Funky Junk Interiors

I have always ALWAYS loved the look of a multi-directional sign.

Whether it’s on a ski hill or while vacationing, I’ve always admired how neat a bunch of signs all in one spot actually look. Especially if you are a signaholic type…

So I decided to try my hand at making the idea myself. I gathered up 3 like minded winter sign words, then got to it!

I love how they turned out. They are so festive, with just the right amount of colour, cheering up any wide open space in an instant.

Or they can be split up to do different things. They are small enough to squeeze into the tightest of spaces and are also small enough to easily stash away until next year once again.

However, I chose to style them stacked for a little over-the-top festive cheer.

Ready to get your directional sign on? Let’s doooooo it…
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You’ll need:

Some Amazon Affiliate links are below…

3 reclaimed wood fence planks and one long skinny plank

paint of choice – Fusion link HERE

I used Fusion Mineral Paint’s Fort York Red, Coal Black, Casement (white), and a standard craft paint for the blue.

3 like-minded winter word stencils – find HERE

I used Sleigh Rides, Hot Cocoa, and Ski Lodge, and Winter Graphics

miter saw

stencil brush

cordless drill and screws

1. Cut three reclaimed wood planks to equal size. Mine are old fence planks measuring 31.5″ x 5.75″.

2. Cut super simple arrow tips on one side of them. Here’s how…
board 2 – Twist your miter saw to 45 degrees. Saw one side of the arrow.

board 3 – Flip the board around, marking straight across from the side cut.

board 4 – Align the saw blade to the X area and cut again.

Harder to explain, easier to do.

3. Rotate the tips, then place stencils as desired.

I liked the idea of red, wood then blue, then attached an appropriate word to each tone.

Stencils are from HERE

4. Messy-paint the boards.

I intentionally added most paint to the middle of the boards, however didn’t go right to the edges, to offer more of a pre-distressed look.

Mixing Cranberry and Fort York Red offered a nice weathered barnish red.

Cranberry went on first, then before it was dry, Fort York was blended on top.

Here you can see how I left some edges unpainted.

note: the blue I used was from craft store paint. However I have used Fusion’s Champness for this Ski Lodge sign which I preferred.

5. Decide on the colour of your letters, stencil, then add random snowflakes for a winter finale.

The key is a super dry-to-the-touch paint loaded stencil brush. This will give you the sharpest images possible.

Learn more tips on How To Stencil HERE

How to achieve a 2-toned letter

This is a fun technique if you wish to add more detail to your signage, or if you are working with backgrounds that offer a lower contrast to your lettering colour choices.

a) Stencil black first. Wait until it’s dry to the touch.

b) Position the stencil to show the upper right along the entire word, as shown above.

c) Tape stencil along the edges to hold it in place.

d) Stencil white on top of the black, however more heavily on the upper right, fading down to the lower left.

It gives a neat gradient look with a shadow intact!

5. Attach the sign planks with one screw onto a middle post, then position each one helter skelter like. Zig zag-ish.

What other weirdo words could I insert here?!

6. Attach the middle post to the wall with screws, then hang S-hooks over the board edges to use for hanging your gear.

I’m thinking mugs, keys, Christmas cards, stockings, coats, towels, paint brushes… someone please stop me.

Talk about a punch’a Christmas all in one spot! Don’t they just look happy? Like you’re about to actually go romp in the snow, then warm up for a steamy hot cup of cocoa at the ski lodge…

Either that, or the deer leading the sleigh ride rammed into the sign… whoops…

Signs are fabulous story tellers, aren’t they?

And then I played house, using the directional signs for keys.

But I’m really thinking they’d make one sweet beverage station bar with mugs hanging off the signs! 

Ho Ho Ho… any excuse to bring on the hot cocoa I say…

How would you use them?

Tutorials – Bench \ Clothing Hanger