Create a charming DIY garden sign using a mini toy shovel and a wooden sign. This easy Dollar Tree-inspired project adds farmhouse garden style to your porch, patio, or potting shed.
This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.
DIY “Life’s a Garden, Dig It” Shovel Sign
If you’re anything like me, you hate letting craft supplies go to waste! After making my DIY potting shed sign, I had one of those little kid-sized garden tools left over and couldn’t resist turning it into another project.
This easy DIY garden sign combines a little hand shovel, a stained wood plaque, vinyl lettering, faux flowers, and a simple twine bow to create a sweet farmhouse-style decoration. It’s the perfect accent for a potting shed, porch, garden space, or even a covered patio.
Best of all, it’s a quick project that can be customized with your favorite garden sayings and colors.
Video Tutorial: Dollar Store Garden Shovel Sign
Watch this quick video to see how this craft came together:
Dollar Store Garden Shovel Sign
Looking for easy garden-themed crafts? This DIY garden sign makeover transforms a kid-sized shovel and wood sign into a cute farmhouse accent perfect for spring and summer decorating.
Materials
- Mini toy garden shovel
- Wooden plaque or sign
- Gray spray paint
- White acrylic craft paint
- White adhesive vinyl and Transfer tape
- Faux flower sprigs
- Twine
- Screw
Tools
- Screwdriver
- Cricut machine (optional)
- Pin vise tool or drill
- Small drill bits
- Hot glue gun and glue sticks
- Paintbrush
Instructions
- Watch the video. Follow along with the video tutorial for a step-by-step walkthrough of how to make your own garden sign.
- Disassemble the Shovel. Using a screwdriver, carefully remove the metal shovel head from the wooden handle.
- Paint the Shovel. Spray paint the metal shovel head gray and allow it to dry completely. Don't forget to spray paint the screw so it blends seamlessly with the finished project.
- Paint the Handle. Paint the wooden handle with white acrylic craft paint. I chose white because my sign already had a stained wood finish, but you could easily stain the handle instead if you're planning to paint your sign background.
- Reassemble the Shovel. Once all the paint is dry, attach the metal shovel head back onto the handle using the painted screw.
- Add Your Garden Saying.. I used my Cricut machine to cut the phrase "Life's a Garden, Dig It" from white adhesive vinyl. Apply the lettering to the left side of the wooden sign, leaving room on the right side for the shovel. No Cricut? No problem! You could: hand-paint the wording, use stencils, or apply wooden letters.
- Mark the Shovel Placement. Position the shovel on the sign until you're happy with the placement. Using a small drill bit or pin vise tool, drill a pilot hole through the back of the wooden sign.
- Create a Pilot Mark in the Handle. Insert the screw through the back of the sign until the tip barely pokes out the front. Place the shovel handle over the screw and press down gently. The screw tip will leave a small mark in the handle, showing exactly where to drill a pilot hole. Drill a small pilot hole into the handle at that mark.
- Attach the Shovel. Line up the handle with the screw and tighten it from the back of the sign. This creates a secure attachment without visible hardware on the front of the project.
- Add Faux Flowers. The sign looked a little plain, so I tucked a few small white and yellow faux flower sprigs where the shovel handle meets the metal spade. Secure them with hot glue.
- Make a Twine Bow. Wrap twine around your fingers several times to create loops. Pinch the center to form a figure-eight shape, then wrap another piece of twine around the center several times and tie a secure double knot. Trim the ends to create bow tails.
- Attach the Bow. Hot glue the bow over the flower stems where the shovel handle meets the metal shovel head. This covers the glue and gives the sign a finished look.
The Finished Craft
This simple little project proves that leftover craft supplies can become some of the cutest decor! The mini shovel adds a fun dimensional element, while the flowers and twine bow soften the design and give it plenty of farmhouse charm.
Whether you hang it in a potting shed, display it on a porch, or tuck it into your garden decor, this “Life’s a Garden, Dig It” sign is a fun reminder that creativity can bloom from almost anything.
PIN this Garden Sign for Later:
More Garden-Inspired DIY Projects You’ll Love
If you enjoyed this project, be sure to check out these other creative DIY decor ideas: