Twelve-Day Picture

By Alan Farrant

To make a twelve-day picture to give to your dad or a friend, you will need: an outline design cut from thick paper or light-weight cardboard, or design taken from a newspaper or magazine; freshly-sawed pine board 1″ (2.5 cm) thick and large enough to accommodate your design (keep board dry and out of sun); fine-grade sandpaper; glue or paste; paste wax or varnish and paintbrush; two screw eyes; rope and finish nails (optional); braided wire or strong string.

1. Sand board on clearest side until it’s as smooth as possible.

2. Fasten design to smooth side of board with just enough glue to hold it flat and firmly in place.

3. Leave board in bright sunshine with design side toward sun for twelve days (fifteen days in winter).

4. Remove design with warm water. Board, except where covered by design, will have beautiful yellow brown tone.

5. Polish entire surface with paste wax, or cover it with thin, clear varnish, and put it in dustfree place to dry for several days. Handle carefully, and don’t leave any fingerprints!

6. When board is dry, attach screw eyes and wire or string to top for hanging.

7. Border can be made from rope, if desired. Cut rope to fit evenly around edges of board, then attach to board with small finish nails.

Illustrated by Shauna Mooney