5bV_-1bm-mgbip3aTbz0Y5a1ShJbjUt-LRprhWW1YA7J4QDY2dCTUnPxcZRKqaceRtEVjdopKzXW2i6cqeb2o0zK9dZE9ogq-XmexzU3K4-XUX/s400/love+4.jpg)
I ran a line of glue along the bottom edge, ...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpXqWLs8enrACiBRknRhe4hA6gNuAkbwDeUhmIziQf2OAVsYZLMiVDhknFmxp90qoN2D_lj1JKwqCiRvkz_-ylBTnmvysXCSjWQtQrn5lA-LTg8_VNK30XbgW1SSLMcwdiTHSZRPMlbPbj/s400/love+5.jpg)
... then placed a ribbon onto the glue across all the blocks.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMS28s405CCKp0udqVm-Q8jUETH_nmJRDZyWj_-WZf_IFdHc7_mEqmkL6-bolSY9NQ-kvX_xcm_ia_WDDf93xGmGeAah0G8AghzqldV3cKcZWH4tKLxfD5M_skvhDD2X-LLOEKB-Z2McEi/s400/love+6.jpg)
I flipped over the blocks and secured a wide piece of ribbon across the back.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmHi2lyB99Dikr5G5LjXcY_tu8c7SwuzjQhnFidDVOfJNoT-PFTQ8VMf0Z70sSaGRZSB7ptDJq4aMQZX2hDDc_uuzocolEmW_NLx7H8-j6UclaGxgTdnSuhhBMFR9YSR2iJ4Z8nlLajoFF/s400/love+7.jpg)
Then flipped them again and applied the letters and some embellishments. I love this font! Coincidentally, it's called "Love Letters" -- totally appropriate!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivFsqr3mScdPqbBfKkRpkNLwAiHgiYsaPTyMoBdb-ozXXLHKIQWYU9tcuuR0_lTUJC3FekRls1OG0xMAZrgrqVJO2mwkuKnbPe_WUCDosPngUPMCYwyU6_DkRZ5LohtM-uVZDI8xsqxH7L/s400/love+8.jpg)
A little bow made out of raffia gets added to the corners.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1CkQ2eI711aQIKMWa2In-YNvS1NSKbnBopHUb0SUraY0xIGTfE0jjQQNe5s_TpFjhFkcDPbZGFFV_RiknfMEoAksetM6d53h99FDeXnM6F0I4vVI9r4FjsFNKAxdfATu_x9Tept2SarJX/s400/love+9.jpg)
I decided to slice the ribbons to make the hinges, ...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgHjp_uWBVWzk6bA2EtcG6mkaWQzJRmNCl2FCbeSwsHOYX99VUl8MFc-7QNZUHJTtdT3zleaBtH0yzq2PL5m2TNB139Hr6EGT7sPWW4jrra26-_w1YNme_CHRXkcIubup-w-BjueA42oLu/s400/love+10.jpg)
... though it looks cute secured in a line as well. If you make hinges, you can still display the blocks in a line.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKu8t56JARNExYRaG6JkNBgSwVXnzwQMUKSyP2EEYOdv_HPxbBFzbzIBFFjRGTQVsDqvllxiFvD-YrE-Lp3apxmu8yjDL165fBKNDTyGz6DOas-s0FGQLPibroZUbSU1ggHeIW1ap76nAU/s400/love+11.jpg)
And this begins my Valentine's Day decorating!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3dy7_8SFlbmh4o2QC0S-OF1QX2V5aVjRl3n38pypvsA7zuojpTFStpJTBqbNZpxvPrDWYRCgII8sUkcaFsb-fN1rB-t0S_O9dLKyIIdvcMRzvgguaWat4Q3wJhZlG13T8edQ5WQ3snQGd/s400/love+12.jpg)
Now I just have to figure out where to put it...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTLqCPoD_AkYQ2wlTDBXhEc-SsIBVSrNaX3S8Ck64Pb2T6N8rn0eMg0u6RrflgG_VsPKpfHroRbp1_ApkdzwDscQBhwUsWKgLzPZPpT5XW16BWDcfRrFRRZ90O-Xp1uedseiPorpiWh0AH/s400/love+13.jpg)
I also made a single block with
photo clips. Now I need to make one with "XOXO" to match.
You can also do this with stenciled letters or vinyl letters if you don't have access to an embroidery machine. Give it a try! It's very simple and you can adjust it to fit your own theme.
And be sure to check out the endless list of inspirational ideas at my home page
childmade.com.![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_uKAE9DBjcUsDWISa6Kr6tnbqdhZJ1EH45YlYerr658kV-vf6a572TmL6jyqmgpRD5U7coCgbOdAMHQOqXZsszs0PppaetjUVm9hddOPB393bo1jD0Av_IDA-ecqey3keBWIuV1Krlf0XHCT_7G84Yp7Q=s0-d)
I'll be linking up on the following McLinky parties:
Thursday
Transformation Thursday
Show Off Your Stuff Party
Strut Your Stuff Thursday
Thrifty Thursday
Friday
Victory of the Week
Show and Tell Friday
Frugalicious Friday
Saturday
Saturday Night Special