Welcome Santa Wooden Sign Craft Kit | DIY Craft Tutorial

Hello there! We’re featuring a series of new craft kits this month for “Christmas in July!” Today I’m sharing how to make this adorable Welcome Santa wooden sign using one of our layered craft kits.

This festive Christmas project is filled with sweet details, including Santa, a gingerbread man, holly leaves, stars, falling snow, and a cheerful “Welcome Santa” message. The distressed paint and antique wax give it the perfect rustic farmhouse finish, while the bright colors keep it fun and festive.

Display your finished sign on a wall, door, shelf, or mantel to add a little handmade Christmas charm to your home!

Materials Needed

• Welcome Santa wooden sign craft kit
• Black acrylic or chalk paint
• Acrylic Paint: Flamenco Red, Red or pink paint for rosy cheeks,
• White paint, Golden Sunset (yellow), Territorial Beige (light brown), Warm Buff (light tan), Vintage Tea Rose (light pink), Light green, and Dark green
• Small painting sponges or brushes
• Painter’s tape or masking tape
• Sandpaper or sanding block
• Dixie Belle Best Dang Wax in Antique Brown
• Blending tool
• Stick Fast Thick glue or hot glue
• Sharpie paint markers
• Extra-fine black Sharpie marker
• Decorative wire
• Scissors or wire cutters

Step 1: Paint the Sign Backer

First, remove all of the layered wooden pieces from the sign and set them aside.

Paint the large backer piece black using a small sponge or paintbrush. Apply enough coats to create even coverage, allowing the paint to dry between coats if needed.

The black background will help the colorful Santa and decorative pieces stand out. Navy blue also gives a great contrast. 

Step 2: Paint the Frame

Next, paint the wooden frame with Flamenco Red.

Make sure to cover the front and visible edges. Set the frame aside to dry while you begin painting the remaining pieces.

Step 3: Paint Santa’s Hat and Coat Red

While the red paint is out, use it to paint the top section of Santa’s hat and the main body of his coat.

You can also paint the small holly berry red at this time.

Step 4: Secure and Paint the Small Pieces

Small wooden pieces can be difficult to hold while painting, so place them onto a strip of painter’s tape or masking tape. This keeps them from moving around or getting lost.

Paint the following pieces white:

• “Welcome Santa” lettering
• Santa’s mustache
• Santa’s beard
• The trim around Santa’s hat
• The pom-pom at the end of the hat

Allow the pieces to dry before applying a second coat, if necessary.

Step 5: Paint the Remaining Details

Next, paint the rest of the wooden pieces:

• Paint the stars with Golden Sunset.
• Paint the gingerbread man with Territorial Beige.
• Paint Santa’s face and hands with Warm Buff.
• Paint Santa’s nose with Vintage Tea Rose.
• Paint one pine or holly leaf a lighter green.
• Paint the second leaf a darker green for contrast.

Using two shades of green helps the greenery stand out once everything is assembled.

Step 6: Distress the Painted Pieces

Once all of the paint is completely dry, lightly sand the pieces with sandpaper.

Focus on the edges, raised areas, and a few spots across the front to create a gently worn farmhouse finish.

Lightly sand the frame and backer as well. Be careful not to remove too much paint—you only need enough distressing to reveal small hints of the wood underneath.

Step 7: Apply Antique Wax

Use a blending tool to apply a small amount of Dixie Belle Antique Wax around the edges of the painted pieces.

Add a little wax at a time and blend it into the surface. The goal is to soften the bright paint colors and give the project an aged, rustic look.

Repeat this process on the frame, lettering, stars, greenery, Santa pieces, and gingerbread man.

Step 8: Add Details to the Gingerbread Man

Use Sharpie paint markers to draw the gingerbread man’s face and icing details.

Add:

• Two small eyes
• A tiny mouth
• Icing lines on the arms and legs
• Buttons down the front

An extra-fine black Sharpie works well for drawing the mouth and other small details.

Once you are happy with the face, glue the small heart onto the bottom of the gingerbread man.

Step 9: Assemble Santa’s Face

Begin assembling Santa by gluing the hat and mustache into place.

Next, add rosy cheeks to Santa’s face and draw his eyes using a black paint marker. Add tiny white dots inside the eyes to give them a little extra personality.

Glue Santa’s pink nose in place, followed by the white pom-pom at the end of his hat.

Finally, glue Santa’s face onto the red body piece.

Step 10: Glue the Main Pieces to the Sign

Arrange Santa, the gingerbread man, and the “Welcome Santa” lettering on the black backer before gluing.

Taking a moment to check the placement will help you make sure everything is straight and evenly spaced.

Once you are happy with the arrangement, glue each piece down using Stick Fast Thick glue or hot glue.

Step 11: Add the Greenery and Stars

Glue the two green leaves onto Santa’s hat, followed by the small red berry.

Next, glue the distressed yellow stars onto the background in the designated spaces.

These little pieces add color and help fill out the overall design.

Step 12: Attach Santa’s Hands

Glue the small hand pieces near Santa’s body.

This step is optional. The design will still look cute without the hands, so you can leave them off if you prefer a simpler appearance.

Step 13: Add the Falling Snow

To brighten the black background, use a white Sharpie paint marker to create small dots around Santa and the other pieces.

Vary the size and placement of the dots so they look like gently falling snow and avoid making the pattern too uniform.

Step 14: Add the Wire Hanger

Finally, cut a piece of decorative wire and attach it to the top of the sign to create a hanger.

Twist or curl the wire slightly for an extra decorative touch, and make sure it is securely attached before hanging the sign.

Finished Welcome Santa Sign

That’s it! This Welcome Santa wooden sign craft kit is such a cheerful addition to your Christmas decorating.

The distressed red frame, black snowy background, layered Santa, gingerbread man, and rustic details all come together to create a sweet handmade sign you can enjoy throughout the holiday season.

This would also make a fun Christmas craft night project or a thoughtful handmade gift for someone who loves festive farmhouse decor.

If you decide to make this DIY I’d love to hear from ya! You can drop a comment below or message me on any of my social media pages. Hope you have a blessed weekend and as always remember to keep it simple. Catch ya next week my friends! Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube

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