Monday, May 3, 2010

Garden signs are blooming



I start my garden signs out with all kinds of wood scraps, some from home projects, some from the building supply, some from craft stores and others just serendipity....if it looks like a good piece of wood the right size for a sign, I'm on it! After painting the wood flat black and white washing with a dry brush and a bit of paint, they are ready for their messages.

Every year I paint a crop of garden signs for my yard and some to sell online. This year I am trading a local garden center some signs for impatiens and snap dragons, which is a win win for both of us. I do love me my impatiens and snapdragons...they are reliable bloomers all summer long and give a generous show clear up until the frost of fall.



Here's a group ready to be sealed with clear acrylic. On many I just freehand and use Donna Dewberry's one stroke technique to give the letters a nice tonal effect. Then I dink around with the flowers around the edge and I do have a tendency to get carried away, but painting is very enjoyable for me. I usually put them on metal stakes tho grade stakes work, too. Some have curly wire hangers. It just depends on what I have available.

They are very durable and with a fresh coat of acrylic sealer each year I have many of these signs in my garden going on 6 and 7 years. They do weather, but it adds to the appeal I think.



This is one of my favorite signs to paint and it always gets a laugh. When my grandkids were younger they were scandalized about the bloomers until we explained it also referred to flowering plants. Don't you love it when kids are still young and naive? Sigh. It doesn't last long, though.


And this is my favorite sign of all. It is in a planter with needlepoint ivy and a climbing rose right next to the archway on our stairs. Our house is far from perfect, but our yard and garden in the summertime is gorgeous! We cannot afford to build a new house or even fund a major redo on this house, but working with what we've got we can make the best of things.


I'm linking to the Tuesday Garden Party at An Oregon Cottage, please visit us there!

29 comments:

  1. Those are lovely - very talented - I wouldn't dare paint words by hand...

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  2. Oh my goodness, gorgeous signs! You are so talented! Enjoy your day!

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  3. You are one talented lady with gorgeous script! Thanks for stopping by my blog, I signed up to follow yours:-)
    Tracey

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  4. These are too cute! You are amazing I could never hand paint like that!!

    ~Morgan

    Meet Virginia!
    Meet Virginia!
    Meet Virginia!

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  5. Oh I love these garden signs. So creative. Be blessed. Cindy

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  6. You make these?? Girl, you've got some major talent! I love 'em!!

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  7. Very cute! Can't believe you can do that free hand! Thanks for stopping by yesterday:)

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  8. Ohhh thanks so much for stopping by Nouveau Stitch! Okay, I think you have me beat since I can't draw or paint but everything else on your list I can do, and do do :-), daily! I'm adding you to my reader so I don't miss a thing. Off to catch up on your past posts now....

    Ellen

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  9. OMGosh, I love your signs. You are soooo talented.

    Glad you visited my blog. I have added you to my sidebar so I can visit here again. DIane

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  10. Thanks so much for your sweet comment! These signs are so beautiful! One day I'll have a garden and I'll have to copycat you. I particularly like the one about friends overlooking the broken fence. :)

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  11. Thanks for stopping by a little lovely! and for the sweet comment. :) you're a very talented painter

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  12. Those garden signs are adorable! Woo Hoo! Thanks for sharing with all of us.

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  13. Wow! Those signs are too cute! You're very creative!

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  14. Very nice and thanks for the hints. I'll give it a try.

    ~ ~Ahrisha~ ~

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  15. thanks for stopping by my blog! Love these signs. Gorgeous!

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  16. These are so cute! You definitely have a way with words to come up with some of these adorable sayings!

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  17. Darling signs...visiting from Jami's garden tour

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  18. Love the signs- I can think of a couple places these would look good in my garden. I think I'll go look through our old lumber pieces...

    Thanks for linking up to the Garden Party!

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  19. I've wanted to do some signs for my yard and garden.I've even been collecting wood and just yesterday was wondering how I could get that weathered gray look...and then I find this idea on your blog! Thanks so much for sharing your beautiful signs! I won't be free handing mine though! :-) I'll be lucky to get it legible with a stencil!
    Thanks for the inspiration!
    Sharon@Keeninspirations

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