Welcome – and I hope you’re having a great day!
Today I’m going to show you how to make some fun desk or table top decor that features “The Worlds Greatest Detective” Sherlock Holmes. Are you ready, because the game is afoot!
I found this set of (art) blocks at a second hand store for 50¢ for the whole bag. The paper this crafter used is certainly not my cup of tea – but it’s the blocks themselves where I see great possibilities.
A good base coat of black acrylic paint on every block – right over the old paper – and in moments (because this type of paint dries fast)…
…we’ve got a whole new sexy set of blocks to play with! There’s so many directions this set of blocks could go from this step, and I considered a number of them as I went through my paper and stamp stock, but the winner was the paper I had spring to mind when I first saw these blocks in the 2nd hand store.
Now, I’m a Sherlock Holmes fan from way back. I got hooked on the black and white Basil Rathbone movies when I was just a kid and later loved Jeremy Brett’s version in full color. Then there was Robert Downy Jr,’s two movies (a pretty hot Sherlock, ehh ladies?) with his equally sharp co-star Jude Law for Watson. Then the very sexy Benedict Cumberbatch whose series finally (along with Downy’s) gave Watson the part of an intelligent foil for the brilliant but socially challenged Sherlock. There’s been a number of other movies and series featuring Sir Doyle’s hero but I think my overall favorite is Jeremy Brett’s creation – this series really made a person feel they were magically transported back in time to the Victorian era with all its wonders and woes.
The paper I chose was Graphic 45’s “Master Detective” paper pack collection. This pack contains page after page of awesome, colorful and detailed scenes of Sherlock going about his business of solving crimes. The pack came in two size options and I bought a set of each and have had them in my paper stash for some time now – waiting for the right project. These blocks are perfect for this paper, as in my opinion, decor blocks such as these should carry some interest in them – not just a boring alternating repetition of colors and patterns as these blocks had originally. Holmes to the rescue!
I started with the one large block in the set. This paper page has a great scene going on and I decided to divide it into fourths but make two sets out of it – so I cut two sheets of this paper twice.
But before I show you how I put them together I want to remind you to always edge your cut paper with color. Sometimes I use ink and a sponge and sometimes, when I don’t want color on the front of the paper – just the edges – I use a marker like this Sharpie. Be careful as you black out the edges that you don’t mark the front but the difference is huge when you get the pieces glued on. The white edges will glare out against the black background unless you cover them up first.
Here’s the three cuts from the first page – see how the scene plays out connected in these three panels? And a cube has six sides so with a turn of the block…
…I can use the second identical page, cut the same way into fourths, but just by switching out the the left bottom section (previous picture) to the right bottom section as shown above – we can have the entire four panel scene.
The five small cubes have two panel scenes on four of the cubes and then I’ve filled in all the remaining sides with cuts from this large coordinated paper pack. That’s 36 panels in all and it was difficult to choose just which ones to add and which to leave out, but there is nothing dull about this six block desk set now!
I used ModPodge Matte to glue the paper on and once I had all the panels on and they were dry I went back and sealed every side of every cube with the matte sealer.
And we’re done.
This finished project is now up in my shop Old Raven on Etsy and if you would like to see a bit more just follow the link below:
But here’s a few pictures of them all finished.
These would make a great gift for your own Sherlock Holmes fan. Look at all the color and action on every side of these cubes. And since these blocks are sealed they’re ‘user friendly’ and can be picked up and handled with no worries.
This is a fun set to have on your office desk to fiddle with while your on the phone or thinking through a project, or, what a truly unique accent group for a table top display in your living room or home office.
I hope you enjoyed the makeover on these blocks – it was after all, elementary. – Kriss
Old Raven Creates 