Family Name Wall Plaque

I've always thought that our walls were missing some personalization. We have family pictures up, but nothing that identified who we were. They reminded me a bit of model homes.

This is the wall visitors see when entering our house. Cute family pictures, fabulous growth ruler--but a wide space in between. The wall was begging for a plaque with our family name.

TO MAKE

Ingredients

- Wood plaque(s)

- Acrylic paint

- Scrapbook paper

- Mod Podge (MP)

- Paper or vinyl letters

- Lacquer spray

- Drill/bits

- Cotton twine

- Other embellishments

Recipe

1. If needed, sand and prime wood plaques. Wipe completely free of dust.

2. Paint the plaques. Let dry overnight.

3. Cut the scrapbook paper to size. The flat part of my plaques was about 4" square, so I cut a little larger of a paper square, then lightly sanded the paper's edges to size.

4. Brush thin layers of MP to the plaque and back of the paper, then affix the paper to the plaque. To avoid air bubbles, slightly bend the paper in half and start applying it in the middle of the plaque, then smoothing it to the edges. You'll also have about 10 seconds to slide the paper around before the MP sets. Wait 45 to 60 minutes for MP to dry.

5. Apply letters, then brush a layer of MP over the letters. My letters were two layers of cardstock that didn't lay flat against the plaque. Because I wanted a smooth surface, I brushed on a thick layer of MP, then let dry overnight.

6. Apply any other embellishments that require a coat of MP. Let dry.

7. Repeat layers of MP as needed, allowing time between coats for drying.

8. Drill 2 holes at the top and bottom for all plaques except the last one. The holes need to be large enough for the cotton twine.

9. Sand the tops and sides of plaques to smooth brush marks and MP drips. Wipe off the dust thoroughly. (See Notes below.)

10. Spray laquer sealant on plaques. I did 3 thin coats, then let them dry for about 2 hours.

11. Thread cotton twine through holes, connecting the individual plaques together.

Notes

- I painted the entire plaque since my scrapbook paper is light in color. If your paint is on the light side or if your paper is on the darker side, you can get away with painting the sides and just cutting in the paint across the flat part of the plaque.

- The MP will brush on white, but dry clear.

- Thin MP layers and a foam brush may leave canvas-like brush marks. Sanding and/or a foam roller brush may minimize brush marks. You can also use thicker layers of MP, which will require more drying time.

- Sanding can be done between coats of MP, or it can be done only before the lacquer spray. Use 300- to 400-grit paper to avoid stripping off too much of the MP.

- I cut the letters out of cardstock with my Cricut. Alternatively, you can print/cut letters with your printer, find letter stencils at a craft store, or buy vinyl lettering at hardware stores.

- You can screw in hanging hooks instead of drilling holes into your plaques.