My Five Favorite Farmhouse Style Sign Projects

After spending several days patching holes, repainting our kitchen (ceiling included), and hiding my jar of screws so I won’t be tempted to make new holes in the walls, I decided to reward myself for all my hard work by making a new sign for the kitchen.

Some people reward themselves with chocolate, some buy new shoes.

I make signs.

It doesn’t make me gain weight or cost a lot of money. 🙂

I have no idea how many signs I’ve made over the years, but today I decided to look back over some of them and share my top five favorites, along with a few tips that might help you with your sign projects.

I realized as I was choosing my favorites that they were all made with salvaged materials.

I don’t mind using new materials, but using supplies with a history is much more fun to me since no two are ever the same.

5. Fresh Pies

This sign made the top five list because it was made of both salvaged metal and salvaged wood. The patina on both were perfect.

TIP – when sign making with corrugated metal, it’s easiest to use an adhesive vinyl stencil that can stick in the curves.  A flat plastic stencil can’t do that.

4. Mercantile

The Mercantile sign was made on an antique door panel and it’s one of the few that I’ve kept for myself.  I may eventually sell it, but I’m enjoying it for now.

TIP – Paint chipboard letters and glue them on your surface for a sign with lots of dimension.  It makes the words really pop.

3. Colonial Pharmacy on Salvaged Wood

This Colonial Pharmacy sign was made on beautiful wood from cabinets in an old farmhouse that was torn down.

Adding coat hooks to it turned it into functional decor, which I try to do whenever possible.

TIP – Don’t freak out if your signs don’t turn out perfect.  The paint bled under the stencil when I made this one, but after distressing and staining it, I loved it – imperfections and all.

2. Mrs. Claus Cookie Co.

This is my all-time favorite Christmas sign.  It just makes me happy to look at it.

Adding the hooks to hang cookie cutters made it that much cuter.

TIP – To get that amazing two-tone look, stain your wood with dark stain, paint over it, and distress it to let the dark tone show through before painting on the lettering.

1. Biloxi City Dairy Company on Antique Window

If there was ever a sign I kicked myself for selling, it was the Biloxi City Dairy one.

I painted it on a beautiful antique window that had its original latch.

TIP – Use free vintage images to design an antique style sign.  I have lots to choose from HERE.

Antique business cards and advertisements work great for old style signs.

Here’s just one more sign I couldn’t leave out.

Antique Graphics Cow

I’m including it because it’s easy to forget that signs don’t have to be painted.  I made several different projects all using that same cow image.

This one was done as an image transfer on wood.  The free printable is included in the link above.

I appreciate it when you pin & share!

Vaya con Dios,