Introduction: Make a 221B Baker Street Christmas Ornament (BBC Sherlock)

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Because who doesn't want one of the most famous addresses represented on their Christmas tree? I love having geeky original ornaments, and thought I'd share this because it's not too difficult and it makes for a great ornament. This is my first instructable; let me know if something isn't clear.

This project took me about three hours, slightly because I'm a perfectionist, but mostly because I'm not that good at picking out things that just won't work with the project. Total cost was around $20 (mind, I had some supplies already), and everything can be found online at a doll house building site, or at the hardware store.


For this you will need:

Six panel dollhouse door  (like so)
Cheap wooden stir stick or popsicle stick
Cardstock paper
Fimo clay or another modeling clay to make the door knocker
A gold number/letter sticker  (one of these - go for the letter L because you get more gold space)
Gold paint pen
Glue - I used white glue
Wire to hang the ornament with
Black paint
+Gloss finish if your black paint isn't shiny.
Keyhole plate with tiny nails (these, though can be switched out for something different)

Tools:
Paint brushes
Tweezers
Hammer
Pin

Step 1: Painting the Parts

I used a plain black craft paint for this, because it dried fast and was cheap. It wasn't shiny like the real door from Sherlock, so I covered it with a gloss finish afterward.

Note in the picture the painted coffee stir stick, and the small black 'lip'. This lip comes with the dollhouse door, as it (and two other pieces) make interior trim if you're building a dollhouse. I am not, but used the piece to give my door a top ledge. 

The stir stick was cut to size and glued to the bottom of the door, as a door kick.

Step 2: The Tricky Knocker

I had originally bought mini pizza cutters at the store, thinking I could just bend them into shape as a knocker. Hah.

Anyway. Take the fimo clay (or whichever you have) and model it after the door knocker. Sherlockology has a great reference picture.

This step took me a while because it's a small thing to work with, and symmetry is key. Use the pin to make the dimples along the handle of the knocker, and it helps to use the tweezers to attach the arms to the base circles.

Once it's done, bake or cure the clay according to its instructions, and then paint it. I used a layer of gold ink, followed by a very light brushing of black ink (wiped off afterward) so that it got into the crevices, and then covered it with gold again. I think it turned out weathered enough.

Step 3: Numbers, Letter Slot, and Keyhole

Onto the numbers. Most irritating part of this.

Draw out the numbers on cardstock paper and carefully cut them out. Paint them with the gold paint (to match the knocker) and set aside to dry.  Remember, the B is shorter than the numbers. (Sherlockology reference pic)
Use white glue to glue them to the door, and it's easier to do if you use the tweezers to place the numbers down. Then use the pin to gently push them where they're supposed to sit.  If the gold paint is still a little wet, you can poke it into the numbers at the top and bottom to look like the screws that hold them to the door

For the mail slot, cut out a rectangle from the metal number/letter sticker. You'll need strong scissors or tin snips for this.

If you want the dirt smudge like the door is in the series, draw on the gold rectangle with pencil and then smudge it with your thumb. Using a ruler, draw a box in the middle, where the mail will go in.

Use the gold pen to write LETTERS (good luck, it's tiny and challenging) and add the two square bits at each end of the mail slot. There's adhesive already on the back of this, so you don't even need to glue it to the door. Just peel back the clingy film.

Lastly, I put the keyhole plate on the door (just with glue) and nailed in a small nail, so it would look like the key slot that's on the real door. This is...difficult. I think the nail is maybe 4 mm long - it comes with the keyhole plates. If you're going to do this, I suggest scratching the door very slightly with an x-acto knife, placing the nail over that spot, and pushing it in with your thumb. Once it goes in a bit you can hammer it the rest of the way.



To attach the hanging wire, just glue it to the back of the door where it won't be seen. And you're done! Your very own Baker Street door.

Thanks for reading!