Today is a fun day – 12 of the Behr DIY Experts are sharing holiday painting projects – a perfect kick start to the holiday season. I hope you’ll make your way around and check out all the inspiration. You are going to want to get a roller out and start painting by the end of today. Promise.
Plus, Behr is even giving two of you the chance to take home 3 gallons of Behr paint for your own projects!
Fa la la la la la la la la.
If that’s not enough to get you in the holiday spirit, I don’t know what is.
Christmas decorating in the barn is going to be a challenge. There’s not a lot of space. And I looooooove to decorate for Christmas.
There may not even be room for one tree (SOB!). I’m still working on that.
But, I’m turning my sights to the outside of the barn before it snows. (Nevermind. It already snowed here.)
I’m starting with this giant (and simple) star marquee. It’s the perfect addition to the outside of the barn.
I’ve been seeing these rustic/primitive stars all over the place lately. But, I just couldn’t justify the $20-$30 when I thought I could make it myself. So my friend Shannon and I had a crafternoon in the barn while the kiddos played with trains. (Best idea ever.)
We started with five yard sticks (less than $1 each at Home Depot), Behr MARQUEE exterior paint in Caicos Turquoise, and a strand of patio lights that were on clearance at Target.
First, I painted the yard sticks. After one coat, they were totally covered. (I’m serious about that one-coat coverage.)
Then, I laid them out on my workspace and arranged them into a simple, primitive star. This is when we had to figure out the lighting layout. There were 25 lights per strand, so we put five lights on each yard stick, equally spaced. (Tip: Make sure that you mark out the light placement while they are in the star shape so you don’t put a light where the sticks intersect.)
I used my drill with a spade drill bit to make a larger hole for each light. We tested a few sizes to find the correct one for light bulb.
With a scrap board underneath, I carefully drilled holes on the yard sticks. Pretend like I’m wearing safety goggles. And makeup. And also pretend I actually brushed my hair that day. Isn’t pretending fun?
This is how the yardsticks looked after drilling.
Once the holes were there, we adhered them together with hot glue into a star.
Now, just put the bulbs through the holes and attach to the back socket.
It took a little fiddling to make sure the lights were in securely and would turn on.
I hung this huge star right outside our back door, and it’s the perfect addition. (We also got a new barn light hooked up and a simple little vinyl “hi.”
I actually made a few more stars without lights and may move them to another area. But, I think it’s the perfect first foray into holiday decorating. Turquoise and red may be my holiday decorating colors this year.
There is something special about the glow of Christmas lights at night..
Hope this inspires you to paint something for your Christmas decor.
And take some time to check out some of the amazing projects from my fellow Behr DIY Experts. There are some awesome and inspiring projects here that I’m adding to my must-make list.
1. All Things Heart and Home
10. A Pop of Pretty
12. Sugar Bee Crafts
Thanks to Behr Paint for providing the Behr MARQUEE paint for this project. And thanks to you for supporting sponsors who make projects like this possible.
Love this! I would do a red star for our house.
This is so cute! I love the primitive look with the lights! Such a fun, creative idea!
That is the perfect bright color for a Christmas star with the red barn and dark blue door!! Seriously perfect!
This is so adorable, Kim! I love you girls and your power tools! Thanks for all your hard work on this blog hop.
Oh my word, I love love love this! I’m so glad to have found a tutorial!!! 🙂
This is so creative and clever!
EEP! I am a Star FAN-atic, so of course I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this!!! WONDERFUL job!!! I LOVE all the colors in the Opulence line!!!
Very cute! I am thinking red ones would be good for me. I usually do a red and white thing at the holidays. That way if I’m lazy, I can make it last until Valentine’s Day!!
I love the turquoise color you used. I would love to try that on something!!
I love all colors blue!
Oooh – forgot to pick my colors: Mocha Foam and Snap Pea green are what I have in mind right now!
I love this project – so pretty and fun!
ooh–love it! it looks perfect against the red barn. For once in my life, I don’t know exactly what color paint I need next…hmm–I still need to de-yellow my hallway and then paint my den….maybe something gray or gray blue?
I would choose Gentle Rain. Thank you so much for the chance to win!
Love that turquoise! I would use the paint to makeover our rec room and I honestly have no idea what color to do in there.
I love aqua, but the Nuanced Neutrals are calling my name!
i am in love with the Behr grays, we need to cover some ‘designer’ paint choices in our new house STAT! love this take on a marquee, might need to find that drill in all our boxes and get on this project!
It looks great, kim! A project like this has been on my holiday weekend inspiration let for a couple years. I love the aqua with the red too. One of my favorite color combos.
This is seriously so simple, I can’t believe I waited so long to make it!
It is just SO great to see you with power tools. Power tool buddies!! For life!! 🙂 Love your star marquee. It is awesome. Pinned!!
I’m getting pretty competent with my drill. Next up: saws.
I’m also confused about the cord! Do you have it running behind something? It’s not visible in the picture! Love the star! Red, white, and navy would be great summer decorations, and wouldn’t need the lights.
We have an outdoor outlet below and I ran it down one of the batten panels. But you caught me – I crudely edited the cord out of the photos. (It’s not a very good editing job but it was driving me crazy.) Caught red handed trying to make the cords disappear.
But I’m planning to paint the cord red to blend with the barn so it won’t bug me forever.
And I actually love these stars without lights, too.
Cute! But what I really want to know is what color is that Tardis blue door?
It’s Behr Starless Night – https://newlywoodwards.com/2014/08/new-door-color-inviting-entry-barn.html
Thanks for stopping by.
Love the star! My drill broke, it will only go in reverse, so I might have to use smaller lights and wrap them around. I love your ideas! I am loving a little steam punk influence right now so I may paint mine in a light metalic gold. Keep up the great ideas!
Love the gold idea! You can never go wrong with metallics.
Oh I so love it! Need one
They are truly so quick and easy!
Kim I’ve been wanting to make a marquee sign! And this star would go with everything I’m doing this Christmas…thanks for the inspiration friend xo
Thank you, Robin! This is an easy project.
Really cute! How do you have it plugged in? Did you have an outlet put in next to that door? We’re spending our first Christmas in our house, and I am seriously limited by our lack of outdoor electricity. It’s so frustrating!
I have the cord coming down the barn into an outdoor outlet. Ryan put one in for me. But in our last house, we didn’t have one and I just ran the cords into the garage.
Very cool star idea.
Thanks, Linda! It was fun to make!
red and aqua make me so happy at christmas! love the star! i love their aquas, but i think i might want their linen. maybe. or a black.
I’m going a little Aqua crazy – it’s just so perfect with the barn.
Whoa! This is so pretty! Good work!
I am, however, embarrassed for you in that you don’t wear full makeup and heels with power tools. ‘Cause I do. Wait, do I even own heels?
I usually wear full makeup and heels. This was obviously the exception.
I am making this for sure! I noticed a neighbor had some wood on his curb for pick up, so I will pick that up lickety split! The only thing I don’t see is the chord for the lights. Could you show us how the lights look from the back with the chord attached? Or am I missing something completely? What a fantastic idea, Kim. Thanks so much!
I want to make a bunch more of these stars – so simple, inexpensive and pretty. Can’t wait to see yours.
Love your star marquee! Its so fun and festive. I would choose the color Day Spa for my laundry room.