Repurposed Junk Love Sign
My alarm clock radio is set on a classic rock station and the other day I woke up to one of my favourite all time songs… Signs by Five Man Electrical Band, and it occurred to me that I’ve never made a sign… at least not that I can remember. Maybe I made some poster-type signs in school, but I can’t even remember if that’s true.
So for this month’s Junk Revision Challenge, which is all about Valentine’s or Hearts or anything to do with love, I decided to go ahead and finally take the plunge.., and make a junk love sign.
To make my junky love sign I went into my stashes to see what I could come up with.
So here’s what I used to make my love sign.
Did you have a stencilled sign like this back in the day? I bought this one way back in the 80s and it’s been in a closet for years. I decided it was finally time to give it a makeover.
The first thing I had to do was cut my pieces of sheet music to size.
The easiest way to do this is to place the pages where you want them and press down on the edges of the sign to make lines in the paper. No measuring required. Then simply cut at the lines.
I wanted a classic song about love so I chose Smoke Gets In Your Eyes. Not that anyone will be reading the music , but I’ll know it ‘s there.
I applied a coat of matte Mod Podge to the sign.
Seems kinda backwards to be covering up hearts for a Valentine’s Day project. lol. There’s nothing wrong with this sign, but the style hasn’t been me in years.
Then I applied a light coat to the back of my sheet music.
After both pages were on the sign I covered it with three coats of MP, letting each coat dry in between.
I glued on my old junk using my glue gun.
My L is a very vintage wall hook; the O is a vintage and oh so beautifully aged cookie cutter from my large and growing collection; the V is made of 2 springs; and the E is some junky pieces and a back plate for a drawer pull.
It’s probably fine just like this, but you know me… I always have to take it just a bit further… maybe too far sometimes. lol.
I dug into my vintage costume pearl necklaces stash to see what I could find to dress it up.
Using my glue gun again I outlined the sign in pearls.
I love the combo of pearls and aged and rusty metals. It just does it for me.
I added a couple of O ring hooks and an aged gold tone chain for hanging.
And Voila! It’s done.
In case you’re wondering if I noticed that there’s some brown aging on the sheet music… I did, and I decided it was perfect because of it.
I’m totally into embracing this whole aging thing these days… in my projects and myself. I say love the skin you’re in… whether you’re 25 or, in my case, 54. This sign will be my reminder to do just that.
So how did I do for my first sign project?
It’s all about the love and it isn’t ‘blocking out the scenery’, or ‘breakin’ my mind’. lol. Now I think I’m hooked, and there will definitely be more Signs in my future.
Be sure to check out all the links below for some fun and fabulous inspirational projects.
Thanks so much for reading, and until next time… keep on keepin’ on.
XOX
P.S. If you enjoyed this project you might also enjoy my vintage window screen signs.
Great use of old fixtures and fittings to make up the letters in your sign, I also love the use of music sheets for a background !
Thanks so much Claire! It’s nice to use things from the stashes once in awhile. It gives me the excuse I need to have them. lol.
Oh, this is brilliant! We see “love” signs all over the ‘net, but this one takes the prize for best!! You are truly inspiring me to try this with some of my junk! Dona
Aww… thanks Dona! I can see now how this sign making thing can become addictive. It’s so much fun! I’m sure yours will be awesome!
I sat here looking at the things you had gathered to make your sign. Could not think of any way to use those together. My mind was plank. As I scrolled down I was amazed how you did it all. At first, I thought…don’t cut or tear that old sheet music. But it did turn out great. Myself, I would have left it plain, not added the pearls. But you showed how other things could also be used to add more dimension. Love your ideas. I found a bunch of OLD sheet music in a thrift shop, got 15-20 for $3.00. Was thrilled. A granddaughter has a baby grand piano & loves nostalgic things, so she will get a jackpot someday.
Looking fwd. to your next project & the the cool things you find.
Thanks so much Linda! I was slightly tempted to leave the sign alone, but I just couldn’t resist adding the pearls. It’s just more me. That bunch of sheet music was a great deal. I’m sure your granddaughter will enjoy it.
Very sweet! I do have a couple of those old signs from the ’80’s and some other things in my stash to create my own sign. Thanks for the inspiration!
I think we all have something with those heart stencils on them. I probably have some stencilled geese in a closet here somewhere. When I find them they’ll be getting a makeover too.
I LOVE your junky sign! Thanks for sharing the love at Talk of the Town.
Thanks so much Betsy! I take that as a great compliment coming from you.
Tuula, this sign is beautiful!! I love the signs made from repurposed junky goodness!! You did a great job on this!!
Thanks so much Keri! Working with junk is just such a blast.
Great revision! I love that song too…along with sheet music and random hardware, so obviously I think you hit a homerun! The pearl juxtaposition is just icing on the cake!
Thanks so much Kim! I’m so glad you like the pearls too. I have a thing about pearls and rust… for me they’re perfect together.
Loving what you did with the rust. Right up my alley.
Thanks so much! Playing with junk is the best!
Love the junk you gathered to make your sign…very creative!
Thanks so much Tammy! These challenges are so much fun.
This is just too cute! I really like how the sheet music makes it look vintage. Thanks for the inspiration.
Thanks Carrie! I love working with old sheet music. It’s so easy to transform things with it.
I look at old hardware and see well… junk. You look at old hardware and see a sign. I love it – it’s amazing. Cathy
Thanks so much Cathy! Playing with junk is one of my favourite things to do.
Who Would have thought!_____You of course! Just love the sign. So much better than the usual hearts. If I had some neat old hardware hanging around I would copy your idea.
Thanks Ronny! Thrift stores around here don’t carry too much hardware type junk so I usually find all my junky stuff at garage sales during the summer.
Tuula, you did an amazing job for your first sign! Love rusty hardware and the pieces you used are perfect for the letters. I especially like the letter “L” of course!
lol. Thanks Lucy! These challenges are so much fun. They give me an excuse to play with junk, and that’s awesome!
This is my favorite thing I’ve laid eyes on today. So unique and lovely! The pearls, age lines on the music, and the junky pieces- perfect!
Thank you so much Debbie! I do love playing with my junk. I’d play all day every day if I could. lol.
I “LOVE” it! Great update and repurposing of junk!
Thanks Jeanette! Rummaging through my junk is one of my favourite things to do. Sometimes I’m lucky and inspiration strikes.
So fun – I love old junk pieces repurposed – they are just so cool. And the pearls are so fun with the old metals!
Thanks Jill! I’m really loving these challenges. So much fun!
Another awesome piece of work Tuula! I noticed the brown aging on the sheet music in the earlier pics and thought “I hope she doesn’t cut that off” but of course you didn’t! It adds to the style perfectly as do the pearls, REBEL VINTAGE ROCKS!!! Regards, Pam
Thanks so much Pam! Sometimes I think I’m off my rocker. lol.
Yes, I had a few pieces of 1980’s country blue w/ hearts decor, hahaha. You picked such a cute way to cover up the old look and make a sign once and for all. I never would have seen the word LOVE in those pieces of hardware!! Glad you kept the aged part of the music sheet and I love your philosophy on all things agey, LOL!
Thanks Amy! I’m sure I have some other 80s things lurking in the closets somewhere. lol. Now that I’m in my 50s I’m vintage too… so a little patina and rust is to be expected and embraced.
Fabulous Tuula!
Thanks Cecilia! It was a fun challenge.
Such great junk repurpose Art – love this idea! Pinning to share ☺
Thanks so much Marie! It was a fun project.
I love your LOVE sign. I will be featuring it on SYC Thursday this week!
xx Jo
Thank you so much. I’m thrilled to be featured!
Love your “love” sign! The pearls are the perfect finishing touch!
Thanks so much Sherry! I am a junk and pearls girl!
Wow you had so many comments, that’s always good isn’t it? I loved your sign, talk about recycling old stuff, that was so inspired to see what you used. Pretty smart using old sign to make this one. I’ll have to go rummaging thru my old pieces of whatever to see what I can find to use. Could spell out any word for a sign. the pearls around perimeter sure finished off the sign perfectly, they really hit the spot. Now you’ve got me inspired have to make sign also. Maybe not “love” but anything would be good. Heck Love would be good too to have hung up to remind me when I get aggravated at hubs. We’re together 24/7 pretty much so I get little antsy to have some me/alone time. At least in good weather he’s outside alot so i can do my thing in house.
Have great weekend
Thanks so much Jane Ellen! You’re so funny. Love would definitely work for that. lol. I’m so glad that my sign has inspired you. It was so much fun to make, and you’re right… any word would work.
Love the repurposed “junk” in the sign. How creative and inspiring you are. I think the sign is perfect and I like the way you trimmed the whole rustic piece with sophisticated pearls! I also think the chain for hanging accents the whole artistic look – it adds dimension to the sign and draws your eye to it. Just lovely…………
Thanks so much Barbara! It was a very easy and fun project. It’s nice to use some of my junk stash.
Very nice!
Thanks so much Debra!
LOVE it!
Thanks very much Donna!
How cute and thank you for sharing and the how to
You’re so welcome Norma. Thank you!