Silhouette Memory Board

Hello SNAP! Friends! It’s Ariean from One Krieger Chick here sharing how to make a Silhouette Memory Board…The perfect late gift for Mother’s Day (I may be the only one who’s a little late on the handmade gifts) or an end of the school year keepsake of a child’s silhouette. Either way, it is so much easier to create than you imagine…

Let’s get started, shall we? For this project, I used: (silhouette template, 12 inch pine board, white wash stain, black paint and/or chalkboard paint, pencil, and paintbrushes. Not pictured: old washcloth or rag and a chalk marker)

Staining the Wood: If you have never stained wood before, don’t stress. It’s really easy! Use a foam brush to apply a coat of white wash as shown above. It looks really white, but pine soaks most of it up. Let it sit on the wood for a few minutes, then wipe off with an soft cloth or rag (old t-shirt or washcloth works perfectly.) The board I used was 5.5 feet in length because I wanted to stand it on the floor. Use the length that fits your space.

Here’s the difference: Once you have applied white wash stain to the front and sides of the board, let it sit while you create a silhouette template.

Create a Silhouette Template:

The most challenging part of creating a silhouette is getting wiggly kids to stand still for a photo. FYI: Don’t do this step when it’s bedtime…My boys were less than cooperative…1. I took side view photos of each boy. Then I uploaded each photo into PicMonkey.com (free online photo editing program) and changed the coloring to black and white. You can also print in black and white from your printer to achieve the same effect. I tend to complicate things for myself. I then printed each photo as an 8×10 onto white computer paper.

2. Cut around the outside edge of the child’s features.

3. Trace onto white cardstock. This step can be eliminated if you print onto cardstock in the first place.

4. The silhouette in Step 3 was too small, so I enlarged it 125% on my printer and copied it to create a larger Silhouette. This is the perfect size for a 12 inch wide board. You can create a Silhouette in the size that suits you, then cut it out to create a traceable image.

Painting the Silhouette:

Position your templates where you like them on the board. I labeled my boys with their initial just in case I use the images again. Not that I’ll forget who’s who or anything. Trace each silhouette into place using a pencil. Use a small brush and paint just inside the pencil line. This will make it easier to fill in the image without going out of the lines. Fill in the lines with a larger brush. This may need multiple coats of paint. I painted with acrylic paint in charcoal first and followed with two coats of chalkboard paint. It’s not quite dry in these photos.
If desired, when the paint is dry add a child’s initial or name using a chalk marker. I also rubbed white chalk over the paint and wiped it off with a paper towel. This cures the chalkboard and gives it more of a distressed look. Set it in place in your home or give as a gift and enjoy!