Creating this simple ‘PEACE ON EARTH’ plaque was easy and inexpensive. A scrap piece of wood would work just as well as a purchased plaque. I used FolkArt artist pigments for the best possible coverage. Because I wanted the wood to look rustic I only gave it one coat of Napthol Crimson.

The Napthol Crimson alone was a little brighter than I expected; I used Liquitex Transparent Burnt Umber Ink to antique the plaque. It worked perfectly. Quick Tip: Use a disposable brush to apply the ink, wipe off quickly to remove the majority of the color.

I chose a font and printed out letters in the size I desired for the plaque. I was lucky, you can see I almost ran out of ink. To transfer these letters to the plaque I colored over the back with a piece of children’s sidewalk chalk.

Taped onto the front of the plaque with painter’s tape, I was able to trace around the edges of these letters with a ballpoint pen and transfer the chalk to the plaque. The outline is easy to see, yet any residue left behind after painting can wiped away when the paint is dry.

I used a gold acrylic paint to fill in the letters. A swipe of black paint along the right sides gave the letters a bit of shadowy dimension.

PEACE ON EARTH TO ALL MY BLOGGING FRIENDS! A BLESSED DECEMBER TO YOU.