Free Sleigh Rides Sign Template {Tutorial}

I have another sign to share with you today...

along with another free template, of course, in case you want to make one for yourself!

This one says, "Sleigh rides every day at noon"

This sleigh rides sign was inspired by the beautiful sleighs on one of the best movies of all time, Anne of Green Gables. Remember when Matthew was bringing Anne home {after she saved Dianna's sister's life} on that beautiful horse-drawn sleigh? I have wanted to go on a sleigh ride ever since!

 

I used an old cabinet door for this sign that I bought at Habitat for Humanity's ReStore for $3. You can see how I prepare my boards, use homemade chalk paint for the base, transfer the image, and hand paint my signs in my tutorial {HERE}.

All you have to do is click on the template below, right click, copy, paste it into a document (Word, Power Point, Publisher, etc.), resize, and print!

{Please remember that this sign is my original artwork and is for your own personal use only. Contact me if you would like to use it for other reasons.}

After I had my outline penciled onto my sign {See tutorial HERE}, I used a very small brush, and the paints I had on hand, to fill the outline. I also added a little bit of shading to give it some dimension.

Then I just distressed, using a fine sanding block until I got the aged look that I wanted.

Just remember, it doesn't have to be perfect! Actually, it is the imperfections that make it look like a truly vintage sign.

I would LOVE to see any finished signs! They make my day. Shoot me an email or a message on Facebook and I would love to feature yours in a round-up like I did for the Autumn Signs!

I love making these signs. They are so fun to add to my seasonal decor!
Plus, you can't beat the $3 price tag!

I took these pictures a while ago with my Christmas tree which has since been decorated. I will be back next week with pictures to show the finished tree!

Vintage Sheet Music Christmas Banners

I just wanted to pop in and share a couple more Sheet Music Christmas banners I made!

I made a bunch for those boutiques last weekend, and also a few for the shoppe {HERE}. 

Is there anything better than a mix of aged sheet music, distressed stamped lettering, German glass glitter {the most beautiful thing on earth}, and jute rope!? 

I made the banners in the phrases "Joy" "Believe" "Noel" and "Joyeux Noel."

I think the believe banner is the perfect length for a fireplace...

I think I may add one to my mantel!

I had to make sure to glitter them after Ella was in bed because I had to lay them out all over the floors to dry. My floors were covered wall to wall with these babies, and my little sweetheart would have had way too much fun playing with them! German glass glitter and baby fingers don't mix!

These were really fun to make! I am glad they were so popular at the shows just because I had so much fun making them. 

I love everything about Christmas decorations!

Free Christmas Tree Sign Template {Tutorial}

Hello Friends!

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. 

We had a lot of fun, and little Ella ate her weight in turkey, mashed potatoes, and everything else! 

I am excited to share my latest painted sign with you,  

"Cut your own Christmas Trees"

If you would like to make one for yourself, you can follow the tutorial {HERE} but instead of using that template, use the one below. It is my Christmas gift to you :). Just right click on the image, copy and paste it into the document of your choice, and resize. You can use Word, Powerpoint, Publisher, etc. for this. 

I would LOVE to see any finished signs! They make my day. Shoot me an email or a message on Facebook and I would love to feature yours in a round-up like I did for the Autumn Signs!

{Please remember that this sign is my original artwork and is for your own personal use only. Contact me if you would like to use it for other reasons.}

  

My hunky hubby just bought me an overhead projector {isn't he the best!?} so I used that for this sign instead of the tutorial. But, if you don't have one, the tutorial is the next best alternative.

I haven't decided where to put this yet, so for now she can hang out here on my dining room cabinet.

I think it would also make a good template for a chalkboard.

 Maybe I will have to do that next!

Well, I am off to tickle a cute little girl. We have had the tummy bugs here for the last couple days and she has gotten her giggles back! 

Thanks for reading! 

Handmade Star Christmas Ornaments

Yesterday I shared my handmade vintage snowflake ornament I made to sell a local boutique and also at an Antique store's open house. I also handmade these vintage inspired wooden star ornaments. They were so fun to make! I love making ornaments! 

I painted these wooden stars cream and distressed them.

Then I embellished them with vintage book page pinwheels {tutorial here}, German Glass Glitter {one of the prettiest things on earth!}, and red glitter snowflakes.  

I tied them up with red and white baker's twine.

I love making things for Christmas! 

~I made a couple extra that I will have available in the Shoppe~

{Click HERE}

I am sharing a post that is near and dear to my heart today over at Kristin's blog on an experience that made me truly grateful. 

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving! 

Handmade Vintage Snowflake Ornament

I have been a busy bee for the past couple of weeks making things for a boutique and an antique shop's open house! 

This year, I made a few different kinds of ornaments and I will be sharing two of them over the next couple of days. 

I used vintage book pages to make my pinwheels and I embellished them with {my favorite stuff on earth!} German Glass Glitter. 

There is nothing quite as sparkly and vintage-y and lovely as German Glass Glitter. 

And it compliments vintage book pages so well! 

The glitter and the tinsel are so sparkly in person.  

I will definitely be using this combination again in the future! 

There is something so fun about making {vintage-y} Christmas tree ornaments! 

~I made a couple extra that I will have available in the Shoppe~

{Click HERE}

A Silhouette Portrait Giveaway by My Vinyl Direct!

What will be under your Christmas tree? The NEW Silhouette Portrait?

Head on over to this fabulous company's website and check out their "Pin It To Win It" Silhouette Portrait Giveaway! {Just click on the picture above and it will take you there!}

Antiques and Boutiques!

One of my VERY favorite antique shops is open this weekend! 

Gatherings at the School is in a historic schoolhouse building in Star, Idaho and it has the BEST antiques and decor.

It is only open occasionally so be sure to get on their email list so you don't miss out on the fun!

The Holiday House Boutique is also open this weekend in Meridian, Idaho!

They have lots of fun holiday decor. 

I have handmade items in both places! I have been a busy girl. 

If you live locally, you won't want to miss out!

I hope to share some pictures in the next couple of days :) 

Check Out These Readers' Versions of My Sign!

Do you know what makes my day!?

When people actually like my tutorials enough to make them{and they send me a picture!}!

{Here}

I was so humbled and overwhelmed by the kind response to my Autumn sign that I posted {Here} and I wanted to share the beautiful signs that these girls made.

Cassie sent me this picture on Facebook. Didn't she do a great job!?

My awesome, lovely, and talented friend Audrey text me this picture of the one she made. The poor girl used the template I used for the original that I totally ripped to shreds! Isn't her whole porch stunning!?

Michelle made her own version and shared it {Here} on her blog, Sweet Something Design. I love the fun colors, and how the letters take up the whole sign. Gorgeous!

The lovely and talented Korrie made this adorable version {Here}. Wasn't this so creative!? She makes so many lovely signs which she also sells.

Jennifer from one of my newest blog crushes, Simply Ciani, also made her own version {Here}. Don't you just love these fonts and colors that she used? Her whole blog is stunning!

If anyone else has made this sign, I would love to see it!

Ella Claire Shoppe is Officially Open!

 I am so excited to share that the Ella Claire Shoppe {go HERE} is officially OPEN! 

We carry women's accessories, and are adding home and holiday decor as we go {the banner pictured above is in stock!} and I can't wait to do more! 

Come on over and look around! {go HERE} 

I am also excited to announce that there will be a BIG giveaway {LOTS of Moola} where you can get to know some pretty great girls tomorrow! 

Exciting News! Ella Claire~ The Shoppe

I have some exciting news! 

We are opening an online shoppe! 

The Shoppe will carry some really fun women's accessories, handmade seasonal decor, and some vintage loveliness. We will continue to add to our inventory as we go, but we are really excited to show you what we have so far!

Here is just a little sneak peak.

My sister, Megan, who is my righthand man in this venture, is the model in the pictures that my other sister, Devan took. Do I have some beautiful and talented sisters, or what!?

We will officially open our doors TOMORROW!

I am so excited! 

How to Make New Sheet Music Look Old

I needed a lot of sheet music for a bunch of Christmas decorations that I will be selling at The Holiday House Boutique this week, but had no luck finding enough at local thrift stores. So, I decided to try to make do with what they did have.  I took it from bright white to this:

I found two college textbooks full of a couple hundred sheets of music. The problem is that they were BRIGHT white! Not fun and aged and vintage like I love. So I decided to try to change that, and give them a vintage patina.

{I am sorry about the REALLY bad pictures! I took most of them in poor lighting at night}

First, I tore the covers off of the book.

Then I made a big pot of coffee on the stove. I soaked one side of the whole book at a time in the pot. 

This made it just soft enough to squish it all down into the coffee. 

I just let it soak until it got a nice golden aged color and then I pulled it out of the pot and placed it on a cookie sheet. 

I guess I forgot to take a picture of this next part, darn it! I baked it in the oven {at 350} until the edges of the book turned dark, it dried out a bit, and the coffee color deepened. I think it took 20-30 minutes. {If you do this, please keep a CLOSE eye on it and don't burn your house down}

Then I just left it out for about 5 days while it dried out a little more. I flipped to a different section of the book each day to help dry it out a little more evenly. 

I pulled out pages individually {even though they were still damp} and ironed them with a regular clothes iron. {Again, be careful to not light anything on fire... I had NO issues but being extra careful is always a good idea} This book was spiral bound, so I cut the rough edges after I ironed the pages. 

They really look aged in person. They are perfect for what I am using them for! 

This would be so easy to do to age book pages too. 

I am excited to show you the Christmas banners and ornaments that I am making out of them!!