I don't know if you've ever been to a pallet painting party, or, even heard of one, but, I can now attest to their awesomeness. Of course, it doesn't hurt that the woman who leads the parties is a good friend and fellow Booster Club momma; pallet painting parties are a small portion of the salvage/restoration business that she and her sister run, aptly named Junk'n Sisters.
So. How does one go about painting a pallet sign? You start by choosing a design, several of which Junk'n Sisters provided for us to view in advance of the party. Then, you choose a board from the numerous samples that are provided. Choosing aboard entails finding one that "speaks" to you and your design, which, sounds kind of hokey but, makes perfect sense once you are perusing the options.
Once you have your board, you start with your base layer, which, in my case, consisted of using a white-washing technique that involved diluted acrylic paint being "swiped" on with a soft rag.
While the base layer dried, we noshed on snacks and sipped Spring Sangria. Because this was a party, remember.
Then, came the hard part; a vinyl stencil of our design was laid onto the board and secured by using a plastic scraper. The vinyl had to be perfectly centered and leveled, which, for me, was the biggest challenge because, once you put that stuff on, it could not be re-positioned. You basically had one chance to get it right..
Once I managed to get the vinyl positioned correctly, it was time to peel off the first sheet of backing material, which, was also fraught with tension, because I had to be careful not to pull the section with the design away from the board (remember, it can't be re-positioned). I may have required some assistance from my Junk'n Sister at this point ( I totally did).
When I (we) finally accomplished that task, it was time to use a sealant on the exposed portions of the pallet, after which we were free to start dabbing the areas with paint, filling in the exposed wood before eventually peeling the final layer of the vinyl away from the pallet, exposing the completed design. Again, fraught with tension!
Ok. In hindsight, this all sounds fairly simple. Perhaps I am crafts-challenged.
Eh, whatever.
I got to spend a fun evening with ladies I enjoy...
... and, I have a wicked cool sign to show for it.
I can think of worse ways to spend a Friday night.
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