How To Make A Small Decorative Shelf Out Of Popsicle Sticks

If you’ve never done any popsicle sticks crafts, well, you’re missing out. They’re a lot of fun to do and most are also pretty simple. It’s also surprising how many useful things you can actually make out of popsicle sticks, like this little DIY shelf for example. Isn’t it adorable? It would look lovely in your entryway, home office or in your bedroom and you can even make several of these if you want to.

Materials needed for a popsicle stick shelf:

popsicle sticks
paint brush
scissors
wood glue
green acrylic paint
silk ribbon
lace ribbon

How to craft a shelf out of popsicle sticks:

Shelf Out Of Popsicle Sticks

Step 1: Paint the popsicle sticks

Get all of your supplies organized and ready and let’s get started! First things first, go ahead and paint the popsicle sticks green. If you’d prefer a different color instead just switch it up. Feel free to customize this project however you want. You’re going to need a bunch of popsicle sticks for this shelf so make you have plenty. We used around 44 of them. Each one needs to be painted on all sides and edges.

Step 2: Glue 4 sticks together to make a square frame

Allow the paint on your popsicle sticks to dry before you begin this step. Then take four of them and glue the ends together to make a small frame. Place two popsicle sticks parallel to each other for the top and the bottom, then add a small dab of wood glue in the left corner of each one and place a third popsicle stick on top. Repeat for the right side.

Step 3: Repeat the process to add more layers

Next, add more layers on top of the one you just made by repeating the same process. Put two small dabs of glue in the top left and right corners, then place another popsicle stick on top. For the same for the bottom of the frame. After that, switch it up and add another stick on the left and another one on the right, then a top and bottom one and so on.

Add as many layers as you want. Around 10 or 11 would be just right for this project. The number of layers can also be decided based on how you plan to use this little shelf or what you plan to display on it.

Step 4: Make a small lace and silk bow

While you’re waiting for the glue on the frame to dry, you can go ahead and make a small bow out of silk and lace ribbon. Take a piece of lace ribbon and make two small loops so it looks like a little bow, then take a piece of silk ribbon and tie it around the center so the bow keeps its shape. Cut off the excess ribbon with scissors.

Step 5: Tie a ribbon loop hanger around the top of the shelf

Take a piece of silk ribbon and run it down through the popsicle sticks at the top, then back up and tie a knot at the end, making a small loop. This will serve as a hanger so you can display your shelf up on a wall when it’s done.

Step 6: Glue the lace bow onto the shelf

The final step of this project is to glue the little lace bow you just made onto the shelf. You can put it in the top right corner and attach with a little bit of glue. You can use some of the wood glue that you’ve used before to connect all the popsicle sticks together. Once the bow is in place the DIY shelf is complete.