Tuesday, July 22, 2008

How to Make A Fingerprint Mini-Mosaic--Crafting with Scrabble Tiles-- Featured on JunkCreation!

One of my craft projects using Scrabble tiles was recently featured on JunkCreation, here's the blog post!


Laura, better known as TheScrabbleGal, is going to share with us a fun DIY project involving some re-purposed Scrabble tiles and a few other household materials.

She started creating handmade jewelry and crafts from recycled Scrabble tiles while in college. Now she’s a full-blown Scrabble tile addict. Well, perhaps I should refer to her as an artist instead! That’s her Scrabble tile cuff link to the left.

TheScrabbleGal offers an entire line of E-Book tutorials on how to make more than 77 Scrabble tile jewelry and craft projects, many of which incorporate recycled or re-purposed materials. Check out her Etsy shop — http://thescrabblegal.etsy.com/.

Now, a guest post straight from TheScrabbleGal:

This is a project I love teaching, because it’s easy, fun and great for kids! We’re going to make a fingerprint mini-mosaic using Scrabble tiles. All you need are some old Scrabble tiles, an ink pad and a little bit of white primer or paint.


Step 1: Set aside the tiles you’re going to need to spell out the words “Hand Print”

Step 2: Take 11 tiles (any letters will do) and prime the non-letter side so they are completely white. Add a second coat if necessary, and allow to dry completely.

Step 3: Using your old ink pad (be sure to use non-toxic ink) – one finger at a time, cover your fingertip in ink and press your fingertip on the white side of your tile to create a black-on-white fingerprint. Be sure to use one finger per tile. However, in the finished example, I’ve used two tiles for my right thumb. Also, I recommend practicing on a scrap piece of paper first, because getting just the right amount of ink can be a bit tricky. : )

Step 4: Arrange your tiles like the example above.

Step 5: From here, you can do a whole bunch of things – you can transform this into a refrigerator magnet, create a tiled-mosaic, or transform this into wall-art that can be framed and hanged – great for kids’ rooms. (I teach each of these techniques in detail in my tutorials, as well as how to use recycled papers instead of paint.) But there’s no reason to stop there. I’ve had a few Moms tell me that they’ve done a “baby’s first prints” scrapbook project using this idea. The options are endless.

Happy crafting!

Images via TheScrabbleGal.

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