JOY DIY Christmas Sign

I’ve been wanting to make a Christmas sign like this for a couple of years now but have never gotten around to it.  Well, I’m happy to tell you that this year I finally got ‘er done!  And, I must say, if you want to make a festive front porch (or any space really) then this is the way to go!  I can’t believe how happy my front door is now!

We recently had the exterior of our home painted and I changed up the colors a little bit.  The siding is now a little grayer, the trim a little whiter and the accents this fun Wrought Iron (a Benjamin Moore color).  It’s nice and dark with out being completely black (it’s also the color I recently painted our doors in the basement… I can’t wait to do the rest of the house!).  ANYWAY, my point is that the new color is perfect for Christmas decor!

Here’s a little tutorial on how you can make your own Christmas sign just like this… here is what you’ll need:

• 1×12 pine board cut to desired length
• 1×2 pine strips (enough to go around your pine board), cut to side & bottom lengths of pine board
• small wreath
• dark stain (optional)
• White craft paint
• Red craft paint
• Black craft paint
• sandpaper
• Mod Podge (optional but good for sealing it all in the end)
• J and Y templates (download HERE)
• pencil
• wood glue and nail brads

STEP ONE:  Stain your pine board with dark stain.  This is totally optional but I love the effect it has when you distress the edges of your sign later… which is also totally optional so you decide (ha!).  When stain is totally dry, paint entire board with white craft paint and allow to dry completely.

STEP TWO:  Using masking or painter’s tape, tape off 2 inch stripes.  Paint stripes with red craft paint.  Also paint 1×2 pine strips same color.  Allow paint to dry completely and remove tape.

STEP THREE: Using the J and Y templates, space out your letters and wreath how you want them.  Then tape letters into place by placing a small piece of tape at top of paper.  Flip over and cover back of letter with pencil.  Flip paper back into place and trace around outside edge of letter.  This should make a “carbon copy” tracing of letter onto board.  Using a small brush, paint in the letters J and Y in black craft paint.  This gives it a fun hand-painted look! It doesn’t have to be perfect!  Allow to dry completely.

STEP FOUR:  Lightly distress edges of pine strips (if desired).  Attach pine strips around edge of board using wood glue and then tacking in a couple of nail brads on each side.

STEP FIVE:  Put a nail or attach a hook for your wreath to hang on!

STEP SIX:  Hang on your door!  OR lean in a corner!  I had a nail on my front door already so I hung it on there and then used Command Hanging Strips to keep it from clanking around as the door opens and closes.

I love it!  And then the rest of the front porch didn’t have to be over-the-top in order for it to feel Christmassy.  I added some pre-lit garland to the railing and tied it on with some fun striped ribbon.

Added a cute pillow to the bench (my porch is covered and pretty well protected from the elements):

And put some pre-lit trees in the pair of pots I have flanking my front porch:

And, thanks to my new Christmas sign,  that was all it took to deck out my front porch for the holidays!

I also love my Christmas lights I got from Target last year.  They looks so cute in the day time as well as at night!

OTHER POSTS YOU WILL LOVE!

• Beautiful Winter Crafts You’ll Want To Make!
• DIY Painted Christmas Sign
• Festive Christmas Porch Decorating Ideas

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