Using pallet boards to make signs is a great way to add interest to your home decor! These mini pallet board signs are so cute and easy you’ll want to make some for every holiday and season.
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Each year, I like to add a little something new to my Christmas decorations. Sometimes I buy it and sometimes I make it and so far this year I’ve made three new additions: DIY Snow Globe Ornaments and two mini pallet board signs, which I’m going to share with you how to make today!
This is a list of the supplies you’ll need to make your own:
- mini pallet boards (I found mine at Joann’s in a pack of 2 but the ones linked are similar)
- acrylic paint (I chose Santa Red and White for this project but you could use any color combination you want to fit your decor)
- foam brushes
- sandpaper (I used 150 grit)
- stencil (I made mine using my Silhouette Cameo and vinyl)
- transfer paper (If using vinyl for stencil)
Whenever I’m working with wood, I like to sand it down to smooth out any rough edges. (This goes for wood that I cut myself and wood I buy from the store that’s already been cut into a certain size or shape.) I used some sandpaper I had in a 150 grit which is a medium grit and good for smoothing wood out. After sanding on the top of the pallet boards and the edges, I wiped it down with a baby wipe to remove any little pieces of wood or dust that was still on there and then let the wood dry off.
Next, I shook up my acrylic paint and squirted a little out onto a plate. I decided to do the boards in opposite colors, so one was painted red and the other was painted white. I didn’t try to get all the edges because I still wanted it to look like a project I’d make with a normal sized pallet board. (You can see what I did in the pictures.) I did three coats of paint on each pallet board, letting them dry in between coats.
While they were drying, I opened up my Silhouette Studio software and grabbed a couple of Christmas themed silhouettes: a snowflake and a reindeer. I created a square the size of my mini pallet boards, which was 4.25″ x 4.25″ so I knew how the snowflake and reindeer would fit inside. Then I moved my silhouettes into the middle of the squares and sized them accordingly. I opened my cut settings window and made sure to select ‘no cut’ on the squares since I only needed the silhouettes cut out. I loaded up my machine with a strip of vinyl and started cutting. When it was finished cutting, I removed the vinyl from the cutting mat and pulled off the excess vinyl from the backing so I was left with my two silhouettes.
I always use transfer paper when I’m transferring vinyl onto something else because it allows me more control over where each piece goes and makes moving it around easier if I need to make small adjustments. Place the transfer paper on the top of one silhouette and rub on top of it to get it to stick to the transfer paper. Then remove the backing from the vinyl.
*PRO TIP* You can use transfer paper more than once. Just place it back on top of the backing paper after you’ve transferred your design and save it for your next project. I use mine 4-5 times before it loses the stickiness.
Center your vinyl silhoutte where you want it on your mini pallet board and then press it down, paying special attention to the edges. I like to use a credit card or something similar to help with this step. When it’s all been pressed on, remove the transfer paper.
Next, paint over the pallet board again with the opposite color of what you used the first time. I only did a couple of coats this time around because I wanted a little bit of the under color to show through. You’ll want to work quickly on this step because you need to remove the vinyl before the paint dries too much to help maintain crisp lines. Let the paint finish drying.
I like the look of a little bit of sanding around the edges and on top of my wood projects so I did that with these pallet board signs as well. When I was done, I used another baby wipe to remove any dust and then added my new little signs to my decorations!
I love how simple and quick these were to make. You could also seal your signs with mod podge or a spray on UV coating. These would darling little neighbor or friend gifts to give for almost anything you could think of: holidays, seasons, birthdays, baby, wedding, etc. All you’d need to do is change the colors and what stencil shape you use!
This post is part of the monthly Inspire My Creativity link party I co-host with other amazingly creative ladies. Check out their projects below and feel free to add your own post if you have one that fits our theme of RED this month.
22 Comments
This would make such a great project for the family and a great gift idea as well!
For sure! Everyone could make it in any design they want.
Nice and easy to make. Great idea! Thanks for sharing x
Thanks Marina! I appreciate you stopping by.
These are so cute Shani!!
Thank you so much!
These little pallet signs are adorable!! What a fun idea!! I’m going to have to try making some of these with my kiddos.
Thank you Adree! I’m glad you like them. I hope you have fun making them with your kids. 🙂
This is the cutest! My family always does arts/crafts on Christmas Eve, maybe we’ll do this!
Oh, what a fun tradition!
I love how easy to make and cute these are! Perfect gifts for friends!
Thanks Amber! I think so too.
These are so cute! What a genius decor idea!
Thank you Crystal!
These are so cute! I think it would be fun to make a bunch of different ones with my kids
Thanks Candice! I’m thinking I want to make some for other holidays and seasons too! You can put pretty much anything on them.
So darn cute and my kind of simple!!
Right?? I’m so glad you like them. 🙂
These turned out so cute! Love the contrasting red and white.
Thanks Justine! I’m happy with how they turned out too.
So cute! I love simple and easy ideas that stand out!
Thank you! 🙂