Personalized Baby Blocks

Personalized baby blocks are shown with a matching handmade baby memory box.

Can't you just see these personalized baby blocks as part of a shower centerpiece or set up on baby's dresser!

Pick up the supplies at any local craft store, and you're just hours* away from completing this simple homemade baby shower gift.

While you're at it, check out the tutorial for the matching baby memory box. You'll be using almost exactly the same supply list for each, and they make an adorable pair! They would also make perfect baby shower craft ideas!

If you're hosting a larger shower, then see this tutorial on making a full alphabet set of personalized baby blocks.

Personalized Baby Blocks
You'll need: ♦ A 1" foam brush ♦ Mod Podge Glossy or another brand of decoupage glue. ♦ A set of unfinished wooden blocks: these come in a variety of sizes on the unfinished wood craft aisle, and are very affordable. ♦ Alphabet Stickers to decorate your blocks: the scrapbooking aisle is a great place to find adorable letter stickers in many different styles. I was lucky enough to find these 'quilt alpabet' letters by Miss Elisabeth's that are already on square backgrounds...and they fit my blocks perfectly! Yay! Tip: If you can only find the letters without backgrounds, then just get some plain colored papers to use as the background color. Look for cute picture stickers too if you want to add a little fun to your blocks. ♦ Cute Scrapbooking Papers: also from the scrapbooking aisle. I used three designs- a green woven, yellow dot, and blue water. It's easier to get a good mix and match if you choose about 5 or 6 colors/patterns to play with. ♦ Wax Paper to keep your blocks from sticking to the work surface. Ask me how I learned this lesson. ☺ *This craft takes one overnight drying session to complete the final glaze. It does take a few days for the glaze to fully cure. If you gift them before the glaze cures, just be sure to use some waxed paper to keep them from sticking together.
Step 1: Measure your blocks to cut your papers. Mine are just over 1 1/8" wide, so I cut my papers just a hair bigger than an inch to give a little room on either side.
Step 2: Stack your papers, and trim them into squares. You'll need 6 squares per block if you are putting colored paper on all the sides.
Step 3: Now comes the fun part! Brush on a thin layer of Mod Podge or white glue to the face of your blocks. Since my stickers already have a background square, I can just stick them right onto the glue for a strong bond. If your stickers need background color, just add a square of colored paper, and then stick the letter on top. Later, we'll do a final gloss coating that will seal them down.
So stinkin' cute!
Step 4: I glazed over each side as I went. But if you are making these personalized baby blocks as one of your baby shower craft ideas, then I'd recommend skipping this step until after the party is over. It's messy, and it's more fun for your guests to just get the papers glued down. But, if you like to get your fingers all sticky, like I do, then go ahead and glaze your letters in place with a nice smooth coat of Modge Podge.
Step 5: Turn your letters to the front, and repeat with a thin layer of glue on the top. Stick on contrasting colors of your paper squares...
...and glaze them down with a (ahem) smooth coat of Modge Podge.
Step 6: Turn your blocks again and repeat with glue/paper/glaze technique. My stickers came with cute pictures on them, so I decided to use those on the opposite side of the letters just to give some interest.
You can get the same effect by buying small stickers that fit your theme, or by printing these personalized baby block pictures and having your guests (or the baby's siblings) color them for the blocks. Be sure to double check which side is 'up' so your pictures and letters are both facing the same way.
Glazing the pictures in place: Oops! I corrected my drippy, oozy glaze coat after I took the photo.
Three sides done. I had to wait for the glaze to dry before moving any further. In a Group Setting: If you are doing these personalized baby blocks as a baby shower craft, then you would skip the glazing, and could finish all of the stickering in one session. Allow to dry overnight. On wax paper. Trust me on that one.
Step 7: Turn your blocks so the final 3 wooden sides are showing. Basically, you're just going to repeat the glaze, stick, glaze scenario three more times.
...but I got a little obsessive about not repeating the patterns of the paper, and laid out a sample of what the papered side of my blocks looked like so I wouldn't repeat it. I'm sorry you had to see this...it's really so much more fun to just glue and stick willie-nillie. Feel free to ignore my tips on how to be a freakish obsessive crafter.
Step 8: So, just glue and stick your papers on willie-nillie. Do try not to repeat the same pattern on two sides of one block. Have fun with it. And then add your final glaze to those three sides. Obviously, I'm not freakishly obsessed with glue neatness. I need to work on that.
Step 9: Neaten up any gloppy edges. If you have waited until last to glaze your personalized baby blocks, then now is the time to do it. You can do from 3 to 5 sides, and then you'll want to let them dry really well overnight before glazing your final side(s). This is where the miracle of wax paper comes in really handy. Allow your blocks to cure for a few days so that the glaze is really nice and hard.
And that's all there is to it! Adorable, personalized baby blocks are the cutest homemade baby shower gift. I tucked Charlie's blocks into a wooden baby keepsake box that I painted to match his nursery theme. Still looking for baby shower craft ideas?
Share


More Homemade Baby Gift Ideas	Baby Sling Patterns	Baby Memory Box	Baby Shower Gift Basket Ideas

Thank you for visiting with me, and please bookmark my site
so that you can come back again soon!