In this post: How to make a vintage-looking wood sign with a sharpie!


Here’s a quick little project from me.

how to make a farmhouse sign with a sharpie new

Last week as I was prepping the house for our Apartment Therapy Home Tour (I think it is up on Friday), I noticed a sadly empty space in our kitchen.

Now, it may look just fine to you…but I thought it could use a little something. So I whipped up a little BAKERY sign from a scrap of wood, some paint and a sawtooth hanger.

Supplies:

  • wood (mine was about 24″ x 5.5″
  • paint
  • crackle medium
  • paint brushes
  • pencil
  • paper
  • marker (paint marker or sharpie)
  • sawtooth hanger
  • sandpaper

Instructions:

Step 1. First I painted the wood an off white I created by mixing antique white and white craft paint together. Then I sloppily painted a dark brown on top. It doesn’t have to cover all the white because you want some layering and chipping.

Step 2. After the paint was dry I brushed on some Decoart aged wood medium (the stuff that “crackles”) using a big brush. Using a big brush makes the crackle effect look way more natural than even small crackles. KWIM?

Step 3. After the crackle medium dried (with the help of my handy dandy blow dryer because I have no patience), I brushed on another two coats of my off white paint. Let dry. Or blow dry. Depends on your patience!

Step 4. Using Century Schoolbook as my font I used the pencil transfer method to mark my letters onto the painted wood board.

Step 5. Fill in with paint marker or even a black sharpie. Let dry.

Step 6. Give the whole thing a bit of a sanding to age it paying special attention to the edges.

Step 7. Hammer on the sawtooth hanger and hang.

 Have you ever whipped up a little wood sign with a Sharpie? 

shannon photo and sig oct 2022