Make Recycled Garden Markers

The after-holiday clearance sales are great for collecting supplies for inspiration later in the year. After Christmas this year I found miniature yard signs. I haven't paid attention, but I am sure they are also sold for other holidays as well. They were really kind of tacky. It's no wonder they didn't sell and were on clearance. They were originally a dollar, but were marked down to 10 cents. I could definitely afford a dime or two until inspiration struck.

I decided to transform these ugly ducklings into fresh little garden markers and flower bed pokes. They were obviously made to decorate the yard, although I have no idea how long they will actually last outside in the wet weather. The wood is pretty thin, so they will probably warp before they fall apart. I'm okay with that. By then they will have served their decorative purpose and the plants should be up and identifiable. I thought they would make nice Mother's Day, Father's Day or end-of-the-school-year gifts for teachers.

A few things to note. I used my Cricut Expression to cut the paper shapes and letters. If you do not have access to a die-cut machine, you do have other options. Die-cuts can be purchased anywhere scrapbook supplies are sold, or you could recycle your seed packets. Cut out the name and picture on the packet and decoupage in the same way as the following instructions. Also, the diameter of my signs were approximately 4 inches. You will need to adjust the size of your die-cuts to fit your signs.

Things You Will Need:

Miniature holiday yard signs
Electric palm sander
White and beige paint (I used leftover house paint)
Kitchen sponge
Cricut Expression machine
Country Life Cricut Cartridge
Spray adhesive
Mod Podge
Paintbrush
Clear acrylic spray sealer
Scissors
Ruler
Raffia

Step 1
Sand off the image on the front of the sign using a palm sander. The images on my signs were not even painted. They were paper images that had been glued on. They sanded off very easily, but I did need to peel off a thin clear sheet first. Don't forget to sand or peel off pricing or "made in" labels from the back.

Step 2
Tear a corner chunk off of a kitchen sponge approximately 2 inches in diameter. Don't use scissors, you want the sponge chunk to be raggedy. Dip the sponge into white paint and sponge paint the front, back and edges of the sign. If you do not like the color of the stake, paint it too. The paint will look textured. Allow the paint to dry.

Step 3
Sponge paint over the white using the beige paint. Allow the paint to dry.

Step 4
Use a nail file to sand the edges of the sign and the stake.

Step 5
Cut out your veggie images and letters on your Cricut Expression using the Country Life Cricut cartridge. Experiment with scrap paper to get the size needed for your signs.

Step 6
If your images have two or more pieces that need to be layered, put them together using stick glue.

Step 7
Apply a thin layer of Mod Podge to the front of the sign. Place your images over the decoupage medium and press with your fingers to remove bubbles. Allow the Mod Podge to dry.

Step 8
Apply a layer of Mod Podge over the image and the entire front surface of the sign. Allow the decoupage medium to dry. Repeat with three more layers, allowing the Mod Podge to dry between coats.

Step 9
Seal the front and back of the sign using clear acrylic spray sealer. Allow the sealer to dry and repeat two more times.

Step 10
Cut three or four 18-inch lengths of raffia. Bundle the raffia together. Wrap the raffia around the sign's stake and tie into a knot.