How to Make a Hand Painted Sign {The Easy Way}

Oh my it's hard to get back into the groove of blogging after a little break! I have been so busy and have a lot to share!

If you follow me on Facebook then you may have seen this sneak peak that I taunted people with and then never posted.

Signs like this are all over the internet. 

I have this giant long wall in the kids/guest bathroom, and it has bothered me for 4 years. Yes. It Has. You can't put small things there. I didn't have anything big. So, I left it blank. 

Then, as these things happen, it occurred to me during nap time when I was trying to avoid other projects I had begun.

I already had the giant piece of plywood (left over from a beadboard project) hanging in the garage as another sign I'd made. Sheesh. 

Supplies:

Leftover wood

Paint for base color and wording

Carbon Paper

Computer

Figure out what you want to say...I wanted a bright, cheery sign. And since I sing this song daily, it was a good fit. I slapped on some left over paint in a not perfect way so the old paint was a bit exposed... (I think it's Hawthorne Yellow by BM).

  

Now grab a piece of printer paper, go to your computer and type your saying into Word. Figure out your size and font, then put your paper OVER your computer screen. TRACE the letters. I know. SO easy! If you need something really large, you may have to use several papers for each word. 

I didn't take a picture of me tracing my words. Sorry.

Now, get your carbon paper (I found mine in the art supply section at Hobby Lobby). Put your carbon paper behind the letters you copied and lay down on the wood surface. Trace over your letters.

This will happen.

Isn't that cool!

I went ahead and free handed the "sunshine" part, which is obvious because it's the only word that's crooked. I really need to use a ruler. But I'm ok with the imperfection. 

Now go ahead and fill in your letters with craft paint. The outline you drew on will wipe off after the paint is dry.

I used watered down craft paint so it went on smoothly. Then I used a paint pen to create the shadow effect to give it dimension. That's totally optional though.

Then I distressed it while the lettering was still damp by rubbing some of the lettering off.  I just. Can't Help. It.

That's it! It made the bathroom so fun and bright. 

And if you give a girl a paint brush...she will want a mirror frame to go with it...Stay tuned for that DIY.

Now go make a sign and see how easy it is. 

 

xo-Chris

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