My family and I LOVE to play games…most of our get-togethers are game nights, or end up in unexpected game nights.  I love adding games to the bunch we have, and I especially love when a game can be a part of our home décor! Checkers is a classic game, and I’m adding a non-classical look to the game with these Seasonal Checkers…depending on the pieces you use, you could change this every season into a brand-new looking game. Here is how to get started.

You Will Need:

• Felt with an adhesive backing
• Round wooden slices or chargers 9”-13” in diameter
• Ruler
• Pencil
• Hot glue sticks and glue gun
• Fabric scissors or paper cutter
• Checker pieces, a round flat foundation piece and two different small objects

• 14 Small sisal trees in green and white about 1.5” tall
• Pink spray paint
• 1” Wooden or plastic snowflakes for foundation

• 8 Faux robin’s eggs
• 8 Faux Butterflies
• Mini wooden craft flowers for foundation
• Mini wooden thimbles

• Small wooden balls, 4 to act as legs for the game
• Wooden hinged box, 5” x 7”

How-To:

1. Paint any pieces necessary, for the winter checkers, set aside your green sisal trees. They are staying that color; spray paint the white trees pink in a well-ventilated area or outside. Set aside to dry.

2. Using the paper cutter, cut the felt into 1” squares. You will need 32 squares for your board. If your wood slices are a bit smaller, you may need less. Use the space you have and add or subtract accordingly.

PRO TIP: If you don’t have a paper cutter really sharp heavy-duty or fabric scissors will cut the felt nicely.

3. Take your ruler and measure out an 8” box on the round. This will be your playing area. The wood rounds are from nature so some might be a little oblong. That’s ok! It will still work.

4. Space out your felt squares so that there are 8 total positions on the board in each row, eight squares and eight empty spaces. Arrange the felt pieces on the board first without removing the adhesive backing. Once you’re happy with the placement remove the backing and attach them to the board.

5. Glue a flat foundation piece to the bottom of each checker piece.

PRO TIP: If you plan on making the storage box, make or save a few extra pieces to decorate the box!

TO CREATE THE STORABLE CHECKERS

1. Add four small wooden rounds to the four “corners” of your round. These will act as legs when you turn the board over.

2. Take a wooden hinged box and fill it with your checkers pieces. Adorn the top of the box with a few of the extra pieces by affixing them with hot glue.

PRO TIP: You can paint or stain the box, but I love the natural color that matches the wood round.

3. Turn the board over so it’s sitting on its legs, place the box on top and enjoy!

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