Scrap wood wall decor

      I love signs. I'd plaster them everywhere, but I manage to use moderation at the risk of my walls looking too much like a newspaper. As much as I like them, I don't like to pay for them. Thankfully, a handy pile of scrap wood and a paint brush can do the trick for me just as well. I wanted a small sign to fill an annoying empty space above the curtains in my bedroom. There would be no bare space if I weren't too lazy busy to make proper ceiling to floor curtains. That's beside the point. First off, I shopped my hubby's scrap wood pile and found a piece the right size. It needed to be the right size, because I have a phobia of chopping off appendages with power tools. If you knew my tendency to create disaster, you would understand. Here is my starter piece.

   Pretty little dear isn't it? I gave it light sanding, just enough to get the splinters off. I like all the gouges and dents to stay. It adds character.
      Next, I stained it with some I had lying around. It must be very old stain as it had very dubious looking chunkies floating through it.
      (Note to self: next time you feel the need to slather your hands in oil based stain, you might better check to see if you have something besides water to get it off with!)

    
     Now it needed some color. I chose to give it a white washed look which can be done by thinning out white paint with water. As you can see, it gives it a chalky cover and some of the darker grain shows through.

     Next comes the fun part, putting words on it. If I had one of those fancy smancy silhouette machines it would all be perfectly sized and centered. No fancy smancy machines here though, just a plain ol' stencil or if I'm feeling brassy, free hand. I prefer to put my letters on with pencil first, those mistakes are easier to sand off than paint. After the letters are on and thoroughly dry, it needs a little distressing. I like to use either masking tape or sandpaper to distress. Masking tape has to be used on slightly wet paint and it pulls off the paint in chunky bits. The letters were too small on this one to use that method, so I used a fine grit sandpaper. Rub a bit here and rub a bit there and call it good. Here is my final product.

     As it turns out after all that, I didn't like it in that spot above my curtains! I'm still going to use it in my room, just not in that spot. So now I have two unsightly screws in the ugly, annoying, bare spot. More motivation for curtain sewing I guess. This little saying is to help remind me to be busy planting the positive in my thoughts and speech so the negative will have no room grow.
     Here is a couple of other signs I've made using the same method.

      They aren't perfect and aren't meant to be, and you sure can't beat free!
      (one more note to self: How many pieces of clothing must you ruin with paint before you understand you will NEVER be able to NOT make a mess no matter how small the project!)
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