Porch décor has been around for a while and lately, there are lots of signs that offer changeable components for the months and/or seasons. You can do the same thing but not have to worry about making things weatherproof! With this design you can use scrap wood, hook and loop tape, and paper.
Files used from Creative Fabrica:
3D Vintage Truck Strawberry Box Card
This article focuses on two elements that can be created to use on the mantle sign. It should be fun to create additional elements for other months and seasons of the year!
Supplies
For the sign, you’ll need:
- 4 wood pieces: 7 x 7 x 1 ½ inch or of similar size in untreated wood
- For each changeable piece, 2-inch wood square 1/8 in thick
- Walnut Stain
- White Paint
- Torch Paste
- Sealer (Mod Podge Matte)
- Stencils (H, M, E all letters were 5.5 inches tall and wide) Silkscreen stencils were used for this project. (IkonArt Stencil kit was used to create the stencils)
- Applicator and squeegee
- Foam brush
- Heat gun
- Hook and loop tape (approximately 1.5 inches of the hook side of the tape
- Rags
Changeable elements:
- Cardstock
- Glue
- Adhesive (double stick tape)
- Pop up dots
- Electronic Cutting machine and associated software (Skycut C24 and SCAL 5 Pro)
- Markers (Ohuhu Alcohol Markers, Sharpie Metallic – silver)
- Hook and loop tape (approximately 1.5 inches of the loop side of the tape for each of the changeable elements)
Wood block sign
Let’s start prepping the wood blocks. We used scrap pieces of untreated wood, so all the cuts aren’t perfect and that’s okay with the well-worn look we were going for in this project.
Sand if needed. Make sure you wipe away all the sawdust.
Gather your stencils. The ones used for this project are silkscreen stencils made using the IkonArt Stencil kit.
Set the stencil on the wood. If needed secure with a bit of painter’s tape if the stencil isn’t quite wide enough for the wood piece.
Apply a light layer or torch paste using the squeegee. Remove the tape and stencil and let the stencil soak in warm soapy while you “burn” the wood. Because the stenciled area is large, keeping that stencil in the warm soapy water will allow you to wash out the excess torch paste and not damage the stencil.
Note the slightly “yellow” color on the wood now? Repeat the process using the other two (2) stencils on two (2) of the remaining blocks. The fourth piece of wood will not have anything stenciled on it. Using the heat gun, burn the image into the wood as directed by the manufacturer’s instructions. You may have some residual “browning” along the out edges of the design if you hold the gun too close to the wood for an extended period of time.
The image below shows the three (3) “burned blocks and the fourth block after burning and applying a light coat of walnut stain.
Don’t forget to stain the sides and back of each block. Let dry for 8 – 24 hours.
For a more weathered wood look, using a 1:1 ratio of water and white paint, apply a light coat with a foam brush and then wipe the excess away before the paint can dry. We wiped across the entire face of the block with the grain of the wood. Let dry. Repeat for each of the remaining three (3) blocks.
If desired apply a seal coat of spray sealer or you can use Mod Podge matte finish as done for these blocks.
For now, we’re going to create two (2) changeable elements for our sign.
3D Layered Heart
This beautiful, layered heart mandala was a perfect choice. You’ll need 7 colors of red (deep to light). The darkest colors on the bottom and working up to the lightest color for the top layer of the design. Open the cutting machine software. Import the file (all layers). Group the layers and then size to approximately 5.50 inches for the finished size. Using the Ungroup command, move the layers as desired. You can hide layers and only cut one layer at time.
TIP: Make 2 cuts of the bottom layer. You can cut multiples or each layer if you don’t want to use pop up dots between the layers so adjust the amount of paper you’ll use.
For some extra strength, glue the two bottom layers together and then begin stacking the subsequent layers together. Use pop up foam tape for some extra depth if desired.
To prepare the heart to use on the block, glue a 2” wood square shape to the back of the heart. Let dry overnight. Apply the loop side of the hook and loop tape to the back of the heart shape on the wood you glued on earlier.
3D Vintage Strawberry Truck (adapted)
It was easy to adapt the box card to a flat image with just a few adjustments. When you open the file in your cutting software, delete the insert and side pieces. You won’t need them. White paper was cut for the flowers, flower centers, strawberries, leaves, windshield, side mirrors, bumper, letters and tail lights. The truck was cut with colored textured cardstock. Cut one extra of the truck base. This will add some strength to the base.
Color the elements, glue the flower centers to the flowers and glue the strawberries together as well.
Ohuhu alcohol markers were used for this project. The colors used are shown in the image below. Any blendable marker will work.
Ink the edges of the window and mirrors with a bit of gray ink. Adhere the window and “mirrors” to the truck back. Glue the large flower to the window. Glue the 2 large strawberries. You might want them a little higher than the ones in this example.
Glue the small flowers and the small strawberry to the tail gate piece, using the shapes at the top of the tail gate as a guide. Adhere the letters. Using pop dots, adhere the tail gate to the truck base.
Glue the tires in place, Using some pop dots, add the bumper and the taillights.
Glue a 2” wood piece to the back of the truck (Refer to the back of the heart image above for reference). Adhere the loop side of the hook and loop tape to the wood.
You’re now ready to add/change your elements as desired to the wood block to complete your décor piece for the month.
Thanks so much for stopping by. We hope this inspires you to look at some different ways you can use a few of the files found on Creative Fabrica in different ways and you’ll have your own inspiration for changeable elements for an indoor “home” sign this coming year. For more ideas and inspiration, visit Jan’s author page by clicking here. You can also find additional inspiration on her blog.
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