DIY Dead And Breakfast Outdoor Halloween Sign

I was provided product by DecoArt and compensated to write about this project, but all thoughts, opinions, and ideas are my own :)

 Many, many years ago, I was looking through a magazine...yes, those things that used to exist before Pinterest ;) ... and I found the best Halloween yard decorations I ever saw. It was of course by Martha Stewart. I promised myself I would replicate it in my own yard, but never did. Well, now I can say I at least started it. There's a lot more that goes along with this little sign, but it's the biggest step and I'm so proud of how it turned out.

I used all scrap woodI had lying around for this project, so the cost was minimal for me. I was going to use a newel post, but I decided to save myself the $40 and do a 4x4 I had lying in the backyard instead. I guess that's the good thing about being a quazi-hoarder. haha. I seriously save my wood like no one's business. It pays off!

I'm going to walk through how to develop the sign first and then talk about building the post.
Supplies for the sign:
1/4" plywood (You can use any boards and screw them together to make this.) My square was 26x26" before cutting. About 20" wide and 23" high after cutting)
Cardboard piece length of plywood/wood
Jigsaw
DecoArt Color Stain in Charcoal and White
DecoArt Outdoor Living Paint in Iron Gate
Black transfer paper
Printer

Step 1: On the piece of cardboard, draw half of an arch starting from the left edge and going up to the right top.

 Step 2: Cut out the arch and trace it on the left side of the wood. Draw a line along the right side of the cardboard also to create your middle mark. This mark will help you line the cardboard up on the next steps.

Step 3: Go around the wood, flipping the cardboard to create an arch in each "quadrant" lining up the middle with the mark from above to keep everything straight. This will help you complete the full arch on the top and bottom of the wood. See pics below:

 You should have the shape of your sign when you're all done.

 Step 4: Use the jigsaw, and cut out the shape.

 Step 5: Put on a single coat of the Charcoal color stain. Let dry.

 Step 6: Put on a single coat of the White color stain. Let dry. This is what will give you that worn wood look. If you choose, you can dry brush on more Charcoal color stain over the white to bring in some more depth.

 Step 7: Print out your "Dead & Breakfast" sign on your printer. The full width of my board ended up being 20" once I had everything cut down, so the fonts are as follows:
Dead -California FB Bold 200 pt.
"&" - California FB Bold 400 pt.
Breakfast - Palace Script MT Regular 500 pt.

I had to cut the "breakfast" out on two sheets in order to fit it on the board. I then lined up the paper where I wanted it to be printed on the sign, and placed a piece of transfer paper behind it.

Step 8: I then traced around each letter with a pen.

 Once I was done, it looked like this:

Step 9: I used Iron Gate Outdoor Living Paint by DecoArt to fill in the letters. I tried to stay in the lines, but didn't care to be too perfect since the look of this warrants a little 'rustic' character :)

 Step 10: I went back with a dry brush and brushed on some more Charcoal and White color stain to give the letters a more weathered and worn look.

 Step 11: I did the same technique with the vacancy sign. I used a 1x3 for this sign and the width the same as the sign above at 20".

Now to build the base.
Supplies:
4x4 @ 60"
2x2 @ 23"
Wood post cap
Four 2x4s @ 10"
2 1/2" screws
DecoArt Color Stain in Charcoal.

 Step 12: Using a pocket hole jig, create pocket holes on the top and bottom of the 2x2. Screw this into the 4x4 about 10" from the top. Make sure to also screw in the top/bottom side (so two sides), or else there will not be enough support and the 2x2 will fall off.

 Step 13: Using two screws each, screw in each 2x4 to the bottom of the 4x4 in the pattern in the picture below:

 Step 14: Wood glue the cap onto the top of the 4x4

Step 15: Using the Charcoal color stain, paint the post. I just did a light coat, leaving some bare wood to give it a weathered look.

 Now to add everything together. Supplies:
Chain (I got mine from the jewelry making area of a craft store.)
Staple Gun
2 small hanging hooks.

 Step 16: The size of your chain will depend on the size of your arch. Just make sure it's about 2-3 inches longer than your arch. You'll need two of the exact same measurements of chain for the top, and two for the bottom that will hold the 'vacancy' sign.

Staple the chain into the back equidistant from each side and making sure the chains line up correctly. If staples don't work, you may need to screw the chain into the wood using smaller 1/4" screws (make sure they don't poke out the front).

 Step 17: Hang the chain from the hooks positioned into the 2x2 (not pictured, but can see what I mean in the finished photos)

Step 18: Add spooky elements! I decided to hot glue a spider and a raven onto mine.

Human moment here:  While I was making this sign...actually just finished painting everything. My husband comes in and tells me I spelled breakfast wrong. He was like, I don't understand the pun by you spelling it "breackfast". lol Oh my goodness. I totally spelled it wrong. Serious. Total mom brain. I had no idea either. I just kept looking at it wondering why it looked weird, and blamed it on the look of the 'k' :) I was just about to add all the chains to it, and snap pictures. I'm so glad he caught it! So...lesson learned. But, I do have some advice if you so happen to mess up. Go over your messed up section with the dark first and then the white again. It will cover the whole thing and no one will notice...unless you tell them, like I just did :)

 The base on this is good enough to hold stable in no wind conditions, but I might recommend putting it around something to stabilize it more if you are in high winds. Or just put the 4x4 in the ground :) You can probably add some rocks on top of it if needed as another option, and then throw some black webbing over it to hide the rocks.

 I'm so proud of how this turned out. I really think adding a spindle or the newel post instead of the 4x4 would have given it more character, but this is the cheap way out. And I love cheap :)

 I can't get over how well this stain worked to give me the look I wanted. Now hopefully no one really comes knocking expecting to stay at my house :) They will be sorely disappointed.

Be sure to check out DecoArt and their social media for more Halloween inspiration!
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Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a “sponsored post.” The company who sponsored it compensated me via a cash payment, gift, or something else of value to write it. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Disclosure: As with all DIY projects using power tools, take proper precautions and read and apply all warnings and directions. Make sure to wear proper safety equipment.