Friday, August 24, 2012

Oversized Ruler Growth Chart

Post edit:  If you are local and would rather purchase a ruler than make one, I would be happy to do it for you!  You can purchase it for $30 over in my shop.


My project is something that I have wanted to do for a long time and am so glad that I took the time to do it this month.  It turned out even better than I could have hoped for and so much easier and inexpensive than I thought it would be!

Growing up, we had a wall that we used to track our growth on.  It is something that we look at quite frequently at my parent's house.  Whenever people would come over, they were always measuring themselves to see where they measured up to.  My dad is always at the top since he is a tall 6'7", although if you ask him, he would tell you that he is 5' 19". Oh dad.


The problem with having a wall that you use to track growth is that people move and you want to paint walls but can't because you would be painting over something that is irreplaceable.  That is where my oversized ruler growth chart comes in handy!


You will start with a board from your local Home Depot that measures 1X8X6.  If you can't find it, tell the people that work there that measurement and they will be able to show you right where to go.  You will also need to head over to the paint department and grab some stain.  I used Minwax "Honey" stain.  I think it is a perfect not-too-dark and not-too-light color.

Sand the board so that it is smooth and then apply the stain.  I used a paint brush and painted it on in little sections.  Once you paint it on, wipe it off with a rag immediately so that it doesn't get too dark.

Last, I cut out some vinyl using my silhouette machine and applied it to the board.  If you don't have a vinyl cutting machine, you can also just use a stencil and paint.


There you have it!  A fun and functional way to keep track of your family's growth! I used a Sharpie marker to write in the name and the date.


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7 comments:

Amy at Ameroonie Designs said...

I really should do this. Right now we are using the door jam in the kitchen pantry- not really something I can move with us if we ever leave this house. ;) Your ruler is gorgeous!
xoxo

Leanne said...

This looks fantastic! I wish I would have done this years ago. I love seeing all the lines with names and dates.

The Conrad Family said...

Super cute Jonie! I think I need to make one of these in case we don't buy the house we are renting! Great idea!
p.s. I love your parents wall and I can totally hear your dad saying 5' 19"...he is a nut but I love him!

Jess Cox said...

I've been meaning to make one, I really just need to do it! About how much did your board cost you?

Gwen @ Gwenny Penny said...

So cute, Jonie. This turned out really nice. We use the inside of our basement door. We have no intention of ever moving, but if we do, the door comes with us :)

Ashlee Marie said...

I love my ruler growth chart- yours is gorgeous too!

Kimmi Rea said...

I seriously just pinned this on pinterest and thought "What a GENIUS idea"! You are so talented and i have no crafting abilities so you should start selling all of your stuff k? Love Ya!