Instructions

1. Watch the video. Follow along with the video tutorial for a step-by-step walkthrough of how to make your own watercolor American flag sign.
2. Tear the Book Pages. Start by ripping several book pages into random shapes and sizes. Don’t overthink it.
3. Decoupage the Cutting Board. Working in small sections, brush Mod Podge directly onto the front of the bamboo cutting board. Lay down the torn book page pieces, slightly overlapping them as you go. Try to keep most of the Mod Podge underneath the paper instead of brushing over the top. This helps preserve the vintage book-page look without making the paper overly shiny or wrinkled. Let some of the paper hang over the edges for full coverage. Continue until the entire front of the cutting board is covered.
4. Smooth Everything Down. Once the paper is applied, use a brayer roller to smooth out wrinkles and bubbles. If you don’t have a roller, you can gently smooth everything down with your fingers or place parchment paper over the top and rub across it with a flat tool. Let the Mod Podge dry completely before moving on.
5. Sand the Edges. Use a nail file, sanding block, or sandpaper to carefully remove the excess paper around the edges of the cutting board. The trick here is to sand in a downward motion only. Don’t rub back and forth or upward, or you risk lifting the paper edges. This technique gives you a super clean finish.
6. Paint the Watercolor Floral Section. Using watercolor paints, create simple floral shapes in the upper left corner of the cutting board, roughly where the stars would be on an American flag. Each flower is made using little curved “C” shapes layered outward to form petals. Add tiny leaves between the flowers using simple pointed oval shapes.
7. Add the Flag-Inspired Stripes. Using red watercolor paint, create loose wavy stripes across the rest of the cutting board. These stripes are intentionally imperfect and flowy rather than straight.
8. Drill Pilot Holes. Measure about 1 to 1½ inches inward from each side of the cutting board handle area and mark the spots for your hanger holes. Use a pin vice tool or small drill to create pilot holes. Then twist in the screw eye hooks.
9. Create the Beaded Hanger. Thread twine through wood beads to create a decorative hanger. A little trick: wrap the end of the twine with masking tape and cut it at an angle to make threading the beads so much easier. Tie the twine onto the screw eye hooks with double knots and trim the excess.