Make a Welcome Mat

Decorate a grass reed or coir doormat with a homemade welcome message using this simple painting technique.

What you need:

Doormat

Acrylic Paints

Spray paint

Paintbrush

Stencil or rubber stamp (optional)

Masking or Painter's tape

Craft Project Instructions:

Vacuum your mat to remove any loose grass and dust. In this mat, I found everything after the eye, rather than to measure.

To make the border secure a strip of masking tape along the entire perimeter of the mat. I used the width of masking tape as my guide and placed it flush with inventory of the mat. I then placed a second stripe masking tape, just inside the first draft of masking tape. I estimated the width of the eye alone. Press the tape to ensure as best as possible.

Grass blankets will not keep your tapes safe, but they will keep it good enough for you to paint. Paint your border (between the two strips of masking tape) using a brush or a mini roll. I used a roller and found it much easier than a brush. You must use a reasonable amount of paint that the mat will absorb a great deal. Let the paint dry completely before proceeding. The paint will dry very quickly. Remove masking tape.

Though the picture is not entirely clear that there are turtles go along the bottom of my mat. I used a cheap chunky stamp for this. These mats are difficult to stamp on and you'll have to fill in the stamped areas with a little more paint. Apply paint to your stamp (be generous) and press very firmly on the mat. Your impression will be weak, but you will have a clear outline to work with. Using your brush, paint in some areas that are not transferred. Choose a single stamp to make this task easier.

The branches at the top of the mat, was pulled free hand, but you can also use a stamp for this. The homemade "Welcome" message was painted free hand. To do this, and to keep the letters relatively straight, place a strip of masking tape along Your mat where you want the bottom of the sign for and even a piece of tape where you want the top of the letters to be. This will give you a guide to work with. You need a lot of paint to create a strong greeting.

Start with a very light coat of paint and write your letters. You can also write your letters with chalk first if you are unsure, and then paint directly over the limestone. You may need to repaint the letters several times before you feel strong have painted. Let all the paint dry completely.

To preserve your paint, finishing with a layer of spray varnish all over the mat. These mats will eventually fade, which makes them all, but if you re-spray with varnish before they fade too hard, they will last for quite some time. It is not absolutely necessary to seal your mat with lacquer, but the paint will wear very quickly if not sealed.