All Occasion Letter Blocks

One of the greetings I used in December.

These types of blocks have been around for several years, so they may not be a new idea, but they sure are worth making! They're a great way to draw attention to a special day, a special person or just a special sentiment. They can spell out over 80 phrases/greetings and can be used for any occasion. If this isn't your style, choose a different base color for your blocks (I've seen it done in black with primary colors for the lettering) and possibly a different font for your letters. Decide which room you'd like them in and go with that style and color scheme. These work well on shelves, counters and even the fireplace mantle. They can also be set on a table when decorating for a special occasion such as a birthday party or baby shower.


These were for Valentines Day.

Materials List:

16 wooden blocks, 2 3/4 inches

Craft paint for base, and four colors for letters

Alphabet stencils, 2 inch

Stencil brush

Tack cloth

Brown craft paper for homemade heart and clover stencils

Medium color wood stain (for weathered look)

STEP 1: Sand all sharp edges off of the blocks to give the blocks 'softer' corners. This step can be eliminated if a more modern and crisp look is desired. Use your tack cloth to remove any sawdust created by the sanding.

STEP 2: Paint your blocks with the base color you've chosen. Apply 2 to 3 coats on all sides to ensure even and complete coverage.

STEP 3: This step is important and will actually be helpful later when using the blocks. Choose the side of each block that will be the bottom and number them on the bottom from 1 to 16. Your stencils can be used for this step if you would like to use the numbers along with your letter blocks later. Otherwise you can simply use a sharpie marker.

STEP 4: Following the chart below, and using your letter stencils and stencil brush, start with one color and do all the blocks that will have that color, making sure the correct letters are on the correct numbered block.

EXAMPLE: The block that you numbered with a 1 on it earlier will now get a yellow N, a yellow D, a yellow H and a yellow E. Then find the block that you put a 4 on the bottom, and on its' sides put a yellow Q, A, I and 4, one letter per each block side, and so on...according to the chart below.

Painting Chart:
Yellow: Block #1: N, D, H, E. Block #4: Q, A, I, 4.
Block #9: A, B, C, D. Block #13: S, O, A, C.

Red: Block #2: E, I, P, heart. Block #3: M, P, G, &.
Block #6: L, A, W, S. Block #16: F, I, K, M.

Blue: Block #8: V, O, H, R. Block #11: H, E, L, R.
Block #12: S, D, N, W. Block #15: T, V, U, O.

Green: Block #5: L, O, R, E. Block #7: E, T, J, clover.
Block #10: Y, G, C, E. Block #14: T, N, W, Y

For the style of the blocks seen in the photos above, lightly sand fronts and edges of each block after letters have dried. Wipe with a tack cloth. Wipe a light coat of wood-stain over all six surfaces of each block, immediately wiping any excess off. Allow to dry according to wood-stain manufacturers' directions. The stain isn't necessary but will give the blocks a more rustic & weathered look, if desired.
The following two messy pages are my original scribblings... showing what can be written with the blocks. Just find the block with the corresponding number and use the letter it lists.