Stamp Wall Art

After digging and digging and digging through the shoe box lids I stored my stamps in I decided I needed to upgrade. The show boxes served their purpose however I got to the point where I spent more time digging and looking then I did actually stamping. I am a sucker for the $1 stamps at Michaels so I have accumulated a lot over the past few years.

So for this project I turned to the husband (he is handy to have around). We brainstormed a bit and I explained to him what my thoughts were and the process began.

What you will need:

Materials
2"x1" Pine or Poplar (typically comes in 8ft lengths at Home Depot)
Finish Nails (small nails)
Wood Glue
Wood Putty
Paint
12"x12" scrapbook paper

Tools
Miter Saw (hand miter saws cost about $20 at Home Depot)
Tape Measure
Router
Hammer

What you do:
First you want to decide on outside dimensions (I chose 12"x12"), cut the outside pieces of the box so that they meet at 45 degree angles (using a miter saw). Next you want to decide where you want your shelves in the box. If you can, cut approximately 1/8 inch deep slots into the sides to receive the shelves using a router, miter saw, or table saw if you have one. Cut your shelves to lengths so they fit in the slots between the sides or simply between the sides.

Using wood glue at all the contact points, put 2 finish nails at each joint and use a punch to sink the heads just below the surface. You may need to pre-dill if your wood splits. After your glue has dried you are ready to route the edges. I used a 1/8 inch radius rounding bit and just did the inside edges. You do not have to route the edges if you don't want to of don't have a router. Use the wood putty to fill and cracks in the joints and nail holes (simply apply with your finger tip). After the putty has dried sand it smooth and add more if needed.

Now all you have to do is paint and the shelves are complete! I added a 12"x12" piece of scrapbook paper as the background with the thought that they can be changes or replaced if it gets inked up. To add the paper I simply ran two-sided take down the back of the shelf and applied the paper.

Hanging your shelves:
There are several options for hanging your shelves since they won't be holding much weight. Most picture hanging systems should work. I chose to route a key hole pocket into the top of each side. After that it is as simple as hanging the shelves.

Sammy Gene