This is one of the easiest projects to make and once you have the tools, each project only costs as much as the boards or wooden utensils you choose! I picked up this wood burning kit for Hobby Lobby and these letters for monogramming and have used them numerous times to make customized gifts!
My favorite boards to use are inexpensive, smaller boards I can gift as cheese boards with a cute dishtowel and cheese knife, or larger ones I’ll pair with a matching monogrammed spoon. I really like these two from Ikea.
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60233426/
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80233430/
And this spoon works perfectly for this project as well.
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40278468/
Before I begin, I always try some practice monograms on a scrap board just to get myself reacquainted with the pressure and feel of the wood burning rod again.
After you’ve familiarized yourself with your tools, it’s time to decide where you’d like your monogram to be placed! For cutting boards you can make your design in may corner, centered on the board, or on a handle is your board has one that is wide enough. You can also choose to do either the front or back of a wooden spoon.
Draw a couple of light guidelines using a pencil and ruler to help keep your monogram straight. Then all you do is carefully heat up your rod and stamp your monogram! It’s that easy! I leave the rod on the board for 5-8 seconds depending on the wood I’m using.
Do be sure to let your rod cool down completely between letters if you’re doing multiples and always wear protective gloves (I use oven mits). As always, take extra precautions when using hot tools. These things really can burn the living fire out of you so unplug it when you’re not using it, keep it out of children’s reach, never leave it plugged in or hot and unattended, and keep the fire extinguisher near your work station just in case something goes awry.
Now all that’s left is presentation! I love wrapping a pretty dishtowel around the middle of the board and securing a monogrammed spoon on top with a beautiful ribbon. Another option for a smaller board is to include a cheese knife and perhaps some cheese cloth or paper for serving.
I hope your friends and hostesses love these boards every bit as much as mine have!
Happy gifting!