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Julie is excited to welcome everyone to Crafty Beach. Today, she will share 20 of her favorite fall DIY projects using supplies mainly from Dollar Tree. Each project features the color blue, perfect for a beach theme. One of the highlights is a chunky pumpkin welcome sign, which combines various materials for a fun and inviting look.
The process starts with gathering pieces like galvanized metal signs, wooden pumpkins, and Dollar Tree rope. Julie demonstrates how to paint and assemble these elements to create a colorful and dimensional sign. With creativity and simple supplies, she shows that anyone can make unique fall decorations that add charm to their home.
Key Takeaways
- Julie shares 20 fall DIY projects using blue as a main theme.
- A chunky pumpkin welcome sign is a featured project that combines various materials.
- Simple techniques make it easy to create colorful and inviting decorations.
Creative Beach Welcome
Julie is excited to share her fun fall Dollar Tree DIYs, focusing on the color blue. She starts with a chunky pumpkin welcome sign, using several materials from Dollar Tree, including a galvanized metal sign, two pumpkin signs, a wooden oval, and some rope.
To create a beautiful color for the pumpkins, Julie mixes dark turquoise with white to make a lighter shade. She paints the top pumpkin with this light turquoise and uses a baby wipe to let some wood grain show through for a stained look. The wooden oval also gets painted in the same color to add depth to the pumpkin.
For the welcome sign, Julie selects a galvanized metal word that she coats with Mod Podge to create a better surface for painting. She then applies ivory acrylic paint in one direction for a distressed finish. After removing an anchor design, she attaches the welcome word with hot glue and lets it dangle from the pumpkin sign.
To make the chunky pumpkin, she uses thick white rope from Dollar Tree, wrapping it around the edges to create a fuller appearance. Julie carefully hot glues the layers together and finishes the look with a distressed ivory touch.
Julie adds a metal anchor and a twine stem to give the pumpkin a coastal feel. She completes the design by adding small seashells and starfish for that perfect beachy touch. This creative project is not only vibrant but also a unique addition to fall decor.
Assembling the Chunky Pumpkin Sign
Gathering Materials
To start making the chunky pumpkin welcome sign, she gathered the following items: a galvanized metal sign from the SH Living line, a welcome metal sign from the fall section at Dollar Tree, two wooden pumpkin signs, a wooden oval, and some rope from Dollar Tree. The two wooden pumpkins help create a thicker, more substantial sign rather than a flat design.
Creating a Three-Dimensional Effect
She wanted the sign to have a three-dimensional look. To achieve this, she painted the wooden pieces in a light turquoise color, mixing dark turquoise with white to get the perfect shade. After painting, she used a baby wipe to let some wood grain show through, adding a stained effect. She painted both the front and sides of each piece.
Color Mixing for the Perfect Shade
For the ideal color, she blended dark turquoise with white to create a light turquoise that is reminiscent of mint green. This shade was chosen for its beachy vibe and matched perfectly with her theme. Mixing colors offers flexibility, making it easier to get the right tone.
Painting and Detailing
She applied the turquoise color thoroughly to the pumpkin signs. To add depth, she also painted the back pumpkin and the oval piece, ensuring no raw wood appeared. For the welcome sign, she coated the galvanized metal with Mod Podge before painting it with ivory acrylic, using a distress technique to give it a charming finish.
Constructing the Sign Body
To bring the chunky sign together, she used the thick white rope from Dollar Tree. She carefully glued the rope around the edges of the pumpkins to create the illusion of thickness. This method elevated the overall look of the sign, making it appear more expensive and well-crafted. Finally, she attached the pieces quickly with hot glue, ensuring everything was secure and in place.
Adding the Welcome Element
Preparing the Galvanized Metal
To start, she selected a galvanized metal sign from the Dollar Tree. This sign is part of the SH Living line. She also picked a welcome metal word from the fall section. Before painting, she coated the metal sign with Mod Podge. This step helps the paint adhere better. Using ivory acrylic paint, she applied it in one direction. This technique created a distressed look, adding character to the sign. She painted it several times to achieve full coverage. After removing an anchor detail from the sign, she touched up the area with gray paint.
Attaching the Welcome Word
After getting the metal sign ready, she used hot glue to attach the welcome word to it. This word hung down from the bottom of her chunky pumpkin sign. Next, she used thick white rope from Dollar Tree to add more dimension. Wrapping the rope around the pumpkin edges created a layered look. The thick signs made the pumpkin appear more substantial and visually interesting. After placing all elements together, she secured everything with hot glue, ensuring a tight bond. This approach resulted in a cute and inviting welcome sign perfect for fall décor.
Final Touches and Details
Crafting the Pumpkin Stem
She began by taking some twine, which could be from Walmart or Dollar Tree, depending on preference. Using hot glue, she attached the twine to the top of the pumpkin, wrapping it from the tip down toward the base. This added a nice rope-like appearance to the pumpkin stem. She also created a loop for a hanger and secured it with hot glue.
Attaching the Hanging System
To make the pumpkin sign hang correctly, she utilized two pieces of rope. They were attached inside the back pumpkin to allow the welcome sign to dangle down. This method ensured the sign hung evenly on both sides, creating a balanced look. Hot glue was used to secure everything in place.
Incorporating Coastal Details
To enhance the coastal theme, she added a small starfish to cover an area where the anchor had been removed. Seashells were also glued onto the pumpkin to give it a beach vibe. Finally, she included additional starfish and a curly pumpkin tendril, completing the charming fall decoration.