September is HERE! And you know what that means- pumpkin spice everything, friends!! I love decorating my home for fall. How about you? Are you ready to see pumpkins and acorns everywhere? A few weeks ago I made this sign for my office. I decided to flip it over and prepare something for the season. Join me as I show you how to make a cute sign for fall!
Disclaimer: For your convenience, I have included affiliate links. This simply means if you click one of the links and buy something, I may receive a commission, but do not worry- you will not pay a dime more.
How to Make a Cute Sign for Fall
First, you will need to gather these supplies:
-
- Wooden board (mine is simple plywood)
- Minwax stain in the color of your choice (I used Dark Walnut)
- Fall paint colors (mostly orange, brown, and white)
- Cricut Explore Air, or similar vinyl cutting machine New Cricut Explore Air Machine in Gold
- Vinyl
I used the same piece of plywood I used to make this sign:
I just flipped it over!
Step One in Making a Cute Sign for Fall
The first step is to lightly sand the board. Roughing it up just a bit will serve two purposes: one, it will give it a rustic appearance, and two, it helps the paint and stain adhere better to the surface. Sand it just enough to make the surface feel fresh not as smooth, but not so much that you lose chunks of the plywood. A couple swipes should do it!
I love doing projects outside! I live in central Florida, so projects outdoors in the fall are where it is at!
Step Two in Making a Cute Sign for Fall
Next, I stained the board. When I made the sign on the reverse side, my goal was light and bright. However, I want my fall harvest sign to appear a bit more woodsy and rustic. A little bit of Minwax Dark Walnut did the trick!
Are you an orange pumpkin girl or a white pumpkin girl? After years of being loyal to orange pumpkins, my style evolved to embrace more white pumpkins. Instead of buying new décor, I painted many of my orange pumpkins white! Click here to see how!
I used an old sock to apply the stain, being careful to spread it evenly and not get it all over my patio!
I waited several hours for the stain to dry before moving to the next step.
Step Three in Making a Cute Sign for Fall
Now the fun part- creating the stencil to be painted on the sign! I love experimenting with different sayings, fonts, and styles. Recently, I purchased a Cricut Explore Air. I love, love, love this machine! And I truly believe I have only begun to crack the surface of what all it is capable of doing.
Look how cute this thing is- even in its carrying bag!
Alright, enough crushing on this machine! Click here to check out more details on the Cricut Explore Air.
I decided on the saying, “Happy Fall Y’all!”, along with some leaves and pumpkins. So exciting as I make the cuts!
Want to see other projects I have done using my Cricut Explore Air? Check out these super easy tutorials:
Decorate Pillow Covers for Fall
How to Farmhouse Stencil Everything
How to Decorate a Picture Frame
Step Four in Making a Cute Sign for Fall
Next, you want to place the vinyl stencil you cut on the board. Placement is important. Take your time and play around with it to get it just the way you want it!
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Step Five to Making a Cute Sign for Fall
Now you get to paint! My favorite part! I chose orange and pops of white, but you can use any colors that you enjoy for the season. I use crafting brushes to really get good coverage inside the letters. It was fun to alternate white and orange lettering for the words. I did the same with the leaves.
Step Six in Making a Cute Sign for Fall
Now you get to peel off the stencil and see your super cute lettering! It is also a time you can make adjustments to your sign. Notice the red oak leaf on my sign above. Once I peeled away the stencil, the red leaf just was not doing it for me! I decided a bigger, white leaf would look better. Also, I added some decorative pumpkins to the bottom of the sign. Love finishing touches! Here is the finished product, in my office at school (proudly, I am a middle school assistant principal ):
Review the Steps for How to Make a Cute Sign for Fall
Alright everyone- let’s review the simple steps to making a cute sign for fall:
- Gather your supplies
- Stain your board
- Create your stencil
- Place your stencil on the board
- Paint the letters inside your stencil
- Remove your stencil and ENJOY!
Want an idea for a fun fall project? Check out this post:
Well, friends, Hurricane Irma is on her way! Early release for our school tomorrow, and no school Monday as we hunker down for this massive storm. Stay safe, all my coastal friends!