Life Is Like The Ocean Sign

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Life is like the ocean…what a beautiful and true saying! Love this one and it’s so simple to do especially with the free printable!

Life is like the ocean...what a beautiful and true saying! Love this one and it's so simple to do especially with the free printable! artsychicksrule.com

Hello beautiful friends!

I’m busy, busy making over my latest haul. If you missed it, I shared my newest haul last week and you can check it out right >>> here.

I also shared the first makeover of the bunch, this one >>> Decoupage Tissue Paper Tray

Life Is Like The Ocean Sign

And today, I’m sharing this one…

tan wood slatted sign with map

This was the wood slat sign that I got for $5.
It’s a cute sign as-is and someone might love it just like this. Which is a win-win!
But I thought it would look really neat as a coastal-style sign with those slats.

black and white sign with ocean quote

So I began by painting it black with flat black spray paint. (any kind will do)

painted black slatted wood sign

Then once that was dry, I used my Silhouette Cameo to cut out this design that I actually made a couple of years ago but never used yet.

vinyl letters on white backing

I cut it out on black vinyl so I gave it a light misting with white paint so it would show up on the black board. (otherwise I wouldn’t be able to see it well when placing it)
The photo above shows the letters the Silhouette cut after I had removed the rest of the vinyl around it.

Don’t own a Silhouette machine?? No worries! I’ve got you covered. Check out this post to see many other ways you can transfer this image to your project >>> Transfer Methods I Use

To transfer the letters you have to attach transfer tape (sticky-ish paper)…

vinyl letters with transfer tape on black board

…then peel the white backing off and attach it to your board.
I ended up cutting the “life” and “beautiful” away from the rest so I could position the words mostly away from the slats.

vinyl letters transferred to the black board

Rub it to transfer, peel off the transfer paper, and you are left with those letters above.
Now, you can just leave the vinyl on your project if you like but I was doing a sort of reverse stencil with mine.

But first, do you see that last plain slat??
That was the only way I could really position it well so decided to put some kind of flourish on the bottom.

I found these little thin wood cutouts that I’ve had forever and decided to use it.

wood cutout decorative on black board

And the best part? It had two large stickers from the store still on the backside. So when I removed those they left a sticky residue on the back.
Perfect!!
I stuck it to the board and sprayed away.

I spray-painted the whole thing right over the vinyl letters (and wood cutout). I used this white paint.

black board that's been painted white over vinyl letters

Once dry, I simply lifted the wood flourish and gently pulled the vinyl lettering off.

peeling off the vinyl lettering

And ta-da!

vinyl letters pulled off revealing the black underneath

Revealing the nice black lettering underneath.

I gave the whole board a slight bit of distressing to soften the lettering and bring some of that black through on the edges.

showing up close the black letters that have been lightly sanded

So easy!

Next best thing to having a stencil. :)

finished life is like the ocean sign on white brick wall

I love how it turned out.

another view of life is like the ocean sign with seashells and aqua glass jar

And what a beautiful saying, is it not?

up close view of finished coastal sign

I’m going to use this one at the beach condo.
I think I’m going to hang it on the wall in the “bunk room” aka twin to king bed room. Haha

life is like the ocean sign with aqua glass jar and branches with seashells

Want the free printable of this one?

If you are already a subscriber, you can click here, enter your password (it can be found near the top of all my emails to you), and download this or any other graphic I’ve created over the years. (over 100!)
If you aren’t yet a subscriber, you can click here or the pink box below to become one to gain access.

PIN it to save it!

Life is like the ocean...what a beautiful and true saying! Love this one and it's so simple to do especially with the free printable! artsychicksrule.com

Have you entered my latest giveaway yet? If not, you have just a couple of days left to do it! Hop on over >>> here.

I’ll see you later this week with another one. Have a wonderful week!

UPDATE!! This is a neat trick! See it now here!

xoxo


22 Comments

  1. Oh Nancy, this is beautiful! I would have never thought of a reverse stencil but it makes so much sense! The results are marvelous! It will look great at the beach place! Such a great verse as well. Another one you rocked! Have a great rest of the week!!

  2. Nancy, I love the beach sign makeover. I am sure it took a lot of patience and work, but as always you managed to make something rather unappealing to me, a beautiful sign. Perfect for your beach condo or an home that has a coastal theme! Thanks for sharing all the details and for the printable. I am always amazed at your art work. Have a wonderful week.

  3. I love the saying! I’m downloading the printable and using it for a sign to give our hostess on our girls beach trip on St. George Island! She will love it! I am awful at stenciling so this reverse method might be my gig! See you Thursday! XOXO

  4. You are marvelous! I really do like the reverse stencil idea – seems so much easier to me! Love the sign and it will look good in your beach condo. Thanks for the fun idea!

    1. Aw, thanks!! Oh my gosh, it makes it SO easy! (and quick!) I can’t wait to hang it up! I think I know exactly where I’m going to put it! xo

  5. Does it say “rough or rigid”? I haven’t come across a rigid sea yet(?) but you definitely made something pretty out of something ugly!

    1. Haha!! Yes, it does but I am not the one who came up with the saying. I found it online…it’s been done a million times over! ;) And thank you! I am looking forward to hanging it up! xo

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