You know when an idea hits you and you just can’t shake it until you bring it to fruition? Yes? No? This sign was that way. Awhile back, this cool, black oval frame came into the store, but nobody else took an interest in it. I took it home (uh, purchased it) for awhile till a little free time came my way…
This is how it was made:
Materials: Frame, drop cloth fabric, freezer paper, X-acto knife, paint, cardboard, batting, hot glue gun, printed letters, stencil paint brush, scissors, box cutter, pen or Sharpie.
- To make the Open and Closed stencils, Bookman Old Style font was printed out on my word processing software. I think the Open was at 300 and the Closed at 250 for font size. The frame opening is approx. 18″. Originally, I tried rubbing the back with pencil and tracing it on the (drop cloth) fabric, but the fabric was too textured, so it didn’t show up. On to Plan B.
- I used freezer paper (shiny side down) and traced the letters onto it, then used an X-acto knife to cut out the letters. (It sounds super-tedious, but it went pretty quickly since the letters were so large and pretty simple.) If you haven’t used it before, after you get your stencil cut out, you place the freezer paper on your fabric, and iron it (I used med. hot setting with no steam). Then “pounce” away with your choice of paint color. TIP: For textured fabric, a bristle pouncing brush works better than a foam one.
Sorry, no photos of the next steps. (I don’t know why–I think I was “hopped up” on caffeine and just plowed through everything without thinking.)
- Cut fabric to larger (outside of frame) oval size
- Cut batting to inside size of frame size (you can trace with a Sharpie)
- Cut two ovals of heavy cardboard or foam core to fit into the frame. I used a box cutter and traced my frame (it wasn’t exact, as you can see, below).
- Layer fabric, batting, cardboard. Use a hot glue gun to glue fabric wrapped around cardboard for EACH side (Open & Closed). You will have two completed “front” and “back” ovals.
- Glue the Open & Closed back to back.
- Glue into frame, with the Open facing the front side of the frame.
The eye screws were on the back of the frame–I switched them to the top, so it would hang better. Oops, you can see where on the “Closed” side I cut the oval a little wonky. Well, no one’s really going to see that, right, ’cause we will be Closed after all…
It’s a difference from my before Open/Closed sign, and fits the style of the store much better, wouldn’t you say?!
By itself.
I am so please with it and, okay, somewhat proud, as I looked around on Pinterest and Google and couldn’t find one like it. Not that one does exist…
Thanks for stopping by, I {heart} your comments! Kim
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