Creating a Farmhouse Sign from an Antique Crate Lid
Hi there! Have you been enjoying the Harvest Home Blog Hop? If you don’t know what I’m talking about, or haven’t had the chance to follow along yet, pop over to Tuesday”s Harvest Home Tour post and get all the details–eight bloggers with fall open houses, filled with some pretty inspiring home decor.
Amber at Follow the Yellow Brick Home was the mastermind behind the event and you have got to see her stunning home tour. Please, run, don’t walk over to her blog and take a look. You won’t be sorry, I promise.
Then come back and see how I took the lid of an antique crate and turned it into a perfect-for-fall, farmhouse sign.
So, I was at a garage sale a while back, and they had an antique biscuit crate for sale, but the thing was, the graphic that had been glued to the inside of the [detached] lid was ripped and covered over by wooden braces. But the outside of the lid looked like what you see here. Pretty awesome right? I fell in love with those old hinges and decided it would make a great vintage sign.
See what I mean about the paper label on the reverse side of the lid? It must’ve been amazing in its day, but now it’s pretty much just a reminder of what once was.
Angie, who designs stencils over at Knick of Time’s Vintage Stencils, recently sent me one of her new designs: a simple one, just the word “GATHER,” and I knew it was perfect for this project. So I assembled my stenciling supplies–her stencil brush and some chalk paint–and got busy!
Angie’s stencil, which measures 18″ long and is a high quality product, fit my lid just perfectly. Once the paint dried, I knew I needed to address the dryness of the wood.
For many years, I’ve used a product that, like Voldemort, shall remain nameless; I reached out to the company not too long ago, hoping to engage in some kind of collaboration [blogger-speak for business deal], but they told me in no uncertain terms that they don’t collaborate with bloggers.
Hmm. So I decided to try and make a product of my own that would give old wood new life. Above you see the results of my new product on the right, the untreated wood on the left. Pretty amazing, right?
So I’m in the process of finalizing my “formula” and figuring out how to offer it for sale. After all, a blogger’s got to make a living, and I know you don’t want to see my site filled with noisy ads and pop-ups. [Don’t worry, I don’t want to see them either :)]
So at some point in the near future, I’ll be asking my friends on my email list to be my guinea pigs and test the product out, then I hope to offer it for sale in small batches here on the blog. Did I mention how good it smells? I think you’re going to like it…I’m calling it “wood salve” for the moment.
So after letting my “wood salve” soak into the wood and then buffing it a bit, I attached some saw-tooth hangers to the back.
And there you have the perfect sign, from an unexpected source, in time to celebrate both the harvest season, as well as Thanksgiving…
…when we will be “gathering together to sing the Lord’s blessing.”
I hope and pray your fall is filled with opportunities for gathering and for some final days of good junkin’ before the cold weather sets in 🙂
Buy the stencil here @ Knick of Time Vintage Stencils.
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Bye for now,
If you enjoyed the post, I’d love a pin 🙂
You can find this stencil at:
Knick of Times Vintage Sign Stencils
Your crate lid is so perfect with Angie’s stencil…your sign turned out so beautifully! Your wood treatment looks great, too!
Thanks, Linda!! So glad you think so 🙂
Very lovely, Diana! Don’t you love it when a project turns out just perfect:) I like the way your creative juices flow!
Thank you Dawn–that was so kind of you to say 🙂
I’ll be a guinea pig for you! Love the gather sign
Thanks, Wendy!! I’ll try to remember that when the time comes (remind me!).
Way to go, Diana! This sign looks great! 😊👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Thanks Meda–that means a lot!!
I’m swooning!! What an amazing find that old lid was and turning it into a farmhouse sign is perfection. Pinning!
Thanks so much, Angie–and thanks especially for your fantastic stencil–LOVE it!
Love your sign and the thoughts expressed as well. I love the old hinges! And, congratulations on not giving up and developing your “wood salve”—–where there’s a will, there ‘s a way, right? 😉 God bless you and yours as you gather together for this special time of year.
Thank for the sweet blessings, Karen 🙂 I’m going to keep plugging away at my “wood salve” and see where it leads me! [Glad you liked my sign!]
Nice! That’s a case of making lemonade from lemons – and the back is still pretty cool. Love that vignette.
Thanks, Rita 🙂
Love how this turned out! And love Angie’s new stencil. Can’t wait to hear about your “wood salve”;)
Thanks Lora!! You’ll be among the first to know when it’s available since you’re on my email list 🙂
How inventive you are! Good for you making your own Wood salve! I’ll be ready to see it when completed – I have some things that need that attention!
You’ll be one of the first to hear about it, Anita, since you’re on my mailing list 🙂
Very nice. That crate lid is SO vintage. I love it treated and untreated! I am interested to know what is in your wood salve 🙂
So glad you like the sign, AnnMarie 🙂 I’m pretty sure I’m going to market my salve to support my junkin’ habit, so I may not be free to share all the details 🙁
Your crate lid looks like it belongs with your bread boards! Love the font on Angies’s stencil; old fashioned without being old English! Been busy making some pumpkins like yours! You’re right, they are rather addictive. Each one has its own personality!
Ha ha–awesome about the pumpkins, Kathy–I’d love to see some when you figure out how to download your photos, LOL. Glad you like the sign 🙂
I love it! So simple yet so pretty!
Tania
Thank you, Tania!!
It looks great, Diana! And it’s for sure one of a kind! I can’t wait to know more about your wood treatment. Just you wait, those folks will be so sorry they blew you off!
Ha ha, I’m glad you’re on my “side” Naomi 🙂 You’ll be hearing about the product via my email list, soon, I hope!
Great rustic sign!
Thanks Sharon!
I love this- simple and beautiful!
Thanks so much, Terie!!
I love your crate lid sign, it’s beautiful. I really love that stencil too. Wish that I had seen it before I bought the stencil I just bought for my gather sign.
Aww, sorry you didn’t know about it sooner–would love to see your finished product 🙂
Pinned. Love that wood and the stencil Gather. A treasure.
Joy
Thanks, Joy, that means a lot coming from a fellow sign-maker 🙂
That crate lid is fabulous and I love how you stenciled it! Thank you for sharing @ Vintage Charm! Pinned!