We made glass blocks for each of the girls for our YWIE program. (We only have 12 girls so the cost was only about $65). We printed out the theme for this year (Arise and Shine Forth) with a neat picture/background and just mod podged it on. (Use the matte finish Mod Podge not the gloss finish - it looks better). We drilled a hole in the back and inserted a light and they turned out so beautiful. A neat night light! The girls loved them. The modge podge worked really great. Use cardstock because it works much better. You could print out anything you wanted and put it on the glass block this way. I've been thinking about doing a glass block for each value to use as a display. If you have any questions you can email me. Good luck!

If you haven't seen what the glass blocks look like they are beautiful. My sister has a website http://www.littleti nbucket.com/ where she makes them and she has some great pictures of all different kinds. If you want to see what they look like check it out.

Kristine jinglejingleforarthritis

I have made them but not with YW values. You can print out anything on them. I have put a temple picture on the front (either where the person was endowed or where sealed) and then either a picture of Christ or a family photo on the back. My daughter's friend put the Christ and the YW picture on the front and a favorite movie picture on the back. I have seen all kinds of them. I drill the holes on the side of the block so I can put pictures on both sides. You can print out anything you want-like the torches in value colors with the name of the value under it or whatever.

I buy my blocks at Lowe's Hardware. (They are the blocks that people use for privacy but want light). I use the 6 by 8 inch blocks and print out 5 by 7 inch pictures from the computer. I print it on regular weight paper so that the light shines through well. I use a diamond head drill bit in my husbands drill. First I drill the hole in the side of the block. You have to be careful when you do this because you can shatter the glass block.  When I checked for what was available at my local Lowes store it came out to be $4.26 per block. So, no this is not a cheap activity.

The drill bits are expensive but I was able to get them much cheaper at Harbor Freight. I don't know if you have one of those around. If you were going to drill a lot of these it will take quite some time to do so unless you have a fancy drill press or something.

You can use a one light with cord. They are easy to find in the Christmas area but I prefer a small strand of white Christmas lights. I think the ones I have are only about 25 lights or so. It works for me. As for graphics I just print things off the computer. I know you can go all fancy but I just print a picture on the really good color printer at the library (our library system lets you print 10 color copies per library card a week and it is an awesome printer).

I use the decoupage glue type stuff from Wal-mart to put the pictures on the front and the back. Once dry I put a strand of white Christmas lights in the hole on the side-just a small strand of about 25 lights I think is what I used last. If you search you will find various blocks that have the hole in the back generally with ribbons around them or whatever. It is really up to you what you would like the block to look like. I hope this makes more sense now.

Here are some instructions I found on the internet
http://decorativear tsbyjep.com/ Instructions- Garden-Art. html

http://www.treasure sfromdj.net/ glass-lights. html

Kathy Collins" kcollins02@cebridge.net

The glass blocks are really pretty to drill a hole in and put in clear Christmas lights, you can then put ribbon around it to wrap and look like a present or do what I did, I put the glass block with lights inside and a big bow on the front and put in my kitchen for a night light with a beautiful rooster figurine glued to the top.


Elizabeth :O)ewils200" ewils200@yahoo.com

We are giving light blocks to our girls for Christmas this year. We have the Savior on one side and Arise and Shine Forth on the other.   The blocks weren't as easy to make as I'd hoped (the drilling isn't easy and the drill bits are expensive), but the end result is nice.


Activities

Arise & Shine Forth