Family Rules Sign

Here is an easy to make craft that can be made with materials you likely have hanging around your house. I made this one for my mother in law, but how cute would it be in your classroom!?

I truly LOVED this project so much! I made quite a few of them! I made sure to take a TON of pictures so you could see the process and know you are NOT crazy! 

Here is your supply list - This project was COMPLETELY FREE for me! 

1. wood pieces - I found mine in our fire pit ready to be burned! 

2. Craft acrylic paint and brushes. 

3. glue - elmers plain ole glue

4. a piece of wood big enough to put in the back and be the anchor.

The process -

1.  So I took the wood out of the fire pit that had been there all fall! YUK I know, but these guys are perfect right?! I made sure to bake them for 30 mins on 250 to get rid of any bugs that may have taken up residence. This is a big deal. I have read about people collecting pine cones and having spiders ALL over their car - so I now use a zip lock bag to collect things until I can get home and bake or soak them.

SO  - many sites will tell you to do the vinegar soak for 24 hours to age them. I did that and what a waste of time. My wood was in a fire pit for 4 months - HELLO THEY ARE ALREADY AGED!!! lol  I only suggest doing the vinegar wash if you don't plan on painting the wood. Otherwise it is 24 hours of waiting you wont get back.

2. Pick two colors you are going to use. I chose brown and tan.
Paint the base coat a DARKER color. You need to wait until it is DRY before you move on. See to the right how dark compared to the real wood color? To the left is the entire top coat and me waiting impatiently for it to dry.

3. Paint a THICK coat of elmers glue on top of the dry base coat. This elmers that I had was from an old mom and pop shop my fil gave me and it had to be 20 years old - NO.LIE.

 4. RIGHT before it dries and it tacky to the touch, paint your top coat. Mine was tan. See to the right?
I thought for sure my wood was ruined! But, like stinking magic it started to "crackle".



5. The picture here shows it about 20 minutes later. I saw bubbles and thought OH NO! Whatever you do, DON'T touch it. I suggest you leave it for 24 hours. I was impatient - told you - and I touched the little bit that hadn't dried. It makes me crazy to see that little "ding" I put in it. 

 6. Here was the 24 hour waiting period. Isn't she beautiful!? Here is where you need to make a choice - do you do the back side and have to wait an entire 24 hours again to make it look the same? I didn't have the patience, but more power to you!



7. I took white paint and started "hand painting" the sayings that I wanted. I was going to stencil or use a font, but I thought this was more original.

 8. Then this is the step I always have a hard time following through on and I am SORRY but I don't have pictures of this. Get a board that only fills the middle of your work. My FIL showed me (I'm a pro now) how to pre drill holes in that board and also your work so you don't crack the wood. We secured it in with a bilzillion screws and put a "gator, teeth" or whatever you are calling it to put on the wall, but ImaBE (haha) honest - this sucker is HEAVY I don't suggest hanging it. I hope my MIL will perch it on her bench or something. I will be jacked if it falls and breaks!

Here are a few close ups so you can see how pretty that crackle is! Thanks to the DIY section of Elmers Glue for the hint and also all the wood signs on Pinterest. Please Please leave a comment and follow my blog for more fun crafts and DIY! :)