Make It Monday Wood Block Heart

I decided I needed a bit more Valentine's Day decor for my breezeway porch. It has been pretty darn bare since I put Christmas stuff away mid-January. I wanted to create something with items I had, something simple, and unique. I came up with this heart sign made with Jenga blocks. 

I am sharing LOTS of different ideas on how YOU can make something similar! I dare you to go into any thrift store and not find a Jenga game. This particular one was handmade which is nice because the blocks do not have the Jenga stamp. But, that can be sanded out, or simply ignored. You also could use paint stick ends or shims.

I decided I could made either a sign with the word LOVE

or a wood heart shape.

What to make the sign on? I decided to dig a bit in my stash. I realize my Make it Monday posts can often be interchanged with my Thrifty Thursday posts. Why? Because I would much rather use something that has been discarded by someone else rather than buying new. Not only is it better on the budget, it is also better for the planet. I

In a few minutes I came up with all kinds of items I could use to build my sign on. Here are a few ideas:

A $1 country wood sign that would be easy to repaint a solid color.

LOVE works great on this shaped sign.

A game board would make a great background for the heart. This one is cardboard, but a wood checkerboard would be be fantastic as well.

Love on a small, wood shutter would look good, paint the shutter or blocks for contrast.

A Vintage print on cardboard makes a meaningful background.

Paint a scrap of wood for the sign,

use an old book,

a cutting board,

or a frame--remove the glass and cover the backing with fabric or scrapbook paper.

You could use a colorful matchstick placemat for a casual, beachy look.

I chose a little more difficult background, an oval frame painted red.

The challenge comes with having a floating heart with no solid background.

For any of the other choices, simply figure out your shape and when your background is painted or decoupaged or however you want it, glue the blocks in place, Use hot glue for an indoor sign, wood glue or epoxy for outdoors.

To make a heart on a frame, trace the inside of the frame onto paper (I used parchment paper). I fold the oval in half and then cut out a heart that overlapped or went beyond the oval so I knew that my blocks would rest on the inside edges of the frame.

Lay the blocks out onto the paper heart. Protect your work surface with more paper.

Pick up the blocks and glue them one at a time. I used wood glue and hot glue. HINT--the hot glue gives it a temporary hold. It doesn't work great for outside, but holds the pieces together until the wood glue dries. And no, I do not get any kickback from Gorilla, I just like their glue.

When it was dry I flipped the heart over and added more wood glue and smeared it around with my finger, you can use a brush.

I glued some cardboard strips on the back to reinforce the heart. (sorry for blurry picture)

I glued the heart to the frame with epoxy and then added a jute hanger.

Some glue clean up and my sign was ready for the breezeway porch.

The decor here is simple--a wool red blanket, a red picket fence section, a watering can with sticks and pine branches.

I will keep this up until the end of February and then watch out spring, I am coming for ya!

Look for the Jenga blocks, find a fun backdrop that fits your style, and make an EASY sign for Valentine's Day.