"I Collect Bugs" Sign Tutorial

My kiddos school is having a silent auction, so I wanted to put a couple baskets together for it.  This first basket is one that any bug collector would love, aka. my boys.  They are drooling over the basket. I wanted to make a fun little sign to go in it that could be displayed in the bug lovers bedroom.  Here's what I came up with:

To make this fun sign here is what you will need...

• 2x4 that measures 8 3/4 inches in length
• plastic bugs
• craft paint
• hot glue gun and glue sticks
• black paint
• paint brushes
• distressing ink
• "I Collect Bugs" Template (see below)
• Clear Coat Spray
• pencil
• sand paper
• Popsicle stick

First you will need to cut your 2x4 to length.  Next, sand the block of wood.  Then paint it, I used an off white called antique white.  While paint is drying printout you template. Here it is:

Once, you have it printed, cut it out so it will be easy to place it on your sign.  First, you will need to use a sharpened pencil and trace and color in the letters with it.  Then place it on your sign, hold it in place and using a popcicle stick or something similar, rub on the paper. This will transfer the graphite that you colored on each letter onto the sign.  Now, you will be able to paint the letters on with a thin paint brush. Or even better you can actually buy paint markers, then you can just trace and color in the letters.  When that is dry it is time to distress a little bit. This can be done with some distressing ink and a facial sponge. I distressed all over my sign.  I also used a dry brush technique with some off white craft paint over my letters. To do this you will use a scruffy brush, load some paint on it and then wipe almost all of the paint off, then you will just distress over the letters.  After all the distressing is done and dry you can add you bugs.  I added some details and distressing to my bugs also, with the distressing ink and the details with a fine tip permanent marker. Then, you will hot glue the bugs into place.  Lastly, spray a coat of clear coat all over it.  Done!!  Here is the cute sign in the fun Bug Collector's basket: