Plant people are a... special breed. There are people who bought a plant from Home Depot and who have managed to keep it alive and then there are people who go to the fancy stores and buy the good stuff. I used to be the first type, but I'm slowly slipping into the second. The only limit, really, is window access.
Monstera plants seem to be the one plant that EVERYONE has. It's beautiful and interesting. I don't quite understand how or why it grows the way it does. And since I don't have room to grow a monstera, I thought I'd make one out of wood!
So even though I have no space for a plant, I did want to jump on this monstera band wagon. I keep hoping someone will pick "plants" as a nursery theme, but so far I've had no reason to make a plant or monstera growth chart so I decided to make one anyway! The design was a new concept, but I'm digging it. Most of my growth charts are so detailed that a common question is "where are you supposed to mark their height?" I like this one because I left open wood space on either side.
The first step when I make a growth chart is to find clip art online that I can use as a template. It has to be something that will translate without a lot of painted details (I'm a woodworker, not a painter).
Once I have the clip art picked out, printed and cut, I start by laying it out on the wood and seeing what feels right. The main things I'm looking for is not only aesthetics, but also how difficult it will be to cut. I don't mind a challenge. In fact, I love it, but I also know the limitations using a jig saw and forstner bits.
After I trace, I cut. And after I cut, I sand. And let me tell you... I HATE sanding. It's too... slow and no thinking involved. My hatred towards it has made me a better cutter with the jig saw. The better my cuts, the less I have to sand. Deal. The cutting and sanding usually takes a couple days... mostly because my back can't take standing over something for more than a few hours (yes, I'll take cheese with my wine in my nursing home). After I have everything done in the garage, I move the project into my basement to paint. We have an awesome high table in our basement that faces the TV so after the kids go to bed at night, we turn on Law and Order: SVU and I paint. It's extremely cathartic. Depending on the amount of detail, I usually take about a week to paint because it's only an hour or so every night.
I absolutely love how it came out. It's been in my garage for a while and now I'm trying to either find a spot in my house or at an office space where it can be displayed. I wish I had a perfect spot in my house because I do love it. But also would love to find it a good home!
