Porch Arrow Sign- Winter Themed

6 Materials
$15
1 Hour
Easy
January is one of the hardest months for me to decorate. After putting all the Christmas decorations away I feel like my house is empty. While Old Man Winter and I do not always get along or see eye to eye, I still have the itch to decorate for the season. Today I’ll show you how to quickly and easily make a porch arrow sign and show you how I used it inside instead of on my porch. I may have to make another one I can place on my porch!
First let’s gather our materials:• 1”x2” board (for the post)• arrows (I used 5 total)• 220 grit sandpaper • wood glue• acrylic/ chalk paint (in desired colors)• sponge/paint brushes • piece of foil or paper plate (to put paint on)• vinyl & craft cutting machine (like a Cricut) or Sharpies


This project was pretty inexpensive as I had most of the supplies on hand and only had to purchase the wood arrows and the 1x2” wood board. I did include the cost of paint and a sheet of vinyl into the cost listed.
The first thing I did was cut my 1x2” board, for the post, down to 4 1/2 feet. You may want it a little longer depending on the size and spacing of your arrows. I like to cut mine a little longer because I can always trim it down, but I can’t add to it once it’s cut.


Next, I bought my arrows at the Dollar Store. They came with jute already attached so I used needle nose pliers and pulled off the jute. You can just as easily cut it off with scissors.


**Decorator’s tip: save the jute and use it to tie around the ends of some of the arrows. You may like the look, you may not. I happened to not like it because it covered up some of my lettering. **
After the jute was all removed and any stickers, I used a small piece of 220 grit sand paper to smooth the edges. It was a quick sanding, just to get rid of any rough edges or fuzzy wood edges. (As I like to call them, I’m sure there is a technical term somewhere for it.)
Then I painted the arrows and the post. I was going for a Frozen vibe, so I chose a lavender and an icy blue for the arrows and a white chalk paint for the post. I only put one coat of paint on and I thinned the paint just a bit with a drop or two of water. I wanted a little bit of a weathered or worn look.
This is the fun part. If you have a steady hand and you enjoy lettering, use a sharpie and write out your own winter themed words. Or you could use stencils and sharpies.


I have an ancient (really old) Silhouette machine, which is similar to a Cricut, and it decided to play nice and cut out vinyl wording for me. I had silver vinyl I have been saving just for this project. I liked the look of it. You can use any color you like. This is the beautiful part of creating...you put your spin on it.
I wanted my purple arrows to point one direction and the blue to point the opposite. So I placed the vinyl on all the purple arrows and then all the blue arrows. I also chose several different fonts just for some added pizzazz.
I think the next one I make, I might have the post painted gray and the arrows blue and white. Once the lettering is all in place make sure to rub over top of the letters to secure them to the arrows, if you are using vinyl.
Finally you are ready to secure the arrows onto the post. First place your arrows on the post and decide if you like the look and the order of the arrows. Once you are satisfied with the order of the arrows, you’ll need to use wood glue to secure them onto the post. I took a pencil and lifted the top edge of the arrow and placed a small pencil dot. Then did the same for the bottom edge. Using wood glue, I put the glue on the post between the two dots. The pressed the arrow down to secure it, repeating the process for the next 4 arrows. Trying to keep the glue from seeping out under the edge.


**painter’s tip- if glue seeps out under the edge, use a paper towel to quickly wipe it away.**


**Because the arrows were so thin, I didn’t use screws or staples for fear the wood would split. **
When the glue is dry, you are ready to place your winter sign wherever you’d like. Maybe on the porch, or in the front entryway. Maybe in the living room or dining room. I say put it where you can see it often and where you like it. I have mine in a corner of our front entry and my kids love seeing it.


**Don’t forget to be creative with your winter names for your sign. **


** One last tip- if you are placing it outside, you may want to seal it with a poly acrylic spray.**


As always you can see more design tips, tricks and projects over on our Instagram...linked below.
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Joleen | The Refining Home
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