Chalk Couture Fall Sign With Buffalo Plaid

I gave a wonky breadboard cutout a warm fall makeover using a Chalk Couture transfer, creamy Dune paste, and a layered wooden sunflower. The buffalo plaid background, distressed edges, and little blessed tag came together in such a cute primitive fall sign.

Supplies I used

For this project, I worked with the Primitive Fall sign set. The exact name was a little unclear, but the set included the breadboard shaped base, a layered sunflower, a pumpkin, and two small tags. I chose the sunflower and blessed tag for this version.

I also used these supplies.

• Mini Buffalo Plaid transfer
• Dune Chalk Paste
• Tobacco Road Voodoo Dixie Belle stain
• Surface wax
• Espresso paste
• Bumblebee
• Marigold
• Black chalk paste
• Brown Espresso distress ink
• Sunflower ribbon
• Lattice style jute ribbon
• Thin jute
• Hot glue
• Paintbrushes
• Sandpaper

The pumpkin pieces give you another way to finish the same board. You could even add small hook and loop dots to the seasonal pieces and switch the sunflower for the pumpkin later.

Staining the breadboard and tag

I started with the breadboard base and the little blessed tag because both needed time to dry. I brushed Tobacco Road Voodoo stain over the wood, making sure I covered the front and worked the color into the edges.

I wanted this project to have a vintage, primitive finish, so an uneven bit of color fit right in. After applying the stain, I wiped away the excess and stained the blessed tag the same way. The brown tone gave me a warm background for the creamy plaid and bright sunflower.

Once the breadboard felt dry, I rubbed a small amount of surface wax over it. The wax added a slight sheen without changing the stain color, and it kept the sticky transfer from gripping the wood too firmly.

Adding the Chalk Couture buffalo plaid

The Mini Buffalo Plaid transfer is sticky and reusable. Before placing it on my board, I added a little fuzz to the back. Between the fuzz and the surface wax, I could lift the transfer more easily after applying the paste.

I positioned the transfer over the breadboard and smoothed it across the surface. A light touch works well because pressing too firmly can push paste beneath the screened design.

For the plaid, I used Dune Chalk Paste. Dune is a creamy neutral that reminds me of vanilla with a little more depth, and it looked so pretty against the brown stain.

I spread the paste over every screened area and worked at a steady pace so it stayed wet. Then I scraped away the extra paste and returned it to the container. I lifted the transfer while the paste was still wet and revealed the cutest buffalo plaid pattern underneath.

The wonky edges of the breadboard made the neat plaid pattern feel a little more playful, which was exactly what I wanted.

Painting the layered sunflower

While the plaid dried, I moved on to the wooden sunflower. I used Espresso paste for the dark center, adding a little water because the paste was thick and I wanted it to spread smoothly.

For the petals, I started with Bumblebee and mixed in Marigold. I also added a little stain to create deeper golden areas. Sunflower petals naturally have a mix of yellow, gold, and brown, so I kept blending until I liked the color.

This loose painting method gave the petals more character than one flat yellow would have. I let some areas stay bright and worked more Marigold and stain into others.

After the center dried, I dipped the rounded end of a paintbrush into black chalk paste and added random dots. The dots created a simple seed pattern and gave the center more texture. Since the dots were fairly thick, I gave them extra drying time before handling the piece.

Giving everything a vintage finish

Once the painted pieces had dried, I sanded around the sunflower edges. I also lightly sanded the edge of the center piece before gluing it to the petals.

Then I used Brown Espresso distress ink around the outer edges. This extra brown shading tied the bright sunflower back to the stained breadboard and made the new wood look older.

I added the same distress ink around the blessed tag. Small details like this help separate the layers once everything is assembled, especially when several pieces have similar brown tones.

Making the simple fall bow

I found sunflower ribbon in my supplies and paired it with a lattice style jute ribbon. I cut three pieces, stacked them together, and fishtailed the ends of the sunflower ribbon. I gave the jute ribbon simple angled ends.

I tied the center with thin jute and attached the bow near the handle of the breadboard. I originally planned to use raffia, but the jute worked well with the primitive style.

Next, I threaded a thicker piece of jute through the blessed tag and tied a small knot. I tucked the tag into the bow so it looked like it was hanging naturally, then added a little glue to hold it toward one side.

Assembling the fall sign

To finish the sunflower, I attached its dark center with hot glue. I added more hot glue to the back of the completed flower and placed it near the bottom of the buffalo plaid board.

The finished sign has plenty of texture without feeling overly busy. The creamy plaid stands out against the warm stain, the mixed yellow petals bring in fall color, and the small bow fills the handle area without covering the shape of the board.

If you enjoy changing decor through the season, use hook and loop dots instead of gluing the sunflower permanently. The pumpkin and pumpkin tag from the same set can take its place whenever you’re ready for a different fall look.

Chalk Couture supplies I used

• Dune Paste
• Espresso Paste
• Bumblebee Paste

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