My Facebook followers are probably sick of seeing this. If not, they will be. 😛 But I can’t help it. I am so excited about this project! It’s something I’ve been wanting to make for a very long time. “Whenever I get said I stop being sad and start being awesome instead,” is based on a line from How I Met Your Mother. It’s been altered because I think it sounds better this way. 😛

(If you want to know more about the work that goes into making these signs, please keep reading!)

Note: This post contains affiliate links. Please read my Disclosure Statement to learn more about my affiliations.

I’m selling these signs on Etsy!

Because these signs are completely handmade, no two are alike. The sign you order will be unique to any others I sell. The wood may have different naturally occurring character marks, it may be distressed differently and in different spots, the boards mights uneven in different spots (which is done purposefully to add to the rustic look), the paint may be darker or lighter or it may have bled more in one area because of the porousness of that particular piece of wood.

There will never be another sign that looks exactly like yours. For the buyer who likes unique pieces of art, this is a great buy!

The Process:

I found some pine boards at Home Depot and used a drill, dowels, and wood glue to connect them.

I then printed out the phrase, taped the paper to some vinyl, and used an Xacto knife to cut the vinyl letters out (that takes 6-7 hours). I placed the letters on the boards (that takes about 3 hours) and used a pencil to trace around them. Then I removed the stencils and began painting within the pencil lines (4-5 hours, because of multiple coats to make sure they show through the stain). I then go back over “awesome” in whatever color was chosen.

Once the paint has dried, I sand down the edges of the board and then use whatever tools I have handy to “distress” the wood and give it character marks. Be it holes, dents, scratches, etc. Then I stain. The drying time takes about 2 days (one for each side). It should only take 8 hours, but I live in Georgia and the humidity levels can make it impossible for stain to dry sometimes. Then I spray it with polyurethane.

tl;dr: Three pieces of pine are connected with dowels, stenciled, painted, and then the stain is brushed over the paint. I finish it with polyurethane, which will make it more scratch resistant. 

WARNING: This board is NOT water proof. Rooms with high humidity can destroy it. This is not meant to be placed in moist basements, kitchens with poor air flow, above an oven/stove, or in a hot and humid attic. Please use your best judgement when finding a place to display this piece.

Colors:

If you don’t like yellow, you can have the word “awesome” painted in any of these colors by selecting one from the drop-down menu in my shop:

The silver and gold are NOT flat colors, as they look. They will be actual metallic colors.

WARNING ABOUT THE DARKER COLORS: They’ll be visible, but they won’t be as easy to see as the lighter ones. I will have to lighten the stain just a little in order for darker colors to show through.

Are you trying to coordinate the whole sign to go with a color scheme? Again, using the colors above, you can send me a message on Etsy requesting that the rest of the words be painted a different color. If I do not receive such a request, ONLY the word “awesome” will be changed and the rest of the words will be in white.

What if I don’t like wood stain?:

At the moment, I only offer this in Espresso. However, if I receive enough requests for it, I may add a version with a painted background in place of a stain. (Translation: if you want to see it done, speak up!)

If you have a stain color that you KNOW you prefer (maybe you’re doing a theme?), send me a message on Etsy and I’ll do the sign in that stain, instead. Please don’t send me a request based on something you think you’ll like, but aren’t sure. I won’t accept returns on orders with a custom stain. So once you get it, you’re stuck with it.

No promises here, but I AM looking into non-toxic stains. If I can make that happen, the stain color may be changed…depending on the brand. If you have a recommendation for a non-toxic stain (and/or sealer), leave it in the comments and I’ll look into it!

Refunds and Returns:

Read through the product information carefully, because I will not accept returns if you find out this piece is too big or not big enough. The dimensions are listed for a reason. Read them and measure your space, please.

Other than that, I will give a full refund (minus the shipping costs), as long as I receive the item in the condition it was in when I mailed it. (Meaning if your dog chewed on it, don’t try to pass it off as, “It arrived this way.”) If your item is damaged upon arrival or simply never arrived, contact me and I’ll help you get it sorted out with the delivery service. We’ll figure out where to go from there.

Payment Methods:

I only accept credit cards, debit cards, Paypal, and Etsy gift cards. For your safety and convenience, I always recommend using Paypal.

Shipping Methods:

My preferred shipping method is through USPS, especially since they insure items for free up to $100 if using Priority Mail Express ($50 if using Priority Mail). For more about USPS’s insurance policy, please go here.

Due to the high cost of shipping internationally, I currently only ship within the US (including Alaska and Hawaii). This could change in the future, but don’t count on it. -_-

Questions, Comments, or Concerns?:

Leave them in the comments and I’ll get back to you!

In the meantime, get your own sign here!