This post is sponsored by 3M, however all opinions are my own.

As fall comes in, I am hanging on like crazy to keep spending time outside.  So, I thought I would bring a little fall touch to screened porch with an easy DIY outdoor fall sign.  And when I say easy, it really is.  If you can trace a line – you can do this!

I have had this old cabinet door, bought at a yard sale, for a million years.  It was $5 and I knew as soon as I saw it, it would be perfect to create a sign.

To get started, I went all pulled out my

3M™ Safe-Release™ Painter’s Tape

So here is how I did it:

Step 1:

I painted out the whole thing in Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Paris Grey.  I let it dry several hours.  Then using my 3M™ Safe-Release™ Painter’s Tape, I taped out the edges of where I wanted to fill in another color.   Once it was in place, I went back the edge several times with my thumb to make sure it was sealed fully.

Step 2:

Paint in the channel between the tape lines.  I used Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Versailles.

Step 3:

As soon as you are finished painting, I removed the tape.

Step 4:

Then I went to my printer and printed out the word welcome.  I used Halo Handletter font in size 819 because that fit the paper horizontally and filled in the space.  I created mine in Photoshop Elements, however, with a little trial and error for size, this could easily be done in a Word document.  I simply taped the pieces of paper together with the letters lined up.

Step 5:

Turning the paper over, I colored the back of the letter with pencil.

Step 6:

Place the paper in place and use 3M™ Safe-Release™ Painter’s Tape to hold the paper in place.  Then trace the outline of the letters with pencil.

Step 7:

Remove the paper and you will now see pencil marks where the outline of your letters are.  This is the same technique I used when I created my Sharpie art coffee table.

Step 8:

Using craft paint and a small paint brush, fill in the lines.

Step 9:

I chose to also tape out and paint an additional border while the paint dried.

Step 10:

Using a darker color, add shadows to your letters on the right and underside of each letter.

Step 11:

I took the sign outside at this point and knocked all the paint down with sand paper and removed all the dust.

Step 12:

I then added a coat of Annie Sloan Dark Wax.

Step 13:

I wiped it back so it wasn’t too dark and then added a final coat of Annie Sloan clear wax.  This gave it a final seal and also took back some of the darkness.  By doing it in these steps, it creates move of a “layered” and vintage look.  If it is going to be used in direct sun, you will probably want to seal it with a clear sealer so the wax does not melt.

Here is a close-up look of the finish after all of the steps.

Don’t be intimidated to make your own sign with your own words or even images / pictures.  If you can trace! you can do this!

And of course, having the right tools makes all of the difference.  Using the 3M™ Safe-Release™ Painter’s Tape allowed me to quickly and easily form clean paint lines and details without damaging the painted surfaces.

You can follow along with 3M for ideas on other projects here:

ScotchBlue’s Pinterest Page

ScotchBlue’s Facebook Page

ScotchBlue’s Twitter Page

Thanks so much for reading and have a great day!

This post is a collaboration with 3M™ Safe Release Painter’s Tape Brand.

#spon: I’m required to disclose a relationship between our site and ScotchBlue Painter’s Tape. This could include the ScotchBlue Painter’s Tape providing us w/content, product, access or other forms of payment.

About Finding Home

Welcome to Finding Home Farms where we share our favorite DIY and decorating ideas and inspiration. We believe your home should be a reflection of you and your family. Our blog is the story of our journey - and what we find along the way. Thanks for joining us!

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