The Cutting Edge

I never remember my mother having a wood cutting board. Of course that doesn't mean she didn't have or use one, just that it has joined the black hole of memory details that seem to escape me at times. My in-laws, on the other hand, had several boards of different sizes that they pulled out to cut and chop various veggies and fruits, many of which I had never had before. One of my favorites they introduced me to was fennel. With the crunch of celery and a hint of anise in it's sweet taste, it was an instant hit.
Recently, my favorite cutting board...given to me by my in-laws no less, is showing signs of age. The wear and tear of decades of family picnics, holidays, and week night meals has scarred the maple.  It is also developing a crack, just off center, that threatens to split each time I mince an onion. There is so much character in the old cutting boards, that I cannot toss them away, or relegate them to the wood stove as my husband is so eager to do. Instead, I have found a new purpose for the old boards.

One round board, that I distinctly remember my father-in-law using to prepare the end of the meal salads he was so fond of, recently landed in my craft room, secretly saved from the wood pile by the stove.  I have always wanted a wall decorated with old game boards in my family room, but was abhorred by the prices being charged.  Thus began my quest to turn old cutting boards into usable game boards that are both  functional and decorative. Not to mention it's fun to find and paint them.
My first creation took only the drying time of the paint to make.  It is simple, but colorful, and inspired me to contemplate designs for future restorations.  I have seen many collections of old cutting boards displayed, well, as cutting boards.  Watching my pieces evolve into game boards has been wonderfully pleasing.  Checkerboards are my current go-to pattern, but my goal is to find a board both big enough ,and with enough character, to create a Parcheesi game board. This was my favorite game as a kid, and I promise I really WILL play it if I can just pull it off the wall! ( That's for you Katie!)
Re-purposing something that would end up in a landfill or adding a few BTU's to your house is well worth the time.
A warm country hug to all,
Lisa <3