The simplest DIY world map art

Georgia created the coolest nusery art I've ever seen (in fact, this would make a pretty addition to a guest room, office, or breakfast nook, too).

Here is the (super affordable) world map project in her words:

In searching for decor for my nursery - decor that is neither overly themed, nor cutesy - I found a world map painted onto a pallet on etsy that I absolutely fell in love with. However, the price tag of $175 was a bit out of my reach, so I decided to see if I could recreate the masterpiece on my own. We luckily had several leftover pallets from our recent kitchen renovation, so I was fortunate to have an easy starting point.

Peter and I went to Home Depot and selected a black wood stain - a tiny can for about $5 - and brought it home. I thoroughly sanded the raw pallet with my trusty Mouse sander, until it was reasonably smooth. Peter also removed all extemporaneous (and rusty) nails and bits of jagged wood. Then we applied the stain - two coats - as a base on the entire pallet. I then sanded a few spots down a bit, so the wood grain came through.

Then the project came to a standstill, since I could not figure out how to draw a world map - I'm certainly no artist and the medium of a wooden pallet with spaces between the slats was an unfamiliar one. Finally, Hope suggested I figure out how to trace it - so I took a world-map-outline picture I found online to Kinkos and for $5, they blew it up onto a giant piece of paper for me. I cut out the major land masses, and taped it to my pallet.

I then took a paint brush with some high gloss white paint (leftover from various house painting projects, so I consider that $0 cost) and carefully (and lightly) applied to the exposed portions of the map. I let it dry, and then removed the paper. The map looked good but not finished - Peter pointed out I didn't have my 'poles' at the north and south ends - which was making the overall map look both disproportionate and unfinished, so I free-handed those on. Voila! It may not be technically accurate, but I'm extremely happy with the end result!

What'd you think? Isn't that cool?

Comments

[Miriam]

So very cool! I want to see a photo of how this is displayed in the baby room, when that happens.

[ga]

Miriam - thanks! and Hope requested that very same thing this morning. I'll be sure to send a picture once it's mounted, but we're still in the set-up stages of the rest of the nursery, so it likely won't happen for a month or so, unfortunately.

[Hope]

Miriam - GA did send me one more after photo which I've added (above). Can't WAIT to see it in the finished nusery :)

[Miriam]

LOVE!

[Cari]

Soooo cool!