A group of bloggy-girlfriends and I formed a collaborative support group called Blogging 2 Better. We’ve had fun chit-chatting via the internet and conference calls each week, but we decided to give each other a summer challenge project. Why, you ask? Because we’re just crazy like that I guess! We enjoy pushing each other’s creative buttons, so to speak. The DIY/Craft challenge was to create something out of a varied, and rather obscure list of items. Staying true to Sand & Sisal form, I created the ever trendy pallet art, but surfboard style! I’m going to show you how you can make it also!
My partners in the Blogging 2 Better creative crime were the wonderful gals from East Coast Creative, House of Hepworths, Being Brooke, SAS Interiors, Perfectly Imperfect, and me! Shauna from Perfectly Imperfect has been vacationing out of the country, so we let her skip this challenge, but just this time girlfriend (wink)! We were given the following items to create something fabulous with: barn or pallet wood, the color coral, stencils, fabric, and Mod Podge.
“Kill-Me-Now!”…
is what was running through my head! I can create something out of a few items, but ALL the items? Ok, it was time to get the creative juices flowing!
I’ve had two pallets I’ve been saving ever since we laid our octagonal brick patio. I knew they were perfect for pallet art or wood signs. From the tips I’ve gathered, you want to deconstruct your pallet with a saw-zaw. I left that laborious job to Mr. Muscles. He actually was able to slice through all the nails quite quickly.
I drank far too many cups of coffee this weekend to free hand a surfboard. You can see my shaking attempt on the board… fail! So I drew one side of a surfboard on the back of some wrapping paper. Then I folded it in half and traced the other side. Cut it and unfold and you have a perfectly symmetrical surfboard! Lay it on a few chosen pallet boards and trace it with some chalk.
After the morning’s caffeine had left my system I pulled out my trusty jig-saw and cut out the surfboard shape. I stacked the two outside boards, clamped them down to my table saw and cut them both at once. I don’t like wasting time! Kill two birds with one stone, right? Always wear your safety glasses when using the saw! I love my 3M Tekk glasses. They are light weight, fit well, and look good! A girl has to look good you know?!
Keeping the boards clamped down and trimmed, I took my vibrating pad sander with a 60 grit paper to the edges to smooth it all and diminish my rough cutting. Sanders are awesome! They hide and fix so many mistakes.
To attach the three pallet boards together, I found some scrap thin board in the garage, lined it heavily with wood glue and rest it on the boards in three areas. It only took about an hour to set up. Use what you have on hand. A few paint stir sticks would have worked great also.
Now came the fun part! It was time to decorate the surfboard pallet art. I used my favorite 3M Scotch Blue Edge Lock tape to paint perfect stripes. Click if you’d like more info on how to paint stripes in a room. Using a Martha Stewart brush for painting a light, weathered paint stripes was easy! Dip the brush in paint, rub most of it off on a plate, and then lightly stroke the brush starting on the tape and ending in the center of the wood in a cross hatch movement. The paint will look very light and weathered with this technique. I painted a white, blue, and coral stripe. Remember the requirements? I needed coral.
The pallet and coral part of the challenge requirement were accomplished, now we move onto the stencil element. I cut a hibiscus stencil out of a transparency and painted on a few different shaped hibiscus in blue, white and coral.
We have finally arrived at the “Kill-Me-Now” part of the project. We had to use fabric and Mod Podge. Ok, I’ve got the Mod Podge element down just fine! If you’re a faithful reader of mine, then you know I just did a huge promotion for my friend Amy’s new book Mod Podge Rocks! And you can see multiple projects where I’ve used Mod Podge in the Décor Crafts Gallery. My hubs graciously sacrificed one of his beloved surf shirts for the cause. May it rest in peace. (Ancient, sweat-stained, surf attire is quite sacred apparently, to one said surfing hubs). Any-hoo… I Mod Podged the little fabric surf emblem to the surfboard skeg.
Voila! All the challenge elements were complete: pallet wood, coral, stencils, fabric and Mod Podge! I attached two eye hooks and a wire and hung it in my boys’ room.
I’ve really neglected doing much with boys room so this surfboard pallet art addition is a nice touch. My boys had painted the SURF letters a year ago and I had never hung them (slacker-mom) until now! The surfboard in the corner is my oldest sons’. He loves to surf like his dad. I love the look of the pallet wood so much that now I’m thinking “Pallet Headboard”? What do you think?
Check out what all the other awesome bloggers created with the Blogging 2 Better Summer Challenge!
Visit: Being Brooke, East Coast Creative, House of Hepworths, & SAS Interiors.
LOVE PALLET CREATIONS? You might love my Pottery Barn Inspired Beach Banner made from pallet wood.
Kim
Awesome project Kim and I’m sure the boys love it! Crazy how we all used the same materials, but all of our projects are so different. xo Jenna
Thanks Jenna! It was great motivation to use the pallets that have been sitting in my garage (and driveway…sorry neighbors!)forever!
WOW!! Looks fab!
Thanks!
This is one of the coolest-looking pallet projects I’ve seen! I’m sure your sons love it. And it was so noble for your husband to sacrifice his shirt to the cause!
You’re smart to attach the boards together like that to create your board. I’m guessing that pallet wood is fairly lightweight–more so than fresh boards–is that right? For sure the patina is super-cool!
Thanks Richella! You are correct. The pallet wood is very dry and made of pine (at least my pallet was. Surprisingly it really isn’t very heavy at all.
I love it, I need to challenge myself to use a pallet! Now I have all of your teams projects to inspire me 🙂 They look great!
Thanks! The other ladies did a great job too didn’t they?!!!
Wonderful Job Kim as always!
Thanks!
Love this idea 🙂 Everyone is Mod Podging these days looks great!
Thanks!
Love this idea 🙂 Everyone is Mod Podging these days looks great!
Ummm I would say you “KILLED IT NOW” Wow Kim. I have been doing a bunch of research because I am decorating for a tween girl’s surf room. I want to make a surfboard shelf and you so inspired me with this bad boy. BEEEEEAUTIFUL…actually I guess it is handsome because it is in your boy’s room. You rocks my world today with this little gem!
Haha! I’m telling you Beckie, you just about killed me with that list!!! But, in all seriousness, THANK YOU! If you need more ideas for a girl’s surf room I did an entire Roxy Girl Room. 😉
Ok Kim, PLEASE tell me how you made the stencil. I need to do the exact stencil, and I am not craft able at all. My whole house is beach/surf themed, especially my boys room. At least I am attempting. Anyways, I need to know how to do the stencil, where to find the image. See, how needy I am? 😀
Thanks.
Erin
erinandvictor@yahoo.com
Thanks Erin! I’m doing a tutorial on it later this week. Can you hold on until then? 😉
This is fabulous – love the idea of a surfboard headboard! Radical dude!
Kelly
This is beautiful!! The little stencil job is my fav 🙂 Oh wait, no, it’s the bare feet that is my fav b/c that made me bust out laughing. All I could think of when I first started reading the post was, ok, she is going to be wearing sandals….and then I see NO shoes. Cracking me up. Even better 🙂 hehe. Love it!
Very, very cool. I love this.
wow wow wow! You are amazing!
So cute! I have been missing home so much that I wanted to transform my office into a beach theme- I might do this for an added touch.
I L.O.V.E this surf board! I am gathering ideas for my son’s bedroom & this is absolutely perfect…so glad I went blog hopping today :~) Great tutorial — thanks for the inspiration! ~Jen
What a great tutorial and bedroom! Thanks for sharing. Did you make the quilt?
I found the quilt set at http://www.house-to-homedesigns.com/cawasuqu.html
Yeah! Love this bedding and going to make the surfboard this weekend. Thanks, Kim !
LOVE it! it turned out awesome. and look at you & those power tools!!! you look HAWT! 😉
seriously, it looks so cool!
kellie
LOVE LOVE LOVE. And look at you in all your cute skinniness! 🙂
Ha, wearing goggles while cutting old wood barefoot!
Living on the edge, I like it! 😉
Oh, this is precious. So clever, Kim. We are close to the beach and I can see my son being all over this as he gets bigger. So envious of all of you Haven attendees. Hope it was a blast.
So amazing, Kim! I love the colors! Megan
Such a great idea! (You made it look so easy, too.) I’m definitely going to have to add this project to my new year’s list. I’ve been trying to find a small vintage surfboard for decor but haven’t had much luck. Now I can just make my own in the exact size that I need. Thanks, Kim!
Oh my god. I think I love you. You are awesome. One finding the time to do the things you do with kids and two being so talented. I have many ideas and never quite know how to really execute them. My partner huff’s and puff’s at my crafts as I buy bits and bobs when I can but having the time to finish them and to the standard I want with out the right tools etc (“because I’m not allowed to spend money”) I’m finding hard. I’m trying to start a small business to “make” money but all he sees at the moment is clutter and money being spent although I hardly buy anything and hunt for freebies etc : ))
I’m just contacting you just to say you have inspired me (to ignore him and carry on, when said children and baby have gone to bed as I just don’t see any other time I can do it without hands pulling at my clothes, table, crafts and being constantly interrupted by said children and partner) to carry on with my ideas and with your help learning a great deal on how to achieve the things I want to make. You are amazing in what you do. Thank you.
That’s awesome! Love the idea, ,,want to make one, nice job!