Monday, October 08, 2007

Uncommon Baby Block Projects

Wooden baby blocks are timeless. They offer a nostalgic glimpse into the past of a simpler time before toys became so incredibly high-tech. They are also the building blocks of some fun craft projects.

These blocks can be purchased at Hobby Lobby and other craft stores, finished or unfinished. The unfinished ones can be painted to spell a baby's name or initials and can make a unique accessory to a baby gift. I recommend a good paint brush with small, firm, angled bristles. I painted these with ordinary acrylic paint. Then I brushed some brown paint (slightly diluted with water) over them and rubbed the excess off with a lint-free dry cloth. It gave them an antique look. You could paint them to match any nursery. These could also be glued to a wooden plaque to hang on a wall.

Several years ago, I made candle holders using finished (pre-painted) baby blocks as the base. I found these wooden candle holders in the shape of little cups at Michael's. First, I over sanded the blocks and rubbed brown paint on them. Using 8 blocks for each holder, I glued the blocks together with a hot glue gun. Then I glued the holder to the top. This is how it turned out:

Here they are from other angles:


For a couple of different baby showers, I used an old quilt as a tablecloth, antique toys as table decorations, and these candle holders in the center. This is a very inexpensive and enjoyable project with quite a unique result.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

My mom was just telling me the other day about the double baby shower you threw for Spencer and I eighteen years ago, and how you decorated like this for it!
i love it!

-Jenna

Vickie said...

Thank you! I still remember that shower. It's hard to believe that you are 18!