Fall Crafts // Wooden Autumn Blessings Sign

Sunday I sat down to edit and schedule this week's blog posts... only to discover that I had lost my laptop charger! Ack! Thankfully, I finally found it--left behind when I left work last weekend. Poor innocent little charger, left abandoned to its own devices all weekend. (Pun intended.)  I'm so glad I found it! But hence the lack of posts this week so far. Thankfully, we're all plugged in and back on track now! 

Today I thought I'd share this little "Autumn Blessings" sign I made a few weeks ago. It's relatively simple and fun. If you ask me, SIMPLE and FUN are two major necessities of any craft or DIY. I can paint, but when it comes to power tools or complex procedures... I'm lost. If you fit into this category too, then this DIY is for you. 

Last month, I completed a commissioned art project for a local couple. They wanted some cutesy wooden signs for their Harpers Ferry cottage. When finished with their project, I had some left over scrap wood. Rather than let it go to waste, I thought "Why not make a cute fall sign?" I got out my chalkpaint, brushes, and sandpaper and got to work. 

What You'll Need:

- Scrap wood, sanded (mine measured 18x6, cut to size by the hubs)

- chalkpaint (I used FolkArt chalky paint)

- acrylic paint

- assorted brushes

- paint markers

- sand paper or sanding block

- paper towels

What You'll Do:

- Cut the wood to size. 

Because this was a scrap piece of wood, I went with the size it already was. It measures about 18 inches by 6 inches. Mark did the cutting for me since I have a silly fear of saws and blades!

- Prep the wood. 

I bought pre-sanded wood when I made the commissioned signs. It's easier to paint and saves you the trouble of sanding down the entire piece. However, I did have to sand the edges after Mark cut the wood to size. You don't have to do this step, but I think it makes the end result look a little nicer.

- Apply your background color. 

I used two FolkArt chalky home decor paints: Sage and Savannah. First, I applied the Savannah color, a dusky tan. I let it dry almost completely. Then, I applied a second coat of paint in the pale turquoise Sage color. I intentionally applied it when the base coat was still slightly tacky, resulting in a somewhat streaky, blended color. I just liked the shabby-chic look it gave the piece. 

Note: If you're using treated wood, you should only paint one side. Treated wood needs to "breathe." 

- Once the base coats are dry, use the paint markers to write your quotation. I chose the phrase "Autumn Blessings" because it seemed like it would continue to be applicable into the Thanksgiving holiday season. 

- Add decorative touches. I went with two shabby-chic style pumpkins. I drew the design with the paint markers and then filled them in with acrylic paint from my studio stash. 

These final two steps are optional. 

- Seal the sign using a spray lacquer or polyacrylic.

I prefer the spray kind because it doesn't streak like the other kind. Just follow the directions on the spray can. I bought mine from Home Depot. 

-Add hanging hardware to the back of the finished sign if you plan to display it somewhere. 

See? Simple and fun, just like I promised. The whole project took me about 30 minutes. I plan to display the little sign in our dining room until it sells from my Etsy shop. 

Happy painting! 

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