Design a Door Hanger to Designate Your Creative Space

Quiet Please! Do Not Disturb! Writer at Work! Poet at Play! Keep Out — I'm Busy Creating!

By Chris Dunmire

Please Do Not Disturb! Writer at Work Door hangers have long been used in hotels and elsewhere to send messages to those on the outside of the closed door. Common messages denote privacy ("Do Not Disturb") or request service ("Please Clean this Room"). But you needn't check into a hotel to make good use of door hanger messages that promote your creative freedom — if you have doors at home, you can hang them there too!

If you'd rather not be disturbed (and who wants to be?) while dedicating your efforts to your art, crafts, or writing projects, or if you need some quiet time for reading, reflection, or relaxing in service of your creative life — door hangers are a great way to remind family and friends that your creative time and space is important to you. You can always buy a ready-made "Do Not Disturb" door hanger for this purpose, but wouldn't it be great to design a message that reflects your individual creative personality? Of course it would! Read on to learn how.

How to Design a Customized Door Hanger

Poet at Play Here are some ways you can design your own door hanger message:

Buy and decorate a pre-cut door hanger template. Many craft stores carry blank wooden, plastic, and foam door hanger templates you can buy and decorate however you wish with paints and other embellishments.

Design a door hanger on your computer. If you're graphics-savvy, you can design a paper door hanger in your favorite layout/design software program (such as Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, QuarkXPress, or Microsoft Publisher). This option is flexible in that you can emulate standard-sized door hanger formats or customize your own size and shape.

Download and print one of my free paper door hanger templates. If you like the idea of working "hands on" with standard-sized paper door hanger templates, you can download and print one of mine and get started with your door hanger project right now. Suggested instructions on how follow.

Suggested Instructions for Using the Printable Door Hanger Templates

The templates in this project can be used by anyone who enjoys hands-on creative fun including artists, crafters, writers, kids, students, parents, teachers, and home schoolers. What will your door hanger design look like? Give it a try and see.

Download and print one of my template pages onto thick paper or card stock (Template color choices are blank/white, blue, green, orange, red, and yellow.)

Carefully cut out the door hanger template with scissors or craft knife.

Design your door hanger message in any way you choose, using the template as a blank canvas. You can use your computer to create words and pictures — or draw, color, collage, paint, or stamp on your own designs. Tear up magazines, paint with passion, or draw with determination — just use your imagination! The creative possibilities are endless. Note: A reversible door hanger can be made by sticking two templates together back-to-back.

When your door hanger design is finished (and if the entire design is flat) you may wish to seal it with Mod Podge or clear, self-adhesive laminating sheets for protection and durability.

When you need some creative time and space to yourself, hang your new door hanger on the outside knob of your door and close it!

Next: Free Printable Blank Door Hanger Templates »

More with Chris Dunmire

Color Creativity Portal™ founder Chris Dunmire inspires artists, writers, teachers and children with her creative prompts and writing activities. She's trained as a creativity coach with both Eric Maisel, PhD, and Kaizen-Muse Creativity Coaching™ founder Jill Badonsky, MeD. Her sense of humor and witty wordplay is woven throughout the corridors of Creativity Portal where she encourages others towards engaging in deeper, more meaningful levels of artistic expression and playful creativity, sustained in part through the support of Creativity Portal Access Pass Holders. Please sign up — your support counts and is appreciated!

05/30/06