![Chistmas-Mantel-featuring-lighted-Santa-and-Reindeer-Sleigh-Reclaimed-Wood-Sign.jpg Chistmas Mantel featuring lighted Santa and Reindeer Sleigh Reclaimed Wood Sign](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-UyE_KCaM8xk/VnD9nBW-z2I/AAAAAAABfU0/EDzSWkFqTqc/Chistmas-Mantel-featuring-lighted-Santa-and-Reindeer-Sleigh-Reclaimed-Wood-Sign.jpg?imgmax=800)
Even though I've already shared my holiday home tour last week, you may have noticed I only gave a tiny glimpse of my (at that time, unfinished) Christmas mantel. I have been sitting on this post for a while because I was invited by Jen Woodhouse to be part of this year's “Deck the Halls DIY-Style” blog hop. I have joined with 17 other bloggers featuring great holiday decor with a DIY spin. (All their links are at the bottom of this post!)
![deck-the-halls-diy-graphic.jpg Deck the halls diy graphic](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vUgN429-FWw/VnD_A5poMWI/AAAAAAABfXE/DlT2eZEx934/deck-the-halls-diy-graphic.jpg?imgmax=800)
My DIY project for this year’s Christmas mantel is this fun Illuminated Scrap Lumber Santa Sleigh Sign.
![Illuminated-reindeer-sleigh-christmas-sign.jpg Illuminated reindeer sleigh christmas sign](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ed76TD66C-c/VnD-94Q5miI/AAAAAAABfW8/Ob1YgGk7h10/Illuminated-reindeer-sleigh-christmas-sign.jpg?imgmax=800)
I’ve done a lot of these signs out of cull lumber, pallets, and scraps, but my most popular one, hands down, has been my “Oh Come Let Us Adore Him” version which also featured mini lights. So this year I wanted to make a new (less religious) version, and so I thought of Santa and his tiny reindeer.
![Traditional-Christams-Living-Room.jpg Traditional Christams Living Room](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-N_yY9YEpOSg/VnD-vNgMLMI/AAAAAAABfWs/AtA77iwDMOg/Traditional-Christams-Living-Room.jpg?imgmax=800)
Along with the sign, I went super traditional with red, green and white since it felt really Christmassy to me. I love the crystal bead snowflake garland as well as the faux iced pine branches I used in lieu of my more traditional greenery.
![Glass-bead-snowflakes.jpg Glass bead snowflakes](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-YJDRi7C3oTE/VnD90Xu_3qI/AAAAAAABfVU/GLevXvkmeic/Glass-bead-snowflakes.jpg?imgmax=800)
I also used iced berry branches on the hearth in a white ceramic pitcher to complete the red, white and green theme.
![Iced-Berry-Branch-Arragement-for-Christams.jpg Iced Berry Branch Arragement for Christams](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Vq2ndzAwbDM/VnD99241QdI/AAAAAAABfVs/r3WpUlVyubs/Iced-Berry-Branch-Arragement-for-Christams.jpg?imgmax=800)
I used silver vases for my mini trees to give height to the vignette..
![Christmas-Mantle-Red-white-and-green-with-Santa.jpg Christmas Mantle Red white and green with Santa](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-khg0_nKuTVI/VnD9pzRNViI/AAAAAAABfU8/q89zeUZVh0Y/Christmas-Mantle-Red-white-and-green-with-Santa.jpg?imgmax=800)
and the traditional red plaid bows makes me happy when I look at them.
![Red-Plaid-Bow-On-Mini-Christmas-Tree.jpg Red Plaid Bow On Mini Christmas Tree](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2vwX7Fi8GYo/VnD-dK3T_xI/AAAAAAABfWU/SgSrP3KFhMA/Red-Plaid-Bow-On-Mini-Christmas-Tree.jpg?imgmax=800)
So how did I create the sign? (Since this is DIY post after all!)
Well, I started with some REALLY REALLY crappy wood. This is actually the boards that they use to protect the real lumber when they bundle it for shipping. My local hardware store gives these boards away for free since they are usually not actually square, they are splitting, warped, super rough and pretty much a mess. Often they are the boards that still have the bark on one side. I just cut out the centers of the boards (since that is the part that is the most usable),
![scrapwood-lumber-sign.jpg Scrapwood lumber sign](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_rZfOucZZWU/VnD-gZSLj4I/AAAAAAABfWc/wo5FCLncYII/scrapwood-lumber-sign.jpg?imgmax=800)
![distressed-weathered-finish-driftwood.jpg Distressed weathered finish driftwood](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-CObbSxeInGI/VnD9tZWdXCI/AAAAAAABfVE/ZV0rp36wf2E/distressed-weathered-finish-driftwood.jpg?imgmax=800)
![wood-after-driftwood-aging.jpg Wood after driftwood aging](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-mjVRBvCu6mA/VnD-4gFYZmI/AAAAAAABfW0/McK-tWuNq9g/wood-after-driftwood-aging.jpg?imgmax=800)
![assembling-barn-wood-sign.jpg Assembling barn wood sign](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-tzT-BViJucM/VnD9gLpLSRI/AAAAAAABfUs/gRxVG631zC0/assembling-barn-wood-sign.jpg?imgmax=800)
![Merry-Christmas-Santa-Sleigh-Stencil.jpg Merry Christmas Santa Sleigh Stencil](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-X786z0koXpk/VnD-Q6rAd5I/AAAAAAABfV8/8BlQlW32BXA/Merry-Christmas-Santa-Sleigh-Stencil.jpg?imgmax=800)
I weeded the design and hand transferred it to the sign. I didn’t use transfer tape since the stencil does NOT want to stick down and there was no way it would release.
![contact-paper-paint-stencil.jpg Contact paper paint stencil](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vWkMBpWWouA/VnD9xtJujnI/AAAAAAABfVM/TjN0y1mm_zw/contact-paper-paint-stencil.jpg?imgmax=800)
![Stenciling-with-contact-paper.jpg Stenciling with contact paper](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-h5iva6ubjY4/VnD-lNhhjKI/AAAAAAABfWk/69yQFGv2vhA/Stenciling-with-contact-paper.jpg?imgmax=800)
Here is the finalized stencil:
![Merry-Christmas-To-All-Flying-Sleigh-Sign.jpg Merry Christmas To All Flying Sleigh Sign](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Qn60xLeFNFA/VnD-Vk4js-I/AAAAAAABfWE/WpDgaAWu8YI/Merry-Christmas-To-All-Flying-Sleigh-Sign.jpg?imgmax=800)
![hole-gauge-to-measure-lights.jpg Hole gauge to measure lights](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-SICW6bvwTP0/VnD92wRJ1AI/AAAAAAABfVc/MTDNzifNPss/hole-gauge-to-measure-lights.jpg?imgmax=800)
![holes-in-christmas-sign.jpg Holes in christmas sign](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-b3DVesmk5AQ/VnD96Dpgx2I/AAAAAAABfVk/IyguxyXnfoc/holes-in-christmas-sign.jpg?imgmax=800)
![reclaimed-barn-wood-sign-with-christmas-lights.jpg Reclaimed barn wood sign with christmas lights](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-zrzS9A5YXhA/VnD-ZzEpDbI/AAAAAAABfWM/y8F6ZbUBKGk/reclaimed-barn-wood-sign-with-christmas-lights.jpg?imgmax=800)
I definitely think this sign gives my old one a run for it’s money. I really love how it came out.
![Merry-Christmas-Santa-Sleigh-Mantel.jpg Merry Christmas Santa Sleigh Mantel](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ZWyIfieJinY/VnD-C2O0aWI/AAAAAAABfV0/ZPXl_YMSQo0/Merry-Christmas-Santa-Sleigh-Mantel.jpg?imgmax=800)
And now, go check out these other DIY projects on this fab blog hop! And thanks again to Jen for inviting me to join.. these other bloggers are so amazing it is an honor to be included! <3
![deck-the-halls-diy-graphic.jpg Deck the halls diy graphic](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vUgN429-FWw/VnD_A5poMWI/AAAAAAABfXE/DlT2eZEx934/deck-the-halls-diy-graphic.jpg?imgmax=800)
![deck-the-halls-diy-graphic.jpg Deck the halls diy graphic](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vUgN429-FWw/VnD_A5poMWI/AAAAAAABfXE/DlT2eZEx934/deck-the-halls-diy-graphic.jpg?imgmax=800)
- 12/1 – Just A Girl and Her Blog
- 12/2 – Addicted 2 DIY
- 12/3 – The House of Wood
- 12/4 – Sawdust 2 Stitches
- 12/7 – The Ugly Duckling House
- 12/8 – Sawdust and Embryos
- 12/9 – Pretty Handy Girl
- 12/10 – Not Just a Housewife
- 12/11 – Place Of My Taste
- 12/14 – Bower Power Blog
- 12/15 – That’s My Letter
- 12/16 – ME!
- 12/17 – Her Toolbelt
- 12/18 – My Love 2 Create
- 12/21 – Craftberry Bush
- 12/22 – The DIY Village
- 12/23 – Shades Of Blue Interiors
- 12/24 – Ana White