Teens Board

I had the brilliant idea of using foam board (like two pieces of bristol board with a layer of firm foam between) to make the shapes for the geometric cabinet and the metal insets. I scratched that idea when I began to use the foam board to make my teens board. I had all the measurements I wanted and thought I had settled in to watch a DVD while making it. I wished I had not begun the DVD until I had really settled in!

For a while I was up and down trying to find the right tool to cut the stuff. This was an exercise in frustration if ever I had one. After three pairs of scissors and a steak knife failed, I went on a quest for my X-acto style craft knife. That was the tool I finally settled on. I found it was easiest (and neatest) to do each cut in three stages:

First, I would cut the upper bristol board trying not to push down too far into the foam.

Second, I would push the blade out all the way and would slide it into my first cut. Then I'd use pressure along the entire blade to make a very smooth cut. Well, a somewhat smooth cut, through to the second piece of bristol board. For long cuts, I'd have to do this in stages at something of an angle. This was much better than my first cuts when I pulled it along resulting in clumps of foam forming and then the blade pulling over top of it just to sink in deep again and repeating the process. The results were uneven cuts and thousands of little bits of fluffy foam everywhere!

Third, I bent the foam board backwards along the cut to form a crease in the bottom bristol board. I'd use the blade at full length to slice up through the crease.

Then it was just a matter of writing on the numbers. And the joy of it all is: I get to do it all over again for the tens board! (Though for that, I must admit I'm going to re-use the board I made for the teens and just make new number cards).