So happy to have Cami back from “Tidbits”, sharing an adorable Pottery Barn hack! I mean come on, this simple little sign would be absolutely perfect in any ol’ room in the house! So in love! :)
-Ashley
. . . . .
Good to be back!
I’ve teamed up with my husband {and his mad woodworking skills} again today, to bring you this Pottery Barn inspired LOVE art – because who doesn’t love a good knock off?!
Once I saw this picture on Pottery Barn, I knew something like it belonged in my home.
(Original source here)
We are hoping the word itself will rub off on our kids and there will be no more fighting . . . ever.
I’ll let you know how that goes ;)
My husband whipped up one for my mother as well, and it made an excellent gift.
Ours floats around our home, adding {love}ly charm to whatever space it finds itself in.
You’ll notice the lettering is different in the 2 variations, as well as the size.
We will guide you through making the wooden art with whatever lettering you choose, and any size you choose. I’ll also teach you an awesome painting technique to help give you this perfectly distressed look.
So grab your measuring tape, and let’s go!
Start by putting the 3/4” x 8” board on a flat surface, place one of the 3/4” x 1.5” boards with the short side of the board against the side of the 3/4” x 8” board. Be sure to glue the surfaces between the boards first. 
Nail them together and repeat for all sides making sure the 45 degree angles meet correctly. 
*If you are choosing different sized letters and want a different size sign then we have shown you, follow this mathematical equation to figure out what size your boards and cuts should be. x=size of letters Multiply all length dimensions by x/5.5. For example, if you are using 4 inch letters it should look like this. 3/4 x 8 x 20 inch board = 3/4 x (8 times 4/5.5) x (20 times 4/5.5) = 3/4 x 5.75 x 14.5 rounding to the nearest quarter inch. This calculation would be the same for the 3/4 x 1.5 inch boards (ie. 3/4 x 1.5 x 14.5 and 3/4 x 1.5 x 5.75). (Big thank to the hubs for figuring all that out for me. He lost me at equation). It is helpful to fill in any cracks and nail holes with wood putty, at this point. 
You are going to use wood glue to adhere your letters to the main section. You can visually space your letters as you desire within the frame. 
Begin by painting all the edges and corners in black. Let this dry completely. 
Rub the candle along all the edges and corners where you will want the paint to chip off and expose the black. 
Now cover the whole entire surface with the main color of paint, as many layers as needed to get the coverage you want. The black should not be visible. 
Once the paint is completely dry, you should be able to take your sandpaper and lightly scrub along the edges and corners, and the paint will easily chip right off where you rubbed your candle wax. 
This really helps define the edges and makes the letters more visual. 
I hope you have enjoyed this tutorial, and please let us know if you have need of any further clarifications. If you would like to see other wood projects my husband has done and explained for us, here are a few over at TIDBITS.
I’ll give him a big hug – for all of us ;)
-Cami
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Hi, I’m Ashley—the DIY-enthusiast behind this crazy blog!
