The Shabby Creek Cottage

Hundreds of ideas for creative ways to eat, make & decorate!

Make a Sign: DIY Lifeguard On Duty Sign

Anytime I need some new artwork, I make a sign. Sometimes I have lots of patience and will hand paint them, other times I use the vinyl letters and paint trick.  Until this project, I had never used the vinyl to be the letters, and I have no idea why.  Making a sign is the easiest way to fill a wall on a budget, hands down. With some scrap wood… or a table top…. or anything flat and smooth, you can make a piece of DIY art to complement your home. Me? I used an old piece of a dismantled bookshelf from our scrap pile, because you know I love me a project that turns trash to treasure. (Disclosure: Silhouette provided me with the vinyl.)
make a sign, silhouette project, sign tutorial

make a sign, silhouette project, sign tutorial

First, I cut out all my letters on vinyl with my Silhouette Cameo. You could certainly do this with a Cricut or with pre-cut letters, but I chose to use my machine because I had some red vinyl on hand and I could cut exactly the size and shape I wanted. {If you’re looking to find a good deal on a Silhouette, come back on Friday because I have a SWEET deal for you!}

After I cut out the vinyl, I cut apart all the letters for my DIY Lifeguard on Duty Sign. Then I used some painter’s tape to create a line so my letters would be even.

make a sign, silhouette project, sign tutorial

I used another piece of tape as a marker to know where each letter should go. I peeled off one letter at a time and put it on the sign, keeping track of my marking tape to keep the spacing even.

make a sign, silhouette project, sign tutorial

After the entire sign had the vinyl applied, I dry brushed a layer of dark gray paint on, over the vinyl letters and all.

make a sign, silhouette project, sign tutorial

Last, I wiped off most of the paint with a wet towel, so it had bits and spots left to be darker and lighter, just like natural aging.

make a sign, silhouette project, sign tutorial

When I was finished, I hung it on my wall and decorated my mantle for summer {big thanks to my BFF Angie for helping me put together such a pretty display!}

Filed Under: DIY

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Comments

  16. I will have to make one of these for our pool area! The grandkids (and the parents!) will get a kick out of it. I really have to start getting more use out of my Silhouette…I usually only use it to make ‘one time use’ stencils.
    Debbie 🙂

    Reply

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