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    Home » Home Decor

    Make A "Hello" Mat

    Published: Mar 12, 2018 by Christina Dennis · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads · 11 Comments

    Want to make a personalized Welcome or "Hello" Mat? I'm sharing how to do it using a DIY stencil and latex or chalk style paint. You could use a Cricut to cut out your stencil, or I'll share a way to do it without a machine! Let's get started.

    DIY Hello Mat From The DIY Mommy

    This post was first published in June 2012 and has now been updated with new photos and information.

    Supplies:

    • small outdoor mat (I've used ones from Ikea or Walmart)
    • latex paint or chalk style paint (I'm using Rustoleum Chalked Paint on my "Welcome" mat)
    • small paint brush or foam brush
    • computer, printer & cardstock paper
    • Scotch Gard spray (optional)
    • Exacto knife & self-healing cutting mat OR Cricut

    Directions:

    DIY Hello Mat From The DIY Mommy

    First, measure your rug and decide how big of a "hello" (or "welcome" or whatever other word) you'd like. I wanted mine exactly centered and not too large, but not too small. Then, using a fun font, type your "hello" in a new Word document or photo editing program on your computer. You're welcome to use mine if you'd like: The DIY Mommy Painted Mat - Hello (PDF Download) Print it out on cardstock paper.

    Using an Exacto knife, carefully cut out the letters and then all of the holes in the letters that need it (the "E"'s, "O"'s etc.).

    Alternatively, you can use a Cricut to cut your stencil onto cardstock. I made the mat below using my Cricut, and you can access my "Welcome" Cricut cut file project for that by clicking right here.

    DIY Welcome Mat with Cricut & chalk paint

    Save the holes from the E's, O's etc. - you'll need them for your stencil!

    DIY Hello Mat From The DIY Mommy

    Place the stencil on your rug, wherever you want it (I exactly centered mine) and tape it into place. Alternatively, use blobs of hot glue to keep the stencil in place (just test the hot glue on your rug first to make sure you can easily pull it off later!) Use double-sided tape or hot glue to place the "holes" of the letters in their spots.

    DIY Hello Mat From The DIY Mommy

    Use a small paintbrush or foam brush to stipple the paint onto your stencil. There are actual stippling brushes you can buy, but I simply used an inexpensive craft paintbrush and foam brush. Hold the stencil down with your opposite hand as you go so that you don't accidentally paint out of the lines. I had to stipple the paint to push it down because the rug was a little textured. If you're using a flatter woven rug, it won't be as tricky!

    DIY Hello Mat From The DIY Mommy

    (Here's a picture of me holding onto the "holes" of the "O" with my opposite hand while painting - finicky, but it worked! I'd suggest taping them first or using hot glue to hold them down as mentioned.)

    DIY Hello Mat From The DIY Mommy

    I found two coats of latex paint was sufficient, or use one coat of chalk style paint. Make sure to let the paint dry for at least 2 hours between coats. After the second coat has dried, spray the painted section with Scotch Gard. Let dry overnight and then spray again, making sure to let the rug dry completely before use.

    DIY Hello Mat from The DIY Mommy

    I made this "hello" mat 6 years ago and it still looks like this to this day!

    DIY Hello Mat from The DIY Mommy

    And this new "Welcome" mat is a... ahem... welcome addition to our Spring front door decor this year:

    Teal, grey and pink DIY Spring front door decor

    Enjoy your new customized front door mat!

    Watch my new video below to see the step-by-step on how to make customized front door mat - plus I'm also sharing how to make a DIY tulip wreath and our front door decor for Spring!

    Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

    More Inspiration

    • Gorgeous Powder Room Makeover on a Budget
    • DIY Thrift Store Candle using a kitchen canister
    • Turn an IKEA SORTSO rug into a gorgeous pillow
    • 10 Places to Find Cheap Home Decor and Accessories

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Betty Minnes

      June 12, 2012 at 7:54 pm

      Very nice Christina, I like it.

      Reply
      • Christina

        June 12, 2012 at 10:20 pm

        Thanks, Auntie Betty!

        Reply
    2. Amanda @ Natural Mommie

      June 12, 2012 at 8:08 pm

      I walked past those ikea rugs the other day and was hoping you'd post the tutorial soon. So fabulous!! Adding it to my list of things to do. 🙂

      Reply
      • Christina

        June 12, 2012 at 10:20 pm

        Thanks, Amanda! It's so simple, and I'm happy with how mine is holding up. 🙂

        Reply
    3. Erin J

      August 16, 2012 at 8:46 pm

      Hi! I just stumbled across this post and it's awesome! I was wondering what font you used?

      Reply
      • Christina Dennis

        August 16, 2012 at 9:37 pm

        Hi Erin! The font I used is "Feel Script" and they have some great extra glyphs in the set - like the swily "H". http://marketplace.veer.com/font/Feel-Script-UMT0000300

        Reply
    4. Erin J

      August 17, 2012 at 7:14 am

      Thanks so much! I'm kinda a font junkie, so love finding new fonts to add to the collection.

      Reply
      • Christina Dennis

        August 17, 2012 at 6:37 pm

        No problem! I'm totally a font addict too. 🙂

        Reply
    5. Quicke Shop

      August 08, 2019 at 12:45 am

      Great blog post about door mats. I like it. Thanks for sharing it with us.

      Reply

    Trackbacks

    1. Paint an IKEA Cart | The DIY Mommy says:
      August 7, 2012 at 7:30 am

      [...] really getting into “hacking” and glamourizing items from there! A few weeks ago, I added a bit of excitement to a plan IKEA doormat with leftover paint from this project that I want to share with you today: painting a [...]

      Reply
    2. Well, hello mat | A Little Wall says:
      September 11, 2014 at 10:16 am

      […] saw this doormat on Pinterest the other day and knew I needed it immediately. The author even included PDF files for […]

      Reply

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