Think of how much fun it would be to have this adorable DIY rustic wooden turkey greet guests from your front porch, surrounded by hay bales and pumpkins! I love the rustic, rural feel his worn-out feathers give him, and I love the cute fall bandana he has wrapped around his neck.
This past weekend, I spent at my grandparents’ house because my mom wanted to make this cute little guy for her own home. Mr. Tom has been greeting visitors on Grandma’s front porch every fall for as long as I can remember. Since Grandpa was the one who had made Grandma’s turkey, we needed his expertise on making another. I rushed over to Grandma and Grandpa’s, where all the action would be, because this was clearly the PERFECT opportunity to make an awesome tutorial! It was time for a family project!
My “DIY Rustic Wooden Turkey for Fall” was featured on The Pioneer Woman (see pic below). To view it at The Pioneer Woman, click HERE.
As Thanksgiving approaches, our homes transform into cozy havens adorned with festive decorations. Even though we usually go for classic Christmas decorations, this year let’s celebrate the holiday spirit with a little twist – a gorgeous homemade wooden turkey!
This project, featured on The Shabby Tree, is not only budget-friendly but also incredibly fun and rewarding So, gather your crafting supplies, unleash your creativity, and follow these easy steps to bring a touch of rustic charm to your Thanksgiving celebrations
Supplies You’ll Need:
- Wooden Elements:
- One small wooden cutting board (approximately 6.5″ x 4.5″)
- One round wooden circle (approximately 6.5″)
- Five giant craft sticks
- One half wooden bead (approximately 1″)
- Crafting Essentials:
- Hot glue gun and glue sticks
- Three wooden clothes pins
- Paintbrush
- Walnut-colored Gel Stain (we used DecoArt)
- Gold Leaf Rub’n Buff
- Scissors or cutters
Step-by-Step Instructions:
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Preparing the Craft Sticks:
- Take your five giant craft sticks and cut them in half using scissors or cutters. This will provide you with ten half-sized craft sticks.
- Apply a generous coat of walnut-colored Gel Stain to all ten half-sized craft sticks using a paintbrush. Allow them to dry completely.
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Staining the Wooden Elements:
- Apply a coat of walnut-colored Gel Stain to the remaining wooden elements: the cutting board, the round wooden circle, and the half wooden bead. Ensure even coverage and let them dry thoroughly.
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Modifying the Clothes Pin:
- Take one of the wooden clothes pins and carefully cut it to a smaller size using your scissors or cutters. This will serve as the turkey’s beak.
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Assembling the Turkey Base:
- Apply hot glue to the bottom of the cutting board and firmly attach it to the center of the round wooden circle. This forms the turkey’s body.
- Next, apply a generous amount of hot glue to the top of the cutting board handle and secure the half wooden bead in place. This becomes the turkey’s head.
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Attaching the Feathers:
- Turn the assembled base over, revealing the back side of the round wooden circle. Apply hot glue to the edges of the circle and carefully adhere the ten stained craft sticks, arranging them in a fan-like pattern to resemble turkey feathers.
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Adding the Finishing Touches:
- Apply a thin layer of hot glue to the top of the turkey’s head and gently attach the modified clothes pin, positioning it slightly downwards to form the beak.
- For added stability, apply a small amount of hot glue to the back of the turkey and secure it to the remaining two clothes pins, which act as legs.
- To enhance the turkey’s rustic charm, apply a touch of Gold Leaf Rub’n Buff to the craft sticks, creating a subtle shimmer.
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Displaying Your Creation:
- Once the glue has dried completely, your delightful wooden turkey is ready to adorn your Thanksgiving table, mantelpiece, or any other cozy corner of your home.
Tips and Tricks:
- Feel free to personalize your turkey by adding googly eyes, a fabric wattle, or colorful feathers for a whimsical touch.
- If you prefer a different color scheme, experiment with various paint colors or stains to match your Thanksgiving décor.
- This project is a perfect opportunity to involve children in the crafting process, fostering creativity and family bonding.
You can make a fun and distinctive wooden turkey that will bring a touch of rustic charm to your Thanksgiving celebrations with a little creativity and these easy steps. So gather your materials, let your imagination run wild, and enjoy creating this cute feathered friend!
DIY Rustic Wooden Turkey for Fall Instructions
Prior to cutting them all out, print the patterns, making sure to tape any multiple pages together.
Next, trace the patterns onto the plywood and cut out the wood. You can see (in the picture below) my mom cutting out the wood pieces with a jigsaw.
Now, use the sander to smooth out the uneven areas.
First, Spray all of the body parts black.
You can see here what parts we actually sprayed black.
Last, spray the two wattles red with a quick spritz of black on the bottoms.
The feathers were left natural because they were old fence pickets (no paint).
If you purchased new wood, you can choose to leave it unfinished or apply my low-cost, DIY weathered wood stain if you’d like it to appear more worn and aged.
DIY Rustic Fall Wooden Turkey Tutorial
- TeeDiddlyDee-Wooden Turkey Pattern
- Pencil-for tracing stencil onto wood
- Tape-to tape paper patterns together
- Plywood-4ft x4ft at 3/4 thickness
- 16 feet or so of 1x4s (we used recycled fence panels with the “dog ear” tips already cut)
- Box of Wood Screws-1 1/4in long
- Spray paint-red & black
- Use old wood stain to create the illusion of aged wood for the turkey feathers if you bought new wood. To see my tutorial on how to make a cheap, weathered wood stain, click HERE. ).
- Jigsaw
- Sander
- Hand Drill with bits
- Scissors-to cut patters out
Pallet Turkey // Thanksgiving Decorations // Rustic Renderings // Just Joshin’ Around
FAQ
How do you make a turkey head out of construction paper?