You are looking at a sign I made with the phrase " Every Year I Fall For Pumpkins Bonfires Smores Autumn Leave Apples & You. This is a post from, my Every Year I Fall.
DIY

“Every Year I Fall For Pumpkins” Sign

October 24, 2019 /

This “Every Year I Fall For Pumpkins” sign, is an easy DIY. If you’re looking for something fun for fall that says it all. Then you’re going to love this rustic sign. It’s the perfect size that will fit most anywhere indoors or out, and it can be made in no time.

You are looking at the I Fall For Pumpkins sign I made, sitting on my fireplace mantel. The sign is painted in the color Cake Batter, with some green paint. Then sanded to look aged. This is from my post, I Fall For Pumpkins sign.

The phrase “Every Year I Fall For Pumpkins” seems to be a favorite this year. I’ve seen it everywhere and I too fell in love with it. It was the perfect addition for my fall  decor of pumpkins, lanterns and my sweet “Hello Fall Scarecrow”.

If your also interested in the Fall Wreath, Scarecrow, Pumpkins and the Lanterns. They are SVG Cut files you can purchase from SVGCuts.com. The Fall Wreath was created by Thienly, she’s amazing with paper crafts and one of my favorite designers. So check out all of her projects in the Inspiration area at SVGCuts. I absolutely fell in love with her wreath, that I had to make my own. My version of Thienly’s wreath, pumpkins, lanterns and the scarecrow were posted on her “Fan Photo” area, you can see them here.

What you’ll Need

  • Wooden 11 x 15  white Sign, from Walmart in the craft section or make your own
  • SVG cut file “I Fall For Pumpkins” phrase: #93417 from Silhouette Design Store (Or a stencil of this phrase from else where)
  • Transfer Tape or Self – Adhesive Magic Cover Roll
  • Silhouette Cameo
  • Off White Chalk Paint (I make my own recipe below)
  • Americana DecoArt Acrylic Paint in Jade Green
  • FolfArt Burnt Umber
  • Sand paper or an electric sander
  • Tack Cloth
  • Sponge Brush or paint brush
  • Makeup wedge sponges
  • Oracle 631 or 651

Instructions

For the wooden sign you can either buy one or make one yourself. I purchased my white wood sign at Walmart from their craft area to make my “Every Year I Fall For Pumpkins” sign. They have several sizes to choose from as well as natural or white painted wood, either one will work. Since I wanted my sign to be extra old looking, I bought the white painted wood sign.

You are looking at my wooden sign that is being sanded and ready for painting. This is from my post, I Fall For Pumpkins sign.

Sanding

Sand down the wood sign to get a smooth surface. If you buy one of the white painted signs from Walmart. They are pretty rough and will need a little extra sanding to smooth them out a bit. I did end up using an electric sander on mine, because I wanted my wood a little more smoother, than the hand sanding was giving me. I sanded mine down enough so the bare wood would show through the white paint.

After the sanding is done, brush off any excess dust, then  wipe it down again with a tack cloth to remove the dust from the brush missed.

You are looking at the first layer of chalk paint painted on the wood sign. I used the color Cake Batter. It's an off white perfect for antiquing signs. This is from my post, Every Year I Fall for Pumpkins Sign.

 

First Coat of Paint

Paint a thin layer of off white chalk paint, it doesn’t need to be perfect. Paint some areas a little thicker than others. Also leave some areas where you can still see the wood grain. Then let it dry thoroughly before painting a second coat, or it may peel up on you.

You are looking at the latex paint, in Cake Batter. As well as water and calcium carbonate. They will be mixed to make homemade chalk paint. This is from my post, Every Year I Fall For Pumpkins Sign.

If you’d like to make your own chalk paint, it’s easy and will save you lots of money in the long run. As well as being able to create any color you wish to use and can be used on other projects besides your sign.

Chalk Paint Recipe

  • 2 Tablespoons Calcium Carbonate Powder
  • 1 Tablespoon Water
  • 1 cup Latex flat paint in Cake Batter or color of choice
  • re-purposed old glass jar

Mix together the Calcium Carbonate powder and water thoroughly. Put a cup of Latex flat paint into a re-purposed clean glass jar. Then add in the mixed calcium carbonate into the paint, and mix very well. Place your lid on the jar and let it set for a few minutes before using. Put a label on your jar with the name color of the paint and the recipe. Calcium Carbonate is my favorite for making chalk paint and I love the finish it gives. It’s smooth and easy to paint with.

You are looking at the label of the paint I had mixed to make my own chalk paint. It's by Glidden and it's called Cake Batter in Matte.

You are looking at mixed calcium carbonate powder in water, going into some latex paint. This mixture will make chalk paint and gives a nice finish when dried.

You are looking at the homemade mixed chalk paint, ready for painting my fall pumpkin sign.

Second Coat

Paint a second coat of the off white chalk paint, and paint it a little heavier in some areas than others. While leaving some areas where you can partially see the wood grain. Let the second coat of the white paint completely dry. If your happy with only the first coat, then you can skip the second white coat. Once the off white paint has fully dried. You can now paint the green in random areas, as well as thick and thin layers as you did with the white chalk paint. Let the green completely dry, even over night if it needs too.

You are looking at the next layer of paint o my fall sign. I used jade green randomly over the top of the white chalk paint.

After the green has dried you can now go over it with another coat of the white chalk paint, to cover the green. Go heavy in some areas and lighter in others. Let this fully dry as well.

You are looking at the last layer of painting. I painted a layer of white chalk paint over the green layer. I'll let it dry thoroughly before sanding.

Even though I’ve painted several layers of paint. I made sure to leave some of the grain of the wood to come through. It gives it that rustic look I was going for.

You are looking at the sanded wood sign. I sanded down some areas down to the wood. I love how the green is showing through the cake batter white chalk paint.

Sanding

Now that the paint has cured go ahead and sand it down. Sand off as much or little as you’d like, even down to the wood itself. Once your done sanding, and are happy with what you want removed. Brush off the dust and wipe the sign down with the tack cloth. You want your wood as dust free as possible so your vinyl stencil will stick to the wood.

Cutting out the SVG

Now that you’ve finished the painting part of your sign. It’s time to cut out the “Every Year I Fall For Pumpkins” sign. SVG file. I sized the phrase at 10.000 width by 13.750 in length to fit on my sign.

You are looking at the svg cut file on my Silhouette Design space. I'm re-sizing the I Fall For Pumpkins phrase to fit my wooden sign.

I cut my vinyl out on a 12 x 24 inch mat, it’s just easier for me to use a mat. But you most certainly can cut it without any mat.

You are looking at the completed cut of the phrase I fall For Pumpkins. Now it's time to weed the vinyl parts that aren't needed.

Weeding the Design

Now that the Fall sign phrase has been cut out. Weed out the unwanted letters, making sure you leave the center of the letters for your vinyl stencil. If you’d like, you can do the opposite and just put the letters on your sign instead of making a stencil. I chose the stencil route because I wanted the rustic painted look.

You are looking at me removing the transfer tape form the vinyl stencil. Getting ready to paint the Fall phrase sign.

Transfer Tape

Once the weeding is done you’ll need to cut a piece of transfer tape the size of your vinyl stencil or what I like to use, Self – Adhesive Magic Cover. The easiest way that I have found to apply transfer tape. Is buy removing it’s backing a little at a time with your placing it on top of the vinyl. Once applied run a scraper over the top of the transfer tape to get it to adhere to all the vinyl pieces. Once you’ve burnished (rubbing) over your stencil several times. Gently peel up the vinyl and transfer tape together slowly off the vinyls backing. Making sure all the small letter pieces are coming up as you go. If a piece doesn’t lift up on the tape, just lay the tape back down and rub back over it until it sticks. If your a beginner using vinyl and transfer tape you can learn more about it here.

After you’ve successfully lifted your vinyl off the cutting mat, look it over to make sure very thing is in it’s right place, and all letter pieces are there. If your not going to use your stencil right away, lay your transfer tape over the top and keep the vinyl backing on the stencil.

Notes

The Magic Cover is for covering windows to give that frosted look, it can used for other things as well. The Magic Cover isn’t as sticky as regular vinyl transfer tape, so it peels off the vinyl easier, without pulling up the vinyl especially with tiny pieces. Once you’ve peel off the  Magic Cover  re-place it back on it’s backing. It can be reuse it more than once, which is a great money saver.

 

Applying the “Every Year I Fall For Pumpkins” Sign Vinyl 

Remove the backing you may have stored your vinyl on. Gently lay your vinyl on the sign just where you want it. Avoid pressing it down until you know it’s exactly where you want it, so you can move it easily if you need to make any adjustments. I take a ruler and measure the sides from the letters to the edges and make sure they are even on all sides. Once your happy with the placement of your vinyl run your hands across it so it stays in place.

Take your scraper gently rub back and forth over the transfer tape and vinyl, so it will stick to the wood. You want to make sure the vinyl is laid down nicely on the wood so that your paint won’t bleed underneath. Gently pull back the transfer tape a little at a time making sure all the letters and pieces have stuck to the wood. If the vinyl lifts up just roll the transfer tape back, and re-burnish over it. Once you remove the tape, rub your fingers over the vinyl to make sure it’s down without any gaps.

You are looking at me pouncing the paint on to my vinyl stencil with a makeup sponge. It keeps the paint fro bleeding under the vinyl.

Stenciling

There are a couple of ways you can keep the paint from bleeding under the vinyl. You can use the paint method, where you pounce a very, thin layer of paint with a makeup sponge, and build it up layer after layer. You’ll want to use a very small amount of paint, pat the excess paint off the sponge onto a paper towel before you pounce it on your stencil. Your makeup sponge or brush should be dry or very lightly damp. Work in thin layers to build up your desired color. This can take a long while to do and build up your color. But I find it works the best to prevent any bleeding.

The other method is using matte Mod Podge first, before using the letter paint. After the mod Podge has dried  dry pounce paint as with the “paint method”. This will help create a barrier and keep your paint in place. I let the paint dry before applying another layer, this helps to keep the paint from flowing under the vinyl stencil. I used the “paint method” on this “Every Year I Fall For Pumpkins” sign and it worked out very nicely.

You are looking at my painted stencil, drying. I painted the phrase in burnt umber. I will let it set over night to dry before removing the stencil.

When you’ve reached the color you want let it completely dry before removing the vinyl. I let mine set over night and I had no issue removing the vinyl the next day.

You are looking at me removing the vinyl stencil after I have painted my wood sign. I painted the letters in burnt umber. This is from my post, Every Year I Fall For Pumpkins sign.

Finishing touches For “Every Year I Fall For Pumpkins” Sign

If you get any bleeding under the vinyl,  just take a little paint brush and your white base and or the green color to cover those areas. If you do any touch ups, let it dry before you do any finishing touches like, sanding, staining or sealing. I left mine as is, I decided not to sand the lettering or do any staining. I liked how the words really stand out against the off white and green background, the eye goes straight to the sign. If I do decide to seal the sign, I may use a wax to keep it more natural looking. I was quite happy with how the ” Every Year I Fall For Pumpkins” sign turned out. I most certainly will be making more signs for gifts and for myself.

Working with vinyl is a lot of fun, especially with making your own custom signs. You can create your favorite phrase and turn it into a work of art all your own. Happy Crafting!

You are looking at my Fireplace Mantle all decorated for fall, with the Every Year I fall For Pumpkins Sign. As well as string of orange lights stung around paper crafted pumpkins and a scarecrow.

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