I just love old, rusty horseshoes! We actually found some on our property when we were tilling up our new garden area. Our house was built in 1916, so lots of history here. So fun to find relics of the past! And then I bought other old, rusty horseshoes at a yard sale. I’m going to make some fun horseshoe farm signs! These will make fantastic DIY gifts for any horse lover.

Do you like to make DIY gifts? They are so much more thoughtful and personalized than those bought at the store. Here, you can read about how to make a DIY farm sign with rusty horseshoes! #diygifts #giftsfromthehomesteadDo you enjoy making DIY gifts? I do! I think they are much more personable. And if you get good at them, they can be another source of income for your homestead! Stay tuned until the end, I have some links for some other great DIY gifts from the homestead.

This little project doesn’t take a lot of time, besides waiting for the whitewash to dry. It doesn’t take a lot of tools, and it’s super, super cheap! So if you need a thoughtful, cheap gift for someone (forgot a birthday, and now it’s between paydays, perhaps??), this is the way to go.

Also, make sure you stay until the end – I have some great links for other DIY gift ideas!

Time required to make this DIY farm sign

You should plan on taking most of the day for this farm sign, broken up into chunks. Total amount of time should be an hour or two, depending on your materials. I started this in the morning, with whitewashing the wood, in order to give it plenty of time to dry.

Items needed to make this sign

Old piece of wood.

I just found these old fence posts an weathered wood planks in my junk wood pile! Another nice option is to find someone who is selling barn wood. Bonus – they might already be painted with weathered paint!

Old fence posts

Horseshoes.

I found a few horseshoes when we tilled up our new garden area, but I know that’s not a normal find! So, you can buy horseshoes. I also found a bunch of old horseshoes at a yard sale this summer. Another option if you can’t find nice rusty ones, is to buy new ones at the local farm store. You can rust these yourself, if you’d like. It just takes distilled white vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, and salt. Here is a good post on making new metal rusty.

Paint or whitewash.

You might like the wood painted. If you’d like a more rustic finish, you can try making DIY whitewash. I made my own whitewash with salt and hydrated lime, because I like the thin, uneven, rustic look of whitewash. I think it goes great with the rusty old horseshoes. This is the recipe I used for my whitewash.

Sandpaper.

If you are using paint, I would suggest using sandpaper in random spots on the face of the sign, and around the edges. This will enhance the rustic look. You might want to do this even if you use whitewash!

Dremel or woodburner.

I used a dremel to carve the letters into the sign, but you can also use a woodburner.

Screwdriver, screw gun or impact gun.

To secure the horseshoes and the chain to the farm sign, you will need a screwdriver or screw gun, or better yet, an impact gun. I used The Hubs’ screw gun because it’s the fastest. It made this part super quick and easy.

Screws and chain.

You’ll need a few screws to attach the horseshoes to the sign, and a chain to hang the sign.

Instructions for this DIY farm sign

Whitewashed wood
Screwing the horseshoes onto the wood
2 old fence boards connected with horseshoes
Carving into wood with dremel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sand your wood, if needed. Paint or whitewash the wood on all sides. Allow to dry. After it is thoroughly dry, sand lightly along the edges and any random “normal wear” spots you want to highlight.

With the dremel or wood burner, carve your chosen phrase into the center of the wood. I chose the phrase, “Not Lucky, Blessed” to go along with the legendary luck of the horseshoes.

Not Lucky, Blessed!

Screw the horseshoes to the wood in the desired spot. You’ll need at least 2 screws per horseshoe. We used 3 screws, so that we could attach to the bottom piece of wood as well, without extra hardware. Make sure your horseshoes are facing up, you don’t want the “luck” to pour out of them!

Secure the chain to the top of the wood, to hang the sign.

Finished product!
Option 2: no chain

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And voila! Your very own rustic farm sign, perfect for gift giving, or for hanging on your own front porch!


This post was inspired by, and a part of, a special blogger collaborative, Gifts From The Homestead. Check out the posts from my friends, and be sure to tell them that I sent you!

Gifts From The Homestead
Gifts From The Homestead

Gifts You Can Make in an Hour or Less

Creative Cookie Packaging Ideas || Rootsy Network

Create a Giftable Indoor Herb Garden Kit || Not So Modern

Two Holiday Chai Tea Blends: The Perfect Fall or Winter Gift || Healing Harvest Homestead

Soup in a Jar: the Perfect Comfort Gift || Dehydrating Made Easy

Snickerdoodle Cookies || Nancy On The Homefront

Cinnamon Roasted Almonds (with printable gift tags) || A Modern Homestead

How to Make & Give Homemade Hot Cocoa Mixes || Homespun Seasonal Living

How to Can Homemade Salsa || Not So Modern

Make Gift-Worthy Bread Mix In A Jar – Great for Your Own Pantry Shelf Too! || Oak Hill Homestead

Make Your Own Lotion Bars || Learning and Yearning

Easy Homemade Bath Salts Recipe || Better Hens and Gardens

Peppermint Foot Salve || The Self Sufficient Home Acre

SPF Lip Balm Recipe || Our Inspired Roots

3 Bedtime Bath Teas for Kids || Homestead Lady

DIY Flaxseed Neck Heating Pad for Soothing Muscles || Joybilee Farm

No-Sew Scented Sachet Bags With 5 Herbal Recipes || Rockin W Homestead

Fall Air Freshener DIY || Feathers In The Woods

Gifts You Can Make in a Day or Less

Easy Applesauce Recipe For Canning or Eating Fresh || Hidden Springs Homestead

How to Make Hot Process Soap Complete Picture Tutorial || Healing Harvest Homestead

Crockpot Apple Butter with Canning Instructions || A Modern Homestead

DIY Quilted Mug Rug || Flip Flop Barnyard

Feathers & Hugs – How to Create a Psalms 91 Throw || The Farm Wife

DIY Flower & Veggie Row Markers || The Self Sufficient Home Acre

Make Your Own Veggie Hod || Nancy On The Homefront

Horseshoe Farm Sign – Fun DIY Gift for the Horse Lover || Homegrown Self Reliance

Gifts You Can Make in a Week

Easy Primitive Throw Pillow Tutorial || Hidden Springs Homestead

How to Make a Rag Quilt || Flip Flop Barnyard

Make Your Own Plant Pots and Baskets || Homestead Lady

Special Gifts That Take One Month to Create (but are well worth the wait)

Making Herbal Vinegar || Better Hens and Gardens

Elderberry Elixir – A Delicious Immune Boosting Gift || Homegrown Self Reliance

How to Make Homemade Vanilla Extract || Farming My Backyard

How to Make Strawberry Wine Step-by-Step || Stone Family Farmstead

How to Make Cold-Process Soap from Scratch || Oak Hill Homestead

Gifts From The Homestead
Gifts From The Homestead Collaboration

 

 

 

 

 

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This post may be shared on Family Homesteading and Off The Grid Blog HopSimple Homestead Blog HopFarm Fresh Tuesday, and Old Paths to New Homesteading & Self-Reliant Living.

 

Shawna

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