Week One: Getting My Craft On

Happy New Year!

I really love this time of year. {Aside from the snow and bitter cold} There just seems to be an excitement in the air. Everyone is trying to be a better version of themselves, paying it forward, and starting fresh.

It took way longer than I'd care to admit for me to come up with my first week's topic. I have about 20-30 random ideas I've jotted down so far to use throughout my *finding* fifty* two* project, but for some reason I was stumped at square one. I suppose I've got it in my head that I need to come up with something fantastic for the first week.

Well, here's the problem: I have too many fantastic things to pick from! I am spending time this week planning and prepping for a "Welcome to the World" baby blessing party for my dear friend's new baby girl. However, I'll be blogging about that when it is all said and done and I have gorgeous pictures to share. Since sharing what I'm up to on that project will have to wait a few weeks, I've decided that for week one I'll focus on a DIY project that I've been meaning to do since I was pregnant.

Better late than never, right? {Says the serial procrastinator}

DIY Growth Chart

I really like the look of all those wooden growth charts that can be hung on the wall. You know the ones- they're all over Pinterest- that are painted to look like a ruler.

Well, since I don't have the skills confidence to paint numbers on the wood, I decided to go another direction.

• 6 foot board {cut to 5.5 feet, because I decided that would fit better in the space I have in mind} The board I bought was about $4 at Home Depot and cut for free!
• Stain
• Acrylic Paint
• Wooden numbers {I found them at Michael's but I'm sure any craft emporium would do}
• Sauvignon Blanc {optional I suppose, but I don't usually craft without it}

Plan of Attack:

First, I used the back side of the board to test the stain I bought. I went with 'Wedgwood' and tested one coat, 2-3ish coats, and 3-4ish coats. Once it dried I settled on the 3-4 coat look.

Then I played around with paint colors on top of the stain to see which combo I liked the best. I also may or may not have texted everyone I know asking for an opinion which was dumb because after talking to a bunch of people it was essentially a tie anyhow.

Next, it was game time. I had to stain the board in my furnace room because of the aforementioned bitter cold we have been suffering though here in Minnesota. Luckily it didn't smell all that bad and didn't stink up the rest of the house at all. I used a trusty foam brush but I'm sure anything would do the job.

 

I decided to paint the numbers one solid color. That was the Plan B that came about after I spent about an hour on Plan A. I just didn't love the way Plan A worked out. I had envisioned this awesome bronze shadow and a pop of navy blue to match and contrast the blue stain all at once. What I got was an awesome bronze edge and a flat gross looking blue surface. More bronze paint to the rescue!

Then it was time for the finishing touches. My kitty helper, Dewey, made sure to play with the tape measure in such a way that was adorable and annoying all at once. I taped my sewing tape measure to the board because our regular tape measure is in the baby's room and he was asleep. Logical place to keep tools, no?

I made marks with a pencil at every inch mark and went over those lines with navy blue acrylic paint. This is also when I decided that we would hang the chart 9 inches off the floor. That allowed for the best spacing of the numbers on the board. I made the marks longer at each 12 inch interval.

I glued the numbers on just by eyeballing {measuring? straight edge? nahh!} and it was done!

Drumroll please..... Finished product! I still have to get it hanging on the wall. I planned on using the heavy duty Command Velcro type picture hanging strips and Mike seems to think that is a horrible idea. Stay tuned for who wins that battle.

 

I can't wait to get this up on the wall and mark O's first measurement standing all on his own!

 

Do you have a growth chart in your house? How often do you mark on it?

 

-H