How to Make Creative Gifts

Handmade Gifts From the Heart

Making a handmade gift for that special someone on their #Birthday or for a special Holiday such as #Mother's Day or #Father's Day is a fun way to spark our creative juices and give a gift from the heart. There are lots of creative ways to show someone you care and a new trend is the art of #wood burning. Wood burning is an easy skill that with a little practice can turn into a fun hobby. 

There are several ways you can create special wood gifts, memory boxes, decorative plaques, custom portraits and hundreds of other creative ideas made from wood.

How to Make a Wood Burned Plaque

Tools And Instructions:

Wood Burning Pen

Basswood Plaque

Scrap Wood

Stencil 

Pencil

Graphite Paper

Sand Paper - Various Grits 

Eraser

Scissors

Stain - Color Optional

Clear Coat - Satin Spray

Paint Brush

Scotch Tape

Thin Cloth

You will want to find a stencil or picture that you would like to make as a personalized gift. You can choose from many ideas that will be a personalized gift for that special someone. You can find stencils online or make your own from a picture of any kind.

Make your stencil to fit the size of your basswood plaque, you can download and print stencils easily if you have access to a printer and a computer.

Choose your wood plaque, basswood is the easiest wood to burn. Above plaque is a 5" x 7" piece of Basswood with a staggered edge. You will want to sand your plaque and make it as smooth as possible. Make sure after sanding that you remove the sawdust with a paint brush or a damp towel.

Apply stain to the back and the border of your plaque. You will want to use a thin cloth to apply stain and rub it in. Sometimes using a small paint brush on the edge lets you apply the stain much easier then you can blend and work it into the wood with the cloth. Once you have achieved the level of stain you desire, inspect the raw front surface of your wood and use a piece of light grade sand paper to remove any excess of stain that may have gotten onto the front surface of your plaque. Remove sawdust after sanding.

Cut your stencil and a piece of graphite paper to the size of wood plaque if necessary and tape them onto the wood. Use your pencil to trace and outline the stencil. Remove the stencil and graphite paper and inspect your template. If it appears to dark and heavy use a light grade of sand paper or the eraser to smooth and lighten the tracing lines. Remove sawdust and eraser debris.

Set your wood burning pen to the recommended setting. Some wood burning pens only have one setting. Use the small pen type of tip for outlining and darker border lines for your picture and the shading tip for filling in these areas once outlined. (Wood burning pens and kits can be found online and in retail or craft stores) Check the heat of the pen on a scrap piece of wood to make sure it is not too hot and ready to start burning your plaque.

Burn outlines first then shade the stencil to match the picture. You can practice various techniques on your scrap wood, such as a line technique as used on the feathers in the picture above. I used the line technique to shade the feathers, drawing my pen from the shaft to the outer edge of the feather to create the effect of the feather hairs. When shading open areas you can use the line technique in a uniform pattern or a circle shading technique for lighter areas.

Once you have completed your picture you can go back over lines to darken them or use small bits of sandpaper to smooth rough lines or erase areas that you do not like and re-burn them. Use the light sand paper to remove any of the graphite lines or pencil lines that are still visible and smooth the surface. Remove any sawdust.

Prepare your clear coat as instructed and provide your work area with proper ventilation. You can use any brand of clear coat product you are familiar with or prefer. There are spray brands and brands you will need to apply with a brush. You will need to apply a few coats, you must make sure that each coat is dry and lightly sanded before applying the next and to follow the instructions specific to the clear coat you are using. I recommend a satin finish and not a high gloss. A high gloss will hide your fine lines and details in reflection making the picture seemed warped or unfinished. A very light sanding is recommended once the last coat is completely dry. 

A super easy #handmade gift has just been created for your special someone. You can choose to add a picture hanging bracket on the back of the plaque or use a display stand. Do not wrap your gift until you are sure the clear coat is permanent and completely dry. 

Happy Wood Burning!!