Personalized Dog Leash Holder

One day I came across these really cute rubber hooks that looked like dog tails (see below).  I just had to buy them even though at the time I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with them. Later I came up with the idea to use them as dog leash holders. We have 2 dogs and so I needed one for each dog’s leash.  However, I didn’t want to just mount the dog tails directly onto the wall. That would be boring. I wanted to embellish them a bit and somehow include the dogs’ names.  In the photo above you can see what I designed and created. This project is super simple and doesn’t take long to make at all! They also make great gifts for the dog-lovers in your life.  Click here to find the project on my Pinterest page.

Materials needed:

Wood plaque (unfinished wood, available at most craft stores, size and design of your choice)

Rubber hook (you can purchase these cute colored dog tails at Ikea, here is a link: BASTIS Hook

Acrylic Paint (color of your choice, I used black)

Paw Print Scrapbook Paper (Michaels or Hobby Lobby)

Mod Podge (gloss)

Foam Brush

Paint Brush

Wooden Scrabble Tiles (I purchased mine from Amazon)

Craft Glue (E6000 or Tacky Glue is fine)

Screw (to attach the hook to the plaque)

Directions:

1. Prepping your wooden plaque – make sure the wood is smooth, sand if necessary.
2. Painting the wooden plaque – you will probably want to paint at least 2 coats of paint so that your color looks solid and bold. Make sure to allow time to dry between coats.
3. Applying the scrapbook paper – allow the paint to dry a day before applying the paper. Cut the paper to fit on top of the plaque, leaving space around the edges. You can get creative with how you cut your paper. Apply Mod Podge to the back side of your paper using the foam brush, then carefully lay it on your wooden plaque. Make sure to center it. Use your hands to gently smooth the paper onto the wood.
4. Sealing the paint and paper – Allow the paper to dry for an hour or so on the wood, then you will seal the entire front surface of your plaque with the Mod Podge. Use your foam brush to paint over the painted surface and the paper surface. I recommend using strokes from left to right or up and down. It is okay to overlap strokes as you go along.  The Mod Podge will dry clear.
5. Attaching the hook – allow the Mod Podge to thoroughly dry before attaching your hook. Use a screw to attach the dog tail hook to the wooden plaque.
6. Attaching your dog’s name – Use the wooden scrabble tiles that spell out your dog’s name and glue on one letter at a time using your craft glue. Let dry.
7. Hanging your dog leash holder – you can use screws, nails, or heavy-duty velcro to attach your leash holder to the wall.  Enjoy!