This turkey monogram is not just a stunning fall decor piece.

It is also a simple DIY project. 

#1 Gather your paint, paint pallet, variety of brushes, and a pencil. 
#2 Begin Painting with the your base color. Start with the edges, because the paint will bleed onto the front. This way you won’t have to go over the top again and you can use the extra paint that runs over to the front. 
#3 Continue painting each side and crevice. Make sure you are turning your turkey at all angles so you are covering each part of the wood. 
#4 Once all the sides are covered, you can now move onto the front of the Turkey.
#5 Using a large foam brush, cover the front of the Turkey with your same base color paint. 
#6 Once the entire front and sides of the Turkey are painted — lay your turkey out to dry.
#7 Once your turkey is completely dry, take a pencil and sketch the area that you will want to make the feathers. We just followed the natural curve to get our line.
#8 Now take your pencil and make lines where you want the beak and wattle to be. You can also make a line where you want to feet to stop.
#9 Paint the feet yellow and then use the same color to start painting spaced out yellow feathers onto your turkey.

#10 Next, pick up your orange color and begin to do the same thing. Randomly placing colors apart from each other. **Don’t forget to paint the sides as you go or you’ll have a one dimensional Turkey!
#11 We are now picking up the brown color and are starting to blend some of the colors together.
#12 Now take your red and repeat the same process. Blend and make sure all the feathers are covered. Again, make sure you take your color all the way to the edge so you don’t have a harsh line.
#13 This is what your turkey should look similar to before we begin sanding. 
#14 Take your sander and start to distress your turkey. Really focus on the edges and then be creative with where you else you want to sand. **Remember wherever you sand, those places will pick up more of the stain.
#15 If you do not own a sander, you can use a sanding block or even coarse sand paper to get the same distressed look.
#16 This is what your turkey should look like after you have sanded your turkey. Now you are ready to stain.
#17 Take a very stiff brush and begin to add stain to your Turkey. Start from the back so you have a “finished” back as well. 
#18 As you are staining, its okay if the front looks messy like the photo. As soon as you set it down and stain the front, it will all blend together nicely.

#19 Finish staining the back so it doesn’t look lighter and darker.
#20 Turn your turkey to the front side so you can begin to stain the front. Cover the entire front. As soon as you finish covering your turkey, take an old rag and wipe off the stain. The stain will stick to the sanded down places and give it an entirely different look. 
#21 This is what your turkey will look like after you wiped your stain off. 
#22 Now you are ready to add the black spakle look. This is the final touch. Add some black paint to your tray.
#23 Now add some water to the black paint to thin It out a bit.
#24 Take a stiff brush or even an old toothbrush and run your finger across the brush in a flicking motion so small specks adhere to the turkey. This is a bit messy so make sure you have covered the area.
#25 You can do as much or as little as you would like until you get the desired look. 
#26 This is what your turkey will look like after you have speckled it with black paint. 
#27 Here is the final product after it has dried. Now you are ready to stick it in a wreath, use it as the centerpiece of your thanksgiving feast, or bring it as a gift for the host of your Thanksgiving Dinner this year.

Good Luck and be creative! If you finish your turkey, be sure to tag us on Instagram @unfinishedwoodco so we can see your work.

Enjoy!

The Unfinished Wood Co. Team