A Primitive Place Monthly Crafting Tutorial
Hello, my name is Char Sethman, and I am a Prim Addict!
I love scouring Thrift Shoppes, Flea Markets, Yard Sales, Antique Malls, & Salvage Yards in my spare time. And if you see someone digging through someone's trash along side the road, that would probably be me....as I LOVE dumpster diving! Most of my favorite pieces I have in my home have come from someone elses trash! Never under estimate what a can of paint, wood glue and some nails can do for a piece of furniture!!!
May Tutorial
"How to Make a Perfectly Primitive Gameboard/Sign"
Supplies:
*Stencil (you can purchase these all over the web, I use Homestead Stencil Co.)
*Piece of Wooden Board (to fit your stencil)
*Black Paint
*Paint for your Topcoat (this can be any color you want, I chose Yellow Ochre)
*Paint color for you lettering (I am using the Black)
*Sandpaper or Palm Sander (I use the Palm Sander for everything!)
*Dark Walnut Stain
*Spray Adhesive
*Foam Brush
*Stencil Brush
*Thin Liner Brush
*Clear Finishing Spray
*Old Rags
Directions:
First, cut your board to the size needed to fit your stencil.
Next, take and completely paint your board with your Black; let dry completely. I like black as a basecoat, it gives it a very opaque surface to work on and also is a great color to show back through after sanding, but you can use any basecoat color you wish you want to "peek" thru the topcoat color.
Now, take and paint your topcoat color on now; let dry completely.
I am using the Yellow Ochre as it will turn out a Mustard color when done.
Take your Stencil and lightly spray the back of your stencil (this helps to ensure that your stencil will not "leak" color underneath and you will have crisp lettering/images.
Now, you need to take the paint you are using for the lettering and LIGHTLY dip your stencil brush into your paint. You are going to now take your brush of paint to a rag and tap the excess off onto it, leaving paint on your stencil brush, but nicely worked into your bristles.
I now go to my stencil and TAP & POUNCE the paint all around my stencil. Don't be afraid to go back into your paint and grab more when you need it! You just don't want globs of paint or it WILL go under your stencil and your lettering and images will not be crisp! Do this until you have your whole stencil done!
Now, remove you stencil. If you have any small mishaps, you sometimes can remove them with a lightly damp q-tip....but, I usually don't worry bout them unless they are really noticable!
Now, here is the part that will set your Signs/Gameboards apart from everyone else....Makes you look like you really are a Pro....Take your Liner brush and grab a little bit of your lettering paint and fill in the "bridges" of your lettering. If you don't know what that is....look at your lettering...some of the letters are completely closed, they have little gaps, this is the bridges. Some letters can't be closed or the stencil would fall apart! You need to take your liner brush and close these bridges now so your letters are connected like they should be!!! You don't need a lot of paint on your liner...just a dab will do it...this looks harder than it is....it is very easy. Now, let dry.
Time to age your piece! We do this with our Sander or Sandpaper. Take and sand all the edges and pay special attention to the corners, as you want to round them slightly because with normal wear the edges will round. Remember , we want this to look like it has been around for a while! Also, don't be afraid to run your sander/sandpaper over your lettering/images, because these too will wear and fade over time!
Now, take your Stain and completely cover your board. Wipe right back off with an old rag. INSTANT AGE!
Lastly, take your piece and spray lightly with a clear finishing spray. Let dry for about 10 -15 minutes. That's it!
Enjoy your new "Aged" piece!!!
This page was last updated: April 28, 2009
I will be creating a monthly Crafting Tutorial for A Primitive Place and just recently joined the APP Staff as Prim Project Manager.
I also am currently writing for Mercantile Gathering Magazine in the "trash to treasure" section, which I show you how to take those pieces you would have thrown away and make them into something useful!
I will also be featured in the Fall 2009 & Holiday 2009 edition of
"Create & Decorate" magazine with 2 of my projects.
I do offer my Primitive Goodies for sale in my Etsy Shoppe and for any of you that like to make your own crafts, I have a crafting Blog that you can come and craft along with me weekly! Both of these are called
"THE PICKLED PEPPER PATCH".
Until next month!
Char Sethman
Prim Project Manager
A Primitive Place
Leave questions or comments for Char here
I am fasicnated with trying to recreate "pieces of the past" that our ancestors found needful for everyday living or taking a new piece and putting it through an aging process to add "character" so that it looks as if it has been around for sometime.
I am a lover of all things grungy, rusty, torn & tattered.....just like you would find in Grandma's Attic or Grandpa's Shed.
"How to Make a Perfectly Primitive Gameboard/Sign"
