DIY Vintage Kitsch Deer + Our Holiday Door Decor

If you haven’t realized it yet, then I think it’s time for me to tell you all: I love Holiday door decor!!! Since we moved into our home, I think one of my favorite things to design every year are our Holiday doors. I’ve been loving all of the kitschy pastel deer I’ve been seeing in stores this year, and wanted to try my hand at making giant versions of them. They turned out so much better than I expected, and we’re sharing the tutorial with you below so you can make your own for your decor as well! P.S. We made the jingle bells too out of large ornaments, a clay strip around the middle, and black vinyl for the bottom!

Papier-mâché reindeer
Black, white, red, pink, and mint spray paint
White model magic
Vinyl sheet in black and white
Utility knife
Newsprint or newspaper
Elmer’s white glue
Ribbon in your choice of color (we chose pink, red and white)
Hot glue gun

1. To make the deer a bit cuter, we’re going to remove the ears and tail and shape our own. Using your utility knife, remove your reindeer’s antlers, ears, and tail. (You can skip this step and the next two if you like the deer as is)

2. Cut newsprint or newspaper into small strips, then dip it into a mixture of two parts glue to one part water, to papier-mâché the holes you just created in the deer. Allow the papier-mâché to dry and add more layers to get a nice rounded shape if needed.

3. Using your model magic, form two ears and a tail. Allow the model magic to harden and then hot glue them in place.

4. In a well ventilated area, spray paint the entire reindeer white, then using painters tape to separate the hoof from the foot, spray paint the hoof black.

5. Use your chosen color of spray paint to apply a final coat of color, spraying from further away, creating an ombre effect on the legs and chest.

6. While it dries, use a Cricut or utility knife to cut out spots from the white vinyl, and a nose and eyes for the face from black vinyl.

7. Apply your vinyl and attach a bow, and your reindeer is complete!

How many of you have decorated for the Holidays already?? We’re in the Holiday spirit a little early this year, so next up is indoors! Thinking of making some reindeer in other colors to put in the living room too. If there are any other Holiday DIYs you’d like to see this year, leave them below!