Let’s take a trip down door hanger memory lane…a journey filled with both cringe-worthy and super proud moments. In this post, I’m sharing a few of my worst — and a few of my best door hangers — to show you just how much my technique and style have evolved over the years. 

And to hopefully provide you with a little encouragement that even if you’re not where you want to be right now, practice with painting door hangers does pay off!

From my infamous “crime scene candy cane” (yes, it’s as bad as it sounds) to designs I love, let’s dive in!

The Not-So-Great Ones (a.k.a. My Worst Door Hangers)

#1: The Crime Scene Candy Cane

The crime scene candy cane started as a fun experiment with paint pouring, and it quickly went off the rails! I asked my Facebook Live audience for suggestions on how to give the design a unique look. Someone suggested creating a swirl effect by blowing on the paint to make a fun splatter.

Let’s just say…some door hanger designs don’t need to be “different” or to look abstract. A candy cane is one of them! 

#3: My First Ever Snowman

This door hanger is so old that my original business name, “Custom Creations by Tamara Bennett,” is watermarked on it! It’s cute, but it could use some improvements. The proportions are off — his poor little face looks squished, and the bright, high-contrast colors are trying way too hard to compete with each other for attention.

But you know what? I’m proud of past-me for trying! You have to start somewhere. 

The other lesson I learned? Proportions and color balance matter…a lot — which is something I incorporated when I painted this again years later!

#3: The Overdone Picnic Basket

The mistake here? I was too excited to try a bunch of different techniques at once! There’s basket weave, gingham, grass, shading, and highlights everywhere. The lesson here is that more details aren’t always the answer. 

When I redid this design years later, I kept things simple — no busy patterns, just clean, intentional shading. Sometimes less is more!

#4: The Home Sweet Home Strawberry

I know what you’re thinking…why is this one on the list? At first glance, it’s not bad! But there’s one thing wrong here. 

The bright teal background is way too overpowering with the rest of the design. Instead of complimenting the strawberries, the background is the focus. That’s definitely not how I wanted my door hanger design to turn out. 

I decided to recreate it years later and went with a softer blue. It just goes to show you that color balance makes a big difference!

The Ones I’m Proud Of (a.k.a. My Best Door Hangers)

My favorite designs aren’t always my most recent ones. There are a few door hangers  I’ve made over the years, both old and new, that I’m proud to show off!

#1: Frogs on a Lily Pad

This little gem from 2016 that caught my eye while scrolling through old designs. And though it’s quite different from my style now, for my skill level at the time, I was so impressed with my shading and freehand lettering. 

#2: Fall Leaves & Pinecones

I love this design because of the intricate details. It’s not just another pumpkin design, it’s a unique style that adds a little bit of fun to the door hanger! I especially love the depth in the leaves and pinecones — it really makes the design pop!

#3: Henrietta the Fall Chicken

You guys know I love my chickens, so this quirky little gal had to make the list. I love it because not only is she a fun one, but it’s an autumn design that doesn’t rely on traditional autumn themes. Henrietta is a fan favorite, too!

#4: Welcome Floral Design

This one is so simple but so beautiful! With just six colors and a balanced layout, it’s great for beginners! I also love it so much because it’s not holiday or season specific. You can hang it up this door hanger practically any time of the year! 

P.S. I have a tutorial to show you how to paint it here!

#5: Lola the Highland Cow

Lola is hands down my favorite design for so many reasons! For one, it’s just such a fun design, with a little bit of trendiness added to it. Shading on this was a great addition that gave it some depth, and the bright colors give it a fresh feel. 

I also partially love this door hanger design because it’s a fan favorite — one of our most popular designs, in fact. I love seeing the joy this design has brought people over the years, and creating many different iterations of Lola has been a blast too!

The Lesson in All of This?

If I had given up after painting that sad little snowman or the disastrous candy cane, I wouldn’t be here today teaching you how to paint. Growth takes time. You’ll make door hanger mistakes, but you’ll learn from them and get better!

And like Bob Ross says, “We don’t make mistakes, just happy little accidents.”

Before you go…

If you also love Lola the Highland Cow, you’re going to LOVE my upcoming workshop! We’re painting a new Lola design — Bandana Lola — and it’s just $10 to join. Signing up gets you access to the door hanger template, supply list, and two nights of live instruction as I teach you how to paint!

We go live April 15th-17th. Reserve your spot here!