The Easiest Way to Make a Sign

With the holidays just around the corner, today we’re sharing the easiest way to make a sign.

I’ve been using this simple transfer technique for years now because it makes creating signs to use as home décor super easy. I love that you don’t need special equipment to complete this project either. A piece of scrap wood, a few paint supplies, a home computer, a printer and computer paper will help you create an inexpensive piece of art.

I originally had this sign hanging up in our kitchen for a long time but decided to use it in the entry just to change things up a bit and it’s been there ever since.

While my word of the year is consistent which has definitely served me well all year long, the word that has been popping up over and over again has been grace.

Given our entry is one of the last spaces of our home you see when you leave and one of the first spaces you see when you arrive, it seemed fitting to create a sign that read…

…and Grace will lead me home.

It would also be really cute to make signs for the holidays too…

• Merry & Bright
• Fresh Cut Christmas Trees
• Believe in the Magic of Christmas
• Sleigh Rides
• It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

No matter what holiday you celebrate, signs are always fun to use as part of your home décor. Here’s a look at the easiest way to make a sign…

The Easiest Way to Make a Sign Supplies:

• Piece of Wood (any size you want)
• Latex, Milk Paint or Chalk Paint (in your choice of color, we used Valspar’s Quail Egg)
• Home Computer, Computer Ink, Printer Paper
• Scissors
• Tape
• Graphite Pencil
• Ball Point Pen
• Ruler
• Craft Paint, Paint Brush, and/or Permanent Markers for Brush Lettering (in the color of your choice).
• Tarp or Drop Cloth to protect surface

The Easiest Way to Make a Sign Steps:

Step #1 -Start by painting a piece of wood with your color and choice of paint.

We sanded down the old sign, so we could reuse it.

Then we painted the old sign with two coats of Valspar’s Quail Egg which is a pretty shade of creamy off white.

Step #2 – Use a program like Word on your home computer to create a quote or message for your sign. The font I used is called Georgia (print) and Palace Script (cursive) which I found in Word but there are also pretty fonts online you can download as well.

The quote I used was, “and Grace will lead you home,” but you can certainly use whatever quote or seasonal message you like.

Step #3 – Print out the quote you’ve created and using caution and care as scissors will be sharp cut out each word. Make sure you carefully place each word onto your painted sign before moving on to the next step so you can get a feel for the lay out you want.

Step #4 – Next rub the back of each word with a graphite pencil.

Step #5& Step #6 – Carefully place the word on your sign (graphite rubbed side down) and use a ball point pen to trace the outline of each letter (word side up).

This will transfer the word onto your sign.

Step #7 – Using a fine art detail brush, fill in the letters with your choice of color and paint. We used Valspar’s Cathedral Stone because we’ve used it all over the house and want to keep things consistent. That being said, you can use whatever color you love most!

Step #8 – If you want your words to stand out a bit, consider outlining each letter with black paint or a black permanent marker.

Step #9 – Finally, sand your sign with sandpaper (we used 120-grit) if you want to give it a distressed look. Use dark furniture paste wax if you want your sign to have an aged look.

I plan to use this sign in our entry which I’ll share with you on Wednesday.

Honestly, signs like these are so easy to make you could make one to celebrate any seasonal holiday or to create a budget friendly piece of wall art for your home.

Don’t forget you can use this same technique to create kraft paper signs and to personalize platters as well.

See you guys back here tomorrow! I’m teaming up with a fabulous group of bloggers for the Bountiful Baskets Fall Blog Hop and I can’t wait to see what these ladies have to share. Until next time, I’ll see you on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.

Many blessings,

CoCo