Folk Art Amigo Sign

Steps 1-2

Steps:

1. Cut four 2' x 5-1/2" wide boards. Sand the cut edges smooth. Paint the boards with latex paint. Let dry.

2. Place the boards in an open square frame structure with a hole in the center. Place the top and bottom boards on top of the left and right boards to form a 24-inch square.

Step 3

3. Remove the top board and nail the horseshoe, open end up and centered on the top board, with heavy 1-inch nails on both sides of the horseshoe.

Step 4

4. Cut a 4-inch piece of bailing wire to make a hanger for the folk art sign. Pinch it in the center to form the letter "V" and curl each end into a small tight circle with pliers. Nail the hanger to the back of the top board.

Steps 5-6

5. Replace the top board onto the open square and clamp all the boards together.

6. To secure the boards together:

• Measure and mark two holes 1-inch apart--3-inches in from the top, sides and bottom corners.
• Drill two holes in each corner and place screws into both thicknesses of boards.
• Turn the piece around and secure the back end of the screws with appropriate washers and nuts. Tighten securely.

Step 8

7. Place a rusted coffee tin lid on each of the four corners of the square and secure with two nails per lid.

8. Rusted Daisies:

• Cut four 3-1/2" x 3-1/2" tin squares from the sides of rusted cans.
• Cut these into circles, then shape into flower petals with scissors.
• Bend the petals up to add dimension.
• Nail one flower onto each coffee can lid.
• Nail one bottle cap onto the center of each daisy.

Step 9

9. Amigos Letters:

• Cut five 3-1/2" x 2" tin squares.
• Cut capital letters from the tin squares spelling "A, M, G, O, S".
• The letter "I" is cut from a 3-1/2" x 1" tin piece.
• Center the letters on the bottom board between the two coffee can lids and nail them into place.
• Cut six 7-inch bailing wire strips and curl the ends in opposite directions in a S-shape.
• Nail an S-shaped wire onto each letter.

Step 10

10. Wrapping Blue Bottles:

• Cut two 3-foot long bailing wire strips—one wire per bottle.
• With pliers pinch the end of the wire and bend it inward tightly with two twists.
• Measure down an inch on the wire and make a tight letter S on the wire. Pinch it closed.
• Twist the wire around the neck of the bottle then the body of the bottle, down to the bottom.
• Bend the wire underneath the bottle and down an inch.
• Bend another S in the wire and pinch tightly.
• Measure 2-1/2-inches and cut excess wire and curl in the leftover wire.
• Repeat for the second bottle.
• Nail the S-shaped wire sections to the boards on the top and bottom of the bottle.

Step 11

11. Cut four 17-inch bailing wire strips. Curl each piece into an S-shape. Place one on each side of the blue bottle facing inward toward each other. Nail them into place.

Step 12

12. Cut seven smaller daisies out of colored swimming pool siding.

• Round the petal shapes with scissors.
• Cut 1" x 1" squares from rusted tin and place the small squares on top of the flowers.
• Cut four leaf shapes from rusted tin and nail the rusted leaves inside the horseshoe.
• Nail one of the colored flowers on top of the rusted leaves.
• Nail a 1-inch square on top of the colored flower inside the horseshoe.