DIY Wooden Toy Camera + Giveaway!

Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July Weekend! We spent ours staying close to home. We hosted a fun BBQ while hanging out blow-up pool side in the backyard. I also found time to create a fun little toy for McKenzie. I've been eyeing these adorable wooden toy cameras for a while now, I just couldn't bring myself to spend the pretty penny that it would cost to own one. Though they are high quality with stellar craftsmanship and worth the extra $$, I decided to roll the dice and see if I could find a time and cost efficient How-To. Luckily I came across the wonderful blog Naptime DIY and used talented mommy, Ashley's easy to follow tutorial as my guide! Although I took my attempt one step further and added a pop color to dress it up a bit,  Ashley kept hers natural and finished so beautifully! I had so much fun creating this cute little camera and little did I know we would be happy with our first attempt or I wouldn't have bought so much extra back-up materials. With that said, I have a little surprise for you below following my tutorial! :)

Supplies:

• 1 Bass Wood Plank - Michaels
• 3 Wooden Pegs 1/4" - Michaels
• 1 Small Wooden Wheel 1"- Michaels
• 1 Large Wooden Wheel 1.5"- Michaels
• Small Spring - I used one from an old pen
• Wood Glue
• Cordless Drill (1/4 & 3/8 drill bit)
• Optional: Circular Saw

Instructions:

I found these planks of bass wood at Michaels already cut pretty close to size, however they were just a tad too big for my little one's hands to hang on to, so we used the measurements from the Nap Time DIY  for the perfect fit. 

1. First Step - Cut wood 2.5"h X 4"L & 1" thick.  (You will later cut wood lengthwise creating a .75inch top and 1.75inch bottom. I recommend doing this after your holes are drilled.)

2. You will then want to mark your drill sites for your shutter button, mode dial and lens. 

3.  I enlisted my husband for this portion of the tutorial. We used a 1/4 drill bit to drill holes for the shutter button, mode dial and lens.  When drilling holes for your shutter button, be sure not to drill too far down, as you want the tip of your peg to poke out of the top of your camera. Hopefully the photo below will give you a better idea of what to aim for when assembling your shutter button.

4. Cut your wood plank lengthwise creating a .75" top and 1.75" bottom to your camera.

5. Use a 3/8 drill bit to create a wider hole on the bottom portion of the camera to accommodate your spring and peg combo. 

6. This is optional. My husband decided to drill a little indention in the peg cap for the spring to rest in. I eventually glued them together.

7. Next, assemble and add your mode dial and lens in their marked areas.

8. When you press your mode dial and lens pegs into their holes, make sure not to press too far, leaving a little room for both the mode dial and lens wheel to turn.

9. If you choose to leave camera a natural finish, then here is where you will use wood glue to attach all the pieces in place. 

10. I then lightly sanded the rough edges creating a smooth surface and added a thin layer of non -toxic Mod Podge over entire camera sealing it and creating a glossy smooth surface. THAT'S IT!!!

If you would like to add a pop of color to your camera:

10. I would first paint the pieces that you want to brighten up. Then let dry.

11. Apply a layer of non toxic sealer over all pieces.

12. Assemble your pieces then apply small dots of wood glue to attach all the pieces to wood planks. Be sure not to use a lot of glue as you do not want it to leak through the seams. If it does, I would wipe away as much as you can, sand  your seam then re-apply sealer.

Here are a few photos of Kenzie perfecting her camera skills. 

This was such a fun and quick toy to put together.  I bought several pieces of wood just in case we had a little "uh oh" and needed backup. We actually ended up loving our first attempt and now have a lot of extra materials on hand. With that said, I have enough to make three more, soooooo….how about a fun giveaway to make things even more exciting?! 

GIVEAWAY TIME!

Help bring out the mini photographer in your little by presenting them with their very own Wooden Toy Camera with Moveable Parts! 

• THREE LUCKY READERS will receive a wooden camera painted color of choice from the color options posted below! 
• Enter using the Rafflecopter form Below with Options for Extra Entries !
• Be sure to leave comment before moving on to extra entries. Each entry will be verified.
• WINNERS will be randomly chosen and announced Friday, July 11th!

a Rafflecopter giveaway