Joy to the World Christmas Pallet

Jennifer Allwood
by Jennifer Allwood
This is a quick, easy way to bring a punch of color and a shot of JOY to your front steps this holiday season!

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I finished my JOY to the World Christmas pallet project for my front steps!!!! I’m obsessed with the word JOY. “The JOY of the Lord is your strength” - Neh 8:10.


I used my new favorite red paint color, Engine No. 9, to paint the pallet. After it dried, I went over it with Heirloom Traditions Jet Black wax on a wet sponge. It’s fast and easy! Both products are available on the link on my blog.


I asked the Mad Stencilist to design a “Joy to the World” stencil for my pallet. You can find it for sale at http://bit.ly/1Nkt1fV I love that it’s BIG!!!! These big stencils make life so much easier and are so quick and can be reused a jillion times.


I always use 3M’s 77 spray for adhesive on my stencils. This helps to eliminate bleeding. You can get that at any Home Depot or Lowes type store.


One of my minor irritations is when people don’t “fix their bridges” on their word stencils. It’s such a quick step and makes a huge difference in how professional your stencil looks. This video makes it easy to see what I’m talking about. Ignore my scary face and voice at the end.


After I stenciled it all in BLACK BEAN, I shifted the stencil slightly up and to the side so the black would be a shadow and then I RE-STENCILED it all in the FRENCH VANILLA color. It’s thick and covers in one coat! Notice in this picture that the wind had just picked up and my paint bowl is literally standing up on it’s edge. Classic.


Here’s a demo on stencil shadowing!!!!!!! Also, please notice my imaginary thigh gap in this video. You're welcome for the giggle. xoxo


Then I laid the stencil on one last time and stenciled the word JOY in gold and immediately dumped gold glitter from Hobby Lobby on it.


You need to wait for the glitter to dry before you “whisk” off the extra glitter, but I have no patience for that. I was having Mr Magic “secure the pallet” before the paint had even dried. Do note that pallets are heavy and if they are leaning, they need tied down to something so wind doesn’t catch behind them, crash it onto the steps and scare the heck out of your wife when she is home alone during the day. />


When I showed this project on my Facebook page, I think people were as excited about my spray painted dead mums as they were about the pallet. Listen, dead mums are easy for me to come by. Any dead plants are easy for me find. I kill things. Don’t try to teach me to water them, it will never happen.


Here is a quick video showing how to spray paint dead stuff. Isn’t that genius? My BFF Laura did it a few years ago. So quick and fun.


Someone on my Facebook page said it looked a little plain. I rarely take criticism to heart when it comes to decorating, but I thought I’d try to see how I liked it with snowflakes. I hated it. They were cheesy and I don’t do cheesy unless it’s with grapes and wine! =) It was way too busy for me, so I took them all back off. Yes, even the coffee filter ones that my daughter Ava wanted me to use on it. Ha!


So this is how it is staying. I put it out on my front steps with the following:


◾Spray paint dead mums
◾Dead mums inside of an urn which is on top of an upside down urn
◾That was a fall wreath that I spray painted red to make “Christmas’y”
◾Garage sale paper mache deer. I put pearls on one to make him fancy
◾The tall tree was in my garage sale pile and I just wrapped some crystals around it
◾The pot of sticks and lights is a 3 minute project. I shoved a garland down in the pot to make it look fancier
◾The pallet is actually my FALL "Give Thanks" pallet that I just reused the other side of


So most of these things I already had. Half of the fun in decorating is what my friend Shauna calls “recession redecorating” —- reusing what you have. Search your garage and basement!


If you enjoyed this project, I'd love for you to find my business page for "Jennifer Allwood" on Facebook and follow me there as well!


xoxo,


Jennifer
Jennifer Allwood
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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Frequently asked questions
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3 of 8 questions
  • Dana robinson Dana robinson on Feb 05, 2016
    love the idea ! what kind paint color ? lovein that !
  • Bev Bev on Nov 20, 2016
    Where do you get the pallet? Is it a craft store item?
  • Bridget Cole-Holt Bridget Cole-Holt on Jul 11, 2017

    Love this!! How do you connect your boards to each other and no gaps between them?

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2 of 81 comments
  • Mary Mary on Nov 20, 2016
    No question. Loved loved your. Ideo. I have the same problems with mums. Joy to the world is perfect for Christmas. So, I'm copying you💜🌲
  • Maureen Maureen on Nov 21, 2016
    Great idea and good execution. Will definitely copy you.
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