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Custom Light-Up Sign

Psssst... this post *might* contain affiliate links: see my disclosure here.

March 9, 2016

I’ve been blogging for almost four years which means there is LOOOOOTS of content that I’d love to fuhgetabawt. The first year was an ignorant haze, and the second year was moderately more clued in, but still not noteworthy. All to say, there are lots of projects that I LOVE but… whether because of crappy photography or bad lighting or a combination of the above, just aren’t anything I really share a lot. One of those projects is a custom light-up sign that actually *does* get shared a lot on Pinterest, but I’m SUPER excited to be sharing a new fresh and shiny clean tutorial for the one I made the same way and hung in Martha’s room recently.

DIY light box with custom name

How to Make a Custom Light-Up Sign

Materials You’ll Need

(Affiliate links included for your convenience)

  • Shadow Box
  • Adhesive Vinyl
  • Frosted Glass Spray Paint
  • Cricut (or X-acto knife and a steady hand)
  • LED light strips
  • Plug

Step 1

Take your frame apart and spray the inside of the glass with the frosted glass spray paint.  It will require many very light coats to build up the opacity that you’ll want.

DIY light box with custom name

Step 2

Decide what name or word you’d like to print and set up your Cricut to cut accordingly. For Martha’s name, I used the Highway Gothic font and love it.  I cut out each letter from a different color vinyl, but obviously this is personal preference!

DIY light box with custom name

Step 3

Transfer the vinyl to the front of the shadow box frame being careful to center. Check and double check your letter spacing as it’s not going to be as simple as dividing the space you have by the number of letters… plan it out first to be safe.  When transferring vinyl, have a credit card handy to help you press out any bubbles.

DIY light box with custom name

Step 4

Decide where you will plug in your light box as this will determine which corner to run your cord out of. (There are cord-free chargers (affiliate) that you can buy, but they don’t last so long and seem like possibly more trouble than they’re worth.) Cut off the corner of the back piece of cardboard on the frame so the cord can run out.

DIY light box with custom name

Step 5

Working backwards, slowly remove the protective paper and stick the LED light strip along the inside edge of the frame. Once you’ve wound all the way around the inside of the frame, look carefully at the strip for the cut-line (indicated by a pair of scissors) and trim the leftover LED.

DIY light box with custom name

DIY light box with custom name

NOTE: I actually had leftover LED strips from another project, so I purchased one of these plugs (affiliate). The white end flaps open up and you can place the cut end of the LED strip in therefore giving it a plug so it can be used!

DIY light box with custom name

This hangs in Martha’s room above her dresser, but if you want to hang yours in a more central location, you could spray paint the cord to blend in a little more (or even have your electrician put in an outlet).

colorful kids room with light up sign

custom sign in the distance

She LOVES her new light-up sign, and the bright colors are the perfect complement to the new desk area I shared last week!

DIY light box with custom name

light box in girl's room
kids name on light up sign

If you liked this… I’d love you to PIN IT here –>

DIY light box with custom name

 

XO Charlotte

11 Comments · Popular Posts, Wall Decor

Comments

  1. Erin Spain says

    March 11, 2016 at 10:14 am

    This is so cute! Love this idea.

    Reply
    • Charlotte Smith says

      March 11, 2016 at 9:22 pm

      Thanks! SO easy!!!

      Reply
  2. Stephanie @ Casa Watkins says

    March 13, 2016 at 8:15 pm

    OH MY! This is so neat! Love this project. I’d love to do one for my office heehee. 🙂 Pinned and sharing.

    Reply
    • Charlotte Smith says

      March 15, 2016 at 12:34 am

      Yes! That could be so cute!! Thanks, Stephanie!

      Reply
  3. Ashley S says

    March 14, 2016 at 1:27 pm

    Loveeee this! Turned out beautiful, you done an amazing job! I pinned this on my Pinterest!! 🙂

    Reply
    • Charlotte Smith says

      March 15, 2016 at 12:33 am

      Thanks so much!!! It’s such a fun little bit of color up on the wall!

      Reply
    • Charlotte Smith says

      March 15, 2016 at 12:34 am

      Thanks so much, Ashley! It also makes for a great night light for her so win-win! 🙂

      Reply
  4. cassie @ primitive & proper says

    March 15, 2016 at 9:35 pm

    i always wanted to see my name i lights! now i can make it! 🙂 love this, charlotte- so creative!

    Reply
    • Charlotte Smith says

      March 16, 2016 at 12:45 am

      You’d put such a fun spin on this! I’d love to see if your amazing playspace, Cassie!

      Reply
  5. Jessica says

    March 16, 2016 at 12:37 am

    This is so cute! You make it look so easy and what kid does not want their name associated with the bright lights? My girls would love this.

    Reply
    • Charlotte Smith says

      March 16, 2016 at 12:46 am

      It *IS* so easy. I’m telling you, this is my favorite project! 🙂

      Reply

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Lover of color, wrangler of chaos, thrifter of all the things.

head-shot-1 Hi, I'm Charlotte! I'm fixing up our 100 year old house and artfully hoarding armchairs in the garage. I love color. I love flea markets. I love a little mess. My days are spent writing, painting, sanding, laughing and negotiating with our 5 kids. You can read more about us here
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