Find “JOY” At The Front Door

Every year it sneaks up on me…

and then, I play catch up!

Well, here I am, again… playing catch up.

Decorating… shopping… etc., etc.

The flu is finally behind me,

but I have to tell you…

it wiped me out!

I am back… finally.

This year I wanted to make a statement at my front door.

A statement that sent a message.

A word that speaks for itself.

*J O Y*

If you are anything like me,

definitely on a tight budget, decorating inexpensively is the only option.

This is a challenge, but definitely rewarding!

I created Magnolia Wreaths to hang on the front windows, used baby wreaths for my

Adirondack chairs, and JOY letters for the front door.

Letters can be purchased at Hobby Stores,

but I wanted to customize the size to fit my door.

Here is how I did it:

SUPPLIES:

• Pencil
• MDF Board
• Jigsaw
• Sheet Moss
• Glue – Hot glue and/or Spray Adhesive
• Twine

Using a pencil draw letters on MDF board.  I free handed my letters on cardboard first, cut them out, and used them as a pattern for the MDF board.

Use a jigsaw to cut out each of the letters.

Quick tip... when cutting out the center of an "O", drill an area to get you started and finish with a jigsaw.


For this project I used Super Moss.  The moss comes in a long sheet, almost like a table runner.  Remove the backing and use a spray adhesive to secure the moss to the letters.  This is a messy job, so be prepared.  I had moss all over me… look at my sleeve.  Ha!  I will spare you the next photo with my breathing gear and moss filled hair.  Spray adhesive is some potent stuff.  The moss is a little stinky too.

Press the moss firmly to the wood until a tight bond is evident.

Once one side is covered, turn the letter over.  Fold the moss over the edges,

spraying and securing as you go.

Here I am cutting the center of the moss to make it easier for folding over the edges.

Work your way around until you have a nice, clean, edge.

Next, add twine.  Notice I haven’t covered the back of the letter with moss yet.

(I want to hide the twine under the moss).

This is where I used a glue gun.  You can see I used a lot of glue!  I wanted staying power with the door swinging back and forth.

I used two pieces of twine connecting the letters. This way twine does not show in the center of the “O”. (See Above).

At the top of the “J”, I created a loop so it can hang easily from a nail.

Once the twine is secure, continue gluing moss to the back side of the letters.  Covering the twine as you go, and any open areas that need to be covered.

Hang your letters,

Add a little greenery with lights,

and enJOY!

I hope your days our filled with JOY this Holiday Season!

Angie