You're pulling my heartstrings...

I got this idea from my best friend, Alicia, who recently did a Virginia Tech one. Thinking I was crafty (in certain aspects), I decided that I would try one out for myself. I first had my awesome boyfriend go to Home Depot and have them cut the wood for me 12 x 12. This gave me 3 equal pieces and one that was just a little smaller. I then took dark blue paint and painted the entire front and its 4 sides. Once I did a few coats of the paint, I let it dry over night.

The next morning I printed out almost a 8 1/2 x 11 size picture of Michigan. The first thing I did was draw a heart over Ann Arbor (where I was born). Fortunately, we have a house in Brooklyn where my mom grew up and I was able to cover Brooklyn in the heart too! Once I cut Michigan out as well as the heart, I used painters tape and painted it down to the wood block. My first step was to start hammering nails along all of the borders of the picture. I started with the heart since it was on the inside and I figured if I had messed it that the string would cover it anyways!

I then continued until I did the nails all around the heart and the outside of Michigan. I used Linoleum Nails that were 11/16" - and they worked perfectly. Once I hammered all the nails in (it took a while - my right arm seems to be a little weak) I lifted the picture up and VOILA!

I truthfully thought about leaving it the way it was, but I really wanted to continue and bust my butt and fully complete the whole thing. So I decided that I would start on the part of Michigan that wouldn't be able to reach the heart. This was the SMARTEST move EVER! I kept going and just kept winding and winding. I'm glad I used string because since my nails were smaller I don't think yarn would have worked well.

Now that its all finished I think I'm going to go start my next project. I've done my magnets before, but I need to make more for my own classroom (which is now room 305... got switched today!! I hope its as big as the one I first was in!!)

Love,
Ms. B