Get crafty these school holidays and make your own noughts and crosses game

It’s tic-tac-time to get into the school holiday spirit and make your own noughts and crosses game. Use rocks from the garden to paint these colourful bumble bees and ladybirds that will have your kids buzzing. They also make cute pet rocks for when you’ve finished playing or you could hide them around your neighbourhood and let others find them. 

You will need:

• 10 rocks
• Resene Quick Dry undercoat
• Small craft brushes
• Paint testpots in your choice of colours – Fleur used Resene Black, Resene Galliano, Resene Havoc, Resene Quarter Dutch White
• Resene Waterborne Woodsman Skywater testpot
• Square of plywood 27cm x 27cm
• Cotton cloth
• Ruler
• Pencil

Step 1: Start with 10 rocks of a similar size and shape.

Step 2: Using a small craft brush, paint on one coat of Resene Quick Dry undercoat on the top of each rock.  While you can also paint the topcoat direct onto rocks, painting the white undercoat first will help the topcoat colours look more vibrant.

Step 3: Once the Resene Quick Dry Undercoat is dry, paint a dark layer of paint – Fleur used Resene Black.

Step 4: For the bumble bees, use a small dry paint brush to apply yellow paint in small short brush strokes to form three stripes – Fleur used Resene Galliano for her bright yellow bumble bee.
For the ladybirds, use a red or colour of your choice to paint two wings – Fleur used Resene Havoc for her red ladybird wings.

Step 5: Next, paint the detail of the wings. Use a very fine paintbrush to paint two wings on to the bumble bee using white paint – Fleur used Resene Quarter Dutch White.
For the ladybirds, use Resene Black to paint spots on to the wings.

Step 6: Make the eyes by painting two white ovals, with a smaller black circle in each for the pupils. Fleur used Resene Quarter Dutch White and Resene Black.  

Step 7: To make the game board, cut a piece of plywood into a 27cm x 27cm square.  Use a cotton cloth to wipe on Resene Waterborne Woodsman Skywater testpot. Fleur did two coats to get a good strong colour.

Step 8: Using a ruler and pencil, measure out a grid with lines 9cm apart. Use a thin paint brush and your choice of paint to paint on the lines – Fleur used Resene Black.

Allow to dry and then get playing!

project and images by Fleur Thorpe

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