Photo ornaments are a perfect way to add a special ornament to the tree each year to commemorate each Christmas. They also make a fabulous gift for the people that you are closest too. I have been creating an ornament each year to add to our own tree, and for the kids to give to their Grandmas, Grandpas, Aunts, and Uncles for their trees too. Buying personalized ornaments from stores or photo labs can be really expensive, especially if you are buying a lot of them at once. Here is a great way to create personalized photo ornaments at home for a fraction of the cost that are just as beautiful.
As the years pass there is one thing about decorating our tree each year that i really look forward to. It’s always my job to lay all of our ornaments out on the table as the kids start hanging them on the tree. I enjoy taking out each ornament, and remembering where it came from, the year we got it, and the memories that go with it. I adore the personalized photo ornaments most, and can’t believe how the kids have changed over the last 5 years. Commemorating each Christmas with a photo ornament of the kids is so special to me, and fun for them to look back at too.
This year we created some ornaments to give to our family members, and of course one for our own tree too. In years past we have tried Cookie Cutter Ornaments and hand painted or hand print ornament balls. This years ornament turned out super cute, and has been the most inexpensive to make too. I started by printing off one of my favorite pictures of the kids from this year and set out to make it into a special ornament for the tree. I had an idea in my mind of what I wanted them to look like, and they turned out pretty close.
I had to do a little searching to find just the right base for the ornaments, and I was able to find these rectangular pieces of wood at Hobby Lobby in a package of 4 for $1.47. They measure 2 1/2″ by 3 1/2″. I grabbed two packages and had more than enough for all of the ornaments that I needed to make. I had the hubby drill some really tiny holes in the top of them before I started so that there was a way to hang them onto the tree.
We choose to use a bunch of different colors of glitter because we already had them at home, and when you ask a three year old what color glitter she wants to use, she will always say all of them! She really enjoyed glittering the backs of each ornament, and was a total pro at covering every single inch of the wood with glitter. Maybe she went a little overboard, but it was nice to have some help and spend some time with her making something for family.
Here is what you will need to make these ornaments yourself:
- Card stock paper to print photos on (you could use regular photos too)
- Thin Ribbon
- Mod Podge and a brush (sponge brushes work best)
- Paint Brush
- Wooden rectangles and a drill to create holes in them
- Glitter
- Drill a very small hole in the top of your wooden pieces
- Print photos off onto card stock paper – I printed mine wallet sized so the would fit on the wooden pieces but leave a little border to glitter
- Brush a thin layer of Mod Podge onto your wood and lay the picture down onto it, then add another thin layer of Mod Podge right over the picture
- Let the Mod Podge Dry completely before you add glitter (otherwise the glitter will be stuck all over your picture)
- Now take a small brush (not pictured) and add Mod Podge around the outer edge of the picture and the sides of the wood. Sprinkle Glitter over those areas to cover the wet Mod Podge and create a glittered edge.
- Let this dry completely
- Turn your ornament over and cover the back in Mod Podge
- Completely cover the back with glitter while the Mod Podge is still wet – This is a great step to let the kids help with!
- Once everything is completely dry cut a small piece of ribbon for hanging
- Use a toothpick to push the ribbon through the paper and the hole that you created in the wood earlier.
- Tie ribbon, and hang, or wrap up to give the people that you love!
