No Soliciting Sign

I've been wanting to put a sign on our front door for ages now. I don't know what it is about this time of year, but it seems like we are getting more and more solicitors going door to door. Now, I really don't mind the little kids for their school or scouts - but let's face it, either my kid is selling it too or I know someone who's kid is and I'm gonna buy from them, so that they then buy from my kid! And I really don't mind the evangelicals who are brave enough to go door to door to get the word out about Jesus. I say "Hallelujah, we are all saved here so we'll meet again soon"...

I really don't like businesses that go door to door though, and the biggest reason is because my hubby and I are SUCKERS!! We'll buy meat off a truck if the price sounds good, we've owned a Rainbow vacuum, we were those Amway people for a few years, we have an alarm system, our windows are new, had a set of Encyclopedia's we never used, bought a life insurance/investment plan.... you get the idea, SUCKERS!! So the only way I know how to avoid spending money on yet another thing (besides turning off the tv, hiding and pretending no one is home) - is to hang a sign.

I had this piece of wood, already painted - I think it was part of a kit for shelving or something. See the groove already made for another piece to slide into...

Then I went online and tried to find what I wanted on the sign. Some were kinda rude and I didn't want that - so the easiest one I found was a simple "No Soliciting Please". I sketched it out in cute writing onto graph paper.

 

I then had to figure out how to fill up the empty spaces in the corners - I didn't want it too "matchy" so I decided to do the same design in two ways. I wanted a flower and some swirls - but since I don't do my own swirls well, I stamped the design onto paper.

My mom would now use carbon paper to trace her design onto the wood - I however, don't own any, so I made my own. Scribble on the back of your design with a pencil using a heavy hand and laying down a lot of graphite. Then use a blunt object to trace your design on the front and the graphite on the back with transfer to the wood. I then go over it a little darker to catch more of the details.

Now, it's time to paint! I just used regular acrylic craft paint and gave everything two coats. Even added a little lady bug and bee as an after thought. :0) It then got a coat of polyurethane to protect it and I screwed two hooks into the top to hang it.

And we are ready to not have to hide and tip-toe around any longer!!