Vacation Sign DIY {That Wasn't}

 

 

 

 

 

I know.... Horrible. This is my first post in almost a month. I've been extremely busy being a mom, making cupcakes, working at my "everyday" job, being a mom... and getting anything and everything done that is NOT on my "TO DO" list....

This DIY vacation sign really was NOT meant to be, but it came out a lot better than expected so I thought I would take a moment and fill you in on how exactly it became my very first DIY sign.... Please forgive the lack of any pictures other than the finished project, but again this wasn't meant to be a DIY post....

It all began as my daughter and I stopped at Micheal's for ONE thing. Yes, I said one thing, but really who in the world goes into Michael's and comes out with only one item. Exactly - no one!! Ok, so as I was looking for that one item I came across the last wood arrow sign on the shelf and I snagged it as they never last.

When I got home I had a hundred ideas going through my head as to what exactly I was going to do "create" with it. First I was going to use our street name... ehhh too boring! Then I thought I would use our city... Ehhh.... over it. I really needed some thing short, sweet and that was two short words rather than one large word that looked awkward on the short arrow.... Then AHHHH HAAA!!! It came to me (only four hours later) our trip to the Cape!! CAPE COD!! Perfection!

I started with painting the arrow with black acrylic paint. I only used one coat because the next step was to paint it with two coats of my favorite Annie Sloan chalk paint in Old White... I LOVE this stuff it works miracles!! So, two coats, let dry completely! While it dried the next step was finding the perfect font as well as the perfect size. I have to admit, not an easy task and I must have printed out 10 different fonts in 20 different sizes, but in the end it is a MUST DO step and really the hardest part! So part one paint, dry and find your perfect font and size. Next, scribble the back of the paper with a pencil.... Make sure to place the paper exactly where you want the letters to appear cause there's no turning back. After placement and tracing the letters I used a black paint pen and filled in the words....

This last step it HUGE. Let the paint dry completely before you sand to distress!!! OMG. I ruined this sign the first time because I am so impenitent and just has to get it done ASAP!! I didn't let the paint dry and after I sanded all the black paint smudged!! RUINED!! And sadly.... I had to repaint and do the process all over again!

So after I did all the steps over again I let it dry, then sanded and sealed it with Annie Sloan's soft wax. I DID NOT put wax on the letters because I knew it would bleed the black paint on the letters!!

Although it wasn't an easy DIY I am proud that I completed it and it turned out just the way I had envisioned! I hope all your DIY's go better than this one!!! Good Luck!!

Have a great week friends!!