My new place has a zillion times more wall space than my old duplex so I needed to get creative aka good at copying. I found these Pinterest inspirations: Hello sign from Sweet Pickins and Wake Up sign from Etsy. Then I pulled out my handy dandy Cricut. 🙂

Hello Sign

Materials/Tools:

• Leftover cardboard
• Contact paper
• Craft knife
• Acrylic paint
• Old wood (you can use a pallet which I had originally wanted to do, but I had leftover 1×4 wood after a Pinterest Fail of DIY picture ledges)
• 2 inch screws
• Screwdriver
• Drill
• Polyurethane (optional)

Using my Cricut, I cut out the letters for “hello” in Pacifico font from contact paper. I stuck the letters to a leftover IKEA box and cut them out using a craft knife. I had leftover red paint from turning a clock blue to red but the red came out quite a bit darker than I liked.

I coated the 1×4 wood (Home Depot cut them into 3′ and 2′ pieces for me) with a polyurethane finish to match my dark furniture. (I do not recommend doing this indoors, I killed quite a few brain cells.) I pre-drilled holes into the wood (no measurements since I was going for a rustic look). Then I used the 2′ pieces as the backing and screwed in the 3′ pieces onto them as the slats. My screwing kinda sucked so the boards are a bit crooked.

With spray glue, I stuck the “hello” onto the wood. Not too bad for an upcycled project although I may repaint the “hello” in a lighter color. Plus a friend recently got access to a laser cutter, I may be getting this in real wood! Yes, I know people. 😉

Wake Up and Be Awesome Sign

Materials/Tools:

• Cardstock
• Foam backing
• Frame
• Acrylic paint
• Scrapbook tape/glue

Using my Cricut, I cut out the letters for the saying, “Wake Up and Be Awesome” in Blue Highway Condensed font from cardstock.

I found a frame at Salvation Army for $2.50 (they constantly have 50% off sales!) and painted it a few coats of white. I broke the glass during crafting but I prefer it without the glass. I also bought a piece of grey foam backing and cut it to fit the 15×20 frame.

I arranged the letters and then stuck them down using scrapbook tape. The letters were falling off after a few days so I switched to glue. Although I love the original version more, this is a great $10 alternative compared to the $200 Etsy price tag. The sign helps me get outta bed each morning.

The Cricut adventures are never ending. 🙂