Last year I made a Christmas sign to hang over our fireplace mantel where I displayed my Department 56 North Pole Village in our family room.  Then, when I was decorating my home office where I write my lifestyle blog, I made a sign for The Enchanted Manor.  (To take a look at the Christmas and home office signs, please see the photos from these two Décor Posts, Department 56 North Pole Village and Home Office)  Both these signs turned out great and I was very happy with the results, so this year I decided to make two new signs for Halloween.

The inspiration for the signs starts with the popular wall decals that are sold in the craft stores.  Usually these self-adhesive decals are directly attached to the walls, but I decided to use them in a different way and make seasonal holiday signs that I can be display in our home.  With a little bit of paint and a few additional items to add some interest to the signs, these craft projects may take a little longer to create but I think the results are worth the effort!  I have seen seasonal signs in retail stores that sell for a minimum of $50 or more and I can create great looking custom signs for a fraction of that cost.

In this post I will explain the steps needed to create my custom Halloween signs.

Step one

The first item needed to create a seasonal sign is a self-adhesive wall decal or wooden letters.  Wall decals are very popular and there is a great selection available in local craft store.  If you can’t find the exact wording needed for your sign, consider using large wooden letters.  The two Halloween signs created for this craft project will be using decals, one is “Trick or Treat” and the other is “Eat Drink & Be Scary”.

Step two

After the decal for the craft project is selected, I will shop for additional items to use as embellishments.  Select decorative items that match the theme of the decal which also add interest and some dimension to the sign.  For the “Trick or Treat” sign I found some resin candy corns to use.  For the “Eat Drink & Be Scary” sign I found a small resin pumpkin wearing a witch hat and some spiders.

Step three

Select a board that will fit the decal’s measurements with additional space around the decal of a minimum of 3 inches.  Wood can be used for this craft project but there is always a risk of the wood warping or splitting over time.  For my seasonal signs I used MDF board which usually costs less than a piece of wood and the surface is much smoother and no sanding is required.  Next, with the help of my husband, he cut the MDF boards to match the measurements I needed for the two signs.

Step four

Select a color for the sign’s base paint, this color will become the background color of the sign. Using a paint roller for a smoother finish, paint the board.  Be sure to paint the edges of the board for a finished look.  Allow it to dry overnight, if the paint is not completely dry it will cause problems later in step five.  For my signs, I used an off white semi-gloss paint that we had leftover from a previous home project.

Step five

Determine what color or colors to use for the boarder or trim sections of the sign.   When selecting colors, choose ones that coordinate and compliment the colors of the decal.  Then, when the base paint of the board has completely dried, use painter’s tape to create straight edges for the boarders of the sign.  Allow the paint to dry completely; if the tape is removed too soon the edges can smug.

For the “Trick or Treat” sign I used a metallic green paint for the boarder and black paint for the trim and for the “Eat Drink & Be Scary” sign I used black paint for the boarder and a metallic bronze paint for the trim.

Step six

When the board is completely dried but before peeling the back off the decal, place the decal in the desired position on the board and add the decorative items.  When you find a visually pleasing arrangement, remove the backing from the self-adhesive decal and carefully attach it to the boards while smoothing out any bumps.  If you need help making the wording level and straight, you can draw a very light pencil mark to aid in the placement of the decal.

Step seven

The final step is to attach the decorative items in their pre-determined places on the board with hot glue for heavier items and stick glue for lighter items.  For the “Trick or Treat” sign I hot glued resin candy canes around the board to create a fun border.  For the “Eat Drink & Be Scary” sign I hot glued a cute pumpkin in a witch’s hat between the words.  I found some fuzzy spiders in the scrapbook section of my local craft store, they had self-adhesive backs and I attached them to the board.  On either side of the board I positioned a spider and drew a black line with a marker to create the illusion of a spider hanging from a web.

I was very happy with the results of these two Halloween sign craft project.  The “Trick or Treat” sign was hung in our entry foyer, a picture hook was attached to the back so that it could be hung on the wall.  The “Eat Drink & Be Scary” sign was put on the top of the kitchen cabinets using a standing plate holder and displayed with a ceramic pumpkin and my daughter’s toy black cat.  They both look great and are a fun addition to our Halloween decorations!