Coordinates Sign DIY

Don’t you just love those signs that mark your little spot in the world? Our regular contributor, Michelle James, has a fantastic and fun Coordinates Sign DIY project for you today.

A Coordinates Sign

Mark Your Spot In The World

Hello again! Today I am showing you a sign I created for a friend of mine. It marks the coordinates of their house in Whittemore, IA and will be hung up in their home. It just love this idea.

A Coordinates Sign

About a month ago my friend Jill asked me to make one of these signs for her neighbor who was moving out of state. She wanted to give her something to remember her time and her home in Iowa. When I got it done and took it to her she loved it and then wanted on for herself. I was, of course, happy to do it. They were neighbors so the numbers were almost exactly the same.

I started with a plain sign painted brown with a very watered down paint. It pretty much acts like a stain on the wood. Jeff makes these for me from lathe and 1×2 but you could use a pre-made sign or a pallet too. You could even use a canvas if you like. I just like the rustic-ness of the wood.

Then with my Silhouette Machine I chose a font and cut out the numbers that I needed. I did not cut out the bottom letters because they end up being so small.

Mark your spot in the world with this #DIY Coordinates Sign! #CoordinatesSign #WoodenSign

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I used a chalk pencil to trace around the large numbers and letters then just free-handed the smaller words.

Then I just painted with white acrylic paint.

When I get done and the paint is completely dry I use a sanding block and sand the entire surface for a small amount distressing.

They always come out looking so nice and they are really easy to make.

I hope you like this project. It is such a great way to mark your spot on this Earth. You can see all of my projects by visiting my blog at https://www.michellejdesigns.com
Have a great day!

~Michelle

Isn’t this adorable? Have you thought of making a coordinates sign? What fun ideas for coordinates do you have?

Visit Michelle at her blog, Michelle James Designs!

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~Lorelai

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DIY Wooden Garden Sign

Hi! I am so glad to be back at Life With Lorelai today. I don’t know about you, but we have had a couple of nice weather days in a row. I was busy today cleaning up my back yard. I have wanted a wooden garden sign for my “new” old garden gate, so I found a piece of scrap wood and got to work.

Wooden Garden Sign

A Humorous DIY Project for Your Garden

I created this fun section in my yard by the back door with an old garden gate. I had been wanting a gate for so long. I thought I was going to have to purchase something new and make it look old; but then, I ran into a great garage sale. It still wasn’t as cheap as wanted, but I bought it anyway because I loved it. And, it was exactly what I was looking for.

I planted flowers and greenery in the boys’ old wagon and place a smaller container on the other side, but have known from the beginning that I wanted a fun sign too. I just could not figure out what I wanted it to say.

So many of the signs out there have been used so much, maybe this one has too, but I hadn’t seen it. When I saw it on the internet it made me laugh. I am not sure of the original creator though, and I could not find an original post.

Add a little fun and humor to your #garden with this #DIY Wooden Garden Sign! #Wood #Sign

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I found a scrap piece of masonite in the garage and decided to spray it with my teal spray paint.

After a couple of coats, I took it inside to the Silhouette machine. I used Arial and Glamorous Brush fonts for the wording.

This is what it looked like on my Silhouette studio screen.

I cut it out with black vinyl. This makes it easier to trace. If you look closely, you can see that I have traced around the first three letters. I used a black sharpie. I usually use a pencil, but the teal paint was not allowing the pencil to show, so I had to resort to the sharpie and be pretty careful with my tracing. (I am not the neatest tracer).

Here they are all traced and ready for paint.

I used regular black acrylic paint for the letters. And here it is all done. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It is hand painted!

After it was completely dry, I took it out to the garage and used a sanding block to distress it a bit. The weather and time will do the rest!

Right now, it is just tucked in and resting on the gate latch, but I think I will need to drill a couple of holes and use some wire to make it more permanent. I am afraid our Iowa winds may take it away.

What do you think? I love the final look!

It was a fun little project, and it makes me smile every time I come home!

Have a great day, and I will be back in a couple of weeks!

~Michelle

Visit Michelle at her blog, Michelle James Designs!

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~Lorelai

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DIY Wooden Beach Marquee Sign

Are you ready to hit the beach? Our regular contributor, Michelle James, has a fantastic DIY project to set a beachy tone in your home.

Wooden Beach Marquee Sign

A Beachy DIY Project for Your Home

Wow! I can’t believe that March is over and spring has sprung. Well…it’s going to spring here in Iowa soon, I hope. This weather is why my friend Maureen loves the beach so much. Well, who doesn’t? She decorates in a beach theme all year except for Christmas and St. Pat’s. I love her house. We created this Beach Inspired Sofa Table for her home, and it turned out so cute.

This was a little surprise I created for her to add to her beach décor.

Surprise someone with this #DIY Wooden Beach Marquee Sign! #HomeDecor #Sign #Beach

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Wooden Beach Marquee Sign

I don’t have a complete tutorial, but I think it is enough for you to create one if you like. I have been offering these types of signs in my classes, and people really seem to enjoy them. I love the glow of lights in the house in the evening, and these types of signs don’t disappoint.

I started with a plain wood sign made from lath and 1×2. My husband puts these together for me.

Then, we water down some latex paint to create a paint we can roll on, but almost has the consistency of stain. We were staining them, but rolling the paint looks better and is a much faster process when you have to make large quantities at a time.

One of the pictures below is the stained version we used to make.

I cut out the BEACH letters on my Silhouette. I am getting pretty good at finding a font, then making the letters exactly the size I want for the board. I cut them out of cardstock, then trace around them with chalk. This was the sign we made for Valentine’s Day, but it shows the chalk traced letters. I use chalk because it is easy to see on the brown background, and it comes off easily when we sand later.

Then, using acrylic paint, paint in the letters and any other design you want.

After it is painted and dried, I use a sanding block and give it a good sanding. This gets the extra chalk off the wood, and it gives it a nice rustic, distressed look. I love that!

Then, I mark the spots where I want holes drilled.

This is the painted BEACH sign with the pencil marks for the holes. We are using strings with 35 lights, so I double and triple count to make sure I have exactly 35 marks for holes.

Then working from the back, you push the lights through the wood and work your way up and down the sign, until all of the lights and all of the holes have been filled.

There you have it! Super easy and it looks great. I like to lean mine on the table against the wall, and I have the perfect spot for them.

Give your home a beachy feel with this easy #DIY project. #HomeDecor #WoodenSign #Beach #Theme

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Well, I hope you have enjoyed this post. Please share, and stop by my blog and say hello!

See you next time!

Michelle

Visit Michelle at her blog, Michelle James Designs!

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Do you have any fun ideas for a marquee sign?

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~Lorelai

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DIY – Not-So-Wicked Sign

Regular Contributor, Deborah Ward, has done it again! She’s brought us a fantastically fun Halloween DIY project that will make you giddy with ghoulish delight. Enjoy!

DIY Not-So-Wicked Sign

A Ghoulishly Delightful Halloween Project

While I would never label myself as cheap, I don’t really enjoy spending excess money on stuff that I don’t absolutely have to have. I guess you can call me frugal. However, I really want to have a nicely decorated home when the Holidays roll around. Hmmm…what’s a girl to do? Shop sales and think creatively, of course!

Every year I set a specific budget to purchase new decorations. Since that budget is somewhat low, I try to find things I can make myself using craft supplies I already have. As a result, I was able to make this adorable “Wicked” sign for around $5. You can’t find a completed sign this cute for $5 in a store! If you are buying all of your supplies for the first time, expect to pay more, but this can still be a cheap craft.

I found this cute little cardboard sign at a popular nationwide craft store. It retailed for $9.95, but was on sale for half price. They also had others that said things like, “Trick or Treat.”

Something (not so) Wicked This Way Comes! #Halloween #DIY project – a ghoulishly delightful sign.

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What You’ll Need:

Cardboard sign (OR…You can get super crafty and make one out of wood)
Acrylic paint (one color to compliment the paper you will use)
Cardstock (one piece for each letter)
Craft glue (the kind you can use as a glue and sealant)
Scissors
Ribbon, Twine, Wire (Whatever you want to use for the bow and to hang it)
Hot glue and Hot glue gun

Step One:

The first thing you’ll need to do is give your sign a nice coat of paint. Front, back, top, bottom, sides, and inside. Allow to dry thoroughly.

Step Two:

After the paint has completely dried, grab your first sheet of cardstock, and flip it over so that you only see the back side of the paper. Then, place the front side of the sign down on top of the paper. So, basically, it’s like you are looking at the sign from the back. With a pencil, trace the letter on to the paper, and then, cut it out. Set aside and continue with the other letters.

Step Three:

Now that you have your letters cut out, one at a time spread glue on to the sign, and place your cut out paper pieces on top. When you have all letters glued down, allow to dry, then spread a liberal (but not too thick) layer of glue on top, paying close attention to the places where each letter connects. Set aside to dry completely.

Step Four:

To make the bow pictured above, I used three different things: white tulle, black ribbon, and orange twine. Take the ends of each element you are using and hold them together in your hand. Measure out how much you want to use. For a thin bow, use less. For a fuller bow, use more. I used approximately three feet.

Holding the ends together, start looping the ribbons (like you would an extension cord) so that you have a circle about 5-inches or 6-inches wide. Holding the center tight, tie and knot a piece of ribbon to secure it. Fluff out the ends to achieve the desired look.

Step Five:

Now that you have all of your elements ready to go, plug in your hot glue gun. Once hot, place a dollop of glue down where you want your bow to go. For fun, I cut six, 6-inch long pieces of colored craft wire to go below the bow. I carefully placed the wire into the hot glue. Then, add another small dollop of glue, and press your bow down on top of it. Allow to dry.

Measure out another piece of ribbon or twine about 12-inches long. Once dried, flip the sign over, and decide exactly where you want to place your hanger ribbon. Add some hot glue, press the ribbon into it, and then, add a top layer of hot glue. Do this to both sides. Allow to completely dry before hanging.

Re-fluff the bow, curl up the wire a little, and display your new sign proudly! Having cute decorations in your home doesn’t have to cost you a fortune. If you are willing, the only real cost is your time.

Get Wickedly Crafty with this adorable handmade sign. #Halloween #DIY #Craft

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Here are a couple of other ideas for Halloween decorations on a budget:

Dollar Tree Wreaths

Halloween Decorations on a Budget