When Cardinals Appear Angels are Near Sign
Made to Empower
Instruction
Information
With this plan, you will get my very first creation, the piece that made me realize I could really do something with my work. This was my empowering piece.
When I first stepped into the world of laser engraving, my goal was simple: to personalize the pens I’d crafted on my lathe. I admired the work others were producing—intricate, polished, professional—and I never imagined I’d create anything close to that level. I was just a guy with a lathe, a dream, and a new bundle: the F1 OG and the D1 Pro 20w.
Curious to expand, I made a few signs to sell alongside my pens and signed up for my first market. It didn’t go well. I sold just enough to cover my booth fee. At a time when I was already recovering from a nervous breakdown, that experience hit hard. It shook my confidence and made me question everything.
But sometimes, the lowest points are the ones that force us to rise.
That tough day pushed me to reevaluate—not just what I was making, but why I was making it. I realized that if I was going to pursue this path, it had to be mine completely. My designs. My vision. My heart in every piece.
One of my favorite quotes is: “When Cardinals appear, Angels are near.”
It’s a message of peace, love, and quiet reassurance—that we’re watched over by those we’ve lost, that we’re never truly alone.
Inspired by that, I designed a plaque. It was my first real attempt at creating something from scratch. I had to figure out how to make the cardinal’s feet perch naturally on the “C” in “Cardinals”—a small detail, but a huge technical challenge at the time. I dove into the world of bitmap vs. vector, learned how to manipulate artwork for engraving, and slowly, piece by piece, built the skills I needed.
And when that plaque engraved successfully for the first time, I felt something shift. A quiet voice inside said, “It’s time to go back.” So I did.
At my next market, within the first hour, a woman saw the cardinal plaque and was drawn to it. She held it, ran her fingers over the engraving, and even cried. She told me it reminded her of her late husband who loved birds—and that it made her feel watched over. She bought it because of the emotions it evoked within her and how it made her feel not so alone any longer.
That moment changed everything.
It wasn’t just a sale. It was validation. It was connection. It was the first time I realized that my work could mean something to someone else. That it could carry emotion, memory, and comfort.
Since then, my journey has flourished. There are still slow days, creative blocks, and setbacks—but I always come back to that cardinal. That first real sale. That first sign that I was on the right path.
Because sometimes, the smallest spark is enough to light the way forward, to empower one to continue on when all else seems bleak.
You will recieve with this project:
XCS Plans
SVG Plans
Instructions
Instruction
Step1: Before you begin
This can be created on any machine with any material. You just may need adjust your settings to ones you have tested based on the machine/material you use.
I prefer birch for most everything I create. At times I use maple but birch is my go to. The grain is usually nice and it engraves and cuts beautifully.
When I first made this sign, it was on the D1 Pro 20w. Since then, I have made this sign multiple times on both the D1 Pro and the P2. The settings provided in this plan is for the P2.
You can resize this to any size you desire, just realize that the birds details get more convoluted the smaller you go. The size here is just the right size to show all the details and come out looking great. I have made this as large as 13.75" x 11.5" and as small as 3.5" x 3". At the smallest size, I had to pull back on the power of the bird engrave or it was just a burnt out mess. Currently, the size in the plans are 9.672" x 8.148"
I also include plans for the kickstand should you want to make this a standing sign for a desk or shelf. However, keep in mind that larger or smaller and you will need to adjust the kickstand accordingly and that can cause the kickstand tabs to not fit correctly. My advice in that situation, copy and past the kickstand. Cut out the bottom part and then on the copy, cut out the top part. Adjust the bottom part to the appropriate size you need and then merge the top and bottom part together again. In this way the tabs at the top part will stay the correct size. Just be sure you manipulate the top of the bottom part to fit the top part through use of the edit function in XCS at the top of the screen. (See photo)
Step2: Engrave and Cut
Engrave and cut your piece out. This plan includes two copies of the sign. If you only want one, just select and delete the other.
After cutting your sign out, you will most likely have overburn. This is, ofcourse, dependent on your settings. I use 220 grit sandpaper and in just a few minutes, have removed the overburn. I also like to round the edges a bit to help give a finished look.
At this time, you may decide to apply a finish to it. I do not recommend dark stains but a light stain and/or poly coating does make this look very nice.
Should you decide to cut out and use the kickstand, use the same cut settings listed above for those as well. You want to ensure that the wood used for the kickstand is ¼" (6mm) in order to fit correctly.
Step3: Kickstand (Optional)
NOTE: Photos above are not from this project but show the steps to add the kickstand.
Should you want to use the kickstand, it is fairly simple. First you will need to add the kickstand pieces to the tabs at the top of the kickstand. The flat part of the hinge pieces will be placed flat against the back of your sign. Lay the kickstand down with the flat part against the sign as clost to the center as possible. The bottom of your kickstand should align with the bottom of your sign. Place a pencil mark where the hinges meet the sign and then lift up your kickstand away from the sign. Run a strip of glue along that flat part of both hinges and then lay them where you placed your marks. Press the hinge pieces down until the adhesive cures enough to not move. Let dry completely.
To test the functionality of the kickstand, place your fingers a top the hinge pieces and hold down your sign. (In the photos I show doing this with the piece standing on end, but it is better that you do this part while laying the sign flat.) Slowly work your kickstand up and down until it moves easily. Gently ease off the pressure on the hinge pieces to make sure the glue has adhered fully. Once it is fully cured, you can freely move the kickstand without having to hold down the hinge pieces.
Keep in mind the size of your sign directly impacts the size of the kickstand, the larger or smaller you go, you will need to adjust the kickstand accordingly and that can cause the kickstand tabs to not fit correctly. My advice in that situation, copy and past the kickstand. Cut out the bottom part and then on the copy, cut out the top part. Adjust the bottom part to the appropriate size you need and then merge the top and bottom part together again. In this way the tabs at the top part will stay the correct size. Just be sure you manipulate the top of the bottom part to fit the top part through use of the edit function in XCS at the top of the screen. (See 1st photo attached to this step)
Step4: Final Thoughts
I have changed nothing about this sign in the almost 3 years now that I have been laser engraving except for those times I did adjust the power and sizes. The design has stayed the same this entire time. And have I sold a few of these? Yes, quite a number of them as a matter of fact. I have even had a customer come to me specifically because a friend of hers had one and she wanted one too. This is a piece that, despite all the complex plans I have done in the past, reminds me that sometimes simple is the best.
I love this piece and what it means to me. I hope it can bring you joy as well. If you like this piece, let me know in the comments. I would love to see how your own engraves turn out so show me some pictures too.
And if you would like to explore my other plans, check out my profile at the link below. You can see how far I have come since I started my laser journey. Most are free, but there are a few premium plans in there as well.
https://www.atomm.com/profile/15190?utm_source=Social_Share
Happy Crafting!
