DIY Personalized Travel Map
- By Joan
- May 16, 2018
- 6 Comments
A couple of weeks ago I shared with you an American flag made from shutter slats that used a star stencil from Stencil Revolution. Well, this huge United States stencil is also from Stencil Revolution. They gave me the opportunity to pick out a few stencils if I would share them with all of you. Yes, please.
This is the 36 x 24″ size United States map but they actually carry 7 different sizes ranging from 5 x 6″ all the way up to 55 x 35″ which would be fantastic stenciled directly onto a wall.
For my project I’m going to stencil on shiplap. These pieces were leftover from the buffet built-in. Unfortunately I needed a couple more pieces to complete the background.
Cut the shiplap to size, leaving a nice border around the stencil. With the 36″ stencil, my shiplap measured 42″.
On the back, nail on scrap wood to secure the shiplap.
For your background, use whatever color goes with your decor. I’m just using leftover gray bathroom paint.
If you like that somewhat worn, scuffed edges look, grab a sander and soften your edges.
To those sanded edges, I added some of my vintage wax. The same wax that I use for chalk paint.
Tape the stencil in place.
Because this stencil is so large, instead of a stencil brush, I’m using a mini paint roller to apply chalk board paint. Load the roller with paint, then use newspaper to roll off the majority of the paint. Using the semi-dry roller , apply several light coats of paint. This is black chalk paint.
Now for the fun part, decorating from your travels. Use a paint pen or chalk pen to fill in the full space. You may want to put places you’ve visited, cities you’ve been to, people who live there…whatever means something to you.
Some states work better for this than others. Can’t fit too much into Delaware, Hawaii or Rhode Island but I could write a book in Texas.
You decide whether the map will depict your entire life, since you’ve been married or since the kids were born. It’s all up to you. You’ll also have to decide whether driving thru a state or having a layover there counts as a visit.
If you make a mistake or need to add another memory, just paint over that state with chalk paint and start over.
You could also add photos on the border, your favorite food from that state (sourdough bread CA, Philly cheesesteaks), add pins to the cities you’ve visited, paint the states different colors when you’ve visited…Any other ideas?
Stay inspired.
Shared at Metamorphosis Monday,
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What a neat idea. I love it!
Love this idea Joan. This would be a great teaching tool for someone trying to learn their states.
Right! I remember having to memorize the states and capitals. Writing them onto something like this would have been a wonderful kinesthetic approach.
Really well done! Looks great.
What a fun way to record trips. I like your idea of writing favorites from your trip in that state, especially the food! So much easier than scrapbooking.
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