How to Make a Vintage Fall Sign

Turn any piece of wood into a charming fall decor addition.

Here's a step-by-step tutorial on how to make a vintage fall sign.

I'm super excited about how this turned out. It wasn't my original vision, but it came together even better than I planned. Don't you love it when things work out like that?

This tutorial is just getting started. Click through to see the entire post>>>

The finished version is up on our mantle right now. Remind me to tell you the story on the new drapes, too. They started out as a major project fail...that turned into a "sometimes ordering from Target is easier and cheaper and less frustrating than a DIY project gone wrong". But, that's for another post.

I started out with an old board. This thing sat on the floor of the garage for several weeks until I dusted it off and decided to use it. It's a scrap from the DIY Chalkboard Backpack Station we created in the kitchen this summer.

I sprayed the edges with some old red spray paint I found in the garage {this is becoming a project of "old supplies" so far, eh?}.

As you can see, I worked on this one alongside my chalk-painted piano. And I used that chalk paint for the layer of blue that went on top of this red. For the recipe, see that post, here. 

I only added one coat of the chalk paint. I was going for a rustic look and was fine with the red and wood tones showing through. After my chalk paint dried, I took it to the garage to give it a go with the palm sander.

Here is the board after the sanding. 

I wiped it down afterwards with a wet cloth to get all of the saw dust off. 

Next, I created a template for the letters and arrow. I tile printed it and taped it to the board. I've made it available to you below. Since I know not every program has tile-printing capabilities, I've created it in the tiles already. It is a four-page PDF document that will need to be cut and taped once it is on your piece. I created it in the dimension I used...which is 36" across. {My entire board is 24"x36"}.

I used the method that I used a year or so back on this sign.

Using a ball point pen, trace your letters {pushing hard with the pen} to make a small indention in the wood. Once you've traced all of your letters, remove the paper. As you can see, I only did the letters, not the shadows on my letters. There's a reason for that. I went back later, when painting and added a simple shadow. I looked at the letters on the paper to see where the shadow was placed, but I did it freehand. It was a bit easier that way, for me, at least.

After pulling off the paper, you'll need to go over your indentions with a pencil. As you can see from the above picture, the indentions are very hard to see, but are a great guide for your pencil as you trace the letters out. 

I traced the letters and arrow. Then free-handed the pumpkin shape above them. If you need a guide for this, I would search the internet for a pumpkin inspiration to look at while you draw yours. 

I started with my lighter orange paint and painted the pumpkin. I try to keep my brush going the same direction as the shapes and lines of a pumpkin, even on the inside parts.

After it was pretty much dry, I used a darker orange to highlight the pumpkin's shape. I also added a stem and leaves with my green. And a little "dirt" under the pumpkin with brown.

Then I used a skinnier brush to draw some more highlights in black. I also took the brown and added a bit to the stem and some along the leaves as well. 

Next, I filled in the letters with the darker orange. I also painted the arrow brown.

I wasn't going for perfection...I knew I'd be weathering it, so no point in perfecting it. I used my green to add the shadows to the letters, looking at the paper templates I had pulled off the piece as a guide. I also added a shadow to the bottom of the arrow, too. 

I used Apple Barrel Acrylic paints for the pumpkin, lettering and arrow. The colors I used were Spiced Carrot, Ripe Tomato {the darker orange}, Nutmeg Brown, New Shamrock and Black. 

After it was dry, I sanded it again. 

I took off parts of lettering and just made it look as old as possible.

Here's the part that changed the look. While I've done this before with furniture, I wasn't sure how adding the stain to chalk paint would work. The chalk paint absorbed the stain a lot, making it look very old and dirty...I was pleasantly surprised. 

I brushed on {dark walnut} stain in small areas at a time. I let it sit for about five minutes.

Then I wiped it off with a paper towel. It is a lot darker over chalk paint than regular latex paint. I continued with the rest of the piece. I finished it with a clear spray sealer. 

What'cha think? Is this something you'd do?

{i linky-party here}

and at Coastal Charm and Savvy Southern Style

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