Wooden Gingerbread Man Sign DIY

Make your own large wooden gingerbread cookie sign for Christmas with this simple DIY.

Display him inside or outside for a little festive seasonal flair with this classic holiday decoration.

Ok, before you think that this entire season is going to be all about gingerbread crafts I want to assure that it is not.

I may have one more to share in December, but I promise you, a gingerbread-palooza was not my original holiday plan.

The upcycled gingerbread row house I shared last week was the plan b makeover of a thrifted treasure.

That {upcoming} December craft just sort of popped into my brain when I stumbled upon a few gingerbread house gift tags yesterday.

In fact, the one and only planned gingerbread craft I had to share with you this season, wasn't even my idea. It was the accidental brainchild of my husband.

One he came up with way back in October.

While I was making a wooden ghost sign.

Remember this guy?


Well, as I was sketching him out on paper my husband commented that he looked an awful lot like a gingerbread man.

Oh really? I thought he was teasing me, making fun of my kindergarten teacher drawing skills, but nope, he was serious.

Furthermore, he suggested that since I enjoy decorating the back of some of my DIYs - because two crafts are always better than one - I should do that with this guy.

Give him a split holiday personality...Boo on the front and Fa La La on the back. Genius.

How To Make A Large Wooden Gingerbread Cookie Sign

 I already had the wooden cut out. If you're starting with the gingerbread man, you can go back to the link above to see how I made it.

Or you can just draw on the wood and paint the background a cheery color if you don't want to deal with a saw.

The rest of the craft was similar to making an actual gingerbread cookie. Just bake, or in this case make, and decorate.

Step 1: Paint

That meant my first step started with paint.


I simply turned my ghost over and painted the unfinished wood with several coats of terracotta colored acrylic paint.


I didn't prime the wood, so it did take me several coats to completely cover the surface.

When I was satisfied with the color, I set my wooden sign aside to dry completely, while I gathered my decorating supplies.

Step 2: Draw

Once my paint was totally dry, which didn't take very long, I used a pencil and sketched out a face.

I also added some squiggly lines to mimic the icing on a gingerbread cookie on his arms and legs.



I used DecoArt Snow Writer. It was very easy to control and gave the project a little extra pop and sparkle.

 
When I was done with the body lines, I moved on to the face. I used the Snow Writer for the cheeks and colored in the eyes and made the mouth with a black Sharpie Marker.


I also added a few red buttons to my gingerbread man's tummy with a glue gun and I used that black market to give him some legs. Something my ghost didn't need.

Step 4: Add A Banner

 If you recall, my Halloween ghost was very festive, holding his spooky banner.

Of course, my Christmas sign needed to be equally as merry. So I picked up a few unfinished wooden dollar store snowflake banners.


I embellished it with a bit of white paint and glitter to mimic red sugar crystals.

I also sealed the banner once it was dry in case I wanted to display my wooden sign outside in the elements.

 Step 5: Seal 

Then I used that satin sealer on the rest of the sign, again, in case he ends up on my front porch.

When both my gingerbread man and snowflake garland were completely dry, I looped the twine through the holes that had been drilled in his hands.

And he was ready for his holiday debut. Again.


For now, he's hanging out in my living room.

Adding some sugar plum styled, holiday sweetness to that room.


And no one would ever never guess that the ghost of Christmas past is hiding in there, too.

Behind him.

I certainly won't tell.

Will you? 

🎄👻

Are you a gingerbread fan?


Happy Christmas Crafting Friends!