Difficulty level: Intermediate
Time required: 45 minute, plus 25 hours of drying time for paint
Age range: 12 and up with adult supervision for drill and saw

Things you’ll need:
Wood Tree Trunk Slice
Painters tape
Habanero Martha Stewart Chalkboard Paint
Green felt
Tracing tool such as a pen or marker
Scissors
Glue gun and glue sticks
Foam paintbrush
Saw
1/2″ Dowel Rods
Drill and 1/4 drill bit
Chalk

Things to do:
1. Apply painter’s tape to the edge of the wood slice, applying it in sections so that the tape is smooth around the curves of the wood.

2. Using the foam brush and chalkboard paint, paint one layer onto the slice. It’s easiest to paint in the direction of the grain, and you’ll find that painting in one direction is easier and smoother than painting in the other direction. You may need to wiggle the foam brush just a little to get into some of the rough parts of the wood. Allow the paint to dry for about an hour.

3. Repeat step 2, applying a second coat of paint. Allow the paint to cure for 24 hours.
4. While the paint dries, use a saw to cut a dowel to 4″ long.

5. Draw a leaf shape onto the felt. We drew a leaf that’s 3″ tall and 1 1/2 ” at its widest point.

6. Cut out the leaf.

7. Using a 1/4 drill bit, drill two indentations into the middle of one long side of the wood slice. The holes do not have to be very deep; they should just be enough to wedge the dowel into.

8. Hot glue the leaf to the side of the dowel stem.

9. Add hot glue inside the indentations you drilled, then push the dowel into the hole.

10. Once the paint has dried completely, remove the painter’s tape from the edge.

11. Using chalk, write a message on the chalkboard paint. You can write anything from “Welcome” to “Happy fall!” – it’s your choice! When you want to write a new message, just wipe away the old one and use chalk to write a new message.