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Four DIY Holiday Decorating Craft Projects

Two weeks ago, we shared our Children’s Hospital makeover project with you guys, and this week we got to start actually installing the room. Holy holly jolly, Batman!

Grid of 4 DIY Holiday projects for Children's Hospital | Faux Fireplace | Paper Bulb Garland | Cardboard Letters | Gradient Menorah

We’d share wider room shots except we’re still waiting on around 40% of the stuff to get delivered loaded in. In the meantime, we thought we’d share the details on four easy and affordable DIY holiday projects we completed for the space!

  1. A faux fireplace with real branches
  2. An interactive paper bulb garland
  3. A Gilded cardboard letters
  4. A gradient painted Menorah

1. A Faux Fireplace With Real Branches

The first one’s our little faux fireplace that could be used to turn any spot into a kitschy, temporary hearth for the holidays. This room at the Children’s Hospital had the perfect spot in this niche below the TV.

Wood mantle with TV in Childrens Hospital waiting room

A real fireplace is obviously not an option in a fireplace so we opted to make them a fun faux one instead. The first step was getting a thin plywood board cut to size at Home Depot that we took home and stained gray with a small pot of stain (also from Home Depot).

Staining a piece of plywood gray with a brush to make a faux fireplace mantle

Our original plan was to just paint some wood and a fire on it, but I got the harebrained idea to incorporate real wood instead. I scavenged in the woods behind our house a bit and then ripped the fallen branches in half on my table saw. That way there was a flat side to rest against the plywood.

Small tree branch cut in half on table saw for faux fireplace DIY project

After playing around with a few halved-logs, I found an arrangement that sort of mimicked the look of stacked logs. So after letting them dry out and then sealing them with a few coats of spray poly on all sides (to make them less crumbly) I glued them in place and, once the glue was dry, I screwed them in from the back – just to be safe.

Cut tree branches stacked on gray stained plywood sheet for DIY holiday faux fireplace

Sherry then used some spare orange paint (Terra Cotta Red by Valspar, which we got with free sample coupons from Lowe’s) to paint on some flames.

Sherry painting fake flames on DIY faux holiday fireplace

She originally planned to do some red and yellow too, but we both kinda liked how simple and graphic it looked with one color, so she left it as-is.

Finished faux flames painted atop cut tree branches on faux holiday DIY fireplace

Then I just used 3M Command velcro strips to hold it in place in that recessed alcove under the TV (this way it’s 100% removable after the holidays).

John placing fake fireplace DIY onto mantle in childrens hospital waiting room

Here’s a detail of the finished faux fireplace, complete with a few “mantle” decorations as well. The chevron stockings were a handmade-with-love donation from a local Etsy shop called Love by Design. Thanks Christen! We’ve already heard that they’re making the kids and families smile, and they’re not even full of presents…

Finished faux fireplace with holiday decorations and stockings on mantle for Childrens Hospital of Richmond waiting room

2. An Interactive Christmas Light Garland

Next to the fireplace is a freshly painted wall with two more projects that we just got to hang. Let’s start with the easy one: our “Christmas lights” paper garland.

Holiday paper craft wall hanging projects at Childrens Hospital of Richmond

Early on we knew we wanted to do an “interactive” garland where the kids could help us by putting their personal stamp on things, so the obvious solution was paper clipped onto a string like a clothesline (so things could be colored and easily hung up to be displayed). But to give it a little holiday spin, Sherry cut the paper to mimic the shape of those old-school big bulb string lights.

Then she glued a silver paper “socket” to each one of the clothespins to round out the idea. Now when they’re all clipped into place on the silver twine, they look like little Christmas lights, and can be personalized by kids (and parents) of all ages.

Glueing gray paper light socket cut outs onto clothespin for Christmas craft garland

Clara very kindly volunteered to color on a few of the bulbs before we left home, just in case the kids needed a subtle nudge that they’re allowed to go to town on these. But the nudge wasn’t needed. While we were there installing a few things, a 10-year-old girl named Jessie came in with her nurse and colored a bunch of them for us. You can see her self-portrait on the green one below. She’s just about the coolest kid ever. Thanks for getting the garland project started, Jessie!

Close up of paper Christmas light bulb garland with kid artwork on paper bulbs for Childrens Hospital of Richmond

3. Vintage cardboard “PEACE” letters

Above the garland is a little lettered “PEACE” sign made from cardboard letters from the craft store. It’s a word we’ve been keeping in mind while choosing items for the room since, of all the feelings this holiday season can bring, peace seemed like a good one for a space that you want to be calming and welcoming for all of the families who will be spending their time in this room. The first step was grabbing these cardboard letters from JoAnn fabric.

Cardboard craft letters from JoAnn Fabric spelling PEACE

We’d seen some folks on the interweb cut them open before, so we decided to give it a go. I sliced along the top edge of each one (not a quick process, I’ll warn you) and then smoothed things out a bit with a sanding block afterward. The cardboard didn’t cut super cleanly, so the sanding helped to get rid of some of the raggedness.

Cutitng cardboard letter with craft knife and sanding edge smooth

Here’s the scene after my cutting and sanding spree.

Cardboard craft letters with surface cut off

Once cut, Sherry took them outside and gave them a coat of gold spray paint (still leftover from our book photoshoots, wouldn’t you know). She focused her spraying mostly on the edges, because we had other plans for the inside: a colorful gradient from turquoise to dark navy. Since we had a few shades of blue craft paint around it was pretty easy to achieve the range of colors.

Painting inside of cardboard craft letter with blue gradient paint

It wasn’t until after we were done that we realized they kind of resembled old metal letters. Somewhere between the metallic spray paint and the still sightly rough edge, it gave them a bit of a rusted, vintage look. It was awesome to see people reaching out to touch them, thinking they were made of something heavy and then realizing they’re just painted cardboard.

Finished cardboard craft letters painted in gradient for holiday decorations in Childrens Hospital of Richmond

4. A Gradient Menorah

And speaking of blue gradients, Sherry decided to carry that theme over to the Menorah that we brought into the room, which was inspired by the gradient candles that were in her original moodboard’s menorah candles. Thank goodness we got it into the room with a few days of Hanukkah still left (it went in on Tuesday)!

Blue gradient spray painted Menorah DIY project

For this little upgrade, we found a regular white menorah at Party City, and Sherry bought two cans of spray paint for that graduated effect. The first one was a dark blue color that she applied around the base on all sides (Lagoon by Rust-oleum) and then some aqua got sprayed through the middle portion on all sides (Blue Ocean Breeze by Krylon). She simply left the original white color along the top, and it probably took ten minutes total.

Two cans of blue spray paint for DIY Menorah painting holiday project for gradient effect

So there are four little holiday updates that we’ve completed for anyone who has been wondering what we’ve been up to in there. Now we’ve moved onto the rest of the projects on our to-do list that are still not crossed off (see below) one of which will feature the messages, cards, and other well-wishes that a bunch of you have sent our way (thank you, THANK YOU!).

We’ll be finishing up next week (exciting bigger things will be coming in, like our cozy armchair, the window treatments, some bigger wall items, etc) and then they’re actually editing a short video of the makeover along with some Sherry’s-already-crying-just-thinking-about-it reactions from the sweet families who are spending their time in the room. We can’t wait to share that stuff with you guys as soon as we can!

White Christmas tree at Childrens Hospital of Richmond with DIY decor

Here’s what our To Do list is looking like as of this morning:

  • New paint job on walls. Done!
  • Build a large custom chalkboard for holiday cheer messages and kid doodles (and hang it). Done!
  • Assemble tree and decorate it. Done!
  • Buy (and paint) menorah. Done!
  • Make clip-up garland for kid-drawings. Done!
  • Make removable fireplace panel for under the TV and decorate the “mantel.” Done!
  • Cut, paint, and hang our big PEACE sign. Done!
  • Receive custom art for the kitchen area from a kind reader (all the way in Australia!). Done, just have to hang it!
  • Add in a white (but not ceramic) animal friend somewhere. Done!
  • Add snowflakes to all the windows. Done!
  • Make wintry (washable faux velvet?) tablecloths & add small snowy tree centerpieces.
  • Hang wreaths in kitchen area.
  • Pick up window treatments (once they’re done) and hang them.
  • Paint and hang di-cut trees around room ledge (can’t wait to share more details on this! We recruited the coolest local company to help us make them).
  • Decorate pillars near entry and arch between them.
  • Bring in cozy armchair for corner.
  • Paint and hang two cork boards full of messages from you guys.
  • Create wood slice art (3 pieces) for the wall between those two cork boards. Done, just need to hang them!

Decorations and makeover aside, I have to quickly say what a humbling experience this has been. Maybe between now and the next post I’ll find the right words to express exactly what I mean – but witnessing what the staff at the CHoR does is pretty incredible. To get even small glimpses of the heart-wrenching stuff they encounter every day has been pretty eye-opening… and it really puts the idea of stressing over decorations and holiday entertaining into perspective. So in case we forget to say it later, a big thank you to anyone who does a tough job like that and makes such an amazing difference for so many families who are dealing with some very heavy stuff. We’re grateful there are folks like you in the world.

Update: You can check out all of our favorite holiday decor finds here – many of which are under $15! 

Comments

  1. rachael says

    John, your last paragraph totally melted me. What a great way to really embrace the spirit of Christmas. Do you guys think you’ll eventually shift away from home DIY as your job to doing more things like this and the showhouse? Your home will eventually be done, it’d be great to see you guys transition fully into home design for others.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Thanks Rachael. It absolutely feels like things could evolve that way. It’s so rewarding, and when our house is done I’m sure we’d love taking on other projects and making a difference whenever we can.

      -John

  2. Jessica says

    I am a ball of tears right now. We just recently had a stay in the Children’s Hospital of Atlanta. Our 1 year old was having complex febrile seizures – SO SCARY! The people of Children’s (especially nurses! I love nurses!) took such good care of our baby girl and I respect you guys so much for doing something to help the hospital and families who have to be there over the holidays. I am so thankful we don’t have to be there, but I know it’s a reality for many families. Thanks for making their time there a little brighter. You’re awesome.

    Reply

  4. Jamie says

    Technically it’s El Cerrito (not Berkeley), but thanks for the shout-out! And uh, I guess I should probably whip something up now :)

    Reply

  5. Victoria says

    OK. Count me in on the crying club. I am humbled by your kindness, your generous spirit, and your creativity. Your “sneak peek” looks amazing and I am so excited to see the reveal.
    John, your last paragraph really touched me. What a wonderful example you two are setting for your children (and all of us, too).
    My husband and I are sending some small things for the board your way but due to our lingering Thanksgiving “virus” I was just able to mail it yesterday. Hope it makes it.
    Looking forward to the “reveal” on the bun as well.
    Now it feels like the holidays. Peace, love, and joy to you.

    Reply

  6. aleph says

    You both write fairly well, but I’ve seen this error a few times here and I hope you will take my correction in stride because it is offered without malice (I know you monitor posts, so it’s fine not to let this one through). John, you used both “everyday” and “every day” in one sentence. Both cases should be “every day.” Every is the adjective that describes the noun (day). Use “everyday” as an adjective to describe a noun: “my everyday sweater.” You could switch to “each day” if it gets too confusing.

    “everyday is pretty incredible. To get even small glimpses of the heart-wrenching stuff they encounter every day has been pretty eye-opening”

    Cheers.

    Reply

  8. Sarah says

    Wow I love how this is turning out and the letters look fantastic, I’m going to try it! Awesome decorating for a great cause, way to spread the holiday cheer!

    Reply

  11. Emeline says

    I always have trouble about decorating my home for Christmas, because I live in Brazil and everything that looks snowy seems fake. This year I will give it a try with some garland.

    Reply

  13. Jess says

    Love that you guys are using your skills to bring joy, cheer, and peace to the community. The sneak peek photos are so colorful and happy and definitely made me smile. Can’t imagine the impact it’ll make on families and patients in the midst of fear/concern. Thanks for sharing this project with readers. You guys are a huge inspiration.

    Also– cant wait to hear news on the little one!! Hope you’re feeling well, Sherry.

    Reply

  14. Lilly says

    The cut out letter are so cute and such a great way to bring the marquee letters idea to a room with children – so much more safe! I am so inspired by your work on this and amongst the many people who will do a little more good today after reading this post. Thumbs up!

    Reply

  15. Becca says

    I love that you are doing this. And I love how it is turning out. Such a happier place for families who have to be there. Good for you. And Merry Christmas!

    Reply

  16. Katie@LifesNextBigStep says

    you guys. this. this is just amazing. i love that you are doing this and helping out the Richmond community. it warms my heart. from a fellow Richmonder – THANK YOU. you are lifting spirits inside the hospital and OUTSIDE the hospital. you’re making people want to do good. i love it.

    Reply

  17. caitlin says

    UGH you guys are so cute!! this just made me so happy thinking of the families who will get to enjoy this space! you guys are great :)

    Reply

  18. Dani @ Painting Sunny says

    My son was in the NICU for only about a week after he was born (we are very thankful for that!) at Clarion North hospital in Carmel, Indiana. The nurses were amazing people, and they have rooms parent’s could stay in for free (a few of them, first come first serve) as well as many lounges and activities. We still have the little footprint ornaments they made for us as we were there the week before Christmas. Every year at this time I remember being there, and being so scared and how wonderful and reassuring everyone was and I keep all of those children, parents, and staff in mind. Someday, I plan to help provide items for the free family rooms to as a way to give back, or helping with holiday activities there. This is so great that you all have been doing this!

    Reply

  19. LauraEmm says

    Thank you for taking on this project. I know (first hand, unfortunately) that Children’s Hospitals can be a scary/stressful place not only for the kids, but for the families, too. Having a warm, welcoming place to relax is so important! Hope all went well at the doctor appointment… looking forward to the update! Merry Christmas to you all!

    Reply

  22. Jana says

    You guys came up with some really fun ideas. Thanks for the sneak peek! Can’t wait to see it all along with the video! Such a wonderful cause.

    Reply

  24. Teresa says

    My middle school students are writing cards to the kiddos right now! They are all sending lots of love. Potentially misspelled love, but love all the same.

    Reply

  25. kim says

    love the letters!! have a question though.. is the tv a little crooked in the first pic or is it me?? it could be me since i am laying down with the laptop on my chest. lol but keep the great decorating ideas rolling. :)

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      It does look a little crooked in that pic! I think it’s on one of those arms so it can swing around, so maybe it wasn’t all the way back in place, so that’s why it looks skewed?

      xo
      s

  26. Jessica says

    Curious about whether you’re going to post a source list when you’re done – I’m loving the polar bear on the mantle and wondering if I can hunt one down for myself!

    Reply

  30. Randi says

    I love everything about this room!! I used to work for the Make-A-Wish Foundation here in Indiana, and I feel very emotionally connected to this project of yours.

    I know that families with children battling medical conditions need a space at the hospital where they can be filled with hope, peace and joy. This room will provide just that. You both are AWESOME!!

    Reply

  31. Lisa says

    Such a lovely post. It reminds me to think of more and more ways to serve others…such an awesome project you guys have been given. I can tell that this room will evoke the peace you guys are aiming for. Awesome job, guys!

    Reply

  32. kb says

    any chance yall will do a little poll/survey tomorrow letting us guess if we think it’ll be a girl/boy?! could be fun too see what people think! (unless its too personal, which I totally understand–he or she is already such a famous bun!).

    Reply

  33. Mallory says

    I LOVE what you’re doing here. I just wanted to share what the Sanford Children’s Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD, did. They built an all-new hospital and designed the facade to look like a castle. The whole concept of the building is based on the idea that happy children become healthy children. Here’s a link to a virtual tour of the building: http://south.sanfordhealth.org/CentersofExcellence/Childrens/YourVisit/CastleofCareVirtualTour/tourdetail22964.cfm?tourid=7#touritemid=45

    Reply

  34. Christin says

    It’s looking great!! Can’t wait to see the final pictures. It’s incredible that you have an opportunity to do something so meaningful like this. :)

    Reply

  35. Molly says

    Those peace letters are fantastic, and so is the super cute fireplace. Did you freehand that, or trace/draw it first?. This is like “Weekly Crafty Plus” with so many great ideas plus a mini tutorial!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Haha, thanks Molly! I just freehanded the fire and as I went I thought “hey, some little cracks between the flames could be cute” so I left those hairline spots and just did little wiggly sort of triangles with a rounded bottom, if that makes sense.

      xo
      s

  38. Krystle @ Color Transformed Family says

    I love all the thought and time you guys have put into this project. I’m sure this is turning into somewhat of a Christmas present to yourselves as well as a Christmas blessing to you and others. I’ve been a little behind in my reading lately so I’m glad we can still send stuff. My daughter and I will try to make something tomorrow to send.
    Merry Christmas!

    Reply

  39. Hannahhenning says

    Love this project! I actually spent almost four weeks in a children’s cancer hospital while waiting for a bone marrow transplant to get working. The staff really are incredible, so compassionate and cheerful, no matter what. I pray you are blessed for putting your hearts into this sweet project!

    Reply

  40. Katie says

    WOW!!! This project is quite the undertaking! I just love the faux fireplace!! Can you make us one? Joking… (sort of)
    I thought my Christmas projects were ambitious this year, but they’re nothing compared to what you guys have going on there!! Did you leave any motivation to decorate your own house?!?
    Good for you guys! Cheers and Happy Holidays!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We haven’t gotten around to decorating our tree at home yet, but we can’t wait to do that with Clara. She LOVES it, so we might even get a real mini tree too! I think we have a lot of holiday cheer (probably from this project!) so it’s nice to do some at home and at the hospital as well!

      xo
      s

  43. Amy says

    They picked the right people for this job! The fireplace is brilliant! The gradient touches are so sweet. I love it so far and can’t wait to see the end result. I can feel the happiness it will bring.

    Reply

  44. Christine says

    As someone who spends 80+ hours a week working at a children’s hospital, thank you for bringing some extra cheer to so many families around the holiday season! I’m thankful for all of the volunteers year-round at hospitals around the country who bring a smile to the faces of patients and their families!

    Might I suggest a photo of Burger somewhere in the room? Therapy pets are always a big hit, and though he isn’t trained to visit himself, I’m sure his photo would make someone’s day!

    Reply

  45. Kendra Novey says

    It is beautiful! ……And you can fill the love that has gone into it in every detail of it just through the pictures. Anyone could maybe decorate it – but you are doing so much more. You are adding the soul and spirit of the holiday season. It will gives SO MANY a smile and warm feeling. I made the trip there twice a week for a few years with my son. John was so right when he said there is some heart wrenching stuff there. It definitely has always help to keep things in perspective for me. It is a great hospital with a great staff and we are so lucky to have them in Richmond! And they are so lucky to have you guys work your magic!

    Reply

  47. Jess @ Crunchy Hot Mama says

    Holy cannoli! This looks adorable! Can I please have even just a few sprinkles of your creativity? I’ll trade it for a few recipes ;)

    You guys have great ideas and I can’t wait for the reveal! This might get me inspired to do some crafting with Emma before our big holiday party we are hosting next weekend.

    Nicely done!

    Reply

  48. LG Thoughts says

    Just curious when you said you had the plywood cut to size, you didn’t have it go all the way up and there is still the sliver of space above?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Good eye! We just had the width cut to size (the height was a set height that they sold, and it would have been double the cost to get a double high board, so we figured for less than an inch it wasn’t worth it). The detail shot makes it more obvious, but in person in the room with the mantel decorated it almost looks like an intentional stripe of wood under the mantel (you know how some mantels have a little piece of wood supporting the shelf from underneath?) so we thought it looked ok and it allowed us to save money for the hospital.

      xo
      s

  49. Jaime says

    Hi guys,

    I just wanted to drop a note to say how wonderful it is that you are bringing some cheer to the children’s hospital. My brother had Cystic Fibrosis and we spent several miserable Christmases and countless lesser holidays in the hospital. It is always tough, but sometimes even being able to wheel out and see something festive elevates the mood on a tough day. I know that so many people will be grateful for these decorations, whether it is to get one last special picture or to get through one tough day and move forward.

    Reply

  50. Shawna says

    First of all, I love that you’re helping out this hospital. What a great way to ‘pay it forward’! Second, I’ve had cardboard letters like that for months waiting to go up in my daughters nursery, but I can’t figure t how to hang them … Any ideas? (ideally somewhat more permanent than blue sticky tack – that’s my only idea so far!). How did you hang your peace sign?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We used those velcro command strips by 3M! They work great and are 100% removable without hurting the wall. Just be sure you get the velcro ones and not the sticky ones without velcro (those have to have exposed tabs in order not to hurt the wall, so we love the velcro more.

      xo
      s

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