(craft tutorial) usa 4th of july painted sign

You might think Red, White and Blue is just for the 4th of July, but don’t forget about Memorial Day and Flag Day. And there’s certainly nothing wrong with a little country pride year-round! (Not from the United States? Use the same technique to match your own country colors.)

For this painted sign you’ll need:
A wooden board
Dimensional Effects (DecoArt)
Paint (red, white, blue, black, gold)
Foam brush
Popsicle stick
Sandpaper
Vinyl

Start by mixing 2 parts Dimensional Effects cream with 1 part black paint. Brush over the whole board with a foam brush, then drag the popsicle stick vertically through it to create more dramatic lines and ridges. Let dry completely.

Divide the board into 3 sections and paint with red, white, and blue paint. It’s ok to not be exact. At the edges where the colors meet, I blended them a bit with a clean brush.

When the paint is completely dry, rub the sandpaper across the top to reveal some of the black-tinted lines underneath. This gives a fun texture and distressed look.

Cut “USA” from vinyl and place in the center of the board. (I often use cheap contact paper for this.)

Using gold paint, brush outward streaks from the letters then peel up the vinyl. By brushing away from the vinyl, you minimize bleed under the letters. Peel up the vinyl and discard.

And now you’ve got a piece you can display several times a year, or all year even!

Have you ever used Dimensional Effects before? It’s pretty fun stuff. Next time I use it I want to make it a color other than black and let that show through after sanding.

Stephanie lives in the Northwest with her husband and their three children where she is actively involved in church and PTO activities. She loves a good book, good chocolate, and good food — though usually that means it was cooked by someone else. She’s been creating since she was little, trying out everything from cross stitch and stamps to watercolor and sewing. Currently spread across her desk these days you will usually find vinyl, pretty paper, washi tape and paint. She blogs at Crafting in the Rain.