Repurposed Sign

This homemade sign had been sitting in my stash.

Somebody, somewhere had loved it...but the love was gone.

She sat in the hot sun for hours at a yard sale until I came to rescue her.

And then she sat in my air conditioned house for...well...let's not discuss that part of this story...;)

When the time came for a sign for my daughter's new bedroom it was the perfect starter!

All it needed was a little tlc to be loveable again. 

I knew the look I was going for and after one failed attempt where I had to scrub the still tacky paint off, that unloved sign became this:



When the creative process began I had a very clear vision.

Failed attaining it once with the paint, as I said.

So...the on the second go around I first spray painted the entire piece white, letting it dry all the way.

Next day it got two coats of the brown.

Day after that it got a light sanding BEFORE "be" was stenciled on.

This let the white show through and added some depth to the piece.

Have to say here that really I usually don't let paint dry all the way between coats and sanding.

Also, usually the words on signs are sanded, too.

This time I really wanted "be" to be crisper and stand out,thus the decision to sand before it was added.

Next it was time to cut the yard stick and begin to glue, glue, glue.

The baseball flowers were first secured in place with a screw each.

Glue was used between the "petals" and vintage pins.

(Two freezer bags with play sand were used as weights for the flowers, staying on over-night.)

The next day eye bolts and wire were added then up on the wall it went.

As with anything custom I create it has meaning. A message of sorts, if you will.

It hangs above the head of her bed so as she rises each morning she is reminded to *be* whatever it is she is to be that day, to use her own measuring stick, and remember it's okay to add a little bling to life.

In the end the total cost of this custom piece? $6!

$1 for the sign

$2 for the baseballs

$1 for the yard stick

$2 for the jewelry

plus the paint, which is a minimal cost

(very little spray paint was used and the brown is from a quart of oops paint)

Best part of it all...something "old" was turned into something new and is loved again...twice in it's lifetime!



Happy Treasure Hunting, Y'all! ~Betsy