By Alissa Kolarik - Mohawk Social Media Manager

I'm not crafty. I'm the type that pins really neat crafty things to my "Home Decor" Pinterest board and then buys something similar at Target when I see it.  This is probably not the best way to start off a DIY/How To post, but maybe it is, because this project is simple and can be done by anyone. 

Here is what is needed for this project:

Behlen Solar Lux Stain in Jet Black (or any other color of your choosing!)

Craft Paint/Stencils (We used DayGlo paint, but you can use anything you like)

A wooden plank board

Paintbrushes

Sandpaper (this just needed a light sanding so I used 100 grit)

Knobs (We used 8)

Square Bend Screw Hooks (We used 2)

Wall Hanging Kit

First things first - go get what you need for this project. You can order it all online or you can go to the store and buy it locally.  I went to the store for most of it (besides the Behlen stain), which should be simple, but I somehow ended up getting lost in Home Depot and buying a table lamp in Target while shopping for project essentials (don't even ask how I ended up at Target. I'm not even really sure). I did it though (and so can you!) - here are your step by step instructions:

1. Sand your board. The pre-made boards say they are ready for any finish, but sand it to ensure the surface is smooth just in case. 

2. Stain it! Use your brush and your amazing Behlen stain and brush it on. It dries really quickly and is foolproof, unless you're me, in which case you will mess something up. I dumped it everywhere, but that's the only mistake I made. 

3. Let it dry and while it's drying, think about the design or words you want to put onto it. I opted for a chevron design, but I also thought about stenciling on something like "Just Keep Running". 

4. Stencil on your design. I traced mine first, and then used painters tape to tape around the stenciling and to help keep myself inside the lines when I painted. 

5. Paint inside the lines. Or try to. 

6. Let it dry, and then figure out how you want to space your hooks (for bibs) and knobs (for medals). Use measuring tape and pencil on where you need to drill your holes. We measured my smallest race bib and spaced the square bend screw hooks according to that, and then cut the slots in the larger bibs to so that they would fit on as well. 

7. Pre drill the holes where you need the hooks and knobs to go and then put them on. This was the first time I had ever used a drill and I think I did pretty well! The knobs go on the bottom, for hanging your medals. The square bend screw hooks go on the top, for the bibs.

8. Add hanging hardware and hang it wherever your heart desires. Mine is in my kitchen because my kids like seeing my medals and, quite honestly, it was the best place to take a picture of it. 

I really like the look of the Behlen stain over simply just painting it, as the the stain lets the wood grain show through a bit and gives it a more rustic look, as opposed to being matte like paint would be. All in all, this project is one I am very proud of and really glad I took the time to do. 

That's it! It's pretty simple to make something you love instead of buying something pre-made. Plus they don't sell medal racks at Target (I would know).