Illuminated Rustic Address Plaque

Last month Kristin St. Clair shared her Tag Chalkboard with you – today we are sharing her brilliantly created Basswood Country Round. This is the “thick” version that our customers are loving! Not sure what all of them are using the “thick” version for, but we’ve been wood burning on them, using them in various ways for wedding planning and for serving food – just to name a few.

Kristin created an address sign idea to display outside your home. Such a great idea! Read below to see how she lights everything up……….

Materials:

1. Basswood Country Round® – Thick
2. LED wire lights 
3. Pencil and Ruler
4. Utility Knife and Cutting Mat
5. Wood Chisel and Hammer
6. Wood Glue Sand Paper
7. Rubber Bands
8. Sand Paper (Fine Grit)
9. Painter’s Tape
10. Number Stencil
11. Black Paint and Foam Pouncer
12. Drill with 11/64″ bit
13. Wood Sealer
14. Chipboard and Craft Stick
15. Wire Brad Nail
16. Hanging Hardware (D-ring)
17. Clamp

Instructions:

Position and center the battery pack of the LED lights on the bottom edge of the backside of a piece of basswood round. With a pencil, trace around the battery pack.

Make a chisel guide, slightly bigger than the tracing, using a utility knife and ruler.

Clamp basswood round to work surface. With a wood chisel and hammer, carefully chisel off the bark edge of basswood next to the tracing marks. Put the bark piece aside.

Chisel out the marked space, deep enough so the battery pack sits flush inside the basswood round.

Clean surfaces by removing all dust and wood shavings. Use a wood glue to affix the bark edge back to the basswood round. Rubber-bands will help hold the piece in place as it dries. Sand front of basswood round with a fine grit sand paper.

Create a number stencil. Pick a font and print out numbers to a piece of paper in an appropriate size. Cut numbers out with utility knife on a cutting mat. Save all number elements (i.e. inside circle of number 6). Position and center stencil to front of basswood round. Secure with tape. With paint and a foam pouncer, stencil the number. Remove paper stencil and let dry.

With the numbers that were cut from stencil, evenly mark 20 light holes. Tape paper numbers over painted numbers on basswood.With a drill affixed with an 11/64″ bit, drill through basswood round on marks. Clean off any wood dust and reapply number stencil. Touch up paint in and around drill holes. Let dry.

Seal wood with a wood sealer. Sand in between coats.

Flip Basswood round over. Place battery pack into place. Insert a light into each drill hole. Secure in place with tape.

Cut a piece of chipboard to fit the back of basswood round. Cut out a hole where battery pack is.With wire brad nails and a hammer, secure the clip board to the basswood.

Cut a craft stick in half and nail to basswood above battery pack. It should hold pack in place, but pivot to remove pack for battery replacement.

Add hanging hardware to back of basswood.

Kristin’s blog address: http://www.lemmemakeit.com/

Chalkboard Message Tag

Sometimes we designers get wrapped up in creating complicated projects that no one would ever do except us! I’m very guilty of that myself – so that’s why I can say it…  Anyway, some of the best designs are simple, straightforward and anyone can duplicate them. That’s exactly what our new designer friend Kristin St Clair did when I asked her to create something special for us on Walnut Hollow’s new Tag Plaque.

Kristin’s Chalkboard Message Tag is simple, yet unique in that she added a thin chalk shelf to the bottom which will definitely make it easier to find the chalk when you’re ready to write another note. The rope she used at the top is similar to clothesline cord, adding a nice touch to the piece. Not sure if you are addicted to chalkboard paint like I am, but you’ll like it a lot once you start using it. So, give this project a try – you’ll love hanging it where you and your family can write notes for each other!

by Kristin St Clair

Materials:

• Tag Plaque 10 x 14″
• Basswood 3/16 x 1/2 x 9 1/2″
• Chalkboard Paint
• Foam Brush
• Sand Paper  (Fine Grit)
• Epoxy
• Clamps
• Rope
• Chalk
• Paper Towel
• Surface Protectors

Instruction:

1. With a foam brush and chalkboard paint, coat a tag plaque. Let dry.
2. Sand with a fine grit sand paper. Clean off dust with a moist paper towel.
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 until there is three coats of paint on plaque.
4. Paint a 3/16 x 1/2 x 9 1/2″ piece of basswood with chalkboard paint. Let dry.
5. Secure piece of basswood to bottom of tag plaque with epoxy to make a chalk shelf. Hold in place with clamps as the glue sets and dries.
6. Condition chalkboard by rubbing the side of a piece of chalk over surface and messaging in chalk dust.
7. Insert a piece of rope into the hanging hole of tag plaque.
8. Place surface protectors on four corners of the back of plaque.
9. Hang on wall, write message or notes on board with chalk and store piece of chalk on shelf.

See more work for Kristin on her website- www.lemmemakeit.com