Christmas is over. Valentine’s Day is done. Ready or not, we’re barreling at top speeds toward spring and Easter crafts. These little angels made using butterfly wings are the perfect craft. Not only are they simple and fun to make, they’re just plain lovely yet they have a bit of rustic, farmhouse flair.

You might have seen the Wood Block Nativity set. If you want to add an angel to it, this would be the perfect addition. However since I love these wood block dolls so much, I also made a Valentine’s day edition – a couple in love .

Turning wood blocks into people (or angels) are fun and have so many possibilities. But for today, let’s focus on making these guys ….

You might be wondering.. what is the design on that angel made of? Napkins, my friend. Napkins.

The idea for this angel came around when I was doing what I normally do whenever I’m forced to go to Walmart – slowly trolling through The Pioneer Woman section, drooling on everything .

That’s when I came across these beautiful napkins.

Yes, they’re Pioneer Woman paper napkins. They had them out during Thanksgiving. If you can’t find them, any paper napkin with designs will work or you can use another thin paper as well.

Can I tell you a secret? I don’t have a favorite color – I kinda love them all – but that mustard yellow color calls to me in my sleep.

Supplies Needed for These Wood Block Dolls:

• 1.5″ X 1.5″ wood board from the lumber store cut into 5.5″ lengths.
• Small wooden balls  –  I used 1 1/4″ Dowel Caps from Hobby Lobby
• 12″ of thin gold or copper wire  – I used 20 gauge wire
• A  wooden star  – gold, silver or bronze
• White craft paint or chalk paint
• Flesh colored paint
• Matte Mod Podge
• Paint brush
• Floral Napkins or Thin floral paper
• Thin rope or cord
• Butterfly die cuts

Once you have your wood cut, sand off any rough edges. One (very cheap) board from the lumber store will get you a lot of these pieces, at least 10. That’s another thing I love about this project, it’s great for groups.

Paint your wood block white and let dry. If you use chalk paint, this step will go quickly.

Next cut out the designs that you want to transfer to your wood block. Using a pair of snips makes cutting out small designs easier.

This napkin had several layers of paper, I peeled all of them away, only using the thin top layer where the design was printed.

Adding the designs to the wood is easy. Lay it on the wood to see where you want to place it. Once you have your design figured out, work in small sections, painting a thin layer of Mod Podge on the painted wood and then immediately laying down your paper designs on top of it.

If you get the Mod Podge too thick, your paper will bubble up or move around. Thin is better. Once you have your paper stuck to the Mod Podge, put another thin layer on top of it. That’s how easy it is. Simply go around the entire block, adding your design and then painting another thin layer of Mod Podge over the top.

Once your entire wood block is covered and dry to the touch, go over it with one more thin layer of Mod Podge.

But what about the wings?

These were glitter die cut wings that were bought at Hobby Lobby. One side is a silver / gold glitter and the other side was plain white cardstock. Right now during spring you can easily find butterfly die cuts at any craft store. If you want the same look, cover one side in glitter and use Mod Podge to cover the other side with the same napkin prints.

You can also cut out butterfly shapes out of glitter paper using a Cricut.

Time to Assemble the Pieces:

Once your wood block is done, it’s time to put everything together. Start by wrapping the twine around the wood block, a few times and then secure in the back with hot glue. Next add the butterfly wings to the back, hiding the ends of the twine. Do not glue down the very top of the butterfly wings, you’ll see why in a second.

Once your wings are on, attach the head that you have painted a flesh color.

Once your body is assembled, it’s time to add the star. Twist your wire around a marker or pen. Leave one end straight and make a small look around the other end.

Using your glue gun, attach your small gold star to the end with the small loop. Stick the other end down inside the butterfly wings until it’s the height that you like above the doll’s head and secure with hot glue. Once the star is secured, you can then glue down the top of the butterfly wings.

And just as a refresher, here’s how the finished product will look:

Or if you want a little bit more basic, here’s another option:

This one I only decoupaged the napkin onto the wings. The backside of the wings is glitter, which I love . This one also doesn’t have a star. It’s simple and beautiful.

Another option is to make a simple wire halo instead of the star.

See what I mean when I said that these little wooden block dolls have so many options and are just plain fun to make?

Try making these in a group and you’ll be amazed with all of the variations that people come up with. It’s so so simple but that leaves the door wide open to go crazy creating.

Go crazy– I’m already halfway there .

The post Wood Block Angels – Sweet and Simple Spring / Easter Craft appeared first on Clumsy Crafter .