Thursday, September 25, 2008

A Handcrafted Christmas: Signs

Here is another fun idea as we continue our series on homemade gifts for Christmas. I don't know about you - but I love all the fun signs available today! They tend to be expensive - so I've enjoyed making a few of my own.

Here are two different ideas for making your own signs. The beauty of this project is that the possibilities are endless. You can do whatever colors, saying and wood type you like or find inexpensively!

First, this one was made with a cabinet door found at the Habitat ReStore. I turned it sideways and decoupaged a piece of scrapbook paper on it with Mod Podge. This was one single sheet of 12x12 scrapbook paper cut in half, I used the whole piece.

Next, I printed out what I wanted the sign to say - in this case, I made a sign to take to Crystal for her home. So, it had their last name on it and a verse that I knew was a desire for their home. I printed these out on velum paper and decoupaged on top of the scrapbook paper base.

To finish the sign off, I glued a row of buttons on in between the two rows of words. I thought this was just the touch it needed. The cabinet door was $5 - and I already had all the other supplies.

Here's another sign I made for our bedroom:

I started with a piece of aged wood also found at the Habitat ReStore for $2. I used it completely as is.

Then, I printed out the words I wanted from the computer in a very large font - I only got one word or part of a word per page it was so big.

I cut out the letters with an x-acto knife to create a stencil. Then I traced the letters onto the wood with a pencil.

Finally, I colored the letters in with a Sharpie marker and the sign was done! I attached some hangers to the back and now love having it hang in our bedroom.

Here's the sign now - hanging over our bed, not bad for a $2 board!

Here's another cabinet door:
And, a piece of rusty tin made into a layered Christmas sign:
The possibilities are endless! What sign would you create?

34 comments:

Anonymous said...

These are fantastic! What inspiration to use cabinet doors. Gill.

Mary Ann said...

Love this! I need some wall art for our home and either can't afford what I've found or don't like the trite sayings that are in the stores right now.

It might take me a while but I'm going to look for supplies to make some of these.(I've been wanting to make my own signs; just didn't know how to start.)

Above the front door-Psalm 121:8: The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

In the bedroom- I don't have it now but a verse from I Thess.(?) that speaks about our love growing continually.

Somewhere I have written down a meaningful verse for each room.

I have such a desire to have my home filled with Scripture. This would be a great way to start fulfilling(and continuing )that goal.

Thanks, Monica!

Tracey said...

I'll have to try these ideas some day...you are do creative!!

Patty Williams said...

Lovely !!

I love signs too. Have several, one over the front door that reads...Bless all who enter...one in our room that says..Always kiss me goodnight!

I think I may give these a go..look so beautiful and fills the home with such love!

thanks Monica !

More than Survival said...

WOW!!! LOVE these ideas! Thank God for someone like you to share these ideas with us less creative types! Even I could make some of these! THANK YOU!!!
Heather

Ann @TheAssetEdge said...

These are beautiful - I love them! And I'm so glad to know that they're MUCH easier and cheaper to make than I ever dreamed!

Christi said...

Monica - what a fabulous idea! I have two pieces that I've been wanting to use for this exact project, but couldn't decide how best to go about it. Thanks for the inspiration!

Anonymous said...

Monica. These ideas are fantastic...guess what I'll be doing later? I have to mention also that your headboard in your room looks abolutely beautiful! Is it an antique?

Thanks for all of your ideas!
Kathy

Elise said...

I love your signs and love to make them too!! I am wanting and am going to make signs like these.

http://www.etsy.com/shop_sold.php?user_id=5164739

Debbie J said...

All of these are right up my alley! Makes me want to forget the quilting, crocheting, etc. and start finding wood boards! Thanks so much for the ideas.

letterstoelijah said...

Awesome idea!! Love it!!

Lynette said...

I love the signs, I will be making those for Christmas for sure!!!

Anonymous said...

Today as I was preparing breakfast I remembered that it was Thursday, and time for another installment of your homespun Christmas series. These have all been fabulous, "you-can-do-it", projects. I want to try each and every one, but so far have only started the felted dryer balls. A reStore just opened nearby, so I will be on the lookout for cabinet doors. Where did you get the tin piece?
Your time management skills amaze me even more than your crafting creativity!
Angie

Monica Wilkinson said...

Hi Kathy!

Yes - the headboard was made by some of our ancestors!!! We love it!

Wanita said...

What beautiful signs. Thanks for the wonderful, creative ideas.

LynnMarie said...

Romans 8:28 "For we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him and have been called according to his purpose." Would be the sign hanging in my office. I need to be reminded a lot about that when things just don't go right. Where do you find the time!!!

Deb Burton said...

Smartly done! This would make great family projects, which could be used for home decor, gifts or service projects. Nice idea!

Sugarcoma said...

Amazing! What a blessing this post is. I wanted to start making more homemade gifts this season, especially now that the kids are older to help. This is such a great idea. I seriously can't wait to try it.

letterstoelijah said...

you know, I just thought of another idea.. what about using old windows. I'm sure you can find those at rummage sales cheap.

Kassandra said...

You have got to be one of the most creative people I have ever run across. these signs are beautiful, you did a wonderful job. Your blog has become a place of creative inspiration for me! :o)

Anonymous said...

Great idea Monica! I was already planning on making a sign for our bedroom with "Cabin 14" on it where we spent our honeymoon. Thanks for the tips :)

Debra said...

Those look great! I have some cabinet doors sitting in the garage that I haven't tossed out - now I know why. Thanks!

gail said...

hi monica,
great ideas and thanks for showing us how you did it. i have a few signs with verses or quotes on them but i only did one myself and that was by hand so it took a long time. yours look quick and cute!

i have started a new blog for just my crafts and recipes, i'd love to highlight this post and maybe have you do a guest post fo me someiem in the future. what do you think?

visit the new blog at http://blessingshandmade.blogspot.com/

blessings, gail

Anonymous said...

Hi Monica,
Remember me?? I'm Carrie's old roomie from college! Anyway, I just LOVE your creativity here! Very inspiring to find old things and make them beautiful!! :) TFS!

Anonymous said...

Hey Monica!
As the recipient of the layered sign, I was wondering what you made the bottom out of!! Now I see!
So I can't tell if you had to cut the tin, or used it as is. And how did you get the edges to not be rough or sharp?
Thanks,
Dawn

Carmen at Old House Homestead said...

I'm going to try to make some signs but I am thinking I might print out the words from the computer and then hold them up to a window and trace the outline of the letters with pencil (very darkly). Then I might put it where I want it and then rub over the letters with a hard object so the outline of pencil shows up on the wood. Just a thought.

Hugs,
Carmen

Anonymous said...

I love how you used a cupboard door. I have been wanting to put the words. learning, living, loving on something to post in my home. This is just the perfect way for me to do it.

Heather said...

I'd like to make a sign for our new apartment with my favorite blessing from Scripture: "The Lord bless you and keep you" (Numbers 6:24).

Thanks so much for showing us how to make these!

Heather said...

Monica, one quick question: How did you keep your printed letters from smearing when you decoupaged over them in Crystal's sign?

Monica Wilkinson said...

Hi Heather! Great question - it is important not to use too much glue! I layered them on when the glue was still wet for the scrapbook paper - so they stuck immediately. Then, you want to fairly quickly paint glue over the top and you don't want to go over too many times! I have a laser printer so am not sure if that makes a difference or not. If you go over the letters or printing too many times with the paintbrush/glue - you are right that the letters will smear. But to go over once or twice with a small but sufficient amount of glue should not make them smear.

Hope that helps!
Monica

Amy said...

I love love LOVE this idea! Thank you so much for sharing it. I've been following your blog for a few months now and I'm just so inspired by your ideas!

Molly said...

Wow, these are GREAT! I am going to have to go thrifting! You have found some neat treasures to use.

Tara said...

Those are so beautiful! Thanks for sharing your creativity.

Karen said...

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

I have several drawer fronts that I couldn't stand to throw away. (The cab company sent the wrong ones with our cabs-they fixed the mixtake and left the old ones here.) This is a great idea!

I'm excited to find this before Christmas so I actually have time to try it.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

PS-I found you via MSM.