Star's Victorian Puzzle Blocks ~

I'm totally crushing on these wooden puzzle blocks lately.  If I was a kid in Victorian times, this would be a favorite toy, nooooo doubt.  Okay, I confess, I've been playing with them for the last two days and I can't stop. 

The fun I've had playing with them is closely followed by the fun of actually making them.  I loved making these for my shop.  I've spent the last several days cutting to my heart's content.  Cathartic.  Hypnotic.  Binx, curled up in her tiny cuddle ball, purred next to me the whole time. 

I started out with 9 blank wooden blocks for each set.  Six images all total, including this little chick in her egg boat, and a Victorian garden scene. Hubby peered into the art nest several times to see if I was interested in coming out for food, air, anything to get me away from the glue and scissors. 

No deal.  I wasn't budging until I was done.  Well, I did budge long enough to clean house and get groceries... but otherwise..... art called. 

Oh dear, the cover of an old flower catalog and a pretty robin red breast singing outside his house are just so pretty.  I love the contrast between sepia tones on the left and the rich hues of this old chromolithograph on the right.

One set has these yellow peeps in a basket full of violets, while the other set has this loving couple in a row boat. 

While I was taking pictures, I noticed that the wind had knocked a sprig of this little trailing flower from one of my hanging baskets... it sort of volunteered, so in the photos it went too. 

I did one overlay puzzle for each set, this fat robin for one. 

I used a Victorian rose scrap for the overlay on the other set. For each set I made a base out of cardboard and scrapbook paper, adding a label and tiny bow at the top. 

I took the finished puzzles outside to take pictures in the natural light.  It's been a cloudy, fall-ish day, and the lighting cast these harsh, but interesting shadows on the vintage child's garments that I used as background, laying them down on an old wicker chair on the front porch. 

[sigh] Such a good day ~ Tell me, what did you make this week?  I'd love to hear about your projects ~

Eileen

Comments

[ldh]

Hey, it's me again. Trying to dissect the procedure here. Looks like you cut the picture into little squares to fit the wooden blocks. Did you then glue them on? Did you put a finish onto the blocks for durability? Did you print the images on your computer?

Thanks for helping!

[Terri Morse]

Hi Eileen! Whenever I visit your blog I get inspired all over again. When I saw your block puzzles, I was delighted. I love any kind of Victorian ephemera and that is just the greatest way to display it. I got so excited that I ran out to my favorite antique store, and sure enough, I found a set of antique blocks. They look as if they were lovingly and beautifully made by hand. Now to scour my collection for six worthy images! Also, I found seven wooden cigar boxes, so they're getting the royal treatment as well. Thank you for such a beautiful post.

[Andrea - Faded Plains]

Those are just gorgeous!

[Joy Jones]

Hi Eileen! Those are wonderful and you got such gorgeous images of them too! Beautiful. I am going to add you to my blog roll so that I don't miss all the cute things you are up too! xoxo ~ Joy

[Sara]

Hi Eileen,
Thank you for stopping by my blog. For the edges of the picture in my blog I use brushes from Rhonna Farrer. I have her link listed under my favorite blogs list. They are very fun to use for any project.

Have a nice day,
Sara.

[Julie]

Bellissimo, Eileen! They turned out great! Cheers, Julie

[Sara]

Hi,
I love your puzzle blocks, they are different of anything I ever seeing. Maybe I should try something similar for my girls in the future. If you have time to stop by my blog and see what I did this week.

Sara

[Laurie]

Oh my goodness, those are just gorgeous! You have been very productive!

[Linda K. Kelly]

The Blocks are brillant! I am so wanting to make these now. I have followed your blog for a long while now and wish you would peek in to see my 2 month old one.

Linda K.
http://grammylkk-unlimitedpossibilities.blogspot.com/

[Claudia]

Beautiful! I love what you did with the blocks. They are so old-fashioned and wonderful.

[LindaSonia]

These puzzle blocks are gorj!! Love the victorian images and the victorian rose scrap image. The possibilities are really endless aren't they. You should have done a tutorial while you were at it. Will you be selling any? LindaSonia

[Sharon A. Kyser]

I have a couple of these and love playing with them too. I MUST go see if you are selling these. I am hooked! Yours are lovely...sharon

[Gail]

Eileen,
You're too funny! Thanks again for your comments, if you have iphoto (that's what I use anyway) it's really easy to add "burn" to the edge of your photos. Just pull up your photo, hit edit, go to effects and you'll see all the fun you can have there.
xo,
Gail
P.S. Double thanks for making me think I know something about photo editing :).

[Gail]

Guess I could have left a link!

[Gail]

Eileen,
Well, those are just wonderful! Very inspiring, I might have to try making some of these.....check out my blog to see what I made last night.....love your blog and all your creations!
xo,
Gail