Create a Beach Themed Welcome Sign for Summer!

Donna
by Donna
4 Materials
$18
2 Days
Easy
When I think of summer, I immediately think of the sun and fun of being at the beach. I don't live near the ocean, so I decided to bring the beach to me by creating this bright and cheerful beach themed welcome sign! This easy project uses a basic frame, some wood pieces, paint and ribbon for a finishing touch.
This sign starts with a basic wooden frame. The frame needs to have a back and glass that can be removed completely. The frame itself should be somewhat wide (at least 1 and 1/2 inches) and have a solid, flat surface that you can glue your wood pieces to.
Measure or trace the outside dimensions of your frame precisely on to a piece of graph paper. Once you have the outline of your frame of your graph paper, start sketching and laying out your buildings. You can find more detailed directions   on my blog. Pay special attention to the corners. Notice I added a small building with a sloped roof so that it fit next to the other buildings.


I created a beach welcome sign with a lighthouse and cottages, but you could use the same idea and tutorial to create a sign that depicts your own neighborhood, a Christmas village, historic landmarks, or any other collection of buildings and architectural sights.
Next, cut out your buildings and trace them onto some thin wood pieces. I was able to buy a package of 3/16" plywood sheets at my local craft store that were about 4 by 6 inches in size, but you can use any thin wood that you have on hand. You can also use 3/16" foam board if you plan to only display your project inside.
This is optional, but I used my scrap wood, plus some pieces of dowel, paint sticks, and reed to add layers of architectural detail to each building. I glued these layers on using just basic white craft glue.
I wanted each of my buildings to have a funky, unique look. I just used whatever scraps were created from cutting out all my buildings. I also added some buttons and trim.
I painted each of my buildings with bright, cheery colors and glued them onto my frame according to my original sketch. You can find all the directions with photos  on my blog.


Check out the special way I finished and displayed my sign on my blog!
Suggested materials:
  • Basic picture frame   (craft store)
  • Wood pieces (scrap or bought at store)   (craft store)
  • Paint   (art store)
See all materials
Donna
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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