Could your potting bench use a sign or handy garden tool hanger? Here’s how to stencil an easy charming Potting Shed sign using an old rake!
When I was asked to create some garden themed stencils, one of the first ideas that popped into my mind was to do up a rustic shed reveal with potting shed garden sign.
A potting bench was something that would entice you outdoors, keeping you creating, through the beauty of flowers and plants.
Plus, I wanted a bench! Hey… maybe I’d even garden. 🙂
But nothing ever materialized.
Until the crate broke in front of the shed… YES!
So finally, a rustic shed reveal with potting shed garden sign plus a potting bench made from two sawhorses transpired!
Let’s start with a Potting Shed sign, with a fun twist!
Then I’ll share how the sawhorse potting bench turned out too!
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Potting Shed garden sign
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Supplies you’ll need:
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2 reclaimed wood planks (these measure 3 ¾” x 36″ each).
old rake head
Potting Shed stencil from HERE
Fusion Mineral Paint – Casement & Chocolate
Palm sander
View Potting Shed stencil HERE
Potting Shed stencil
Potting Shed is a garden-themed stencil perfect for spring and summer to decorate your garden shed with! It includes a potted flowers graphics for just the right finishing decorative touch!
So let’s make a super cute garden sign that is also productive!
Designing the sign
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a) Two boards were fit together, to accommodate the Potting Shed stencil.
Each board measured approximately 3 ¾” deep x 36″ long.
b) Fusion Mineral Paint’s Casement (white) was coated in the main areas of the boards where the stencil would be placed, for higher visibility.
How to position the rake
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c) Decide on placement of rake and graphics.
Note: Tours until Dusk was positioned to be inside the rake.
How to stencil the images
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d) Using Fusion’s Chocolate, stencil Tours Until Dusk first, then move up Potting Shed, to miss most of the rake.
How to stencil:
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- Load stencil brush with paint, then remove most onto a cloth until brush feels dry.
- Tap paint through stencil to create image.
- When repositioning the stencil, ensure the back is dry before moving.
Adding a flower border
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e) Choosing just the flowers from the Potting Shed stencil, stencil them along the bottom of the sign, just short of the rake sides.
Don’t the flowers make the cutest border?!
Tip: Every time the flowers were stencilled, I flipped the stencil around, and positioned the stencil higher or lower than the last, so the flowers would appear more random.
Find Potting Shed stencil HERE
The finished sign!
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f) Lightly distress the stenciled sign images with a palm sander to achieve a naturally weathered look.
g) And add rusty junk jewelry for good measure! Ok… and to hold the boards together. I just love the character it adds.
And here’s the rest of the shed!
A potting shed tour
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This Potting Shed sign fits right in!
Not only does it make a statement on this shed, it’s also super productive and can hang garden tools!
It was so fun to truly pot plants on that potting bench too!
Isn’t it even pretty in all its messy glory?
After everything was potted up, I simply hosed off the top, and it was a done deal.
The spaced boards along the top of the potting bench was the ticket. It really works!
Potting bench reveal
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Learn how I built the potting bench in Part Two HERE
The saw horse potting bench was easy to create!
Two sawhorses pose as the legs, then add boards on top with a flowerbed underneath!
Some galvanized goods were stacked for storage underneath the bench, and as garden fillers. It really is a potting bench in action, plus a garden feature!
You may have noticed some boards missing from the top of the potting bench, compared to the first draft.
The option for a shelf or table size is awesome!
The shelf allows the sun and rain to hit the plants below. And when more working space is required, 3 more planks plunked on top will do the trick.
I honestly found the shelf size to be perfect for a potting bench space.
Garden junk planter ideas
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Recognize that oil funnel from my branch ladder flower stand?
I replaced the wire vine with a new one. Love it!
The plants in clay pots and rusty junk teamed up with the cute Potting Bench sign with an old rake is rustic and really creates a whimsical backdrop for a backyard!
Before
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The overgrown rustic shed before…
After!
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Welcome back, Rustic shed reveal with potting shed garden sign with an old rake!
I just love your new summer outfit… and it’s so productive too!
What do you think of the refreshed shed look?
Read the entire series
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Read the whole shed series HERE
or:
2 – building a sawhorse potting bench
Part 3 – shed reveal with potting bench and new sign – you are here
Get Potting Shed stencil from HERE
Other garden projects you may enjoy:
Learn how to make this oversized tulip tray styled flowerbed
How to make this crate turned garden-themed desk on a wall
Learn how to make this reclaimed wood fence
Visit more projects made with Old Sign Stencils HERE
This project has been published in Somerset Home Spring 2017! Read the post HERE
Visit all unique outdoor projects HERE
I love my potting bench on the side of my shed and I use it all the time! Love the sign with the rake… Great idea! I need to clean up under mine, flowers are a great idea!
Thanks Susan! Yeah, now that I’ve made it, I need to actually use it… but even if I don’t, at least it looks like I do? #cheatergardening
Donna, the finished product is just so fun and beautiful! I love how it makes me feel inspired to garden.
The potting shed stencil/sign fits so perfect there.
Great work!
Oh so cute and so You! I love your style and keep up with all your projects as they are posted. Thanks so much for sharing them with all of us.
Hello! Love the new post on your shed!!! Everything you do is my style! You are so talented!!!
Donna,, I can’t even tell you how much I love this idea! Yes now begin your gardening….will be so easy to work there. LOVE IT!!!!!!? ? ? ?
Thanks Karen, and you are right! It’s easier with a starting point. Problem is, I keep tinkering on this and don’t go beyond it. Yet… 🙂
Those emoticons you used are the cutest! I’ve never seen them before!
Donna, that’s gorgeous. I love the look – it just makes me want to play in some dirt !!
This is awesome Donna – I love it and really like seeing all that dirt on the table. I knew you’d get inspired!! This made me think of my grandma’s rustic shovel that I keep near the house. If that shovel could talk, wow!
I need to make something creative with it but before I do that I need to get some of that chocolate fusion paint. LOVE that Color!
Love, Love, Love your sign and your potting bench!!
Just love the cute summer ‘outfit’ you’ve created for your shed. I’ve always liked this feature in your yard and now it’s even more fun. Well done!
Loving it.. Looks special.. Just got my new stencils. Cant wait to use them. thanks so much. what’s next in the stencil world?
Gail
Hi Gail! Thank you for the kudos and your stencil order!
I have two new designs coming out within the month… and here’s a hint. They are all season, everyday types, two of the biggest suggested designs. It’s all about inside next round… more soon!
Good morning, Donna
You are so creative. Love the potting bench revel. As several of the posts said, your style is my style and that is very true in my case also.
Thank you,
I absolutely love it! One of my favorite things ever that you’ve done.
Donna, Better Homes and Gardens has nothing on you! This is magazine perfect…you did a fabulous job and I love it. You are so dang creative. What a wonderful blessing 🙂
Donna, this is really homey, useful, and inspiring. I actually like both the before and after. The before, because the window shows up so well, and the After because it is so utilitarian.
You made great use of the stencils, too. Yup. It’s a winner.
Thanks, Joan! I liked how the window showed up moreso before too. Knowing me, this will change yet again… haha
Your potting shed is fabulous! Love the look, are those grapes growing? Looks like a wonderful place to plant and have a cool drink Lisa@ Sweet Tea N’ Salty Air
Hi Lisa, yes, those are grapes! I don’t prune the bushes heavily, so the yield each fall is pretty large. I call the neighbours over to help themselves when ripe… it’s too much for us.
I just like to putz around in the yard and grab a few for a snack while working. I leave the juicing and jam making for my neighbours… and then they share. What a great working relationship… haha
Donna I’m loving this so much and your stencil sign is gorgeous and perfect for this potting bench. One of the things I love about this bench is how high the bench is, no back-breaking bending while potting up your pretty’s, that is one reason I have never bought a potting bench I knew I would have to have a stool so I could sit because they are to low.
You have done a great job putting this together with your sign and the flowers.Is there anything prettier than old wood and flowers? Thanks for all the inspiration you give us.
Hey Patty! I agree! The height turned out perfect for a stand up bench! The key were those sawhorses that I had sitting around doing nothing for at least a year. This was a fun (and easy) challenge!
Keep your eyes open for some… so many people toss them!
Nice! Really Nice!!!!!
LOVE it all.
Have missed coming by here and all your great ideas.
Be blessed
Barb
Thank-you Barb, and welcome back! 🙂
Oh my oh my! Land sakes, Donna, I love it! Especially the part of the rake on the stenciled sign. What a cool use for a rake. It reminds of when my mother-in-law used a large rake in the bath to hang towels from. And the rusty junk jewelry! Awesome! Now I’ve gushed and gushed and had fun. Thank you for sharing!
Aww… thanks for gushing, Joanne! haha LOVE the towel idea too!
LOVE!!
Just beautiful! (and very functional too!) I’ve been thinking about making some sort of “junk” water feature for my back patio. Something not too big, made of rusty gold with a circulating little pump. I’ve never made a water feature before. Any ideas you might want to share??
Hey Sharon! I’ve always wanted to make one too. At the moment, I have no idea what to suggest, but I was thinking of using an old claw foot or metal tub of some kind with a small water fountain pump.
I think as long as you find something that can be watertight, it could work! But I’ll let you know once I know… 🙂
I love the whole thing!! So inspired to go spruce up the side of my shed 🙂
Love it!
Hello Donna
Wow, that looks so cute. Article, plants, and arrangements everything is perfect and useful.
Love it all Donna! You have a way of making everything look awesome!
Debbie
I love this!!! How do you get the black paint on there, with out it bleeding under the stencil? Do you roll it, or stipple… I hate the leaks, and sometimes sanding just doesn’t get rid of it. And I use a light hand, but it doesn’t always work. What type of paint do you prefer to use when you do these projects?
Thanks Donna,
~debbie~
Thanks Debora!
The trick to super sharp lines is seriously a dry brush. Just dab most of the paint off onto a rag, then tap with a stencil brush.
As for paint, I used Fusion Mineral Paint on these signs which worked wonderfully, especially outdoors! Acrylic craft paint works great too!
Thanks Donna….Do you have a place to get a good one?? I do have some foam pouncers, but i’d love one of those brushes I seen on your site.
Thanks bunches,
~debbie~
Hey Debora, I’m overdue for a post with my fav stencil accessories. I’ll make it a priority. Thanks for the push!
Hi Donna, just love this, I bought the stencils off you last year but hoping to get the sign done very soon, I have all the bits and pieces it’s just the time! Could I please ask did you seal it with anything to protect from the weather? Thanks ?
Hi Karen! Thanks for purchasing the stencils! I don’t clear coat any of my work. Using the right paint is key! Fusion Mineral Paint is made for indoors / outdoors, so there’s no need to worry. That said, if they weather a bit, I find that only enhances an old sign design. 🙂
Thanks so much Donna, that makes it a lot easier too. I will add Fusion Paint to my list and get moving to get it done! Love following what you do, you are so clever 🙂
Oh my gosh!!!! So peaceful, inviting & inspiring! What a talented lady you are!!! Just found you! Karianne at Thistlewood featured your “Fresh cut FLOWERS” box.
Looking forward to viewing your site!