This project is in collaboration with Ace Hardware– all opinions are my own, and my opinion is that I freaking love this project.
It’s Friday! I’ll be working all weekend at Sweet Clover this weekend, so if you are local come and see us. We have so many awesome vintage pieces and such great holiday decor right now that it’s worth checking out if you can. (You can see most of what we have in our facebook album). Anyhow, aside from getting ready for our holiday events at the barn, I’ve also been busy getting ready for the holidays a bit at home. This year I came up with an inexpensive DIY gift to give hostesses and other friends. I had not done what I was planning yet, a painted cutting board with relief painting and color blocking, so I decided it would be best to experiment on one to keep for myself before assuming they would be gift-worthy.
I am so pleased that it worked out as I planned, and I created a color blocked relief painted cutting board. Of course, one thing I want to mention because the photo is a little deceiving… the painted side of the board is the BACK side of the board…. you would NOT actually cut on this side, but on the opposite side. But of course for photos, no one wants to see my the cutting board’s backside.
Since I started out creating one for my own home, I wanted it to suit the colors of my kitchen. I used the palette in one of my seascape paint by numbers to inspire my color selection.
I took the painting on the left with me to my local Ace Hardware and selected my colors for this project based on it, and also picked up the other supplies I needed. I am going to break this down into a step by step tutorial for you.
If you want to make your own you will need the following:
Dry wood cutting board- you will oil it when you are finished painting!
Paint- I used Clark & Kensington’s Cool Cash & New Story in satin
Painter’s tape- I used Scotch Blue
Quality paint brush- I used Purdy’s 2″ angled brush
Vinyl
Pen
Scissors
Rag
Vegetable oil
1. Plan & Cut: Plan your lettering and decide on a size that will fit your board. If you have a vinyl cutting machine, you can use that to nicely cut the vinyl in a beautiful font. Or if you are like me, you can embrace hand lettering imperfections. Most vinyl sheeting has a grid on the backside to help with sizing. Once the letters are drawn, hand cut them.
Note: All the letters seen here can easily be reversed so I was able to write them the way they appear. However, some letters cannot be reversed, so make sure to draw the mirror image of them on the back of the vinyl.
2. Placement: Place your lettering exactly where you want it on your board and make sure you have your spacing and layout as you’d like it.
3. Peel & Stick: One at a time, peel the backing off of your letters and adhere them to your board, rubbing over them to make sure they stay in place.
4. Tape: Apply your painter’s take where you’d like to create a block.
5. Paint: Paint the first color of your color blocking and just paint right over the lettering, right up to the tape and to the edges of the board.
6. Dry & Peel: Allow your paint to dry, and once it has dried, peel your vinyl lettering off the board.
7. Retape: Remove your strip of tape, and line it up exactly with the line your paint created.
Add another piece of tape to create your next block.
8. Paint: Paint the next color and allow to dry. Once dry remove your tape.
9. Oil Board: Use mineral oil or vegetable oil to oil your board. This step comes last because if your board is oiled first the paint will not adhere properly.
And now you can enjoy it for yourself, or give as a gift!
Here you can see my final product and how its colors are drawn from my inspiration piece.
We use cutting boards rather frequently though, so having it on the top shelf with this painting isn’t really ideal, so it sits on our counter, next to the knives, appropriately.
I am really happy with how this turned out and can’t wait to create more as gifts. I am planning to make them as teacher gifts, but of course with more appropriate sayings like “Cut It Out” or “You’re a Cut Above,” or maybe “Chop Chop!” Oh wait, no, this is it- “Cut My Kid Some Slack.” The possibilities are really endless!
Now if you’d like to make your own, or have any other DIY projects on your mind, I have a treat for you! One reader will win a $100 Ace Hardware gift card! Enter below.
Good luck and happy weekend, all!
I am a member of the Ace Bloggers Panel and Ace Hardware has provided with products used within this project. I was also compensated for my time and this blog post. All opinions and positions expressed here are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of Ace Hardware.
