Wooden Guest Book Tutorial

guest book tutorialBack in March a group of us friends decided to have a going away party for a couple in our group that was moving to Dallas from Illinois.  This was not a happy moment for us!   I mean Dallas is 9 hours away!  I started to browse Pinterest for a going away gift for them.  So many ideas my brain went on overload!

guestbook us

I just happened to come across a wooden guestbook that was used for a wedding.  It was the state that the couple lived in.  Thinking to myself that is an awesome idea, I want to make one for them.  A wooden Illinois sign that they could hang on the wall in their new home, that everyone could sign at the party.  I decided to one up the original I saw and add a matt for a picture and a red heart where Carterville is located.  At the party we would take a picture of the whole group and it would be placed in the mat.  Now, Brittnie and Adam would have not only a signature of all of their friends but a picture to remind them of the great night we had.

So I decided to do a tutorial on how to make one.  It would be a great wedding idea as well.  I’m letting you in on a secret…I did not make this gift.  My crafty husband did.  Thank you Lord for him!   I am not at all a tool person, AT ALL.  I would have probably cut off a finger or two.  One thing I wish I would have done was take video of him using his tools to make one.  I’m sure with 2 major weddings we are in this year, someone is bound to want one and then I can update this post.  Ok, so on with the tutorial!

What you will need..

  • 3/4″ MDF (size was 24″x18″)-Lowes
  • an outline of the State you want to use from Google Images
  • Printer and 9 pieces of copy paper
  • tape
  • pencil
  • jigsaw
  • small router
  • orbital sander
  • keyhole dremel bit
  • Premium Valspar white satin spray paint-walmart
  • Krylon short cuts red pepper spray paint-walmart
  • 5×7 white cardstock-walmart
  • Prestige 8×10 picture frame mat that fits a 5×7 picture-walmart
  • Craftwood woodables (wooden heart)-walmart
  • Tacky glue-walmart
  • a photo-Walgreen
  • oil base fine point sharpie (any color, we used black)-walmart

il mdf

ilcut1

front il

Start building…

  1. Search your State on Google Images.
  2. Print out the size you want.  We printed ours to be 20″ long and it printed  out in 9 pieces.
  3. Tape your State picture together.  Cut out the template and lay out the template on the MDF wood totr ace it.
  4. Then my husband used the jigsaw to cut out the sign from the MDF
  5. After the State is cut, use a dremel tool to route around the edges on the front face only.  This give is a rounded look
  6. Use an orbital sander to sand it down smooth front and back
  7. Next you have to decide how you want to hang the sign.  We chose to use a keyhole dremel bit to make a hole that a nail or screw can fit right into.  This is a a bit heavy so you want to make sure whatever you choose is appropriate to keep it on the wall you are hanging it on
  8. Next paint the front side with the satin spray paint and let it completely dry.  Spray paint your heart with the red pepper Krylon spray paint until it is completely dry.  We let the drying happen overnight.
  9. We cut down the mat so it wasn’t so thick and take up too much signage area
  10. Once everything is dry, it was time to glue the mat to the wood.  We chose the middle, but it is your project and you can make it however you see fit.
  11. Next glue your red heart for your city location
  12. Place the 5×7 cardstock inside the mat.  This will secure the picture once it is placed inside the mat
  13. Wrap up your gift and be prepared if it’s a going party to have tissues on hand

me and bit

adam and brit

hey brit

xoxo cheri

Cheri