DIY Wooden Ruler Growth Stick

<-------   Pottery Barn 
Wooden Growth Stick

I've seen knock off versions floating around the internet and I knew I could do it.
 My Version    $ 2.00 for the board +
                     $ 4.00 Sharpie paint+
         everything else I had on hand
                      = under $10.00 !!!!!

             Pottery Barn = $99.99

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This is the 'BEFORE'

It's amazing watching children grow, documenting it is fun for everyone...but....what about when you need to paint or move?

This is the 'AFTER'

Ta Da !!!!  Here's the answer !!
A Growth Stick, cool eh?

   Something you can remove when you paint & take with you if you move. What an awesome thing to keep forever & add the grandkids names to.

My boards were in good shape, a quick sanding was all that was required to smooth the surface. They are 1" x 4"x 8', $2.00 each at Rona, love that!
   I would have preferred a
 1" x 6" x 8" or a 1" x 8" x 8" but I knew they would want to hang it in the door opening & it was only 
4 1/2 " wide.

Oops, it's the french side, desole.
 Sorry = desole
  Your french lesson for the day.

 The english version.
    I wanted my growth stick to look like an old school wooden ruler, I thought this pecan colour was close to what i was looking for.

Warning... wear gloves or have funny coloured hands for a few days. I dipped the rag into the can, wiped it on & smoothed it out, no globs. Quick drying stain, only needed about 30 minutes before I started the next step.

<------- You can see the difference here between the natural wood & the one I stained, not a crazy difference but enough to give it some of that pecan colour.

I think I have to say it again,
 I LOVE these Sharpies !

 I used Carbon Paper from Staples & played around with then printed a bunch of fonts that I thought would look somewhat like the numbers on an old wooden ruler.

To make everything easier to work with I tore off a small piece of carbon & indivudual numbers, just made it a little easier to position.

   It doesn't show up very well in the picture but there is the outline of the number on the board. If you don't have carbon paper, the wood is soft enough that you could probably just trace the font using a good amount of pressure & it would leave grooves in the wood.

   All painted & lookin' good.

      Next I did the name, I made this for my sister & her family.

  I added felt pads so it would sit level & wouldn't scratch the wall.

 Because the board is light, I just used a saw tooth hanger.

This was a super easy & very satisfying project. 
Go for it, you can do it!

Enjoy !!