Created while drinking Chardonnay and watching music videos at Board and Brush!
Board and Brush DIY Wood Sign Workshop
I had SO. MUCH. FUN. at Board and Brush last night!!! This is a new business in Cape Girardeau and it is just beautiful. What an inspiring space they have on Main St. downtown. My first project was for my sister's birthday in November (I'm actually gift giving early this year instead of three months late!!)
Boards after distressing and staining.
What a deal too. For $65 you get ALL the supplies, tools, instruction, and camaraderie of your fellow wood workers! Michelle and Beth take you through each step. Let me tell you, it may be a little intimidating when you get there and a stack of naked pine boards are awaiting your arrival but the process is so easy! Did I mention, aside from a bar of paints and stains to choose from (much like going to the salon and choosing your polish color!), there's a bar bar?!? They have wine and beer that they serve you while you work which is very reasonably priced. It's not BYOB like Paint Nite's. (So don't show up with a bottle of rosé in your purse because you'll look like a lush! Ask me how I know :) )
A close up of some of my hammer and mallet wacks.
Unfortunately I didn't think to take a picture of my naked pine boards before we started. You'll start by sanding your boards (The bigger the sign the bigger the workout!). Then you get to distress them which is super cathartic. Choose your weapon, a hammer, a piece of chain, or a metal mallet (my personal favorite) then beat up your boards. Board and Brush thinks of everything, they even hand out ear plugs which is awesome because I have uber sensitive ears.
Sanded, distressed, stained, assembled and ready for business!
After distressing, you choose a stain and stain all your boards then position them and screw the supports onto the back. Yes, you even get to use a power tool! Once your boards are together, a buddy helps you peel off the stencil. It doesn't stick right away so you have time to position and center it just right. I made sure to rub all the edges with the back of my fingernail to get a clean line and it seemed to work well.
Stencil in place...
Board and Brush let me change the original design to replace "home" with the last name. (I wanted to make sure my sister knew I made it!!) After the stencil is in place, choose your paint colors. In addition to all the sign samples beautifully displayed in the studio, there is a sample board with all the stains and all the paints on top of the stain to help you choose.
Painted, before sanding.
My only regret is that I didn't choose a paint color that would contrast with my stain for the name. I debated between a couple colors but I know my sister likes purple and has some floor pillows that will match the color is she hangs it in the space I'm picturing.
It faded a little after sanding but I wanted it distressed.
I'm going to give her a painted heart wood cut out to place where they live since I knew I wouldn't get the right spot.
The paint dries really fast and then you sand it as little or as much as you'd like. The edges turned out much more crisp than I thought they would thanks to Michelle's instruction to dab, dab, dab and not use a full sponge applicator of paint.
And Voila! You have your masterpiece. It's amazing how a stack of boards can end up like this! I definitely recommend going to Board and Brush. My girlfriends and I couldn't coordinate our schedules to go before my sister's visit this month so I went solo this time around and would totally do it again. Oh, and you get a punch card!!! The sixth sign is free. I think it would be fun to have one hanging on the wall that I switch out for seasons or holidays. They have ADORABLE signs for Halloween and Christmas right now. You can also make trays and boxes, PERFECT gifts. Just sign up 48 hours ahead so they have time to prepare the sign and materials. Michelle and Beth are very helpful and will not let you leave with a project you don't love! Check them out on their website and Facebook.
FREE extra project!
Oh my goodness I almost forgot about my pun-kin!! This was a free project we got to do last night. Check out their website for other specials! My daughter wants to go so bad but I knew from Paint Nite's that they had to be a certain age. Michelle said they are going to do a Mommy and Me class which I'm going to keep an eye out for. Thanks for checking out my project!
UPDATE: Changed Color of Name
I just wasn't happy with lack of contrast the name had on my board. Michelle had told us at class that no one leaves with a board they aren't happy with. I messaged Board and Brush via Facebook and they said I could come back in to change the color. I crashed the Saturday class, sanded what I had and repainted the name. I am super happy with it and can't wait to give it to my sister today!
Name with white coat and lighter purple coat.