Keeping garden interests up during the winter months can sometimes be difficult. By scheduling a few garden projects now, good use can be made of this "down" time.
Materials List
Solid 1" thick wood rectangles or squares
wood stakes or posts to mount signs
wood screws, two for each sign
acrylic craft paints, assorted colors
assorted brushes
pencil and paper
polyurethane
First, ideas for the design are needed. Tear out pictures from garden or craft magazines, or go to craft stores and pick up a couple of those craft instruction sheets. Find favorite styles, colors and borders, and incorporate them into the design. Draw up a rough design on paper. Decide on your background color and paint the whole sign, front, back, and sides. Then draw the exact design right on the block of wood, and start painting the elements. A sign can be detailed and exact, or more "country funky" (as in the editor's above). Remember, shading is important and can give it an antique and more professional look. Water down some darker paint and dab most of it off the brush with a paper towel. Practice on a piece of scrap wood to get the desired effect. Do the same with lighter paint for highlighting. Shade and highlight the plant and shade the edges of the sign. A spotted effect can also be produced with a small screen and old toothbrush (make sure the kids have aprons on!). When the sign is painted and dry, it will need two coats of polyurethane for protection from the elements. Let dry thoroughly between coats. Mount the sign on a stake with two wood screws, and it's finished.
(Editor's note: I would be very interested to see your garden signs. E-mail me a picture, and if I get enough of them, I'll put them all on a web page.)
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