With such a limited budget for the Holiday Home Tour, I have to be resourceful and come up with inexpensive Christmas decor. The Coaster Ornaments and the Crafty Christmas Ornaments were so fun and festive looking, I wanted to create more pieces to carry the feeling to other areas of the house.

I had this scrap piece of wood and thought that it would be perfect for a sign that simply says “Joy”. I turned the “O” in joy into an ornament by filling it in and dabbing coloured dots on it. I painted a top and a hook on the ornament to finish the look.

We used to live in an old renovated school house in the country and I used the old library wooden shelves to make vintage looking signs. This turned into a business and were sold in many stores. I would use some tricks to create a weathered look such as painting the wood first with a darker colour, here I used red. I paint a coat of Modge Podge and then a coat of white paint over that. When the Modge Podge dries, it pulls the paint apart creating cracks and lines. I then rub black paint into the craked areas, wiping most of it off to leave it mainly white. To finish off that rustic look, I use sandpaper to roughen up the edges to look worn.

 

I trace out the letters, and lightly brush the paint on leaving some white areas to show through.

 

I finish off by painting the sides, in this case I used the red. If your sign is made for outdoor use, you will have to use a protective sealant.

 

This sign will look great on a mantle or sideboard and is right in line with our theme of a Traditional Family Christmas for the Holiday Home Tour.

This project was linked up on Savvy Southern Style, Craft-O-Maniac Someday Crafts, Somewhat Simple, The Shabby Creek Cottage, and Uncommon Designs.