Thursday, June 11, 2015

An Authentic Farm House Sign With Tutorial



I created this GATHER sign from a board taken from my Great Grandparent's falling down farm house.

If you missed the post about their house, you can read it here.



The board is full of character - nail holes, grooves, gouges, and dents. 


This is my way of preserving a piece of my heritage...
through the wood board
and
through the word that I chose to put on it.


I chose the word GATHER because it is a powerful word...
GATHER 'round the table
GATHER with family
GATHER the harvest

The word GATHER
has been and always will be a powerful word!
past - present - future


How I made it:

First, Handy Hubby cut the board down using a miter saw.

Using Microsoft Word, I played around with font styles and sizes until I found one I like and fit on the board.  I ended up using the font Amienne with a 500 font size.


I printed the letters on regular 8 1/2 x 11 pieces of paper.
I spaced between each letter.  The lower case letters printed two per page.


I then cut around each letter and spaced them out on the board, using a tape measure for appropriate placement.  I taped them on top, leaving room for the transfer paper to slide under each letter.


Using transfer paper and a pencil, I traced the outside of the letters onto the board.



Using white craft paint and a small paint brush, I carefully painted in the letters.
I did two coats of paint.

Because the board is old and worn with beautiful grooves and dents, the tracing and painting are not perfect, and that's okay.  It adds to the character.  Farmhouse style is not perfect, right?

I gently placed a hanger on the back of the board. 


The sign is proudly displayed in our eating nook.

A place where we GATHER daily.

23 comments:

  1. It's beautiful, LL! What wonderful memories this sign holds, and I love that it is not only a reminder of those memories, but the word itself, even to gather your thoughts, gather up your supplies, gather your blessings, it is a truly powerful word! Love it! Thank you for sharing your tutorial!
    xo, CB

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  2. I'd say it's pretty perfect. Transfer paper? Hmmm, you've got me thinking I need to pick some of that stuff up! What a beautiful reminder of all that's important to you. Blessings...

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    1. I searched for stencils, but couldn't find any that I liked or that would fit properly. Good 'ole fashioned transfer paper to the rescue ;-)

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  3. Just as cute as can be and extra special....:)

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  4. I love the word gather! Always think of, 'gather together to count the Lord's blessings'. I love rustic wood and the fact that it came from the old barn is priceless!
    hugs,
    Jann

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    Replies
    1. I like the word 'gather' - it is a very powerful, yet gentle word.

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  5. This sign is perfection! I love how you gave it a brand new life while still preserving the memories of your grandparents. So cool!

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  6. One of my favorite words! I had a feeling that you would choose to hang the sign in your eating area!

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  7. Lovely. It looks just right on your wall. Thank you for such clear instructions.
    Joy

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    Replies
    1. I hope the tutorial will help someone. Thanks for visiting.

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  8. Thanks for sharing the how to. Pinned it too.

    Fabby

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  9. Great project and I love that you used old wood. Looks great!

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  10. What a fun sign for a dining room! Thanks for sharing at the #HomeMattersParty - we love partying with you! Hope to see you next Friday. :)

    ~Lorelai
    Life With Lorelai

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  11. So special...love it!
    Thanks so much for sharing at AMAZE ME MONDAY!
    Blessings,
    Cindy

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  12. Love the idea! I have some old boards and this would be cool. What font did you use, and approximately what size font? Thanks.

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    Replies
    1. Once I decided on a font, I tried different sizes, printing one letter at a time to see how it would look on the board. I used the font Amienne with a 500 font size.

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  13. What a cool idea. What style and size font did you use?

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