Does today feel like Friday to anyone else?! It sure feels like Friday to me, but alas, it is Thursday for all of you who have not figured that out yet. Happy Friday eve! Ike and I leave Saturday for my week long trail riding vaca! This is why it feels like Friday to me, I guess. I am so excited…and anxious, but it will be fun! It is getting real. Have to pack today so I can leave straight from work tomorrow to get to the farm and pack our stuff there.

Anyhoo, I got crafty yesterday and created some gifts to give my compadres who are going with me on the ride. If any of you are reading this, STOP. I mean it. OK, now back to business. I will not show what I actually made or bought in case they are not listening to me.

The crafty part that I created was a photo transfer to wood. I used The Saw Guy‘s method (there is even a video!). I have actually done this now three different times. There are a few different ways to do this apparently, but I have only used this one method with the recommended products. Mainly because I still have all said products and I like the way it works. In my research done previously, it appeared that there are a few different products that can be used to create the same or a different look. Here are some examples of her
finished work from the post.

I never seem to accomplish the level of antiquey look that she gets, but I am guessing she applied filters or edited the photos prior to printing. I have not watched the video or read the post in a while, so she might explain that there. I just really like the look of these! The next photo transfer I do will be of my dun duo and my Darcy dog on pecan wood from the farm. It will be big ;).

The second part of a couple of the gifts came from a local gift shop here in town. I do not know how I got lucky enough to find these! I have been racking my brain trying to figure out what to get to finish out my gifts. I kept coming up empty. Then I went into this shop figuring I would not find anything that I felt was good enough, and bam. There they were. There were only two, which is exactly the number I needed. They perfectly fit the bill. They practically spoke to me and told me to buy them for my friends. I just love when that happens. To me, the best part of gift giving is finding that little something that screams that person’s name and seeing the joy it brings the person when they get it. That feels like an AHAmoment. I love gift giving. I suppose it is one of my love languages. I take it very seriously. Anyway, I digress as usual…the pieces I bought were created by artist Alex Ladner. I hope the gift shop gets more of his work because I would like some pieces for myself. The pieces I got were no bigger than a 4×6 photo and have a block of wood as the canvas! Again, I am not going to show what I got or made until after I give the gifts, but here is a teaser of his other creations (his photos).

Does anyone know how to accomplish this look? Is it like a plaster? Clay? With glaze? I want to figure it out. I just love these! Alex, if you ever read this, I just love your work!

Tomorrow or Saturday morning will most likely be my last post until I return from my trip. Do not lose faith in me! I will return and with many photos!

I am excited to show you what I created and bought! Until then, walk in love, dear readers!