DIY Tutorial: Vintage Yardstick Arrow

Some of my favorite projects never end up how they start – and my vintage yardstick arrow is one of those projects.

You see, I was working on my new gallery wall for our office. I already shared the printer’s box word art I created.

As the wall developed, I knew this little corner was begging for a cute arrow.

So I set out to make one with cute turquoise vinyl I had left over from another project. It was going to be epic – with white paint pen feathers drawn in.

But instead of being epic, it was ugly.

So I went into the garage in search of some of the wood from my Grandfather’s house we tore down, figuring it would be perfect.

But the proportions were all wrong and it just wouldn’t work. So I kept digging through.

And then, speaking to me from across the room were a few lonely yardsticks saying “Pick me! Pick me!”.

Really, that is how it happened.

I began texting my husband about how to release the safety on the chop saw.

Thankfully, he was unavailable.

If I don’t know how to release the safety, I probably shouldn't be using it.

So instead, I went old school with a miter box. This really was a better solution since the chop saw would have been overkill.

I simply began cutting small slices at a 45 degree angle from a thicker yardstick and cut down the smaller one to the length I wanted.

Just think through your angles for the “feathers”. You can just keep cutting from one direction and side but that means top of the yardstick will showing on one side and the bottom of the yardstick on the other side. If you want the top or bottom showing for both sides, flip over and cut from the other side for half of them. I did four for each side.

I cut two opposing 45 degree angles to make the tip from the thicker yardstick.

Then I filled it all the edges with a black marker to give it a more finished look.

I attached everything together using my trusty glue gun and I attached it to the wall using velcro picture hanging strips.

And now, we all know which way Pleasant Street is.

Thanks for reading!

P.S. If you want some tips on hanging just about anything for a gallery wall, you can visit here.