Okay, so I saw this cool “hammer and chisel calendar” thing online and thought, “I gotta try that!” It looked pretty straightforward, and who doesn’t love a good DIY project? So, let’s go start it!
Getting My Stuff Together
First things first, I needed to gather my materials. Basically, it’s just a block of wood and, well, a hammer and chisel. I had some scrap wood lying around from a previous project, seemed about the right size. I grabed:
- A chunk of wood (mine was kind of rectangular)
- A hammer (nothing fancy, just a regular one)
- A chisel (I had a set with different sizes, picked a medium one)
- A pencil and ruler (for marking things out)
- Safety glasses (gotta protect those eyes!)
Marking It Up
Next, I used the ruler and pencil to mark out where I wanted the numbers and days to go. I kinda eyeballed it, trying to make it look neat and evenly spaced. I did the numbers 1-31 down the sides, and then the days of the week (Mon, Tue, Wed, etc.) across the top. I pressed pretty lightly with the pencil, just in case I messed up and needed to erase.
Chiseling Away!
Now for the fun part! With my safety glasses on, I started chiseling. I held the chisel at a slight angle and tapped it with the hammer, removing those marks of number and days. It took a bit of practice to get the hang of it, and the first few numbers weren’t perfect, I made the cut not too deep at first, and then go back and make them deeper if I wanted. Some of the wood chipped a little more than I wanted, but hey, it adds character, right?
The Finishing Touches (or Lack Thereof)
After I finished chiseling all the numbers and days, I took a step back to admire my work. I could have sanded it down to make it smoother, or even painted it. But you know what? I kinda liked the rough, rustic look. So I decided to leave it as is, with the wood texture.
Show My Calendar
It’s not perfect, but it’s mine! It’s a functional, handmade calendar, and I actually made it myself. Plus, it was a fun way to spend an afternoon and learn a new skill (even if it’s just basic chiseling). I put it on the table, it looks good!
