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Let Him In: A Simple Entry Sign

I have always felt that the front porch is a sort of first impression of your home.  While we cannot always choose the colors or landscaping of our home, we can choose how we decorate the front porch.  It’s a true welcome into your home.

I love to make different wreaths to adorn my front door, whether it is for a season, holiday, celebration, or just to brighten the space.  In addition, I also love to have something standing on one or both sides of the door.  I see the front porch as one more space to make feel like home.

Christmas has always been a special time in our home.  Who doesn’t love the ambience of a tree, the smells of baking, the feelings associated with giving?  Santa may come, and we may countdown, but our real focus is on the gift of the Christ child.

It seems only right that the first impression and welcome to our home be a simple entry sign that invites us all to Let Him In.  After all, Jesus is the reason for this Season.

SUPPLIES TO SPECTACULAR:

Start with an unfinished 16″x27″ cabinet door purchased from your local home improvement store.  Because I imagine the door of the Inn to be wooden, I chose to actually stain my door brown.  However, to customize it to your preference or decor, you could also paint your Inn Door.  Follow directions on your medium choice, and allow to dry fully.

Because I associate red most with Christmas, I chose a candle ring with red berries of differing sizes.  Again, you can choose to bring in whatever colors you associate with Christmas right here.  Measuring down about 1/4 of the board, center and secure your candle ring directly to the door.  You can use whatever glue you feel most comfortable using, however, I used hot glue.  I wanted a few of the sprigs to stick up above the top of the door, but not too much since there was going to be something hanging from the back of the door.

 

With the candle ring secured, you can now apply your beckoning words: Let Him In.

I used my Cricket to cut these out with a height of 1.5″ and an entire length of 6″.  However, I’ve also recently tried a project where you use the vinyl outline as a stencil and paint the black directly onto the project.  Whichever method you feel most comfortable with will work out perfectly!

I just split the difference from the bottom of your candle ring to the bottom of the door.  However, I’m certain it would be adorable directly under the candle ring, or even centered above the bottom frame of the door.  It’s totally up to you!

It is now time to prepare your door handle.  Because I wanted it to look as close to an actual door handle as possible, I scoured the cabinet knobs at Hobby Lobby for one that I felt looked like a pretty good representation.  Also, having it as close to the center of the board was also something I wanted, since door handles are just under halfway up the door.

Drill a hole just a touch smaller than the size of the knob bolt.  Twist the nut and bolt to secure on the back.  This will stick out in the back, so be mindful if you plan to set this up against something that it could scratch or puncture.  If you are worried, maybe cover it with additional precautions to prevent future problems.  Because I always prop this up in a corner, I never have to worry about it.

While looking at the cabinet knobs, I also searched the same aisle for some decorative keys.  I wanted that “olden day” look, the “I mean business” look, the “you can’t keep me locked out” look.

I love the representation of the hanging key.  That although there may be a closed door, access is freely granted to all.  O, Come Let Us Adore Him.

I chose a decorative 5″x7″ frame that could easily accommodate the ribbon, however, you could use whatever frame you like best here by just securing the ribbon to the back.  Fill your frame with whatever picture you’d like to represent the Stable Scene of Bethlehem.  I have always loved this picture by Simon Dewey.  I think he captures the light so beautifully.

Placing the frame over the center of your candle ring, measure out the ribbon by pulling the two loose ends to the back of the door.

Secure with a staple.  You can see that my ribbon is slightly long on one end.  I didn’t worry too much about precision, just as long as the picture hung center over the candle ring on the front.  I first tried just some hot glue, but I didn’t think it held it as secure as I wanted, so staple it was.

That’s it! There’s your simple entry sign.

“I did not go to Bethlehem, or hear the Angels sing.  But there was something magic in the air, that made me feel as if I had been there.”  ~Michael McLean

Merry Christmas, friends.

~Steph

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