DIY Mix & Match Wood People

*This post is sponsored by DecoArt.

Give me all the scrap wood pieces and all the fun paint colors and let’s make something fun like mix and match wood people!  Wood blocks can be pants or tops, dowels become skirts or shirts, wood wheels become belts and scarfs, the options are endless.

I built a simple wood base with a dowel in the middle and all of the wood parts have a hole in the center so kids (and adults) can mix and match the shapes to build imaginative wood people.

Using all my favorite colors from the DecoArt Americana acrylic craft paint line I painted the wood parts all different colors keeping it fresh and bright with dot accents.  Nothing fancy just use the back end of your paintbrush and create patterns with dots.

This would make a great gift idea and you could even prepare the wood parts and provide the paint for that special little one to paint their own designs.

Let’s get started making mix and match wood people.  Below are step by step instructions and supplies to complete this project.

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Supplies:

• scrap wood pieces (2×2 pieces, thick dowels, wood legs, etc)
• 1 1/2″ wood doll heads
• miter saw
• sandpaper
• DecoArt Americana acrylic craft paints in a variety of colors
• paintbrush
• DecoArt Americana spray sealer gloss finish
• 1×4 scrap wood cut into 3 1/2″ squares
• 3/8″ wood dowel cut at 7″ lengths
• drill
• 1/2″ and 3/8″ forstner bit
• wood glue

Step 1: Cut and gather various wood parts.  I used various lengths of 2×2 boards and also cut up a turned wood leg.  The pieces range from 1 1/2″ tall to 3″ tall.

Step 2: Paint the 1 1/2″ wood doll heads in various skin colors mixing the paints to make different shades.

Step 3: Paint the wood parts all different fun colors as desired using DecoArt Americana acrylic paints.

Step 4: Using a 1/2″ forstner bit, clamp the wood parts in a vise and drill a hole straight through the center of each piece.  This bit is one size larger than the 3/8″ dowel, you want the wood parts to move easily onto and off of the wood dowel so a larger hole makes that easier.

Step 5: To make the base use a 1×4 cut at 3 1/2″ l and a 3/8″ dowel cut at 7″l.  Drill a 3/8″ hole in the center of the base about 1/2″ deep.  Apply wood glue into the hole and insert the dowel.  Let dry.

Step 6: To keep your pieces clean and safe seal the paint using DecoArt Americana spray sealer in gloss.

Once dry let the fun begin!  There are so many possible combinations of tops and bottoms and accessories.  Such a fun toy that any child is bound to enjoy.

You don’t have to be a skilled painter to make this project either.  I used a combinations of dots made from the end of my paintbrush to form patterns.  Rows, lines, flowers and layers all made using dots.  You could add stripes and other shapes to suit your style.

I hope you enjoyed these mix and match wood people, I sure had fun making them!

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