Alright so awkward situation time: You are at a friend’s
house or apartment for the first time, maybe it’s even a housewarming party,
and after an hour or so of socializing you need to use the bathroom. The
hostess directs you “oh just down that hallway.” No biggie except that there
are a million doors down said hallway and you end up in the broom closet or
basement somehow and have to walk back to the living room blushing, saying,
“umm, which door?”
You will need:
A square wood canvas (mine was 8” x 8”)
Cardstock
White acrylic paint
Clear varnish
Flat artists brush (any width will do)
Small detail artists brush
Ruler
Scissors and/or craft knife
Gold foil transfer sheet*
Transfer adhesive
*We used iCraft DecoFoil and adhesive (not sponsored,
just at our local craft store). Using it as instructed here, it gives a rustic,
vintage look. However, if you want a cleaner look with this product, they also
make an adhesive foam that you might be able to adhere to the wood. There are
also a TON of gold foil products out there. Let me know how your favorites work!*
Step 1
Mix the white acrylic paint with a small amount of clear
varnish to thin it out slightly. Then, using long strokes in the same direction
as your wood grain, paint the canvas. The thinned paint and a pretty small
brush give the canvas a whitewashed, rustic look, but feel free to paint the
canvas as you please. You can even go back in with a few strokes here and there
to make it appear more natural and random.
Step 2
While your canvas dries, measure out the size of your
canvas on the cardstock and cut a square to match. Sketch out the design for
your sign or use the
free template I made! Then, using an craft knife, cut out your silhouettes
to create a stencil. You will want to cut carefully and leave the borders of
the figures intact. You can also do this for the letters if you use a wide
block font.
Step 3
Tape your stencil to the wood canvas along the edges or
using tape rolled up on the back side of the stencil. Fill in the silhouettes
with a thin layer of transfer adhesive, being careful not to push it under the
edges. Remove the stencil and let dry fully (about an hour for this particular
product). You can also paint over your borders and text with adhesive at this
point. I drew these out with a pencil straight onto the wood, then covered them
fully with the adhesive.
Step 4
Place your foil over the design and rub thoroughly to
adhere. Then just peel off! If you missed any spots, just go back and rub
again. You may also need to use another coat of adhesive in certain areas.
To give a rustic look, I used the corner of an old gift
card to scrape against the foil in the same direction as the paint and wood
grain. This also helped me not miss any spots!
Then all that’s left is to hang your cute little sign!
And alas, you no longer have to worry about your guests
wandering around the wrong corner, at least while looking for the bathroom! You
can also class up your water closet a smidge! (No go back and read the last
sentence with a British accent. Do I sound fancy yet?!)
I personally love the vintage appeal of white and gold,
but select your colors as you please! This brand of foil comes in many colors,
and is pretty inexpensive, especially when you buy online.
Have fun making your bathroom entrance a little more
attractive and distinguishable! And fill me in on your foiling tips if you have
any!
Stay lovely,
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