Baby Frame and Love Blocks

These baby frame and love blocks are a sweet and thoughtful handmade gift idea for the mommy-to-be. Perfect for gifting at a baby shower or as a sweet surprise when the baby arrives. I had everything on hand at my house to make this gift so it was an extremely frugal DIY gift! An easy decoupage project.

Baby Frame and Love Blocks

I was invited to a baby shower. I haven’t been to a baby shower in probably 18 years! If money is tight but you still want to bring a gift made with love, this Baby Frame and Love Blocks are the perfect frugal DIY!

I knew I wanted to make some from the heart but something that was very affordable. So I decided on a cute little frame, some decorative blocks, and threw in some seeded bookmarks I had made previously. I didn’t even buy the gift wrap, so this was an extremely frugal adventure. While this frame is themed for a girl, you could easily change the colors for a boy’s baby shower. And speaking of baby showers, here are some great game ideas for baby showers if you’re having a boy. And before you know it, you’ll be planning a baptism or Christening party!

Total cost to me, including gift wrap = $0.00 :)

Everything I used I had on hand. So certainly there was a price at some point, but all of these items were in my craft supplies, the wrapping paper I had from a previous birthday, and I decorated a paper lunch bag for the gift bag. I just used some patterned paper cut into a flower shape, different paper for the flower center and a button on top of that. I used a hole punch through the top of the bag and tied it with raffia. For the gift box, I used some leftover pink tissue paper and white twisted paper to tie a bow.

There are affiliate links in this post. That means if you buy something from that link, I will earn a small commission, but it won’t cost you anything additional.

I’m really pleased with how they came out. I just don’t get to craft for ME anymore, it’s always kid’s crafts for work. So it’s really nice when I get the chance to get creative with something like this. I sure hope she likes it!

Note: You can use Modge Podge for this project, but I just use a mixture of white craft glue and water for my decoupage.

What you need to make the Baby Frame

• square wooden frame
• decorative paper (two different patterns, I used circles and checks)
• pink paper
• 3/4″ wide baby green ribbon
• 1/4″ wide brown ribbon
• 12″ x 1″ strip of burlap
• 1″ wide button
• white thread and needle
• alphabet tiles to spell out “BABY”
• white craft glue
• paintbrush
• water
• scissors
• brown paint (antiquing gel is better if you have it!)
• sandpaper

Make a photocopy of the frame, cut out the copy of the frame to use as a pattern. Trace the pattern onto the patterned paper you want to be the main background (I chose the circles).

Cut out the patterned paper frame, then cut off about 1/4″ all the way around the outside and the inside of the frame shape.

Next, position the paper frame on top of the wooden frame. Eyeball it, then trim where needed. Mix some white craft glue and water, equal parts of each, in a bowl to make your decoupage mixture. Using a paintbrush. decoupage the paper frame onto the wood frame, smooth out any bubbles or air pockets as you go. Cut two pieces of checkered paper, about 2″ in height and the same width as the side of the frame. Position in the center on each side and decoupage on.

Tear a strip of pink paper to fit at the bottom of the frame and decoupage in place. If you have stain, or better yet, antiquing gel, use that (I only had brown paint, so I watered it down and worked with what I had) to give the paper an aged look. If using watered down paint, be sure to have a rag handy to wipe excess off as you work. Rough up all the edges with sandpaper.

Paint the alphabet tiles with thinned brown paint and wipe off excess. Sand all the edges with sandpaper. Glue the alphabet tiles to the pink paper.

Glue the green ribbon at the top and bottom of the checkered paper, wrapping around to the back and to the inside of the frame. Glue the brown ribbon to the center of the green ribbon.

Tie the strip of burlap into a bow. Sew button to the center of the bow, trim ends of bow if needed and make the edges ragged by pulling off a few threads. Glue the bow to the top left corner of the frame.

Keep scrolling down to find out how to make the Love Blocks!

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Baby Frame and Love Blocks

Author: Amanda Formaro

Supplies

• square wooden frame
• decorative paper two different patterns, I used circles and checks
• pink paper
• 3/4 " wide baby green ribbon
• 1/4 " wide brown ribbon
• 12 " x 1" strip of burlap
• 1 " wide button
• white thread and needle
• alphabet tiles to spell out "BABY"
• white craft glue
• paintbrush
• water
• scissors
• brown paint antiquing gel is better if you have it!
• sandpaper

Instructions

• Make a photocopy of the frame, cut out the copy of the frame to use as a pattern. Trace the pattern onto the patterned paper you want to be the main background (I chose the circles).
• Cut out the patterned paper frame, then cut off about 1/4" all the way around the outside and the inside of the frame shape.
• Next, position the paper frame on top of the wooden frame. Eyeball it, then trim where needed. Mix some white craft glue and water, equal parts of each, in a bowl to make your decoupage mixture. Using a paintbrush. decoupage the paper frame onto the wood frame, smooth out any bubbles or air pockets as you go. Cut two pieces of checkered paper, about 2" in height and the same width as the side of the frame. Position in the center on each side and decoupage on.
• Tear a strip of pink paper to fit at the bottom of the frame and decoupage in place. If you have stain, or better yet, antiquing gel, use that (I only had brown paint, so I watered it down and worked with what I had) to give the paper an aged look. If using watered down paint, be sure to have a rag handy to wipe excess off as you work. Rough up all the edges with sandpaper.
• Paint the alphabet tiles with thinned brown paint and wipe off excess. Sand all the edges with sandpaper. Glue the alphabet tiles to the pink paper.
• Glue the green ribbon at the top and bottom of the checkered paper, wrapping around to the back and to the inside of the frame. Glue the brown ribbon to the center of the green ribbon.
• Tie the strip of burlap into a bow. Sew button to the center of the bow, trim ends of bow if needed and make the edges ragged by pulling off a few threads. Glue the bow to the top left corner of the frame.

What you need to make Love Blocks

• 4 – 1 1/2″ wooden blocks
• 4 different patterned papers
• antique white paint
• antiquing gel (or thinned brown paint)
• sandpaper
• decoupage mixture (white craft glue and water)
• paintbrush
• scissors

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Sand the wooden blocks and paint them with antique white. Paint each block with thinned brown paint (or age with antiquing gel) and wipe off. Sand the edges of each block.

Use a software program, like Word, to type “LOVE” in Papyrus font, size 82. Print out the document and size it against the blocks to make sure the font is the right size. Change the word “LOVE” to just the letter “L” and print it on the first paper. Repeat with each letter for each patterned paper.

Trace one of the wooden blocks onto a piece of scratch paper and cut out. Cut the square a bit smaller and place it onto a wood block for sizing purposes. There should be visible block all the way around the paper square. If there isn’t, trim it. Using that square paper as your guide, cut out the patterned letters.

Decoupage each letter onto each block. Let dry.

• These Striped Beach Luminaries can actually be made as a baby shower gift as well! They’d go perfectly with the baby frame and love blocks. Just match up your colors and you have an adorable gift set for the Mom-and-Dad-to-be!
• Can you crochet? If so, these Crochet Baby Loafers would be the perfect addition to your gift!
• You can also easily make these Baby’s First Christmas Ornaments to include with the gift. All handmade with love!

Print Project

No ratings yet

Baby Frame and Love Blocks

Author: Amanda Formaro

Supplies

• 4 - 1 1/2 " wooden blocks
• 4 different patterned papers
• antique white paint
• antiquing gel or thinned brown paint
• sandpaper
• decoupage mixture white craft glue and water
• paintbrush
• scissors

Instructions

• Sand the wooden blocks and paint them with antique white. Paint each block with thinned brown paint (or age with antiquing gel) and wipe off. Sand the edges of each block.
• Use your a software program, like Word, to type "LOVE" in Papyrus font, size 82. Print out the document and size it against the blocks to make sure the font is the right size. Change the word "LOVE" to just the letter "L" and print it on the first paper. Repeat with each letter for each patterned paper.
• Trace one of the wooden blocks onto a piece of scratch paper and cut out. Cut the square a bit smaller and place it onto a wood block for sizing purposes. There should be visible block all the way around the paper square. If there isn't, trim it. Using that square paper as your guide, cut out the patterned letters.
• Decoupage each letter onto each block. Let dry.