Goose Grease began as custom-painted wooden families and dolls for children. Then a few brides requested custom doll portraits for their wedding cakes. With that, the idea of the peg doll cake topper was born. It has caught on as a creative way to add a personal touch to your wedding decorations and, at the same time, have a long-lasting art object as a memory of your wedding.
We are happy to say that each and every doll has its own personality. With this project you can make your own.

You Will Need:
Wooden peg dolls
One thin and one flat paint brush
Acrylic paint – Folk Art and Americana are a couple good brands
Tortillon – Shader
Top coat –Matte finish
Sandpaper (for correcting mistakes)
Mechanical pencil

Step 1: Make sure the surface of the wood is smooth and that all knicks or uneven places are sanded down. Holding the wood’s vertical lines towards you, draw two points for the eyes, then draw the hairline around the perimeter of the face.

Step 2: To draw the arms, envision an imaginary line from the point of the eye all the way down to the hand. This will be the inside of the arm. Go back up to draw the outside of both arms. In the case of the bride, a horizontal line connecting both arms cuts across to make the bride’s dress (variations to the neckline can be made after this line is drawn). For the groom, draw a V in the center going down from the neck. This will make for his suit.

Step 3: Paint the bride’s hair. Use the flat part of your flat brush to get around the edges. (Warning: Using the thin brush to outline the hair will create bumps in the paint).

Step 4: Paint the groom’s hair. Again, use the flat part of the brush to outline the hair. For the beard, use the thin brush. To make a “five o’clock shadow,” either use your toothpick or thin brush to stipple along the face.

Step 5: Wash and re-shape your brush between each use.

Step 6: Paint the white part for the V of the groom’s shirt. Re-draw the V for the groom’s shirt, if needed. Draw and paint the tie. Use the thin brush for these details.

Step 7: Paint the bride’s dress with the flat brush, making sure that her hair is dry so you can hold her head while working on the body. Depending on your paint, the dress might require two coats. If so, let the paint dry between each coat.

Step 8: Paint the groom’s suit. Again, use the flat brush to go around the hands. Go onto the neck for the suit. Use the thin brush if needed, but the flat brush works well.

Step 9: Dot the eyes and, using the toothpick, begin working on other details.

Step 10: Start finishing the bride! Draw a few lines to suggest the ruffles of her dress and draw the outline for the bouquet. For the latter, draw a simple circle and then begin to paint the leaves first, leaving a space for the flowers. Simplicity is the key here. After working on the leaves, begin to add the flowers using one or two colors. Think of a symmetrical pattern: leaf, flower, leaf, flower…

Step 11: Add the final touches to your bouquet. The toothpick can be used here to add baby’s breath or lavender dots. Now, shade the pencil lines on the dress using the shader or tortillon. This will give an effect of ruffles and will prevent the line from smudging once the top coat is applied.

Step 12: Start finishing the groom! Detail his suit. Using paint and a very thin brush is good for the advanced painter. For an easier route that also looks dazzling, use a pencil and tortillon to blend the line. Wrap a post-it note around the body to draw the jacket line. Blend over the line with the tortillon.

Step 13: You’re almost finished! Once the eyes are dry, begin erasing the pencil marks so you can start seeing the final picture. Apply the final top coat. Work on the head first, let it dry, and then apply the coat to the body. Be generous. Once this is done, after all this hard work, having said “I do” will both sound and look sweeter.

Optional: If you have some smaller details you would like to include and need a thinner brush, personalize your own thin round brush. We recommend buying a size 1 round brush and cutting half of the bristles. Size 1 is the perfect length. Having half of the bristles is good for some tiny detailing needs.

All photographs by Goose Grease.
103 comments
Susan from DesignsbyMSusan said 5 years ago
These are adorable. Thank you for sharing!
CM from SPUNKbyCM said 5 years ago
So cute, and a wonderful idea! Thanks for sharing
Becky from TheSingingBird said 5 years ago
A very clear, easy, and fun tutorial. Thank you. :)
Galit from goolgool said 5 years ago
Beautifully made! Thank you...
Becky from TheSingingBird said 5 years ago
Just have to add that it's wonderful to see Fair Trade products in both of your shops!
Ann Cosgrove from acbcDesign said 5 years ago
So cute - love all the little details!
Deb Vasbinder from BabyCuteBaby said 5 years ago
This is just the cutest!!!Thanks for sharing!
Megan from MegansMenagerie said 5 years ago
This is so neat! Beautifully done!
Emily H from CabochonCorner said 5 years ago
Very cute! =)
LivingVintage from LivingVintage said 5 years ago
Charming!
DecadesOfVintage from DecadesOfVintage said 5 years ago
I really enjoyed this tutorial and appreciate all of the details that you included.
Aristocrafts from Aristocrafts said 5 years ago
This is such a cute project! Thank you for sharing :)!
Amy Stringer-Mowat from AHeirloom said 5 years ago
Congrats Guys!! as always stunning.
Ada from FairyArtStudio said 5 years ago
I love cake toppers :) Thanks for sharing! Gave me new ideas!
Antonina Constantinova from LoYoInc said 5 years ago
amazing!! very nice!
seasidecloth from seasidecloth said 5 years ago
These are so great to keep as an heirloom piece for each anniversary that follows
PeachesnCream Studio from PeachesnCreamStudio said 5 years ago
Love these! Thanks for sharing this tutorial; I can't wait to try it myself!
Matejka Max from NattyMatty said 5 years ago
Lovely couple!
IKA PARIS from ikabags said 5 years ago
These are adorable. Thank you for sharing !
Aga from AgasJourney said 5 years ago
cute, creative and simply beautiful!
Robin from BeulahLouiseVintage said 5 years ago
I am so going to try this! Thank you.
Michelle from DesignerHeadboards said 5 years ago
How Adorable!!
Stacey McCaffrey from vintagejane said 5 years ago
SO creative!
Leda Design from LedaDesign said 5 years ago
What a wonderful idea! Love it!
Maya Kuzman from sewella said 5 years ago
They are adorable!! Thank you for sharing!
Numage Kurotsuki from NumageLab said 5 years ago
This is very cute and neat! Thank you for the idea!
elle and belle Forster from elleandbellejewelry said 5 years ago
Wow, great idea and thanks for sharing your talent!
creativeclassics from creativeclassics said 5 years ago
These are so adorable, thank you for sharing this lovely tutorial!
Kimberlee from GracefullyGirly said 5 years ago
These are just so cute! I love to see personalized wedding accessories and decor and with things like this it's becoming more and more possible to personalize a wedding. You do such an amazing job I'd leave something like this to you if I were getting married. But I can see how this tutorial can benefit those who can do a nice job with paint or don't have the budget for many extras.
MyChouchou from MyChouChou said 5 years ago
Super adorable! great painting tips! thanks for sharing : )
Martha Layton Smith from opendoorstudio said 5 years ago
how cute are these! thanks for sharing!
Georgia from JewelMeShop said 5 years ago
Great Tutorial! Thanks for sharing!
Jennifer Presler from IlluminativeHarvest said 5 years ago
They are amazing!!
Chris from HarmonyBalls said 5 years ago
Sooooooooo Cute! I wish I was getting married again ... :)
Linda Fehlen from LindaFehlenGallery said 5 years ago
Thank you for taking the time to share this detailed tutorial. They are adorable!
Ducky Rubin from StudioDjewelry said 5 years ago
Fantastic Idea!!! Love those DIY wedding ideas :)
Luz Spears from OneofakindVintage1 said 5 years ago
Love your tutorial I will pass it on to my friend which is getting married in the spring!
Cath Young from mybeardedpigeon said 5 years ago
How generous to share your technique. They are beautiful.
DebRAHHH from MessyInspiredDesigns said 5 years ago
These are great! A perfect way to express your personalities as a couple.
Caroline and Brandon Matey from TheMissingTagVintage said 5 years ago
Too cute!
Hirjalda Mobley from sofisticata said 5 years ago
These are so adorable! Thank you for sharing! Seem to easy to make! Maybe even children can do similar ones for art class! :)
Chelsea and Justin Weise from MacMaddies said 5 years ago
How very cool! My sister-in-law is getting married later this spring. I'll have to check to see if she has purchased her cake toppers yet. If not, I may have to offer my services!
Sung-jin, SEO from MyElevenEleven said 5 years ago
Fantastic Idea!! how lovely... :-)
Rock Artiste from RockArtiste said 5 years ago
These are adorable!
Natalia from KMalinkaVintage said 5 years ago
What a great work!
Savina McCrone from DreamyCottage said 5 years ago
Very creative! Excellent work and inspiration! :)))
Laura Boyea from LauraBoyea said 5 years ago
Love this! Makes me want to renew our vows ;)
Salpie and Karena from HouseOfMark said 5 years ago
Amazing work! Thanks for sharing :)
lyttlesister from lyttlesister said 5 years ago
Ive been wanting to paint little wooden dolls. This will surely get me started. I've got the supplies,well I've had them for a year. Thank you.
Lisa Marie Renee Jane from BonnetsBagsTreasures said 5 years ago
I love your wooden dolls. You make it look so easy to paint on a curved surface. Sincerely Lisa Marie
rebeccasanchez from rebeccasanchez said 5 years ago
Fun stuff!
Kathrine from pinkpurr said 5 years ago
Adorable! Wish I had thought of that at my DIY wedding some 20 years ago when I made everything from my dress to the wedding cake. I just threw on a bunch of real flowers on the cake for decoration cause just the thought of a generic "Ken & Barbie" type of topper not to mention likely made of some sort of toxic plastic / resin in china was pretty much all that was known to be available for toppers. The selection now on Etsy is amazing! ... And such a great souvinir of that special day!
Bernadette F from HeyBernadette said 5 years ago
I love Goose Grease! I got my first cake topper blanks from them, they got me started! Great tutorial!
Jeanne from FromJeanne said 5 years ago
This is amazing!
Natalie from HansHolzkopf said 5 years ago
very cute idea!
Ingrid from IngMade said 5 years ago
I love these! Such a cute idea.
Joanne Dohr from Dogdohr said 5 years ago
What a fun idea, I'd do the whole family!
Marisol N from MarisolNCreations said 5 years ago
These are so cute! I made a pair for my best friend's wedding 1 year ago. I loved making them. They were so fun and easy to make. This is an excellent tutorial. Wish I had this when I made mine. Thank you for sharing. Excellent work.
Voula Kambouris from Voulashomemadeprod said 5 years ago
Beautiful art work
Sara from UrbanFarmhouseTampa said 5 years ago
So rustic and cute!
Lala Jewelry from Laladesignstudio said 5 years ago
What a cute idea! I love it!
Tina from AnimalCharm said 5 years ago
What a fun idea that adds such a personal touch. Love it.
Fred Wholley from PelekeArt said 5 years ago
VERY AWESOME : )
Renate from 2Crafty4You said 5 years ago
You are so creative! This is great project and a wonderful gift for any wedding. I love it. Thanks for sharing this.
Irena Makharadze said 5 years ago
so nice:)
Surond Edrisi from SurondStudio said 5 years ago
Adorable artworks! Thank you for sharing!
Susan Jizba from AFiresideTale said 5 years ago
So Incredibly Adorable...It's always so much fun to personalize the details of a party...this would be fun to be used for birthday cakes, anniversaries, and any other type of celebration....as well as weddings...
Katrina Dzerkale from Dominna said 5 years ago
Ha-ha, so charming :)
Carrie Paquette from Artbycarriepaquette said 5 years ago
What a great idea! very unique!
iammie from iammie said 5 years ago
So cute!
Betty Heppner from SoftForest said 5 years ago
Love this!
Linda from lovelygifts said 5 years ago
So Cute!
messinabella from BandBEstate said 5 years ago
Great tutorial!
Alycia Burda said 5 years ago
I think I found the perfect wedding topper for that special day! Thanks :)
Fields Of Vintage from FieldsOfVintage said 5 years ago
These are so cute! Very nice tutorial!
Zak and Kevin from LAVintageVillain said 5 years ago
Great to learn about a shop and learn how to make the cake toppers your self!
glitterandstones from glitterandstones said 5 years ago
These are very cute . Thanks for sharing!
aSma from TealAndMagenta said 5 years ago
Amazing! Thank you for sharing with us :)
Under the cherry tree from underCherryTree said 5 years ago
Wow I love this post! so original!
VibrantTrains from VibrantTrains said 5 years ago
Absolutely adorable. Love them all.
Vic Torys from GiveMe5ive said 5 years ago
amazing! very original work! ♥
0arthouse0 from 0arthouse0 said 5 years ago
These designs are precious. :) Last summer i made a set for one of my mother's friends', as a wedding gift. I was told on the day of her wedding that the bride removed the plastic topper she had on her cake to display mine instead. I felt honored! I can only imagine how wedding couples feel having one of your creations on their special day. Your designs are unique and beautiful!
Kathie from MillCityCrochet said 5 years ago
Adorable! I am also a wedding planner so now I know not only how to make these myself, but who to recommend to my couples. (certainly not me!) Like anything else, it looks easy enough until you try it yourself. I'm sure it's time consuming too! Thanks for sharing how you make these and for using Fair Trade items in your work!
Somjai from SmileBag said 5 years ago
It's great idea, I love it. Thanks for sharing.
Qwynn Studios from WinstonandQwynns said 5 years ago
Adorable and so much more personal.
Lolo Sinclair from lolos said 5 years ago
Love it! So adorable! :) Thank you so much for sharing!
Evonne from CuppaStitches said 5 years ago
I love these! Thanks for the tutorial, although I know if I tried to make my own they wouldn't be nearly as good.
Tam from BarryCarry said 5 years ago
that's so cute
Chawal Silverware from Chawalsilver said 5 years ago
thank you for sharing !!! <3
Marie Cashin from MEmbroideries said 5 years ago
these are cool !!!1
Clare and Richard Kapin from VarietyArtworks said 5 years ago
Oh, wow, these are great!
Luz from EstiloMargot said 5 years ago
Absolutely precious. Great talent!
aressa from OriginalBridalHanger said 5 years ago
Fun cake toppers...
Julie from julsofparadise said 5 years ago
These are ADORABLE! I might need to borrow your ideas and make mermaids and mermen!!
David Byam from ElectricCityGraphix said 5 years ago
These are brilliant. What a unique way to complete the centerpiece of your wedding reception.
Natalie Garton from knitnifty said 5 years ago
Too cute!!!! I will have to keep this in mind as I'm planning my wedding details
Happy Dolphins from happydolphins said 5 years ago
Lovely!!! How can I just saw it after the Valentine's day?!
StephLovesVintage said 5 years ago
These are fab, thank you for sharing. We are planning our wedding - I am definitely going to show these to my other half.
Chapelgate Road from chapelgateroad said 5 years ago
These are just so cute and I will keep these in mind when we start planning anniversaries for family members. It could really turn into something very fun as we love to do something unique like this. Thank you for sharing your instructions but I will probably enlist your painting genius when the time comes. I love all the different ideas you come up with. Thanks. Mary
sean liude from TaoJiYi said 5 years ago
I like these, to learn from you.
Claire Reed from InOurStar said 5 years ago
I love your shop
Sirikuwan Thipkum from tantawanlights said 5 years ago
So Cute .
Kim from Dittocats said 4 years ago
Thanks for sharing! My niece is getting married in October and I have been wanting to make her something special for her homemade wedding. Thanks again! Kim