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Sweeten Up Your Christmas Decor with a Gingerbread Bakery Sign! 🍪

Featuring Sharon Hankins

Bring a little Christmas bakery charm to your home with this adorable Gingerbread Bakery sign! Sharon Hankins of I Restore Stuff is sharing a fun layered stencil project featuring three sweet gingerbread men, festive colors, and a rustic farmhouse-style background.

This DIY is a wonderful way to try layered stenciling, even if you're a beginner. With a little paint, a light touch, and a few simple techniques, you can create a charming sign for your kitchen or Christmas decorating.

Let's gather our supplies and get crafting!

Materials You'll Need

Gingerbread Bakery Stencil Set
16 x 12-inch white canvas
Fusion Mineral Paint in Cathedral Taupe
Fusion Mineral Paint in Algonquin
Fusion Mineral Paint in Iron Clay
Fusion Mineral Paint in Bayberry
Fusion Mineral Paint in Cranberry
Fusion Mineral Paint in Victorian Lace
Stencil Brush 4pc Set
Detail Brush Set (6pk)
Painter's tape
Cardstock for offloading excess paint

Step 1: Create the Rustic Background

Start with a plain white 16 x 12-inch canvas. Sharon uses Fusion Mineral Paint in Cathedral Taupe, a soft grayish-brown shade, to create an aged, distressed finish.

Load your brush with a small amount of paint and gently dry brush across the canvas. Use light, sweeping strokes so some of the white canvas still shows through. Continue along the edges to give the entire piece a cohesive, rustic look.

Dry brushing a white canvas with Cathedral Taupe paint to create a rustic Gingerbread Bakery sign background

Next, use a fine detail brush and Algonquin paint to add two horizontal lines across the canvas. These simple lines create the look of weathered barnwood or shiplap and add depth to your background.

Painting horizontal Algonquin lines across the canvas for a farmhouse shiplap effect

Let the background dry completely before moving on to the stencil. This helps keep the next layer neat and crisp.

Step 2: Stencil the Gingerbread Design

Once your background is dry, it's time to bring those adorable gingerbread characters to life!

First, mix Fusion Mineral Paint in Iron Clay with Algonquin to create a custom gingerbread brown. Iron Clay can look a little too orange on its own, so adding Algonquin gives it a richer, more natural brown tone.

Position the first layer of your Gingerbread Bakery Stencil Set on the canvas and secure it with painter's tape. Take your time lining it up. Since canvas has some give, avoid pressing too hard in the middle.

Load your stencil brush with a small amount of the custom brown paint, then offload the excess onto cardstock. Use a light swirling motion, working from the outside of each stencil opening toward the center.

Remember: less paint is best! A lightly loaded brush and gentle pressure help prevent paint from bleeding beneath the stencil.

Fill in the three gingerbread men and the main design. Carefully lift the stencil and allow the paint to dry before adding the next layer.

First layer of the Gingerbread Bakery stencil with custom gingerbread brown paint

Step 3: Add the Festive Details

Now for the colorful details that make this sign feel ready for Christmas! Carefully position the second stencil layer over the dried design. Make sure the openings line up with the gingerbread shapes and lettering underneath.

Use Fusion Mineral Paint in Bayberry, a deep green shade, to fill in the words “Cakes, Cookies, Pies” and the little scarves. Work with a lightly loaded stencil brush and gentle pressure.

Adding green lettering to the second layer of the Gingerbread Bakery stencil

Next, use Fusion Mineral Paint in Cranberry for the gingerbread men's hats. Red paint may need a second coat for solid coverage, so let the first coat dry before applying more.

For the icing, faces, pom-poms, and peppermint accents, use Victorian Lace white. Carefully fill in the small openings to give each gingerbread man its own personality.

Painting white icing and faces, cranberry hats, and green scarves on the gingerbread characters

Go back over the red and white areas with a second coat wherever needed. Allow each coat to dry before adding more paint.

Make it your own! You can change the colors to match your holiday decor or add the extra flourishes included in the stencil design for a more detailed finish.

Step 4: Reveal Your Finished Sign

And just like that, your Gingerbread Bakery sign is complete! The combination of the weathered background, warm gingerbread brown, festive green, cranberry red, and creamy white creates a cozy farmhouse Christmas look.

Finished rustic Gingerbread Bakery Christmas sign with three gingerbread men and festive lettering

Display your finished sign in the kitchen, style it on a holiday shelf, or add it to your Christmas decorating. It's a sweet seasonal project that brings a little bakery-inspired charm to your home.

Helpful Stenciling Tips

Practice first. If you're new to stenciling, try your brush and paint on a piece of cardboard before working on your project.
Offload excess paint. Remove extra paint onto cardstock before touching the stencil. A nearly dry brush gives you more control.
Use light pressure. Gentle swirling motions help reduce paint bleeding, especially on a flexible canvas.
Let each layer dry. Give the background and first stencil layer time to dry before lining up the next layer.
Build color gradually. Two light coats often give you better coverage than one heavy coat, especially with red and white paint.
Don't worry about tiny imperfections. Handmade projects have character! Small variations can add to the charm of your finished sign.

Craft Along with Sharon Hankins

This project was created by Sharon Hankins of I Restore Stuff. Sharon shares furniture painting ideas, creative home decor projects, and approachable techniques to help you make your home your own.

Visit Sharon on Facebook or head to IRestoreStuff.com for more inspiration.

Enjoy an extra 10% off at Essential Stencil with Sharon's code IRESTORESTUFF.

Ready to Create Your Own Gingerbread Bakery Sign?

Bring this festive design to life with the Gingerbread Bakery Stencil Set. Grab your brushes, choose your favorite holiday colors, and create a handmade piece you'll enjoy displaying year after year.

Shop the Gingerbread Bakery Stencil Set →

Watch the Full Tutorial

Follow along with Sharon Hankins of I Restore Stuff as she creates this adorable Gingerbread Bakery sign, and see each step come together!