37 Building Blocks

37 Building Blocks Leave a comment

This is a magnificent, horrible idea. I started working on this new product about 6 months ago. I wanted to make a set of blocks for kids … but I wanted the artwork to be just right.

I found Alphabetimals, and knew that they would make good blocks. I contacted the artist, who come to find out lives in Denmark, and he agreed to license Mr M’s Woodshop to make a limited number of building block sets for this Christmas.

The first few sets are out of the shop, and the results are exactly what I had hoped for.

Each set has 26 alphabet Hard Maple blocks, and each block has an Alphabetimal for that letter, as well as the upper and lower case versions of the letter. There are also 10 numerical blocks, plus a bonus block. All are finished with mineral oil, which is baby safe. 37 Building Blocks.

To complete the sets, I asked the talented Sharon Collins to make drawstring bags. She came up with several fabric options for the lined bags, which are shown in the first and last photos below. A perfect way to store the blocks!

So, why is this a horrible idea? I am spending hours working on these blocks. Thirty minutes of finish shaping & sanding per set, for example. And that doesn’t include the time spent cutting, sanding and routing the blanks before they become blocks! I really love this project, and it’s eating my shop time.

In all humility, if you are interested in buying a set of these, you need to tell me quickly. Given the level of interest I got from just a couple of photos on Facebook … well, these will sell out quickly. And when they’re gone, they’re gone!