Make This: Merry & Bright Holiday Wall Art DIY

This week, I’m in West Virginia at the most amazing cabin in the woods. It’s been really chilly here and we’ve been sipping plenty of apple cider and hot cocoa, which is getting me into the holiday spirit a little earlier than expected.

So today, I’m sharing my first winter holiday project of the year. I hope you don’t mind that it’s a little early. I have been waiting patiently for months to share this holiday DIY I created in partnership with Scotch® Color & Pattern Duct Tape.

I love the holidays as much as anyone else. Maybe even a little more than most. I do sing Christmas carols  pretty much all year long, after all. And Jeff can attest to that if you need proof. But when it comes to decorating around the house, I typically don’t go overboard. I like to incorporate items that blend in with the pieces we have in the house year round. So I guess you could say I like to go a little more subtle with my holiday decor.

That said, I created this giant (but still kind of understated) decorative wall art piece for the holidays to add a little something to that blank wall behind our couch. The idea is that these pieces can be used as home decor, throughout the holidays – while you’re writing your Christmas list on the couch, curled up with hot chocolate or throwing a holiday party and using the pieces as props for a photo booth. I selected non-traditional Christmas colors to blend in more with the decor you might have in your home already. So, it’s festive but not ‘in your face’.

Here’s how to make your own…

Materials Needed:

• 5 foam core boards in any color *They’ll be completely covered when the project is finished.
• acrylic paint
• paint brush
• Xacto knife
• Scotch® Color & Pattern Duct Tape *I used Pearl White, Blue Turquoise, and Flaky (the snowflake pattern).
• Command strips or something similar for hanging the finished piece

How-To:

1. Start by taping two of the foam core boards together, to create one long (horizontal) piece. Use tape on both the front and the back to keep it secure. Repeat this process with two more foam core boards and the leave the last of the five boards by itself.

2. On one of the larger, taped together boards, paint the word ‘merry’ in cursive (you want to make sure the letters are connected to each other). Make sure to fill in the width of the letters to a decent size – you’ll be cutting this out, so you don’t want it to be too thin. Then, repeat this process with the word ‘bright’ on the remaining large taped together board. And use the solo board to paint the word ‘and’.

*Don’t be afraid to ask for help. If you don’t like your own handwriting, ask a friend if they wouldn’t mine doing this step for you. I had my designer bud Jordan paint the words for me after I taped the foam core sections together because I love her cursive lettering so much. Way better than mine, that’s for sure.

3. Once the paint is completely dry, it’s time to cut it out. I used a very sharp Xacto knife and it was really easy. Just make sure you have a very sharp cutting knife or box cutter so you don’t have to overexert yourself (plus it will cut more smoothly).

4. Once the three words have been cut out, it is time to start wrapping them. To conserve tape, I cut small pieces off of the roll, all the same length, and wrapped each piece around from the front to the back (leaving some of the back uncovered, since you won’t see it anyway). Cover each word completely with this process.

5. Now, all you have to do is attach something to the back of each word (like Command strips), and you are ready to hang!

I spent a lot of time figuring out exactly where I wanted the finished piece to go, how I wanted each word titled, etc. But once you get the placement down, it’s goes by really fast.

AND you can reuse this piece year after year. Even though I made this months ago, I’ve kept the finished piece so I can hang it up in our new place. It holds up well if stored flat.

You can also use them as photo booth props in a pinch. And if you’re already decorating, you might as well add some garland and a little hot cocoa (or coffee) to celebrate. Then, sit back and admire your work. You always have time for that, right? Ha!

Credits: Photography Sarah Eddy for Paper & Stitch // Cursive lettering by Jordan Brantley // Concept & Styling Brittni Mehlhoff

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This post is a collaboration with Scotch® Color & Pattern Duct Tape website, but words and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make this site possible.