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Here’s a fun little project, just in time for Halloween. I used a cedar fence board to make these cute segmented candy corns. It features a rough and rustic look. I show you how to add an aged patina to the project for that vintage folk art look. This project can be easily batched out and finished very quickly to add to your spooky Halloween decor. Step 1 First, sand down some cedar fence boards from the home center ($2-3/board) with 80 grit sandpaper. Don’t sand it completely smooth, just enough to remove the splinters. We want it rough. Step 2 Sketch out the basic candy corn shape. It’s just a triangle with rounded corners. Two curved lines in the middle make up the candy corn color bands. Don't make them all the same, vary the size and shape a bit to keep things interesting. Step 3 Cut the board down to something more manageable. Step 4 Cut them out on the scroll saw. I’m using a #9 scroll-reverse blade. Cut out the perimeter first, then come back and do the bands. Keep each set of pieces together. Step 5 With a rotary tool (like this one) and a small sanding drum, knock off the edges. Be a little rough with them so as to give them an aged and worn look. Step 6 Time to add paint. The bottom is orange, the middle is yellow, and the top is white. Don’t get hung up on getting it perfect. If it's rough, it'll add to the final look. Step 7 With 80 grit sandpaper, sand each piece. Sand away the paint on the edges and high areas revealing some bare wood. Step 8 Glue your pieces together. I’m using wood glue. They don’t need clamps but be sure to clean out any glue squeeze-out. Step 9 Time to add the weathering. I use a medium wood stain and paint it on really thick. With a clean rag, wipe off the excess and set it aside to cure. Step 10 I use furniture wax to soften the feel and protect the wood. (I like Howard Citric Shield.) Glop it on thick and let it sit for 10 minutes. Then with a clean rag, buff off the extra wax. I use a toothbrush to get the wax out of the cracks and crevices. Set aside to cure. Step 11 The wax will build up in the recesses and may give some parts a cloudy look. You can use a heat gun to melt the wax and let it soak back into the wood. Final

Step 1 I'm using 1/4" Baltic Birch Plywood. I get mine on Amazon and they come in 12x12" panels. I'm ripping it to 5" wide. So total, it's about 12"x5" Step 2 I like to pre-sand my plywood before scrolling. We have to sand it a bit later anyway, so you could skip this step if you want. I'm only doing 120 grit. Step 3 You'll need to tape together your pattern. Just hold it up to the light and align your two sheets together and tape it. Once taped, I applied it directly to the plywood with spray adhesive. Step 4 I took it to the drill press and drilled some pilot holes. I like to approach the line in the corners, so I try to get my pilot holes near that. Step 5 Then we take to to the saw and start cutting out our pattern. My go-to blade is a #3 scroll reverse blade. There is a lot of waste area, so you can easily notch out the sharp corners. Step 6 Once everything has been cut out, I spritz everything down with mineral spirits. It softens the glue and you can easily pull the pattern away. Then I wipe it down in case there is any glue residue. Step 7 I'm using a 2x4 and cutting them into 1/4" strips. It doesn't have to be exact. This provides lath/shiplap style strips that are 1/4" thick and 1.5" wide. Length just needs to be long enough to cover the back of your sign. Step 8 Since I want a rustic/farmhouse style, I want to age these strips. I use a rotary tool and roughly soften and gouge the edges. I don't want it to look perfect. I want it rough. Step 9 I painted each of the strips in pinks, purples, reds....ya'know, Valentine colors! I just use the cheap craft paints you get at the craft store for less than $2 each. If you want to order some, here's a nice set. Step 10 With red craft paint, I painted the inside of the letters. I'm not too concerned if it gets on the front of the project because we'll sand off that paint in step 13. Step 11 With some 120 grit sandpaper, I sand away some of the paint on the lath strips. I just want to expose some of the wood on the edges and rough it up a bit. This gives it a nice aged and distressed look. Step 12 With some wood glue, I adhere the strips to a backer board that matches the sign we cut out. (12"x5") Step 13 Again, with 120 grit sandpaper, I give the front a sanding, mostly to clean up the messy paint job. I only want the inside of the letters to be red, not the face. Step 14 Pour yourself a coup of tea. I'm using black tea to add some color and and splotchiness. This gives the strips an aged look. The tea back broke open for a bit, so I let some of the leaves just sit and dry. Then I brushed it off after. It adds a nice touch. Step 15 Back at the scroll saw. I just cut off the pieces that extend beyond the backer board. Step 16 I'm using wood glue to glue on the sign to the backer. Don't get too close to the inside of the letters. You don't want to have to clean up any glue squeezeout. I used clamps to add some pressure, but you can set a big encyclopedia on it (do they still make those?). Step 17 For the frame, I'm just using butt joints. I think it looks nicer for farmhouse-style projects. I'm using Oak because I like the wood grain. I painted it red, because....Valentine's day. But you can use whatever you have on hand. Step 18 Now to clear coat it. Any clear acrylic spray would work here. I prefer Deft Wood Finish, though. I pick it up at Fred Meyer's, but I'm sure you can find it locally too Not as common as Krylon or Rustoleum, but certainly not obscure. I'd choose a satin finish. Step 19 Add a wall hanger and sign the back. Then you're done! Final