When thinking about Valentine's Day, most consider a box of chocolates and a dozen roses to be the go-to. Well, guys, I am here to help you break out of the same old, same old.
Here is a step by step tutorial on how I created this adorable decoration or gift for your special someone. Create one for yourself with someones favorite quote!
What you'll need:
Piece of wood
Sander
Silhouette Cameo
Contact Paper
Chalk paint
(one for backing, one for lettering)
Clear Gloss
Burlap for hanging (optional)
Start by prepping a blank piece of pallet wood. I sanded it down and gave it a nice coating of my homemade chalk paint (recipe coming soon).
I love using the Valspar samples because they have such a wide range of colors and are so easy to store! I selected the Raspberry color for the perfect Valentines Red.
Chalk paint dries pretty quickly and I only used one coat, I still like to see the wood coming through. Next, grab your handy dandy Silhouette Cameo and design the script you favor the most.
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| I love my little monogram customization! |
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After you have the perfect quote designed, cut it out and peel out the inside of the letters.
Contact Paper is the easiest thing to use for stenciling in my opinion. Its light weight, easy to peel off and doesn't get stuck to itself to badly. Plus, it's only $5 at the store and one roll will last a long time.
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After its all weeded out, gently peel it backwards and apply to your piece of wood.
Now here comes the fun part, the painting!
When I first started making my signs, I was using acrylic paint and a square sponge to apply the lettering. I couldn't figure out for the life of me why the letters were bleeding under the vinyl and why you could see brush strokes in the letters. Well, with the help of a friend (who is a sign making expert) and a few Pinterest searches later, I found the answer to my problem.
I needed a round tipped sponge to spread out the paint more evenly, and because the chalk paint is so much thicker, it has a hard time escaping under the stencil.
If there's one thing I can stress, its: don't use too much paint! Apply a light coating and step back. If you notice some lighter areas, it's going to be okay! The paint will look more authentic if it has some variances to it. The more paint you add, the greater the chance of it bleeding and ruining those perfectly crisp lines that are desired.
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| Thing coverage is key |
Once the chalk paint has dried completely, add a healthy coating of your favorite clear gloss.
I have seen posts where people apply a wax or a wet glaze, and feel free to do so if that is your thing! I have always like the simplicity of the clear gloss, and the fact it doesn't leave a residue behind.
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| I ended up running the sander over it one more time before applying the gloss, I am a sucker for the weathered look! |
All finished!
I hope you found this post helpful, feel free to contact me with any inquiries or orders!
