Sign Sign Signs or Techniques for Making Signs on Old Barn Boards

This weekend I spent some time making some new signs. I sell these in my booth and I realized Friday I was running low. I am lucky to have some wood on hand from my dear friends barn and shed as well as some wood from my nephew's remodel. Look for boards that have great old color if you are not painting them. If you are painting them look for the smoothest side of the boards to stencil.  I also used an old shelving board to make a sign for the organization where I volunteer. My hubby cut the boards I chose for this round of signs using his table saw.

I order stencils from Homestead Stencil Company ( I am not affiliated with them at all) because I do not own a stencil cutting machine yet. So your first step is to order or purchase some stencils. I used regular paint from Lowes for some of my signs but I have discovered I like the look of acrylic paint the best. After painting my boards with acrylic paint and letting them dry they were ready to stencil.

I have a couple of techniques to help make sign making easier and neater. First decide where you  foam plate, then I dab the sponge into the paint being sure to blot most of it off on the plate. Using the sponge I paint the stencil in a dabbing motion. As soon as I have all the letters finished I remove the stencil quickly. Stencils should be washed after every use. However, I do not have access to water in my workroom basement (I've got to work on that). So I put the stencil on an old towel and spray with window cleaner followed by cleaning the paint off with a wipe or paper towel. Later I take the stencil to a sink and carefully wash it.
want to put your stencil on the board. If you are adding anything like a bow or star to the top leave enough room for that. Then I use a square and a tape measure to be sure the stencil is on evenly. Next I use painters tape to hold the stencil in place. I have tried using adhesive spray to hold the stencil down, and it works great. But the clean-up is too much for me. Here's the best technique, super secret I have...use cosmetic sponges to stamp the paint on. I squirt the paint on a

Before Sanding

Be sure to go back and paint the connections with a small paint brush for letters like P, 0 and A that often have a divider in them.

 When the paint is dry I then sand it to give it a weathered look. After sanding I spray a coat of clear matte finish on each sign. The finish gives a bit of protection, and it looks nicer.




If you want your boards to have a color show up when you sand paint it that color first. For example, on the sign Maker's Space I made I painted the first coat black and the second white so that when I sanded it you could see the black through the white. I use a mouse sander.

The final step is to add wire to hang the sign. You can allow your wire to show or not. It's really all up to you. I do both ways. So get started and make some signs, sign, signs. Below are some of my finished signs.

 

LESSONS LEARNED BUYING (AND SELLING) AT ESTATE SALES

This weekend we again hit a local estate sale. This one was just on the next road from us, and I have never had attended a sale with this dealer. The photos are line didn't reveal much. First of all they did not give out numbers. That was an indication that this dealer was a bit off from the professionals I usually deal with. I discovered this dealer actually owned her own antique shop. Bad sign. We were
allowed to enter the houses and barns at the specified time without any speech from the dealer. Again a deviation from most other dealers. Inside I found a few interesting items but high prices. I did find a small bag of buttons, a yard stick and several bud vases at good prices.

Upon entering the barns I was delighted to discover a small, red, industrial shelf. Hubby and I got it down from the cabinet it was on, and we carried it outside.
After paying $25 for it we went back to other buildings and the house to pay for the other items. After paying we drove our car down to pick up the industrial shelf we were approached by a gentleman wanting to buy the shelf. I had estimated I could get around $75 dollars for it in my shop after I cleaned it up. So I asked him to make an offer. His offer was $50. I counter offered $75. We bickered back and forth, and I ended up taking $65 for the shelf. Could I have gotten more in my booth? Perhaps but I was very happy making $40 on an item I only carried out of a barn.

We returned to the sale on half price day. I looked for several items I had wanted and found one or two. Then we headed to the barns again. In the barn, which was a much emptier than two days before I discovered a large stack of tin ceiling tiles. As my hubby "guarded" our find, I walked a tile up to the dealer to determine the price. She gave me a price of $15 for a stack knee high. However, upon returning to the barn I realized there was a great big pile of the tiles. I asked one of the dealer's helper to find out how much all of them would be. At that point her husband came and changed the price on me. Saying that she said I had to pay $1 each and everyone else would have to pay $2. I loaded 20 on our truck and a big old iron bed we had also found. I texted a friend to see if he wanted the tile. Upon asking to buy more I was told someone else had purchased all of them. Who was it? Her buddy who picks for her and does heavy lifting etc. for her.

So a lesson was learned here. Sometimes this is a dog eat dog business. If you see something you want. Buy it. If you are given a price, stand up for yourself.  I don't like negativity or arguing as negative energy drains me and stifles my creativity. If you are interested in an item. Don't walk away from it. I should have bargained for all of them. The fault is all mine. Buy what you love. Take a risk.

What's Hot in Collecting and Decorating

What's hot in collecting and decorating this month?

Gears, Wheels and Industrial Look

One new item I'm beginning to see and sell is industrial and farm machinery parts as wall decor. This is especially true for old and rusty wheels, gears and other machine parts. I purchased these mower wheel gears (according to the hubby) and another gear on the second day of an estate sale which means half price. I put them in my booth about 2 weeks ago and sold them today. I think they would look great in a man cave or an office. These are heavy so they will need to be mounted securely. I think they are a great industrial, farm look. 

Keep your eyes open for some objects that would make a great wall display at the next sale you attend. 

Tobacco Stick Ideas

Tobacco Stick Stars Small in front Large on Right

In an earlier post I shared about Vintage Market Days I noted how I loved the ladders made out of tobacco sticks. Well, my handy hubby has created some more amazing items from the sticks we were able to purchase. First he made the ladders I wanted. I've already sold 7 or 8 in my booth. Then he made me the beautiful, huge star.  You can see it on the wall on the left in the booth. It's 48" wide. Now he has added a gate and a smaller star. Am I a lucky girl or what?

To make the smaller star he split the tobacco sticks into. He says this is easy to do. Then he made the

5 point star.It's about 15 inches across. If fact, splitting the sticks allows him to make two from the sticks he split as he can use both sides.
Check out Just Around the Corner  on Facebook where we have our Goodson Vintage Treasures booth.
Think outside the box to create up-cycled items from the things you love.

Tobacco Stick Gate

Estate Sale Friday and Saturday - How I Love you!

Well we had a great time at a local estate sale this weekend. Around here estate sales are on Friday and Saturday which is super for us since we are retired. As I shared in my blog post Junkin 101 (http://goodsonvintagetreasures.blogspot.com/2017/04/junkin-101-if-you-love-junkin-as-much.html). I prepared by researching the sale, arriving early, taking my big Ikea bag and returning on the second half price day. We had great success both days and spent a bunch of cash on some awesome items. The lady that had owned this house was a collector who loved yard sales and had a great eye. This was a great sale for smalls, and smalls pay the booth cost!

I love Christmas collectables. at this sale I scored Santa and snowmen blow molds (a hot collectable now),  a strand of snowball ice lights, great little pixie elves, Shiny Brite ornaments and celluloid reindeer. I will sell all of these at my booths, on Ebay or use in my configuration boxes. Remember to buy what you love. Well, I might have to hang onto a pixie or two.

Of course we also found lots of other treasures for our booths. Blue jars,  a vintage pink tole trash can, a mannequin head wearing a beautiful headpiece, vintage compacts, McCoy bowl, sewing basket, McCoy cream and sugar, cookie cutters, salt and pepper shakers, marbles, wash boards and much more. Hope your weekend was as fun as ours.

Scrabble Tiles in My Booth

I have been buying scrabble games when I find them for under $6 for months. I wasn't sure what I was going to do with them. I knew I could use a few in my configuration boxes. I'll make a post on them soon but they are a updated version of the old shadow boxes.  But I just got a new idea on what do with them.  I can't lay claim to this idea as it came from a comment Nolan Reynolds on the Booth Crush Facebook page. Her idea is to sell the tiles individually and with a tile holder.

So today I put my collection of tiles and tile holders in my booth in Just Around the Corner in Lincolnton, NC.  Nolan put hers in a big bowl but I put mine in an old wooden silverware tray I had. I love this idea an hope I sell some of them. I'll keep you posted on my success.

Remember, buy what you love and you will find a way to use it.

Booth Updates and What to Do If an Item Doesn't Sell?

Booth Updates and  What Can I Do With an Item that Doesn't Sale?

We updated both booths today. At Fantastic Finds sales are very slow. Other vendors have said the same for their sales. Not sure I will continue with that booth much longer. Here's the update for today. We took out the map that just hasn't sold and added a tobacco stick star. We also added two tobacco stick ladders, an old black frame, an old suitcase  and several other things.

I lowered the price of the two industrial stools, two framed blackboards and an old wooden ironing board. I have discovered that after a while if something doesn't sell there are several things you can do. First, I try moving the item to another spot in the booth. If that doesn't work and its been in the booth a long time I either lower the price or just take it out of the booth.


Updating your booth weekly will help increase sales. Regular customers that come by your booth often will see different items it you move things around. Here's a good example. I loved this dresser painted white with duck egg blue drawers. But some reason it sat in my booth for two months without selling. I moved the dresser from the left side of my booth to the back corner, and it sold the next day.

We will see my this update works. Remember, if an item isn't selling move it, reduce it or remove it.