Blended Stain Custom Growth Ruler

 

A good friend ordered a custom growth ruler for her new grandson and family for Christmas. I love how each custom ruler I do is so unique. This is her vision for the family and I have to say the soft blended greys with white is perfect.

                                             

I use 6' long 8" wide spruce boards. The ends are scraped and edges sanded smooth.

Using a Dixie Belle big daddy brush, Up in smoke and white magic Dixie Belle Voodoo Gel Stains were squirted on the board and blended together. This is the back side which I always finish but it allows for a sample area too to see if need more of one color etc.

This brush is the key to smooth easy blending.

watch my blending video on the back side

It looks perfect. I repeated this on the front side once back was dry.

Above is the back side dry (L) and front wet (R).

The front side blending video

Italic font numbers were chosen.

I shared a couple layouts with the numbers for my friend. This allows them to see the look rather than imagining.

She chose the traditional "ruler" look. She also wanted the family name somewhere on the ruler too.

The measurement increments were marked in pencil along the side then marked with a white oil sharpie pen.

The numbers were traced again with pencil and outlined with the white oil sharpie marker.

NOTE; flip the ruler around to face you while doing this soon after making the increments :) 

Why? because no matter how careful you think you are the fresh paint can transfer to the board requiring more work.

This made the rest of the hand painted numbers much easier to do.

To add the family name I chose an italic black chancery font and printed in the size that would fit at the top of the ruler. This hand done way was how I originally started my custom growth rulers.

On the backside I rubbed a graphite pencil to create my own transfer.

Subscribe to these Blog Tutorials ~ Visit my Etsy Store

Follow me on Facebook ~ Follow me on Pinterest 

Follow me on Instagram ~ Follow me on Hometalk

Email me

The paper is flipped and positioned and traced with a pencil. The faint pencil line was followed with the oil pen.

Using an angled Dixie Belle Artist Brush, the numbers were hand painted with salt water Dixie Belle silk mineral paint.

Before sealing the board front and back were lightly sanded with a Dixie Belle sanding sponge. A 2" Dixie Belle synthetic brush was used to apply 2 coats of Dixie Belle satin clear coat.

Again the back side gets 1 coat to seal all up.

And it is ready to be hung and years of measurements marked on it.

Take a video tour of this cutie.

Links to the Dixie Belle products are for your convenience. My affiliation with this company does not increase prices on your end, your purchases via my links do however provide a small subsidy which allows me to keep providing these free tutorials. Thank you!

FEATURED ON

Shared on these fun link up parties

Create Bake Grow Gather

Morning Cup of Joe

Tuesday Turnabout

Whimsy Home Wednesday

Happiness is Homemade

Project Creative Friends

Inspire Me Tuesday

Wonderful Wednesday

To Grandmas House We Go

Whimsy Home Wednesday

Thursdays Favorite Things

Saturday Sparks

Sundays on Silverado

Inspire Me Monday

Senior Salon Pit Stop

Morning Cup of Joe

Farmhouse Friday

Create Bake Gather grow

Home Matters

New Upcycled Ideas

Karins Kottage