Rustic Signpost from Scrap Wood

one of the projects i undertook this weekend was a refresh of something i created a year ago...

and those two lower boards shown above are the reason why.

this was inspired by fun directional signs in Cars Land at Disney California Adventure,

and i used scraps of wood left over from my Dad's workshop to create it. 

(there's a photo of the entire structure later in the post)

i needed a few more pieces of wood to add two new locations,

and i discovered a SUPER cheap supply secret at my local diy store!

continue reading to find out where you can find cheap wood for rustic signs...

i headed to my local Home Depot to buy a piece of fence board,

and as i walked into the lumber department i spied THIS on an aisle endcap:

the lower part of this shelf is filled with boxed sets of fence stakes in varied lengths.

but those shelves up on TOP hold single 'orphaned' pickets. and they are CHEAP!!!

so if you need just one or two, you're in luck!
*there are miscellaneous small wood scraps in there, as well,
plus back by the saw where staff will cut your wood for you.
just ask for them and they'll hand them over - FREE*

so i grabbed two in the length i needed to match up with the others i already had -

with a few quick brushstrokes of black paint, i was done and ready to complete my project.

(btw, i just use basic craft paint for things like this)

i had previously taken down the existing signs so that i could fit the new ones in the proper place,

so it took no time at all to re-space the signs, pre-drill some pilot holes, and then screw them into place:

the post that the signs are on is a pressure-treated 4X4, anchored in concrete in a vintage galvanized trash can.

it was installed to provide an anchor for the support wires that hold our patio lights,

but the post looked bare - so these signs became the finishing touch:

the signpost tells the story of our family...

my Dad's location is on top, as his residence was changed to Heaven three years ago.

the locations beneath that indicate where our other close family members live across the country,

including my siblings and their kids, my adult children & my grandchildren, my cousin. and us!

there's also a sign that days 'Disneyland' because it has always been a kind of home for us.

of course, you could create something like this with signs sharing 

where you've traveled, where you'd LIKE to travel, where everyone in your family was born,

or even a list of your fave junking locales!

you don't need a post - just hang them on a fence in your yard or wall in your home to tell YOUR story.

i was just chatting with my friend Tonya of @backroadsvintage about this project,
and suggested that she could make one using flat pieces of driftwood found on the beach...
then i remembered THIS sign that i created using a salvaged piece of sailboat rudder 
that washed up on my beach:

photo by Elise Liptack in 2011 for her story on 'Retreat' on her Dreaming Vintage blog.

stay tuned for posts about those other elements of our backyard!

shared online:

funky junk interiors | diy salvaged junk projects #424

...and thank you for featuring my project, Miss Donna!
.
the answer is chocolate | bff open house link party #19
...thank YOU, Miss Carol, for featuring my project, too!