Growth Chart in Action

Now that Mateo's first birthday passed the growth race is on! Tater is trailing behind his brother by about an inch on our homemade giant ruler growth chart.  And check out D's crazy growth spurt when he reached 2!  His 3-yr birthday is next month and curiosity got the best of me.  Although not yet marked, he's barely grown an inch in the last year.  Unless he's the Incredible Hulk (he wishes) I don't think we'll be seeing such a drastic growth spurt in January.

-Shirley

DIY: Growth Chart (Modern & Trendy)

The moment I saw this project, I fell in love.  It was the perfect blend of functional, sophisticated, and creative all in one.  It was a fine piece of decor that I would gladly display on my family room wall, and yet all it was, was a piece of wood marked up with a Sharpie!  Yet, I love staring at it now that it's showcased in my house.  I love it, I love it, I love it.  Did I mention that I love it???  I know it'll be something that will travel with me forever no matter where I live and for each birthday, we will freeze yet another memory in time for each of my boys.

And it was sooooo easy to make!  I was able to complete it in one day in between my kids' naps and stuff.  I want everyone to have one!

MATERIALS YOU WILL NEED

• 1 1x8x6 board (Bought mine at Lowes)
• Wood Stain (I chose Red Oak because it matched the warm decor in my house)
• 1 Disposable Brush
• 1 Normal Ruler (not a ginormous human-sized one - LOL)
• 1 Pencil
• 1 Black Sharpie
• 1 Ball Point Pen
• The numbers 1-6 printed on a piece of paper (I used Century font at 200 pts)
• 1 Sawtooth frame holder or Wall Screws and Wood colored putty

DESIGN NOTES

1. This ruler is marked and designed to be hung exactly 6 inches off the floor.  If you want it to be based at ground-level, you will need different tic marks and numbering along your giant ruler.
2. Although I included the sawtooth frame holder to hang the board, after a little disagreement with my hubby, he won and we screwed the entire ruler to the wall.  He was worried about the safety of our tots since they find trouble around every corner.  He had a point - that's the only reason he won.  I didn't like the screws to show, so he filled the holes with some wood-colored putty.

MAKE YOUR RULER

Using your brush, stain the wood.  The longer you leave it, the longer it will stain.  I left mine on for 5-10 mins tops before I wiped the stain clean with a paper towel.  Allow the stain to completely dry.

Using your ruler and a pencil, mark a pattern of 2 one-inch lines for every 1 two-inch line.  The lines should all be one inch apart.  When you are happy with your lines,  trace over them with a Sharpie and a ruler.

With a pencil, trace over your number on the BACK of the paper.  Flip the paper over (face up) and strategically place on your ruler.  Take a ballpoint pen and trace over the TOP of the paper, this will transfer the pencil lead and indentation of the number shape onto the ruler.  Then simply trace over on the giant ruler with a Sharpie!  (I took my time with this because I'm a perfectionist, and I found it therapeutic - I know, I'm weird)

Secure the giant ruler onto your wall.  Remember - it must be hung exactly 6 inches from the ground.

And that's it!  Easy-peasy, right? - Shirley