When my daughter was about 5, there was a moment that is etched in my brain forever. I'd taken her to rent a block buster movie and get a McDonalds Happy Meal. As I drove home I heard her say from the back seat "THIS is the life!" It struck me because the innocense of a little child can sometimes remind us to see the little things.
Fast forward about 20 years.....I saw this sign somewhere on the internet. When I clicked on the link It was over $100.00.
I decided to try and make the sign myself. I went to our local Habitat Store where the cabinet doors are around $2.00 - $5.00. I liked this one in particular because it had the raised detail aroun the edges to "frame" the words. I spray painted the sign in Heriloom While, as this is the color I wanted the text to be.
I printed out the words to see if they would fit. Then I taped my words to a piece of contact paper and CUT OUT the individual letters. I know this sounds incredibly time consuming but honestly for these 4 words it took about 30 min. max. You are also probably thinking "use a cricut machine" ....well I personally do not like how perfect those machines cut letters. To me, it makes the sign look like it was something purchased new in a store.....made in China type thing. I wanted slight imperfections in the lettering.
I adhered each letter to the White Cabinet door, then I spraypainted it in black. The paint bubbled up in a lot of places. After about 20 minutes I peeled the contact letters off and this is what I had.
I felt like it was an EPIC FAIL and decided this would be going straight into the trash. I was so bummed because I had this in my head forever and it looked awful.
I finally went back to it, and with a lot of sanding, adding some black paint wash overtop of everything, and finally a coat of wax, it looked a little better.
On Christmas morning I still didn't know if I would give it to her. My younger daughter convinced me it was PERFECTLY imperfect (like I wanted) and convinced me to give it to "baby mama".
Here it is...hanging in her house.....
And she too has never forgot that time in the car...when all it took to make your life complete was a rented movie and a Happy Meal.
- inspiration for old distressed signs started a long time ago when I first discovered Donna at Funky Junk Interiors!