Can’t wait to make some of these signs! Great tutorial! I love that you are straight to the point and don’t talk about unnecessary stuff for hours. Lol. Thanks for the video. Beautiful work!
I don’t have a cricket but I want one I am just learning utube and haven’t done video yet. You made it seem more simpler than anyone else I have watched thank you!
Love your tutorial. It’s short and to the point. I am going to start a 24” x 48” wall sign today for my living room. I feel very confident that it will turn out great because of you.
Hello. I just saw your video from 2019. AWESOME, BEAUTIFUL, AMAZING WORK! You are very talented. My comments are generated by reading your replies to EACH one that complimented you on your work or asked questions. I have never seen that done before! It is very noble of you to take the time to share of yourself and explain in detail (often the same questions) to assist others. What a great heart! God bless you my dear...continue to share YOU and blessings will overtake you. Take care!
Hey Christy, I absolutely love how you designed and crafted the frames. I like to put the staples on the back of the frame instead of the front. I think it gives it a more finished look.
You make this look so easy! I know I’m capable and have always overthought the process. Thank you for giving me the confidence I needed to get started. Love that you are straight to the point and your work is beautifully done. I agree with the staples on the front taking away from your beautiful work. I use corner clamps and wood glue then add staples or flat corner brackets on the back but since you are stapling the center wood piece all the way around the corner brackets would be overkill. Just my opinion. Thanks again!
These are fantastic. I’ve been looking for tutorials on sign making and I think yours is one of the best. They look very professional. I’m thinking seriously about buying a Cricut.😊❤️🙏
Love that you are using the contact paper (even from the dollar store), to make a stencil. I really like the way these signs turned out. Thanks for sharing. I see someone asked why you didn't use grey vinyl, but I like the painted effect (of course you can use vinyl). I guess it all depends on the look you want to achieve. In your case - beautiful!
Beautiful signs and designs... but the staples in the front don’t do your artwork justice. Glue and brad nails, it’s very easy I’m sure you can do it! Keep creating!😊
@@AppalachianHomeCo Would you please show how you made these stencils in design space? Like the font name & sizes and everything else. Lol! I'm in love with this but dont even know where to begin in the design space! Thanks so much!
Great tutorial. I have two questions though. 1) Why no glue on the corners of the frame? 2) Why did you leave the staples facing out on the frame instead of putting them on the backside where they can't be seen?
Hi. I left the staples on the front out of personal preference . . some times I do it this way for a rustic look and sometimes I do it completely different depending on the sign. Definitely will start using the glue tho!
Your amazing! I am trying so hard to figure this new Cricut explode air 2 out, but I’m feeling like a complete idiot. Your stuff if so cute! Great job!
Hi! Yes I do sell them usually locally, and a few on Etsy but I don’t list many there because I do sell several here. I do take custom requests thru Etsy tho. I don’t usually put staples on the front anymore I have some other sign and frame videos where I make some different kinds. 👍🏻
These came out so beautiful. I too am making signs for my entryway. My question is when to use as a stencil and when to use vinyl tape on it. I have seen signs made both ways. I would like to know why one choses one over the other, Thwnk you!
Hi! Thank you so much!! The biggest reason I would use stencil instead of vinyl is color. If I need a certain gold lettering, or another color I can’t find in vinyl I will stencil. Also i use stencil when I want the letters to look a bit worn, vinyl is clean and bold. Or if I am doing a lot of layers like for monogram signs, I will use vinyl and stencil to keep from layering too much. All other times I definitely use vinyl. Hope that helps!
You said that you had used contact paper for this.. So I shouldnt use vinyl? Im a beginner so i want to be sure on what I can and cannot use :) thank you
Hi! I used contact paper to make a stencil but you could use vinyl to make a stencil as well ....contact paper was just less expensive. I now use Oracal 813 for my stencils and adhesive vinyl if I cut out the letters to place on the sign instead of stenciling. Hope that makes sense!
Hello. You cut your plywood board a little smaller than your framed wood frame Correct? Say you have a 10x12 sign. Cut the board an inch or so smaller than the wood frame?
Hi. I use luan board or thin smooth plywood for most of my signs. I used to use brown temporary service board (in the paneling aisle) but would definitely use luan instead. 👍🏻
Thank you, you explained how to do this project well. I look forward to watching more of your video's. How much do you charge for your signs? How do you sell?
Thank you so much! I usually sell from $20-$40 for a sign depending on size. I do have an etsy shop it will be open again in the next week or so I have changed the name and will add some new items. It will be under TheAppalachianHomeCo. Thanks!
Hi. I tried in the beginning not using peel and stick, and just placing the stencil. It is possible to do but I got so frustrated with trying to get the wrinkles out I quit and have used transfer tape ever since lol 👍🏻
Yes I do sand the luan before I paint it and wipe it off to remove the dust. If you’re paper isn’t sticking you can lightly sand the paint and try another coat, let dry overnight at least, do not sand the top coat of paint. I sometimes rub the stencil with my hands to get it to stick better. If your wood is grainy it helps to get it down into the wood. If that still doesn’t work I would switch paints. Sometimes the brand of paint makes all the difference.
Oh My Goodness I Love This!! Your videos and so easy to watch! I have been wondering how people make this. I'm a newbie finally following her passion for DIY Home Decor. What circuit machine did you use?
Thank you so much, so glad you are following your passion! I used the Cricut Explore Air 2 for the signs in this video, but I also have the Cricut Maker which I love.
Hi. I have gotten comments about that and have only had that happen once. You can try changing the type of paint you are using that seems to help! I have started using stencil vinyl now and have really good results with it, I get it from amazon (Oracal 813).
Hi! It may be the type of paint. Some paints just want to pull up I have found. Try interior wall paints, they seem to work better. Or seal over the paint with poly and let dry COMPLETELY. Hope that helps!
Hi. No I haven’t had issues with that but I have gotten several comments from people who have. I think it has to do with the type of base paint you are using. I use flatter paints for bases. And I use interior paints instead of craft paints. Maybe try another type of paint and see if that helps. 👍🏻
Hi there, How do you get the plywood cut to the dimensions you want? I usually avoid plywood because of that. If you cut it yourself what type of saw do you use? I looked trough some of comments to see if you already answered this. I didn't see it. I'm sorry if you did and I am being redundant. Thanks!
No problem! Yes I do cut the materials here at home sometimes with a table saw if there are large sheets of plywood to cut. I can include that in the videos as well to show you. But I also ask Lowe's to cut large sheet to certain smaller sizes I can work with and they will do that no problem. Its also easier to transport smaller sizes. I also use a chop saw to cut to certain lengths.
Hi! Your question did not show up in my feed I am so sorry! I used flat paint in the color ivory and I believe it was a brand from Walmart like Gliden.
Hello, loved your simple tutorial, I had a question was that a vinyl you used to cut out the lettering with your cricut? I’ve seen others use a blue color before but never that color you used exactly what was it that you used?
Hi. Thank you! In this particular video I am just using contact paper from Walmart. It is a great, cheaper way to create stencils. The blue stuff is Oracal 813 stencil vinyl. It is great too, just a little pricier.
Hello Christy I have a few questions 1 which of those 2 catting machines are you using or you need two of them ? 2 what program do you need to make the designs ? ,did you also have to buy the fronts letters? and what are the the exact size of the vinyl that we need or you just cut them as you need i love your video thanks in advance !
Thank you so much I’m glad you like the videos! I use a 12x24” cutting mat for designs longer than 11.5”. I use the smaller mat for smaller designs. You can design in Design Space (the program that comes with Cricut) for simple designs like these. I usually buy vinyl that is 12” wide and you can get in different lengths. Then you can cut pieces to the size or length you need. Hope that answers your questions!
I used general everyday contact paper (the brown kind) you can get at Walmart or Dollar General. I like it because it doesn't pull up splinters from the wood when I remove it and it is also a lot cheaper. I also use the clear peel and stick as transfer tape. The two together work pretty good for stencil materials. I have used vinyl before for stenciling and I am going to post a video soon on some Oramask stencil material that I haven't tried yet. Hope that answers your question!
If you are making more than one of the same sign do you still use contact paper and just cut more stencils or do you use a different product for a permanent stencil? Great videos and signs. Thank you
Thank you! I normally cut a lot of stencils, but I am trying to find some good permanent stencil material to cut with Cricut so that I can reuse them for signs, and to paint patterns and things. I will prob do a video on that.
Great video, thank you. One question - at 5:22 in the close-up view the edges don't look clean - is this typical with this machine and materials? Any way to improve it? I see that you are using a brush with white paint for touch up, but do you have to do that to every edge to get clean lines? TYIA
Hi great question! The Cricut cuts clean lines so the edges you see are from paint leakage under the material. That’s does happen a lot especially if I’m in a hurry. The stencil was precise, and you can get a clean looking stencil if you used really dry paint, in several layers, letting each layer dry before the next. Also, make sure the stencil edges are flat and stuck to the board. Even sawdust can get under the edge and cause the paint to leak. There are other ways to keep paint from getting under the material, like applying mod podge first before stenciling, or painting over the entire stencil the same color as your base paint to seal the edges first. Hope that helps!
I was looking into getting a Cricut smart cutter and found some Oracal 651 Matte Vinyl Rolls at Walmart to use for the stencils. Would this be the right product to use?
Hi. Yes you can definitely use that for stencils it works well. Make sure it is removable tho and when pulling off it really sticks so I pull it off against the grain. Oracal also makes actual adhesive stencil material that I love, Oracal 813, I get it from Amazon.
Thank you so much! I use to use a hand saw to cut frames when I first started out, like this one: amzn.to/2x0A1TD. They are much cheaper than a chop saw, but do take more time and effort, if you want to make your own frames. Also Lowe's use to cut items for me if I asked them to, you can check with your store and see if they will still do that. Hope that helps!
Hi! Yes thus one is called Velvetberries, it comes with about 4 different fonts, the regular, left swash, right swash, and some special characters, I think I got this one on Creative Market.
Margie Lee The style frame I made in this video has the edge of the sign board set back about 3/4” or so away from the edge of the frame, just to hide the edge of the sign board a bit. If you don’t like that look you can adjust the length of your frame pieces to the length of your sign board and they will meet up edge to edge. If you sign board is coming up short and not meeting your frame you can just shorten your frame piece a little. Hope that helps!!
Hi. I use a Cricut to cut out the stencil if that is what you mean by printer? And I am using contact paper material in this video but have changed to use Oracal 813 stencil material , and adhesive vinyl lately.
On these signs you made did u create them yourself in design space or are they already in design space? I have the explore air 2 and I’m still trying to get used to it 😂
Hi. I made the designs in Design Space they were not already there. I have some posted on my website and some on my Etsy shop also that you can download and bring into Design Space.
Hi! Thank you. I have several favorite fonts, "velvetberries" is one of my favorites and I used it on the blessed sign in the video. I think another one was called "lovely home" and it works well as long as the typeface is not really small. I also use another one called Autumn in November and it is a chunky font that cuts really well. Most chunkier fonts work well. I use thinner ones too but usually any font that has a thin line stroke is a pain to deal with on the cutters. Hope that helps!
Hi! Thank you so much! Do you mean how to draw the frame on Design Space? If so I would use the shape tool and draw a rectangle with the dimensions of the top piece of the frame. I wouldn't worry about trying to draw the mitered corners. Then duplicate it for the bottom piece. Duplicate again, flip it over to make the side pieces and change the height to whatever your side pieces are. I hope that answers your question! Also I don't know if you would need a drill for the frame but if you do not want to use staples you can definitely use a nail gun (brad nailer) to nail the frame together from the corners. Hope that helps!
Hi, I used the same material as you but my project all the paint and the small letter lifted. How to prevent that from happening? Also how many cotes of paint do you apply on the letters?
Hi. I generally use two coats depending on the paint. You might try letting the base coat paint (sign board) dry overnight before applying stencil. Also it sometimes happens when you are using certain paints. I have found that the cheaper paints, like Walmart brands, sometimes lift when using them for stencils so I started using Waverly Chalk paints and better paints to do stenciling. They don't always do that but I think it is the combination of sign board paint and stencil paint, if that makes sense. Try the chalk paints and see if they do better. Hope that helps!
Hi. The main reasons I like to use stencils are paint color choices are more readily available sometimes. Vinyl costs more than paint and if I want a "Elephant Gray Matte" colored lettering its so much easier to paint than order another color of vinyl that I might not be using a lot of. If you are just using black and white, or colors that you keep vinyl stock in,then definitely use vinyl, its so much easier. And another reason is sometimes you want more control on the look of the letters. Vinyl looks very clean and sculpted, but you might want a more lighter, faded look to add a rustic touch. Hope that makes sense!
I absolutely love your videos! So i was wondering what tool you used to line up your boards before stapling them together? This is probably the dumbest question lol but i have the hardest time lining my frame and that would be a life saver!
Thank you so much!!😊 I use a carpenter’s square to line them up. In this video I’m using a small combination square. For larger signs I use a large framing square.👍🏻
Hi, I kuse contact paper too to make my stencils, but when I take it off and my project is dry, there's an adhesive film left behind from the contact paper on my project. How do I remove that? or am I doing something wrong? :(
I've not had any issues with the contact paper leaving a film. What brands do you use? I use Dollar General MagicBrand mostly. Its not as sticky as some brands maybe thats why. Also the more glossier the paint the more the contact paper will stick. I would try warm soap and water with a qtip but ive never tried it myself. Sorry thats not more helpful!
Hi. If you are using 1.5" wide frames then cut them 1.5" longer than the sign. Then cut a 45 degree angle off at the corners. This will leave about 3/4" for you to nail the sign board to the frame. Using a clamp and some wood glue when you are nailing the frame to the sign will help straighten out the wood, depending on which way it is bent. It should work if the bend isn't too bad. Hope that helps!
Hi! I use many different fonts but my favorite ones i use in my signs are Mariana Oghawa, Autumn in November, VelvetBerries, Buttercup to name a few. I use a lot of script fonts usually from Creative Market (online) . . sometimes i find free ones for personal use on sites like Dafont.com.
Hi I use 1x2s or furring strips (from Lowe’s) for the frames. For these signs I liked the looks of staples but if you have seen my latest sign videos I do use brad nails a lot.👍🏻Thank you so much!!
Hi thank you so much! I used a font Velvetberries which comes with left and right swashes that you install along with the regular font. I select the “b” and “d” and change them to the left swash b and right swash d. Hope that helps!
At 6:46, could tell me what kind of staple gun you use? I have an electric staple gun that isn’t shooting staples thru my 1x2s 😔 I love your videos! I have been binge watching for hours!
Hi! Yes this one is a Stanley ProShooter and I think I’m using 9/16” staples. Not sure if this model is still available but I like most heavy duty Stanley staple guns. Thank you!
Thanks so much! Great question, I do actually use that technique also in other videos, I make signs a lot of different ways! For these I just wanted a more rustic look but that totally depends on preference and you can absolutely do it the way you suggest!!
@@AppalachianHomeCo your signs are fantastic. My husband comes from fine furniture makers. That is always in my ear. But I love the rustic style myself.
Great video! Question: Do you let the paint dry on the wood before pulling your stencil off? I have had trouble with some of the lettering pulling up when I remove the stencil. Any tips?
Hi! Thank you! I generally do not let the paint dry a lot, maybe a minute, and then take off the stencil. I have only had that (the letters come up) happen once and I definitely believe it was the paints I used because I havent had that issue since . . I use mostly Waverly when doing stenciling tho its a bit more pricey. I have also used Gliden paint from Walmart without any issues for my sign board and stencils. Maybe try other brands to see what works good together with your sign board paint, and stencil paint . . thats what helped me. I hope that helps!
Hi. For this video I used contact paper, but you can use adhesive vinyl (Oracal 631, Cricut brand, etc.) or stencil vinyl (Oracal 813) to do do the stencils. and I am using a Cricut Explore Air 2 to cut them out.
