DIY Rustic Wedding Table Numbers | March 29, 2011
I recently bought a set of wood coasters from Carina Sherlock in Armadale. It struck me that they would look beautiful transformed into wedding table number signs for a rustic style wedding.
I thought they would look especially good when combined with a set of nature-inspired numbers I had recently illustrated.
After some research I discovered that I could use Lazertran decal transfer paper to transfer the numbers onto the wood surface and successfully create the table number signs I had imagined!
WHAT YOU WILL NEED
- A few sheets of Lazertran inkjet transfer paper
- Inkjet Printer
- Scissors
- 2 brushes
- Pure Turpentine
- Glass jar - (to hold the turpentine)
- Oil-based Polyurethane
- Wood coasters or wood rounds (1 for each number)
I purchased my Lazertrain paper locally from Eckersley's Art & Craft. You should be able to buy it in good art/craft stores near you or at the online Lazertran shop.
For the wood coasters, here are a few sources I've found online:
Hickory Coaster Set from Terrain.
Olive Wood Coasters from Ten Thousand Villages
Rustic Natural Juniper Wood Coasters from Jasmins Treasures on Etsy.
White BIrch Wood Coaster from Virtual Design Lab on Etsy.
or save some money and make your own with this DIY Wood Coasters Project spotted at Earth Friendly Goodies.
INSTRUCTIONS
Print out your numbers onto the Lazertran paper. Use your scissors to cut around the edges of your number decal. Allow the ink to dry for 30 minutes or so.
Soak the decal in water for 1 minute. (I've done this in the bathroom sink). This will help loosen the decal from it's backing. Retrieve your number from the water and remove any excess water.
Brush on a coat of Pure Turpentine onto the surface of your wood. (Make sure you're in a well-ventilated area!)
Slide the decal sideways slightly, away from it's backing (a centimetre or so). Stick the exposed edge of the decal to the surface of your wood (in the correct position) then slowly and gently slide the rest of the backing out from under the decal. The rest of the decal should now fall smoothly into place.
If there are any air bubbles you can use your brush and some turpentine to gently flatten them. However, don't use too much turpentine or the image will break apart!
As the number dries, the edges will turn white.
To remove the white edges and to stain your wood, brush on a couple of coats of oil-based polyurethane.
Your finished piece should look something like this (above).
I found the process a little tricky at first - you may wish to do a practice run. However it's really quite simple once you get the hang of it!
You can use your wood table numbers in combination with a rustic-style floral centerpiece. I've just propped it up against a jar.
Download the number sets below and please make sure to read the 'Conditions of Use' at the bottom of this article for important copyright info.
Each of these PDF files are over 2mb in size. If you're having trouble downloading, try right clicking on the download button and saving directly to your computer.
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The downloadable pdfs in this article (and across my entire site) are free for personal use only. They are not for commercial use. If you wish to incorporate any of my designs in your own personal projects, please attribute it to me by linking to my site. Please do not distribute any of my downloadable files. If you are kind enough to blog about this article, please feel free to use my photos as long as they are accompanied with a credit and link back to my site and/or this article. As a courtesy please do not link directly to a downloadable file but rather to this page. Thanks for reading this boring footer stuff! :)
{ all images by Amy Moss }
Comments
http://dearmusketeer.blogspot.com/
http://laurenlovestoshare.blogspot.com
Belly B
http://www.papertiaras.com
Thank you so much for these :)
(by the way, long-time reader, first time commenter. I can't come to your blog directly that often because my work computer BLOCKS me - how dare they, haha! - and I never have time at home to get on, so I read your blog via a reader. But please know, altho my reading doesn't count in your hits, I LOVE your blog!!)
www.covetcollective.blogspot.com
-Sarah
http://agirlintransit.blogspot.com/
Thank you,
Laura
Thanks for the shout out for my make your own wood coasters post too. What a delightful blog you have. :)
HOWEVER, the #'s aren'tdark & therefore are difficult to read on the wood. I followed the directions exact w/exact products. ANY suggestions?