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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

Step 1 Once I have my pattern printed out, I just need to trim it to fit onto my board. I’m using 3/4″ cherry for this project. Step 2 I sprayed the back of the pattern with spray adhesive. I let that dry for a few moments until it’s tacky like a Post-It Note. In hindsight, I should have applied a layer of clear packing tape over the top of the pattern. Cherry is notorious for burning. The lubrication the tape provides would have reduced the amount of burning. Step 3 I drilled some pilot holes in the monogram area and the bottle neck area. I also added a pilot hole just outside the pattern. That way I can cut the perimeter and maintain the surrounding wood. It makes it a little more stable as I cut. Step 4 I cut out the center hole first. I’m using a #3 Scroll Reverse blade. A #5 would work well here too. You can also cut this hole with a hole saw or a large Forstner bit. But cutting it with the scroll saw works well enough. Step 5 Now it’s time to cut the perimeter. You can cut in from the outside edge of the board, but the long pieces tend to bounce around. Instead, I used a pilot hole just outside the pattern. I like cutting the perimeter maintaining the surrounding wood, which adds a lot more stability during the cut. Step 6 Here’s our final cutting. I took extra care in getting sharp inside corners. Step 7 I spritz down the pattern with mineral spirits. After a few moments, the pattern practically falls off. Step 8 Cherry burns really easily. Here you can see the burn marks left behind from the scroll saw blade. I should have added a layer of packing tape to the top of the pattern. The tape will lubricate and cool the blade. Step 9 With my spindle sander, I remove the burn marks from the edge. Step 10 I used a round-over bit to soften up the edge of the wood. Be careful at the openings where the wine glass stems go. You have a good chance of blowout in those sections. I also used a chamfer bit on the bottom edge of where the neck of the bottle sits. The chamfer makes it sit on the bottle nicer. It’s not necessary, but it works nice. Step 11 Then it’s back to sanding. I used my random orbital sander to clean up the front and back. I also did some hand sanding in areas that I couldn’t reach. I also softened up some of the edges in the wine glass holders. Step 12 I used a star sander in the drill press to soften up the edges. Step 13 For the finish, I just used a satin clear acrylic spray. I really like Deft Wood Finish. I gave it about 4 coats. Then I sanded it with some 0000 steel wool. Then gave it another coat for a nice smooth finish. Final Project