Metal Snips and Signs

I made a couple of metal signs the other day for my son's room.  They were really easy! 

PB had a arrow that he liked.  I can handle this one...two colors, not a lot of detail!

I found a free clip art image of an arrow and put it into Microsoft Publisher. Have any of you used that? I have really taken a liking to it lately, you can do so many things with it. We blew up the arrow to the size of the metal and one of his favorite numbers.

The plan was to use Nicole's fancy Sure Cuts-A-Lot program and Cricut to print the design out on vinyl and have a sticky stencil for precise edges.

Well, we got the barfs in our house and I don't blame Nicole for not wanting us to come over! :)

Instead I cut the stencil out of paper with scissors. 

 Nicole picked up metal snips from Home Depot  last year and told me over and over again about their marvelous capacity.  She's right!  I even bought the (5 buck less) brand and I'm still happy with them.  Although, I can see how the longer snips would be helpful.

Next I used metal flashing in various sizes.  Be very careful with this stuff...IT IS SHARP!  Probably not for young kids.  I think I will mount the signs to wood so it won't cut any little (or big) fingers.

Next, we rounded of the corners.

  (You should probably be wearing heavy duty gloves while doing this .)

Then I took sand paper and rubbed over the edges....carefully.

Can you tell I'm worried about your fingers? :)

Spray paint is the only thing I had on hand that would stick to metal.  I gave the metal a base coat and after drying, used the spray paint with the stencil.

Here's the twelve my son wanted.  I really distressed this one. 

 My younger son keeps asking why I have to make everything look "old and crummy?" 

 "Why can't you just keep it new?'

So, I kept this one "shiny."