DIY Fall Door Hanger with IOD Moulds
If you’re searching for adorable fall decor using IOD moulds and stamps then you’ve come to the right place! We have a lovely DIY for you using the Autumn Cottage mould and some IOD Alpha stamps. This is such a versatile sign in design and usability because you can choose your favorite sayings, and use this same technique for any season! Create a welcome sign for your front door or darling kitchen decor for fall gatherings. We hope you enjoy this tutorial as much as we did!
P.S. Don’t forget the lovely Autumn Cottage mould is limited edition, so make sure to scoop this one up before it’s gone!
Grab your IOD products and supplies by using the store locator and finding a stockist near you.
IOD Products Needed:
Other Supplies:
- Round Wooden Disk
- Sawtooth Hanger (optional)
- Soft Beige Paint*
- Gold Leaf Paint
- Dark Wax
- Clear Wax
- Amazing Casting Resin
- Titebond Quick and Thick Glue
*There are many brands and types of paint. Talk to your stockist to learn which one is right for you!
Step-by-Step Guide
STEP ONE: CHOOSE YOUR FALL SAYING
Do you have a specific vision for your project? Perfect! The first step is to determine your saying. In this case, we went with ‘Gather here with Grateful Hearts,’ but you can easily change it to whatever speaks to you or whatever season you're making for! It’s important to know what you want it to say so you know how much room to leave yourself with the moulds. Once that’s settled and you play a bit with spacing, you can go ahead and get casting your moulds for the bottom wreathing.
STEP TWO: CAST YOUR MOULDS
We did things a little bit differently with this project. We did a combination of resin and clay, starting with a base layer of resin for the pumpkins, leaves, and conjoined wheat using a one-to-one ratio with resin (cast all the elements in this mould, and then do a second casting of the two large leaf piles).
Then we cast a batch of leaves and acorns from the Oak Leaves and Acorns mould. These pair beautifully together! We just love adding some tiny acorns for fall.
STEP THREE: BUILD YOUR DESIGN
Next, you’ll start building your design. Our goal is to make the heritage pumpkin the star of the show and support it with a bounty of rich leaves. Don’t feel like you can’t layer resin. You absolutely can. The only note is that it takes more glue, so your project is going to need a longer drying time to make sure everything can really settle into place.
Gently lift your castings when you’ve got them in position and be generous with your glue. Tuck in your clay castings with stems underneath for more of a “wreath” feeling. Allow everything to set up. It’s not necessary to wait until it’s fully dry.
Tip: We often paint our clay castings while they are still wet, so it cures more evenly with less shrinkage.
STEP FOUR: PAINT YOUR SIGN
It’s time to paint your sign. We chose a soft beige and did a nice even coat, making sure everything was fully covered. Don’t forget your sides! Allow time to dry.
STEP FIVE: STAMP YOUR SAYING
Grab your letter stamps, Typesetting and Letterpress, and thin mount. This is when the grid seriously comes in handy. Position your letter stamps on your thin mount, paying careful attention that you keep the words straight with your castings. We decided it was best to do ‘Gather’ first, then ‘Hearts’, that way we could make sure the smaller words were evenly spaced.
Allow the ink to dry.
Remember, if you make any mistakes, you can always just dab a little extra paint with a Q-tip let it dry, and start over. No harm done! Or if your chalk paint is thick enough, even a damp paper towel can buff out an oopsie.
STEP SIX: APPLY A WAX COAT
Apply a thin, even layer of clear wax and then wipe it back with a lint-free cloth.
Next, with a soft wax brush, go over with dark wax, really getting it into the nooks and crannies of your castings.
Add a little extra clear wax onto a lint-free cloth or shop towel and go over the entire surface. The goal here is to take off some of the dark wax from the highlight areas, leaving a contrast of highs and lows to really make your castings pop.
STEP SEVEN: ADD A LITTLE GLIMMER
Last of all, you know we love a little bit of sparkle with gold leaf paint. This time, we applied to the leaf veins, pumpkin stems, and acorn tops with a Q-tip. We really love the soft look.
Tip: Remember, gold leaf paint needs odorless mineral spirits to wash the brushes. So if you’re like us and you didn’t have any and you didn’t want to sacrifice a paintbrush in the endeavor, q tips for the win!
If you're just kicking off your creative journey, have no fear — our Product 101 pages are packed with straightforward techniques to set you up for success. We're thrilled to accompany you as you explore and create. For more how-tos and creative inspo, make sure to browse through the rest of our blog.
Once you've crafted your final piece, share it with our Facebook Creative Tribe! This community is not just a showcase but also a supportive hub for when you hit those creative roadblocks. And remember, your local stockist is always ready to assist with IOD supplies and expert advice. We're excited to see what you'll bring to life!
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