This month’s power tool challenge was not only a building challenge, but it also was a gift exchange. The members of the group were challenged to create a gift using power tools and mail it to another member of the group.
This month’s gift ideas were amazing!
Wooden Chair Spindle Snowflake by Interior Frugalista + Hanging Christmas Card Holder by H2OBungalow
DIY Cookbook Stand by Dogs Don't Eat Pizza + DIY Pallet Wood Shadow Box by Create And Babble
Repurposed Cabinet Door Joy Plaque by Designed Decor + Textured Photo Transfers To Wood Blocks by The Kim Six Fix
DIY Cheese and Crackers Serving Board by Virginia Sweet Pea
For my gift I decided to make some simple wooden plaque wall art. Large scale prints on blocks and canvases are super hot right now and being able to personalize them makes them a perfect gift!
Supplies:
Image printed on regular paper
Block of wood exact dimensions of print size (cut down and sanded smooth)
Paint for backside of wood block(optional)
Mod Podge
Rolling Pin (Optional)
Paper towels
Sander for distressing (Optional)
The process is simple. Print out a photo or graphic on regularly white paper.
Using a table saw or circular saw cut down a wood block the same size. (This is the power tool part!) You can use plywood or 2 bys or any wood really. Make sure the surface is smooth. l sanded mine down with my random orbit sander.
Cut the print out to fit the size of the block EXACTLY. I think the easiest way is to lay the block on the paper and trace around it. You can also paint the wood first if you don’t want the natural wood color on the edges.
Cover the entire surface in mod podge
Lay the photo down and line it up exactly. I use a rolling pin to get it perfectly flat. You can use an exacto knife or razor blade to trim the ends if there is in any overhang. 
Now the trick! The TEXTURE!
You want to seal the paper with the top layer of mod podge but you don’t want trust strokes to show. To make the image look like it is printed directly on the wood, you need to remove the stroke lines and add texture.. and the key? PAPER TOWELS.
You can change the pattern depending on the texture in your paper towels. Just spread on a thin layer of mod podge, press the paper towel down and peel it up.
You are left with a perfectly textured surface. If you have a mistake in your pattern, just re-spread the mod podge and try again.
When the mod podge dries the surface will be clear but the texture will still be there.
And you have artwork that looks like you have printed onto the block itself, almost like a canvas.
To make this gift idea more personal you can use a family photo, or in this case, a logo. Since my gift was for Wendi I used the header from her blog to make a little desk plaque.
The process was exactly the same. Print image, cut down block of wood, paint and mod podge..
Texturize.
And you have the final product. Super cute. 
While I was on a roll I made a few more with different finishes and on different sized lumber using the headers of some of my blog contributors.
I may have to make more with pictures of the kids! The possibilities are endless. You can even scale the process way up if you have your images printed on a large scale printer and use large pieces of plywood for giant poster size wall art.
