How to Make Vintage Inspired Produce Signs
You know that feeling when you fall in love with something, but pass it up, go back to buy it and it's already been sold? That happened to me recently at a vintage shop. It was a simple sign that read "Peaches" and it just made me happy. Who knows why? So what's a crafty girl to do when she wants her own "peaches" sign? Make her own of course!
Prepare your wood. I used scrap wood, but you could use lumber cut to length. Sand the edges and prime the wood. Paint it if desired.
I used my Silhouette to cut transparency sheets for stencils. Figure out the layout for your sign with the stencils.
For tips on creating stencils with a silhouette, check out my blog post for details.
Place the first stencil and stair painting using a stencil brush. Paint "with" the stencil and not "against" it to reduce the chance of bleeding.
Remove the stencil. You can leave the gap in the stencil or fill it in.
I used a tiny flat paintbrush to fill in the gap.
Continue stenciling. I skipped every other letter to make sure that my spacing was good and to allow each letter to dry completely. Don't worry if it's not perfect. Mine is far from perfect. It will be fixed in a minute.
I added a drop shadow to each letter. It's easier than it sounds. Use a small flat paintbrush to add lines on the bottom and to the right of each letter. Angle the corners to look more like a shadow. If you use a slightly lighter color, it doesn't show up if you accidentally paint on the stenciled letters.
When your sign is dry, sand it. Pay special attention to the edges. This is also your chance to erase any mistakes you made! 
The result should be pretty distressed.
I added my new signs to my patio where they can sit in the weather and age a little more.
How cute would they be in a garden?
Check out the post for more tips or to learn how to make stencils with a silhouette.
Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
Hi Emy. My youngest daughter was born in Frederick MD. We lived at 415 Columbus Ave. We were behind the Barbara Fritchie House. I also found out my great, great grandfather was born in Frederick, MD. Small world.
I love this project. Where did you find the large stencils? I've been looking for a few weeks but no luck. Thanks.