DIY Wooden BookStack with Inspirational quote

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      Every year, on or near Easter, our Church holds a semi-annual general conference.  
      I look forward to this conference every time, it is always so uplifting and motivating.  I take notes and try to incorporate the messages into my life.  The first week of April was general conference, and it did not disappoint! 

      We were so busy around Easter this year that I didn't get a chance to put up an Easter message.  So, since I am using this craft to display one of my favorite quotes from both October's conference and from this April Conference, you can consider this my Easter message to you. 
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     I hope that you all had a beautiful Easter.  I want to share a message that I have taken to heart and decided to post in my home as a constant reminder of my love of my Savior, Jesus Christ and how I want to always Remember Him! 

     I am referencing a talk by President Russell M. Nelson entitled "The Answer is Always Jesus Christ."  He expressed what I know to be true, and that is that no matter what problems or trials we may be facing in life, the answer to those problems is always Jesus Christ. 
      Another talk that I have remembered since last conference given by Ryan K. Olsen, entitled "The Answer is Jesus."  He used the example of asking little children gospel questions and they often simply answer "Jesus."  They are correct.  He reminded us that Jesus is "the way, the truth and the life..."  

    Because it feels like our family has gone through some really difficult things over the past few years, I have learned that this message holds the truth to help us overcome those trials and to live our lives in the best way possible.  I decided that I wanted a daily reminder to turn my life over to Him and to remember that all things are in His hands and that I should watch for the miracles and tender mercies that only He can give. So, I made this bookstack with this simple but powerful message to put on my shelf where I would see it everyday.  
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Bookstack w/Inspirational Message:

      I've seen these bookstacks all over Pinterest.  Some are made from wood and some from actual books.  I couldn't bring myself to ruin a book and never be able to read it again, so I used wood. 
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***Materials

• 2 x 4 wood, 3 of them, cut into  6 inch lengths
• sandpaper
• E6000 glue or wood glue
• ​White acrylic paint
• foam brush
• painter's tape
• ​ink pad
• Letter Stamps (I used 1/2 inch letters)
• Ribbon and decorations of your choice

***Instructions

• ​After cutting your wood, sand it to get rid of rough spots and splinters.  I should have sanded mine more, but I am impatient.  It is smooth enough with no splinters. I like the "rustic" look.  But, you do you.
• Use a strong glue like E6000 or wood glue to glue the wood into a stack.  Allow to dry overnight. 
• Use a little water to thin the paint to make it more like a whitewash.  (Or, do whatever color you would like!)  Use the foam brush to apply the paint.  I didn't paint the bottom.  After this step, you may want to use some stain to antique the bookstack if you would like.  But, that isn't necessary. 
• Decide what you want to stamp onto your bookstack.  Practice on paper to get the hang of stamping as evenly as possible. 
• ​Use the painter's tape to make straight lines above and below the area that you want to stamp the letters.  Use these as a guide to get your letters fairly straight.  If the letters are a little out of whack, don't sweat it, it adds to the charm I think.   Be sure to only lightly tap the stamp on the ink pad so that you don't get a square mark from the stamp around the letters on your project.  If you do, you can try to paint over it, but it will be much easier if you just avoid getting that as much as possible.  
• When finished stamping, peel off the tape. 
• Use the ribbon and tie it around the stack.  You could also use jute or twine if you wanted.  I cut out a scrapbook paper flower with a button center to embellish rather that just using a bow.  You could use a silk flower or some other embellishment if you wanted.  
• ​Voila! Your bookstack is ready to display on your favorite shelf! 

      I hope you enjoy this project!  It is super simple to make and has a great impact on the shelf.  If you check Pinterest, you can come up with a lot of inspiration.  Christmas and Easter messages abound!  Alicia had a great idea for a stack to go next to your Harry Potter Collection:  "Not Me, Not Hemione, YOU!"  Ha Ha, I thought that was great!  The possibilities, the words, the colors and the decorations are endless.  I warned my girls that these may be gifts for next Christmas! They are large enough to use as bookends! My wheels are spinning and I will be making more, but in the meantime I am happy with this first project that will continue to remind me of where I place my hope and trust! 

Other Inspirational Quote Projects:

• Hand Lettered Movie Quote
• Add Dimension to Hand Lettered Art
• Little Houses Free Printable